Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse

This module will examine the psychological impact of violence and abuse related trauma on individual adults and children. It will introduce a critique of the disease model of mental health and will look into the harmful impact of trauma (e.g. PTSD, self harm, substance misuse) while also learning about potential personal growth-full experiences that some people experience in the aftermath of the traumatic events. Positive psychological interventions that support coping and facilitate positive growth will be examined. Finally the module will also look at the impact that trauma work has on those who work in the field, both in terms of vicarious trauma and burnout and in terms of personal growth. The module will encourage students to consider self-care and resilience in relation to working with traumatized individuals.