Trauma & the Brain: Student Experiences With a Case-Based Training Series for Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study examines “Trauma & the Brain”—a case-based training series for graduate-level social work students focused on the neurodevelopmental impact of childhood trauma. Four focus groups were conducted with 17 participants from the Trauma & the Brain training series. Reflexive thematic analysis identified six themes regarding students’ application of training series content to their field work: nurturing a learning community, bridging content and curriculum gaps, understanding “the why,” taking the toolbox into the field, confident communicators, and field challenges. Implications for social work education are discussed, including the necessity of preparing students for fluent communication about complex trauma in multidisciplinary settings, and building learning communities that connect students across cohorts and micro- and macro-practice tracks.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kylie E. Evans

Kylie E. Evans, MSW, LSW, is a Doctoral Candidate in Social Welfare at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Emily K. Miller, MSW, is a Doctoral Candidate in Social Welfare at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Anna E. Bender, MSW, LSW, is a Doctoral Candidate in Social Welfare at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Jennifer A. King, DSW, LISW, is an Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Center on Trauma & Adversity at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University.