May Monthly Forum with Debra Ruisard DSW, LCSW, LCADC: Complex Trauma and Substance Use

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study conducted in the 1990s established a correlation between traumatic childhood experiences and multiple mental and physical health issues including substance use disorders. Since then, ACEs research has been informing psychiatric and community interventions for trauma survivors. The substance use treatment field has been slower to adopt a trauma informed approach as this requires a paradigm shift in how we think about addiction and how we interpret and respond to the behaviors commonly seen in individuals with substance use disorders. Through the lens of complex trauma, this session will present a trauma informed approach to addiction treatment to assist clinicians in creating trauma-sensitive environments and providing effective trauma-focused interventions. This presentation is a core module for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s Trainer Training Curriculum of the Complex Trauma Training Consortium.

Our Presenter: 

Debra Ruisard holds an MSW and DSW from Rutgers University. She has…