Pregnancy and childbirth are often difficult experiences for women who have experienced trauma. Exposure to interpersonal trauma is common in the United States and women experience high lifetime rates of child abuse, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. These past traumas often impact reproductive health.

This course provides practical recommendations for implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) in Doula practice and discusses examples and principles of TIC.

Course Objectives

The purpose of this course is to advance understanding and action about trauma-informed approaches to Doula work.

• To identify trauma-informed approaches to Doula practice.

• To raise awareness among those delivering Doula support of evidence-informed approaches to trauma-informed service delivery.

• To better serve mothers, children, youth and families impacted by violence and trauma, and thereby improve outcomes for those engaged with these services.

Module 1	Trauma-informed care Defined
Unit 1	What is Trauma Informed Care?
Unit 2	Research Assignment 1
Unit 3	The Need for Trauma Informed Care
Unit 4	Responding to Trauma
Unit 5	Birth Trauma Prevalence
Unit 6	Causes of Birth Trauma
Module 2	Effects of Trauma on Expectant Mothers
Unit 1	PTSD related issues in pregnancy
Unit 2	Maternal Responses to Prenatal Stress
Module 3	Past Birth Related Trauma
Unit 1	Fear of Sex and Childbirth
Unit 2	Research Assignment 2
Unit 3	Postnatal isolation
Unit 4	Aversion to healthcare and difficulty bonding with the baby
Unit 5	The Risks of Undiagnosed PTSD
Module 4	Different Types of Trauma: Interpersonal and External
Unit 1	Interpersonal trauma
Unit 2	External trauma
Unit 3	Developmental trauma
Unit 4	The Prevalence of Trauma in Pregnancy
Unit 5	Research Assignment 3
Module 5	The Effects of Trauma
Unit 1	Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
Unit 2	The Neurobiology of Trauma
Unit 3	Childhood Sexual Trauma in the Doula Client
Unit 4	Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Complex PTSD)
Module 6	Implementing a Trauma Informed Doula Practice
Unit 1	Opening doors long shut
Unit 2	Fundamentals of a Trauma-Informed Doula Practice
Unit 3	Characteristics Required for Working with People Affected by Trauma
Unit 4	The Strengths-Based Approach and Post-Traumatic Growth
Unit 5	Talking With People Who Have Experienced Trauma
Module 7	Self-care for Doulas working with Traumatized Clients
Unit 1	Burnout
Unit 2	Compassion Fatigue
Unit 3	Vicarious Trauma
Unit 4	The Trauma Exposure Response
Module 8	Course Summary and Final Exam
Unit 1	Course Summary