Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Trauma
What does this course involve?
Developing a deeper understanding of trauma, PTSD and the lasting impact traumatic experiences can have on people’s lives.
Trauma can affect the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, relates to others and experiences the world around them. For some people, the effects can continue long after the original experience has passed.
This course explores Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma, helping participants understand how traumatic experiences can affect the brain, emotions, relationships and behaviour.
Bill encourages participants to look beyond symptoms and behaviours to consider what someone may have experienced and how those experiences may continue to influence their life today.
Looking beyond the behaviour to understand the experience
Trauma isn’t simply about what happened to someone. It can also be about how that experience affected them and how their mind and body responded.
People who have experienced trauma may develop ways of coping or protecting themselves that made sense during difficult circumstances but can create challenges later in life.
Understanding trauma allows us to view these responses differently — moving away from judgement and towards curiosity, understanding and more appropriate support.
Topics can include:
- Understanding psychological trauma
- What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
- Understanding complex trauma
- PTSD and complex trauma – understanding the differences
- How the brain and body respond to threat
- Fight, flight, freeze and other survival responses
- Trauma and memory
- Recognising possible signs and symptoms
- Triggers and trauma responses
- Hyperarousal and hypervigilance
- Avoidance and emotional responses
- Trauma and emotional regulation
- The impact of repeated or prolonged trauma
- Childhood and developmental trauma
- Attachment, trust and relationships
- Understanding behaviour through a trauma-informed perspective
- Communication and supporting someone affected by trauma
- Developing trauma-informed approaches
No PowerPoint. No Death by Slides.
Bill believes the best training happens through conversation, discussion and genuine engagement — not by reading information from a screen.
Every Just Say Training course is written and delivered personally by Bill, drawing upon more than 35 years of experience working in mental health and related services.
There are no PowerPoint presentations. Instead, participants are encouraged to ask questions, discuss real situations and explore the subject in an open and engaging environment.
The result is training that feels relevant, memorable and connected to the real world.
What can you expect from the course?
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Trauma can influence behaviour in ways that aren’t always immediately understood.
Someone may appear angry, withdrawn, anxious, distrustful, overly alert or difficult to engage. When we understand more about trauma, we can begin to consider what may be happening beneath these responses.
Bill explains PTSD and complex trauma in an accessible and engaging way, helping participants connect theory with situations and behaviours they may encounter in the real world.
- Understand Trauma – Explore what psychological trauma is and how experiences can affect individuals differently.
- Understand PTSD – Develop greater awareness of PTSD and the ways symptoms can affect everyday life.
- Explore Complex Trauma – Consider the potential impact of repeated, prolonged or developmental traumatic experiences.
- Understand Trauma Responses – Explore how the brain and body respond when we perceive danger or threat.
- Look Beyond Behaviour – Consider whether someone’s responses may make more sense when viewed through their previous experiences.
- Develop Trauma-Informed Practice – Explore how greater understanding can influence communication, relationships and support.
Year of Experience
Years Delivering Training
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Courses Written & Delivered by Bill
Why choose PTSD & Complex Trauma training?
Trauma can leave lasting effects that aren’t always visible.
Without an understanding of trauma, behaviours such as withdrawal, anger, avoidance, distrust or heightened emotional responses can sometimes be misinterpreted as someone simply being difficult or unwilling to engage.
This course encourages participants to consider a different question. Instead of only asking “What’s wrong with this person?”, we begin to consider “What might this person have experienced?”
It can be particularly valuable for people working within mental health, healthcare, social care, education, policing, criminal justice, housing, homelessness services, substance misuse services, counselling, fostering, charities and other services supporting people who may have experienced trauma.
The aim is to develop greater understanding of PTSD and complex trauma, helping participants recognise the potential impact of traumatic experiences and respond in a more informed, compassionate and trauma-aware way.