This course is included in the CE Membership.

Purchase Individual Course $20

Episode 98

"But They Seemed Fine": Recognizing Trauma When Affect Doesn’t Match the Story

1. Content Description

This 1-hour continuing education program examines how trauma, violence, and other distressing life experiences may be overlooked when a client’s emotional presentation does not appear consistent with the severity of what they are describing. Clinicians will explore how emotional numbing, minimization, compartmentalization, avoidance, dissociative experiences, and other factors may contribute to high-significance disclosures being communicated with limited or neutral affect. The course emphasizes that affect is valuable clinical data but should not be used as a stand-alone measure of the severity or impact of a client’s experience.

Through clinical examples, participants will learn to identify potentially significant statements embedded within seemingly matter-of-fact client narratives and use curious, non-leading follow-up questions to clarify experiences without making premature assumptions. Participants will also examine the potential cost of maintaining high levels of functioning following trauma and consider how sleep, relationships, emotional awareness, hypervigilance, overfunctioning, control, and other areas may reveal impacts that are not immediately apparent through affect.

The course further emphasizes trauma-informed pacing and the importance of respecting coping strategies that may have served protective functions. Clinicians are encouraged to assess rather than assume, remain attentive to differential considerations, and avoid attempting to elicit emotional intensity simply to confirm that an experience was significant.

2. Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

Identify at least three clinical presentations that may contribute to a discrepancy between the severity of a client’s reported experiences and their observable affect.

Apply curious, non-leading follow-up questions to further assess high-significance disclosures that may otherwise be overlooked because of minimization, neutral affect, or rapid changes in topic.

Describe at least two trauma-informed considerations for assessing the impact of distressing experiences while avoiding assumptions, premature emotional activation, or unnecessary disruption of protective coping strategies.

3. Number of NBCC Hours

1.0 NBCC Continuing Education Hour

(Includes podcast instruction and supplemental companion reading material to meet instructional time requirements.)

4. Registration Requirements & Cost

Join the faith integration consultation circle and you will be able to enroll through the Christ in Private Practice learning platform.

Cost Options:

  • Purchase individual on demand

 

5. NBCC Approval: Christ in Private Practice, Inc. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 8038. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Christ in Private Practice, Inc. is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Target Audience:
Mental health professionals including:
LPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, psychologists, and other behavioral health providers.

This course is approved for NBCC continuing education credit. Many licensing boards accept NBCC-approved CE; however, participants are responsible for confirming acceptance with their individual state licensing boards.

Instructional Level

Intermediate

Delivery Method

On-demand podcast training with supplemental materials

View our Refund, Grievance, and ADA Policies here.

1. Refund & Cancellation Policy

At Christ in Private Practice, Inc., we strive to provide high quality continuing education. If you are unable to attend a live virtual event or are unsatisfied with a recorded home-study course, our policy is as follows:

  • Live Virtual Events: Full refunds are available if requested at least 7 days prior to the event start date. Cancellations made within 7 days of the event may be eligible for a credit toward a future course.

  • On-Demand/Home-Study: Due to the digital nature of these courses, refunds are generally not provided once the course material has been accessed or the certificate has been issued.

  • Provider Cancellation: In the rare event that Christ in Private Practice, Inc. must cancel a live program, all registrants will be notified immediately and offered a full refund or a transfer to a rescheduled date.

2. Grievance Policy

Christ in Private Practice, Inc. is committed to conducting all activities in accordance with the NBCC Continuing Education Provider Policy. While we aim to provide a seamless experience, we understand that grievances may arise.

  1. Submission: Participants may submit a complaint in writing to hello@christinprivatepractice.com within 30 days of the course completion.

  2. Review: Camille McDaniel, LPC, will personally review the grievance within 10 business days of receipt.

  3. Resolution: We will attempt to resolve the issue through direct communication with the participant. This may include providing a refund, offering a complimentary course, or adjusting administrative records.

  4. Escalation: If a resolution cannot be reached, the participant has the right to contact the NBCC directly.

3. ADA Compliance & Accommodations

Christ in Private Practice, Inc. is dedicated to providing an inclusive learning environment. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we invite participants with special needs to contact us at hello@christinprivatepractice.com at least two weeks prior to a live event. We will make every reasonable effort to provide accommodations, such as closed captioning for videos or digital formats of printed materials, to ensure all clinicians can fully participate in our CE programs.

4. Non-Discrimination Policy

Christ in Private Practice, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, gender, or sexual orientation in any of its education activities or employment practices. While courses may discuss clinical work through a faith-based lens, participants are not required to adhere to any specific religious beliefs to receive NBCC credit.

Presenter / Bio & Qualifications

Camille McDaniel, LPC

Camille McDaniel is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Georgia with over 20 years of clinical experience. She is the founder of Healing Psychotherapy Practices of Georgia, LLC and Christ in Private Practice, Inc., where she equips mental health professionals through consulting, continuing education, and clinical training.

Camille has served as an adjunct professor in both undergraduate psychology and graduate-level counseling programs, with over seven years of experience in higher education. She has presented in university settings, mental health forums, and professional summits, and is an author of works focused on mental health and clinical practice.

Her work focuses on strengthening clinical discernment at the intersection of biological, psychological, and ethical practice. She specializes in the ethical integration of faith in counseling, helping clinicians apply their worldview in a manner that is both clinically responsible and aligned with professional standards.