CRMGTPV X213 - Trauma and De-Escalation Across the Lifespan

This training provides mental health professionals with a trauma-informed, ethically grounded, responsive framework for de-escalation in crisis settings. Participants will learn how trauma impacts the nervous system, behavior, cognition, emotional regulation, and interpersonal interaction across the lifespan. The course emphasizes verbal and nonverbal de-escalation strategies, suicide risk response, co-regulation, clinician self-awareness, ethics, humility, neurobiology, and crisis intervention approaches relevant to 988 services and mental health settings.

What You’ll Learn

After completing this training, participants will be able to:

• Define trauma and explain how trauma impacts nervous system functioning and crisis responses.
• Identify common signs of dysregulation and escalation across the lifespan.
• Recall, apply, and retain trauma-informed verbal and nonverbal de-escalation strategies in crisis interactions.
• Differentiate between behavioral escalation related to trauma, psychosis, substance use, neurodivergence, grief, developmental disorders, and acute psychiatric emergencies.
• Utilize responsive and ethically grounded communication during crisis intervention.
• Recall, demonstrate, and apply suicide assessment and stabilization skills consistent with 988 crisis response frameworks.
• Apply de-escalation techniques with children, adolescents, adults, older adults, veterans, survivors of violence, and individuals experiencing severe mental illness.
• Recognize clinician countertransference, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue during crisis work.
• Identify and adhere to legal and ethical responsibilities related to safety, confidentiality, mandated reporting, and involuntary intervention.
• Develop and retain strategies for clinician regulation, resilience, and post-crisis recovery.

What You’ll Earn

• This training is approved for 3 CE clock hours for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists in the state of Ohio.
• Social workers completing this training will receive 3 clinical continuing education clock hours under ACE.

Additional Information

Development Date: October 2026

Target Audience: 988 crisis call line staff and other human services professionals

Content Level: Intermediate

Training Outline

• Foundations of Trauma & Crisis Response
• Principles of Trauma-Informed Care/De-Escalation
• Neurobiology of Escalation
• Core De-escalation Skills
• Suicide Risk and Crisis Stabilization
• Trauma and De-Escalation Across the Lifespan
• Special Populations and Complex Presentations
• Ethical and Legal Considerations
• Clinician Regulation and Secondary Trauma
• Practical Crisis Scenarios

Instructor

Dr. Francine Packard, Ph.D., LPCC-S, LICDC-CS

Dr. Francine Packard, Ph.D., LPCC-S, LICDC-CS holds a Ph.D. in Psychology, a master’s degree in clinical counseling, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Dr. Packard has specialized in intuitive-based practices and trauma-informed care for over 26 years. Throughout her career, Dr. Packard has worked in inpatient, outpatient, and community mental health settings, providing trauma treatment, crisis response, and debriefing services to individuals and communities. She has also served in leadership roles within both private and state universities, where she has developed, expanded, and supervised clinical mental health services for emerging adults and faculty. Dr. Packard is the owner of Center for Intuitive Practices, an organization dedicated to providing high-quality continuing education for mental health professionals. Her work integrates evidence-based clinical approaches with mindfulness and holistic practices to support personal and professional growth. She is an EMDR Consultant, Grief Specialist, and a mindfulness and Yoga Teacher/educator. Dr. Packard was appointed to the Ohio CSWMFT Board from 2007–2010. During her tenure, she served as Chairperson of the Continuing Education Steering Committee.

Dr. Rachel Weaver, PhD, LISW-S, LICDC-CS

Dr. Rachel Weaver, PhD, LISW-S, LICDC-CS is a clinical social worker, educator, and holistic wellness practitioner with two decades of experience serving diverse populations since 2006. She earned degrees in Psychology and Clinical Social Work from The Ohio State University and completed her Doctorate in Psychology at Akamai University. Her dissertation explored the intersection of the authentic self, EMDR, holistic health, and integrative psychology. Dr. Rachel is the owner and CEO of WiseMind Consulting & Wellness and has served as a clinician, supervisor, educator, and clinical director across community mental health agencies, universities, private practices, and substance use treatment settings. She has also taught and consulted with various educational institutions including The Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, Mount Carmel College of Nursing, and Youngstown State University. Currently, in addition to her private practice, she is the Director of Continuing Education for the Center for Intuitive Practices (Ohio). Her specialties include EMDR, DBT, Expressive Arts Therapy, neurodiversity, complex trauma, substance use/addiction, integrative mental health, supervision, and holistic healing modalities. Dr. Rachel is extensively certified in multiple disciplines and is independently licensed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.

Continuing Education Approvals

The Ohio State University College of Social Work provides approvals for continuing education for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists that are accepted by the state of Ohio Counselor, Social Work, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board.

The Ohio State University College of Social Work, (Provider: 1628), is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The Ohio State College of Social Work maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 4/30/25-4/30/28. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.

Certificates & CE Reporting

CE certificates will be available for download in your learner portal within 1 business day after submitting the evaluation survey.

Hours for those with Ohio licenses that are submitted with the evaluation survey will be reported to CE Broker every 14 days (twice per month).

⚠️ Note: You may only complete this training once for CE credit. You may revisit the content, but only one certificate will be issued and credit will only be reported to CE Broker one time.

Cancellations, Refunds, Grievances, Accessibility Requests & Learning

Please visit the Policies section of our website for more information on our processes for cancellations, refunds, grievances, training completions & certificates, participant conduct, and accessibility requests and learning accommodations.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you require an accommodation to participate in this training, please contact CSW Accessibility as early as possible and in advance of the training start date by email at csw-accessibility@osu.edu or call 614-688-1657. Requests received at least 14-days prior to the date you plan to begin a training will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the College will make every effort to meet requests that we receive regardless of lead time.

Contact Us

For questions about the enrollment process, payment options, technology, or training records, please submit an inquiry and our Enrollment Support team will assist you within 24 hours during business days.

Submit an enrollment inquiry

If you have any questions, concerns or feedback about the training content or delivery format, please contact the 988 training team at 988trainings@osu.edu. For questions related to the training content, our office will facilitate communication with the training instructor on your behalf and connect you, if applicable. Presenter contact information will be provided within the training for questions, feedback, or comments.

Email: 988trainings@osu.edu
Website: csw.osu.edu/continuing-education/988-lifeline-series