Impact Survivors of Trauma With a Career in Social Work With Your BSW
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Trauma and crisis intervention are critical elements of social work. While some social work roles may use trauma and crisis management more than others, all roles require foundational knowledge in these areas.
The online Bachelor of Social Work (BSW): Crisis and Trauma Concentration program from Carlow University provides a particular focus on trauma and crisis management skills, in addition to social work competencies, to produce graduates with the critical knowledge they need to be effective in the field. Graduates gain insights into the types of trauma clients experience and how to help them navigate these challenges.
Different Types of Trauma
According to the American Psychology Association, “Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war, and more.” Social workers frequently engage with clients who have experienced a wide range of traumas.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) outlines a wide variety of types of trauma that children may experience. These trauma types include bullying, partner violence, medical trauma, physical abuse, race-based trauma, refugee trauma, sexual abuse and traumatic grief — to name a few. In addition, young persons may suffer from “complex trauma,” which entails “exposure to multiple traumatic events” that are often invasive and interpersonal and go on to have long-term effects, per the NCTSN.
Recognizing the different types of traumas is critical for providing support, resources and interventions to a child who has faced or is currently facing trauma. Regardless of a client’s background or symptoms, social workers must be prepared to intervene in a crisis.
Effective Crisis and Trauma Management
The New Social Worker, a magazine for social work careers, shares more information about this topic in an article on trauma-informed care. Writers Elisa Kawam, Ph.D., and Marcos J. Martinez, Ph.D., define a traumatic event as “an experience in which individuals fear for their lives or the lives of those close to them… The key component to understanding trauma is that it is both preventable and treatable. This is where the role of social workers comes in — acting as change agents to directly influence the lives of those who have endured traumatic events. This treatment approach is called Trauma Informed Care (TIC).”
The authors explain that TIC is more of a way of thinking about trauma rather than a specific treatment. It is about understanding behavior and coping mechanisms, trying to get to the root of why problems started and anticipating how these issues could affect an individual in the future.
With TIC, social workers may attempt to reduce the risk of dangerous outcomes or behaviors later in a child’s life, as well as address fears and difficulties in the present. Furthermore, TIC focuses on a person-centered approach that sees the client as a whole and attempts to empower them to regain their sense of self and control in life. In this sense, it is about a social worker working with clients to create lasting, positive results.
The authors of an AMN Healthcare article state, “In the world of social work, crises are not just possible; they are inevitable. These moments of intense difficulty can arise without warning and require immediate, effective intervention.” These crisis management skills cannot be overlooked by social workers in training.
The AMN Healthcare article breaks down crisis management into several tangible steps. To start, a social worker must assess the situation at hand. To help their client, they must build rapport and trust and apply immediate interventions that put the client out of harm’s way. Finally, social workers must create a crisis plan to help the client recover in the long term. As per the goals of TIC, the client should be involved in the plan’s development to gain a sense of autonomy.
Why Pursue a Career in Social Work?
Crisis management and trauma interventions are key pillars of social work, and many professionals pursue a career path in this area. However, social work entails many different types of jobs — all of which may be interesting for graduates of social work programs. These roles include direct care workers, school counselors, family or victim advocates, case managers, substance abuse social workers, forensic social workers, mental health professionals, healthcare social workers and crisis counselors.
For those ready to take the next step in their social work careers, a BSW may be the right move. The Crisis and Trauma Concentration in Carlow University’s online BSW program includes four courses: Impact of Trauma; Crisis Intervention; Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment; and Treatment and Grief and Loss Across the Lifespan. The program offers a comprehensive look at the many ways that trauma impacts clients and how social workers can intervene in crises, making it an excellent resource for future social workers.
Learn more about Carlow University’s online BSW: Crisis and Trauma Concentration program.