Veteran’s Day Weekend Sale

During the weekend leading up to Veterans Day, Professional Development Resources is featuring ten of its continuing education courses that train professionals to treat mental health problems that are seen in many members of the military and their families. The following courses are 20% off through Monday, November 12, 2012:

Veterans DayOne of the most serious conditions among those exposed to combat is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal, in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

People with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal and feel emotionally numb, especially with people they were once close to. They may experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs summarizes the probabilities of certain groups having PTSD at some point in their lives:

  • About 7-8% of the general population
  • About 11-20% of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom)
  • About 10% of Gulf War (Desert Storm) Veterans
  • About 30% of Vietnam Veterans

“The numbers are staggering,” says Leo Christie, PhD, CEO of Professional Development Resources. “A recent White House Executive Order dated August 12, 2012 states: “Since September 11, 2001, more than two million service members have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Long deployments and intense combat conditions require optimal support for the emotional and mental health needs of our service members and their families. The need for mental health services will only increase in the coming years as the Nation deals with the effects of more than a decade of conflict.”

The stresses that are part of active deployment – particularly in combat areas – do not cease when service members finish their tour of duty and return to civilian life. The statistics noted above are remarkable when one considers that it is not only the individual service member who is affected by the symptoms, but also his or her family members. This means that specialty mental health services may be required for marital issues as well as child behavior problems and other family stressors.

Christie adds “with increasing numbers of returning service personnel and their families presenting in acute distress, it is unlikely that any mental health professional will NOT encounter them in his or her clinical office. Our goal is to offer them the specialized information they need in order to deliver effective treatment.”

“We are very pleased to have these courses and to offer them for accredited continuing education units,” says Christie. “I hope this special offer will make them available to every professional who works with veterans and their families.”

 

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After the War Zone – New ‘Test Only’ CE Course

CE Credit: 6 Hours (0.6 CEUs)
Target Audience: Psychology Counseling Social-Work Marriage-and-Family
Learning Level: Introductory

Course Abstract:

Note: this is a ‘test only’ course (does not include the book). The textbook can be purchased through Amazon or another source.
After the War ZoneThis course is based on the book After the War Zone: A Practical Guide for Returning Troops and Their Families (2008, 304 pages) written by Laurie Slone, PhD and Matthew J. Friedman, MD, PhD, of the VA National Center for PTSD and Dartmouth Medical School. The book describes the experience of deployment and return from a war zone, typical experiences of military personnel, and issues relevant to special populations (women, ethnic minorities, peacekeepers, private contractors, and parents and extended family of affected individuals). It provides valuable insight into the military culture, as well as containing many useful military terms and definitions that would be essential for a lay clinician to know when working with military clients. As a psychoeducational tool for military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, this book may be used by clinicians as a recommendation for reading when conducting individual, family, or couples therapy with military patients or veterans. Course #60-88 | 2008 | 58 posttest questions

Learning Objectives:

1. Define essential terminology relevant to the military and military operations, including the acronym BATTLEMIND.
2. Identify some basic information and statistics regarding today’s military and the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
3. List common practical issues for military personnel and their families before, during, and after deployment, and common solutions to those issues.
4. Identify common emotional experiences among military personnel and their families before, during, and after deployment.
5. Identify warning signs and symptoms of PTSD, TBI, alcohol and drug abuse, suicidal tendencies, and domestic violence among military personnel, and how these differ from common reactions to being in a war zone
6. Identify coping strategies that troops and their families can use to facilitate adjustment.
7. Identify special populations affected by the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and issues that are specific to those populations.
8. Identify federal laws and federal, private, and volunteer organizations that provide support to troops.
9. Apply information provided in this book to several case scenarios.

About the Author(s):

Laurie Slone, PhD, is the Associate Director for Research and Education of the VA National Center for PTSD and an assistant professor at Dartmouth Medical School.
Matthew J. Friedman, MD, PhD, is Executive Director of the VA National Center for PTSD and a professor of Psychiatry and of Pharmacology at Dartmouth Medical School.

CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is recognized as a provider of continuing education by the following:
APA: American Psychological Association
ASWB: Association of Social Work Boards (#1046)
NBCC: National Board for Certified Counselors (#5590)
NAADAC: National Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors (#00279)
California: Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625)
Florida: Boards of SW, MFT & MHC (#BAP346); Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635); Occupational Therapy Practice (#34). PDResources is CE Broker compliant.
Illinois: DPR for Social Work (#159-00531)
Ohio: Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501)
South Carolina: Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193)
Texas: Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) & State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678)