Understanding how past adversity shapes nervous system responses, movement patterns, communication, and engagement is essential for modern outpatient rehabilitation. This course equips PT, OT, and other rehab professionals with practical, evidence‑informed skills to recognize signs of trauma, foster safety, and build stronger therapeutic alliances. Learners will examine how threat responses influence pain, adherence, and functional outcomes, and will practice strategies rooted in trauma‑ and resilience‑informed care.
Through case examples, screening tools, communication techniques, and in‑session behavior strategies, clinicians will learn how to create a more predictable, collaborative, consent‑driven environment. The course emphasizes the role of safety, transparency, and nonverbal communication in patient interactions, and highlights how addressing these factors leads to improved clinical outcomes, reduced provider burnout, and better alignment with the Quadruple Aim. Participants will leave with actionable approaches they can implement immediately in outpatient practice to improve both patient and clinician experiences.
Objectives:
- Identify key indicators of trauma history relevant to PT/OT practice through patient screening and clinical observation.
- Describe and demonstrate trauma‑informed approaches to obtaining consent, using both verbal and non‑verbal strategies.
- Analyze components of therapeutic alliance that foster safety, agency, and trust in patients.
- Evaluate how trauma‑informed care practices influence patient engagement, adherence, clinical outcomes, and provider well‑being in outpatient settings.
