Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Military Populations

This course introduces the key principles and practices associated with mental health practice with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD0), with a focus on military populations.

This course covers:

• PTSD diagnostic criteria
• Prevalence of PTSD in general and military populations
• PTSD risk factors
• Common comorbidities
• Military-specific factors related to PTSD
• Barriers to care among the ADF
• Early signs and symptoms for veterans
• First and second line recommended treatment for PTSD
• Assessment and treatment planning
• A case conceptualisation – male veteran with PTSD
• Common comorbidities and sequencing treatment
• Additional clinician and patient resources

Who should register? This course is relevant to social workers (and other counsellors and allied health professionals) working with individuals, families, groups and/or wider communities; including within clinical mental health settings.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

• Develop an understanding of the diagnostic criteria, associated features, and epidemiology of PTSD in general and veteran populations
• Develop an understanding of the unique factors and co-morbidities associated with PTSD among military veterans
• Learn to identify clinical treatment targets and sequencing treatment in clients with military-related PTSD and mental health comorbidities
• Increase their knowledge of evidence-based psychological treatments for veterans with PTSD recognised by the Australian government and funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs

AASW Credentials: Mental Health; Clinical

Presenter details

Dr Madeline Romaniuk is a clinical psychologist and researcher with over a decade of experience in the assessment and treatment of military personnel and veterans suffering PTSD and associated comorbidities. She has worked in a variety of settings with veterans including public and private hospitals, community government services, and private practice. Madeline is also an Honorary Associate Professor within the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland and has authored over 40 peer-reviewed papers on the health & wellbeing of veterans and Defence members.

She was an appointed member of the Prime-Ministerial Advisory Council on Veteran Mental Health, and is an expert advisor for Women Veterans Australia as well as a consulting clinician-researcher at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University.