This innovative new graduate certificate from Pacifica Extension will offer a broad approach for working with the moral injury and PTSD affecting the psyches of veterans and their families. It has the distinct advantage of combining perspectives from four internationally renowned authors, educators, and transformational leaders in the fields of Analytical Psychology, Military Psychology, and Military Psychiatry each of whom specialize in war mental health trauma. The therapies and modalities covered in this certificate will include not only the biological, but the psychosocial and psychospiritual aspects of the veteran’s journey as a whole, and that of their loved ones.
In order to expand and enrich the standard approach to veterans suffering from mental illness, a wide variety of perspectives will be discussed and explored, providing a more diverse and effective therapeutic palette for clinicians and counselors to use to augment traditional methods of treating these individuals. This course will blend together classic techniques of analytical psychology such as active imagination, dream analysis, ritual and creative work to the unique cultural, moral, and psychological traumas that face veterans of today’s modern global military experience.
Offered online over 24 weeks, this 12 module certificate course has the distinct advantage of combining four perspectives from four internationally renowned authors, educators, and transformational leaders in the fields of Analytical Psychology, Military Psychology, and Military Psychiatry. Because the practices and ideas contained within this course are open to everyone, this Certificate neither requires nor confers a license or degree. It is designed as an overview offering a range of concepts, techniques, and strategies by surveying a number of key approaches to veterans of all levels of the military.
It will be of interest to clinicians, coaches, activists, veterans, military families, and concerned citizens—looking for a more holistic and engaged way forward, focused on the unique and intense biological, psychological, social, and psycho-spiritual stressors that comprise the modern military veteran’s lived experience. The Certificate offers a range of readings, lectures, weekly reflections, and live sessions, so participants will need to make sufficient space in their schedules to learn as much as they can over the 24 weeks.
Career Competencies:
- Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Interventions Competency:
Apply depth psychological approaches to effectively address PTSD and moral injury in veterans, integrating both traditional and innovative therapeutic techniques such as active imagination, ritual, and dream analysis.
Clinicians and counselors will develop the skills to work with veterans’ complex trauma, recognizing the intersection of biological, psychological, and psycho-spiritual factors. They will learn to utilize integrative methods in clinical settings to address the unique needs of veterans.
2. Cultural Sensitivity and Archetypal Approaches Competency:
Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural, spiritual, and archetypal dimensions of the military experience, tailoring interventions for veterans from diverse backgrounds.
Participants will explore how different cultures, both indigenous and modern, view warriorhood and trauma. This competency will help professionals create culturally competent and sensitive approaches to working with veterans, ensuring that their healing process respects and integrates their unique backgrounds.
3. Holistic Trauma Healing and Family Engagement Competency:
Design and facilitate holistic therapeutic interventions that engage not only the veteran but also their families, applying tools like the Soldier’s Heart model and the Spiritual Warrior archetype.
Participants will gain skills to engage military families in the healing process, recognizing the interconnectedness of individual and family trauma. This competency will empower professionals to guide families in understanding the complexities of PTSD and moral injury, fostering a more supportive and comprehensive healing environment.