"During my clinical practice before I came to GSSW, the one thing I noticed nearly all my clients had in common was a history of trauma," says Ethan Selvig (MSW '08). "That's why I chose to earn the trauma certificate."
Selvig says he became aware of trauma's impact when he majored in psychology as an undergraduate, then worked with families and children for two years before beginning his MSW. "You learn a lot of intervention techniques at the bachelor's level," he says, "but you don't have the theoretical foundation to understand the techniques and adapt them to other situations. That's what I got at GSSW."
Trauma's many forms
While the High-Risk Youth track gave Selvig a broad understanding of adolescent behavior and treatment options, the Interpersonal Trauma Studies Certificate allowed him to focus specifically on various types of trauma. The certificate addressed sexual and physical abuse, for example, something experienced by nearly all the children he saw when he worked at a residential treatment center. At his concentration year internship at the Children's Grief Education Association, he worked with children and families traumatized by the sudden loss of a parent, sibling or other loved one.
"If you can help people get through the trauma they've experienced, you can help them develop a sustainable plan to succeed in other areas," he explains. "You also learn how to avoid being traumatized yourself as you hear these upsetting stories over and over. That 'vicarious trauma' is the trickiest part of working with trauma survivors."
Multiple career options
"Ethan made valuable contributions to the local outreach of the Children's Grief Education Association," notes Mary Lyles, MSW, LCSW, the organization's President and Executive Director. "His work supported our mission to provide grief education and counseling to bereaved children and their families."
Although Selvig has worked primarily with children and youth until now, he says his knowledge about trauma offers a variety of career opportunities for the future. There's interesting work going on with combat veterans, he notes. "And I want to travel, so I might join an international trauma response team."
The possibilities are virtually unlimited in this rapidly evolving field.
