DMU Opens New Center for Trauma and Resiliency Studies

1/18/17

The Center for Trauma and Resiliency Studies (CTRS) at Divine Mercy University opened this fall, offering a training program through Green Cross Academy for Traumatology for students, faculty, alumni and interested community professionals targeted toward certifications as Mental Health First Responders in times of disaster and traumatic situations. Dr. Benjamin Keyes, a faculty member of the School of Counseling at DMU, is leading the formation and development of the CTRS at Divine Mercy University.

The CTRS  will also house research projects looking at the long and short term effects of trauma and effective therapeutic interventions in response to traumatic situations and events.  As part of the Center, there will be a development of an on-going Response Team of students, alumni and interested community professionals capable of deploying in times of significant disaster or crisis anywhere in the US.  The goal is to assist recovery efforts with first responders to prevent compassion fatigue, collaborate in working with survivors in the field, and provide counseling services in the aftermath of disaster or crisis.  

“We are privileged to have the opportunity to bring in depth training and certification in aspects of trauma  to the students, alumni and community professionals around Divine Mercy University,” said Dr. Benjamin Keyes, Director of the Center for Trauma and Resiliency Studies. “It is through the certification process that we are able to directly impact those suffering and those in need.”

The CTRS at Divine Mercy University has partnered with the Green Cross Academy for Traumatology to offer certification courses leading to four separate levels of Trauma Certification.  The four certifications are: Compassion Fatigue Educator, Compassion Fatigue Therapist, Field Traumatologist and Certified (Clinical) Traumatologist.  The courses for the certifications will be offered throughout the year covering all levels of intervention.  The Certified Traumatologist credential is recognized by the Veteran’s Administration (VA), Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), Volunteer Organizations Amid Disaster (VOAD), and other response agencies.  The workshops are offered both on-site at the Arlington, VA campus of Divine Mercy University or online through a virtual classroom.  

Research projects of the CTRS include both short term and long term trauma environments, which include natural disasters, man-made crisis and accidents as well as human trafficking, domestic violence, terrorism, refugee displacement, and chronic poverty. Current research projects include a 5 year longitudinal study with survivors of human trafficking utilizing a Christian treatment model for intervention and healing, the effects of trauma training with professionals working with Syrian refugees and compassion fatigue levels with both short and long term intervention with the population affected by trauma.  

“The goal with CTRS is to examine potential resilience in affected populations and to strengthen skills with those professionals providing services to those in need of trauma intervention,” says Dr. Keyes. “We will be organizing a Mental Health Response Team capable of providing intervention for compassion fatigue, field trauma support, and clinical counseling to those affected by a disaster or traumatic event.” The Response Team is visioned as an ongoing program, welcoming new members every year as students and community participants complete trauma trainings and certification levels through the Green Cross Academy for Traumatology. Divine Mercy University is committed to providing the best education available in fields that are of particular relevance in the world today.

For more information about the training and workshop schedule, please visit: https://divinemercy.edu/center-trauma-resiliency-studies/training-schedule/
For more information on Green Cross Academy for Traumatology, please visit: www.greencross.org
Dr. Benjamin Keyes is the Director of Training and Internship for the School of Counseling at Divine Mercy University. For more information about the School of Counseling, please visit: divinemercy.edu

Jessie Tappel
Senior Director of Communications
jtappel@divinemercy.edu
703-416-1441 x 116