Learning to deal with the ghosts of the past

A world-leading professional learning course beginning next month will strengthen professionals' understanding and ability to support children and young people who have experienced trauma. With only two weeks left to register, we hear from a past delegate about the importance of this approach. 

Next month, a new cohort of learners will embark on a Professional Diploma course on Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSW) hosted in Edinburgh. Led by Richard Rose, former child protection worker, acclaimed author and Director of Child Trauma Intervention Services Ltd and Therapeutic Life Story Work International, students on the 12-day course will develop their skills, knowledge and experience to undertake TLSW with children and young people.

Therapeutic Life Story Work is fundamentally about understanding how to help children and young people who have experienced trauma reflect compassionately on their past, work through their pain and move forward in a positive and healthy way.

The Therapeutic Life Story Works Professional Diploma will teach students how to help children and young people to understand their past through a deeper understanding and awareness of how their history has negatively impacted their present.

One student from a previous cohort, Elizabeth Johnson, shared how beneficial the course had been, including the level of support, and how this enabled her to consolidate her learning and put it into practice:

“I was in the Scotland 2020-21 cohort of students for TLSW. I loved the weekends of input. Richard [Rose, course leader and Director of Therapeutic Life Story Work International] is so engaging in his presentations, as were all of the guest speakers", she told us.

"The course, although having a basis in theory – which is outlined in an understandable way – is very practical. You are required to work with a young person, or adult if that is your area of focus, using the format outlined in the course, alongside getting the input from Richard.

"Although this is time-consuming, it’s the best way to learn. I was fortunate to have excellent clinical supervision from a TLSW-accredited supervisor for the duration of the course and this helped to consolidate my learning and gave me the guidance that I needed for the direct work I was doing."

Elizabeth, who works for the City of Edinburgh Council, also told us how she had been inspired by to embed her learning in the post-adoption support delivered in her setting:

"TLSW is clearly a process that works! I have been inspired by what I have heard over the months. I know that I will be using this input regularly as a means of post-adoption support within my work setting.

"It’s been a privilege to take part in the course and I could not commend it more highly.”

The next Therapeutic Life Story Works Professional Diploma course will begin in September. A year long diploma course, this comprises of 12 days teaching time and assessments. 

The course costs £1,900, payable on completion. 

BOOK TODAY. Registration for the Edinburgh course will close shortly. 

Click here to find out more and register

This is a revised version of an article which ran in Issue 1 of our membership magazine Insight, published November 2021.

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