By Ahmoni Martin, Communitarian Staff Reporter

DCCC is now offering a Trauma Studies Certificate to teach students how to address psychologically or emotionally stressful situations that can lead to serious mental emotional problems.

To earn the trauma studies certificate, students must have taken PSYCH 140, Introduction to Psychology and two of the 15 trauma-related electives prior to starting the two Trauma Studies courses.

Students can take the classes in one to two semesters or space them out. The first course is TSC 230, Recognizing Trauma, about how to define, see and assess trauma. The second course is TSC 236, Trauma Outcomes and Societal Response, is about how we deal with trauma.

Dr. Kelly Landman, associate professor in psychology, with other colleagues launched the trauma studies certificate in Spring 2022, after finding there was a big need to recognize and understand trauma at both individual and organizational levels and the lack of undergraduate programs to take.

Dr. Landman said, “Trauma creates stress, physically, emotionally, behaviorally, cognitively.”

Most trauma studies certificates are for master level clinicians and Dr. Landman wanted to create a program not only for undergraduate students in psychology and counseling but to increase understanding of trauma in their own field of study.

It is important to understand “the reactions that come about because of those effects and how to assess reactions and treat them if needed,” said Dr. Landman.

For students wanting to learn about the trauma studies certificate, visit https://www.dccc.edu/trauma-studies.