Trauma Informed Care: From Theory to Healing
Thursday, October 9, 2025
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Online via Zoom
Join the Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health for a training on trauma informed therapeutic care!
Cost: $115 (early bird price of $105 if registered before September 1)
Earn 6 CEUs!
This training has been approved for 6 CEU's by the Minnesota boards of Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Behavioral Health and Therapy, and Psychology as well as licensing boards in SD, ND, and WI. (awaiting approval for all)
Morning Session
9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Applying a Trauma-Informed Lens to Your Therapy Approach
Lindsay Murn, PhD, LP, CCTP
This training will provide you with a solid foundation for working with clients who present with post-traumatic stress. Participants will learn and apply trauma-informed care concepts, tenets, and principles to enhance their clinical work. You will learn about the threat response and the impact of trauma on the brain and body, and about prevalence and common types of traumatic events. Steps for creating a trauma-informed therapeutic environment will be covered, and you will walk away with several fundamental therapeutic interventions that correspond with the stages of trauma recovery to immediately start applying to your clientele. Most importantly, you will reflect on ways to integrate a trauma-informed lens into your current therapeutic approach and theoretical framework. Vicarious trauma and burnout, as well as strategies to address them, will also be explored.
Learning Objectives:
- Define trauma and traumatic events.
- Describe the impact of trauma on the brain, body, and nervous system.
- Understand the prevalence and types of traumatic experiences Identify the guiding principles and concepts of trauma-informed care.
- Describe the stages of trauma recovery.
- Identify at least five trauma-informed interventions to use within the stages of trauma recovery.
- Define burnout and vicarious trauma.
- Demonstrate self-care and boundary-setting for preventing clinician burnout.
Afternoon Session
12:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Born into Trauma: Understanding and Healing Early Life and Medical Trauma
Justin Coates, MA, LPCC, NCC, CFTP
Early life trauma, including pre-verbal and medical trauma, leaves a profound imprint on the brain and body—often shaping emotional regulation, attachment, and physical health long before we have words to express it. In this presentation, Justin blends personal lived experience with clinical expertise to explore the hidden impact of trauma that occurs in infancy and early childhood. Through neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and real-world strategies, attendees will gain insight into how early medical interventions, birth trauma, and pre-verbal stressors influence development, relationships, and mental health. This session will provide practical tools for clinicians, caregivers, and survivors to recognize and heal these early imprints, fostering resilience and hope in the process.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the neurological and physiological impacts of early life and medical trauma on brain development, attachment, and emotional regulation.
- Describe how pre-verbal and medical trauma manifest in behavior, relationships, and physical health across the lifespan.
- Apply trauma-informed strategies to support healing and resilience in individuals impacted by early life and medical trauma, including both clinical and caregiving contexts.
Meet Your Trainers:
Dr. Lindsay Murn is a Licensed Psychologist, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Master Certified Accelerated Resolution Therapy Practitioner. She has a PhD in Counseling Psychology with over 16 years of clinical and assessment experience with diverse populations in multiple settings across four states. She currently owns a solo private practice – In Focus Psychotherapy -in Mankato MN. Lindsay’s clinical specialties include treating acute and complex trauma, shame and self-worth, body image and eating concerns, interpersonal concerns, and work stress and burnout. She also provides adult ADHD testing, therapeutic evaluations, and diagnostic clarification assessments. Lindsay is an approved clinical supervisor, has experience teaching a tthe university level and presenting at professional conferences, and has published research on topics like sexual violence and self-compassion. And lastly, she has a strong passion for providing trauma-informed professional development trainings like this one! Outside of clinical work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and pets (cats, dog, and turtle), being active and spending time outdoors (most months of the year…), and designing stickers.
Justin Coates, Owner & Clinical Director of GMNTC, is an LPCC and graduated with a masters degree from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Currently, Justin is in his fourth year of his PhD in Clinical Psychology program at Walden University. His dissertation topic focuses on Parental Capacity/Fitness Evaluations and the potential need for standardization, which may result in fairer, more accurate outcomes for vulnerable populations. In addition, Justin has extensive experience in trauma, adolescents, and working with individuals in the Child Welfare systems.
Justin holds certifications as an Addictions-Informed Mental Health Professional (CAIMHP), as well as Family Trauma Professional (CFTP). He is also a vetted therapist with MNAdopt, and is also recognized as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Justin brings a wealth of knowledge, compassion, and a commitment to innovative, personalized care to the team, ensuring every client receives the best support possible.
Registration Questions: Email workforce@mnsu.edu or call 507-389-1094
Training Questions: Email elizabeth.harstad.3@mnsu.edu
Center for Workforce Professional Education
workforce@mnsu.edu
