What if you make sense?

Hosted by: Meraki Therapy Services LLC
Presenter: Courtney Miller, LPC-S, CCPT
Date: 03/21/2026
Time: 11:00am - 2:00pm

Location: UL Student Union 620 McKinley St, Room 219 (Louisiane Room) Lafayette, LA 70503

Event Parking: Any floor in Girard Park Circle Parking Garage *No payment required*
138 Girard Park Circle Lafayette, LA 70503

When parking on any floor of the Girard Parking Garage, please make sure to circle the entire floor, as spaces may be available on the opposite side even if one section appears full. Parking in any other location on campus may result in citation.
UL traffic code requires all vehicles to park head in to a parking space in all university parking areas. Accessible parking is available in any designated handicap space across campus.

What If You Make Sense? is a trauma-informed presentation that uses a biopsychosocial and nervous-system–based lens to help individuals understand trauma responses without pathologizing them. The training explores the spectrum of trauma, from single-incident to complex developmental trauma, highlighting how attachment, the body, and the nervous system shape emotional regulation, identity, and behavior. Emphasis is placed on ethical case conceptualization, scope of practice, and pacing in trauma work, integrating both top-down and bottom-up approaches to support safe, effective healing. 

This training is intentionally designed as a true Part 1, beginner-level introduction to trauma education. It focuses on broadening foundational understanding rather than advanced techniques, making it accessible to clinicians, students, and helping professionals who want to build a strong trauma-informed framework before moving into deeper or more specialized training. Other parts of this series will build off of the foundational learning and include intermediate and advanced-level skills.

PLEASE NOTE: This training is designed to be highly interactive and discussion-based, with an approachable and conversational teaching style. The presentation prioritizes engagement and practical learning over a formal lecture format. For transparency, participants should be aware that informal language, including occasional profanity, may be used throughout the training. If this is a concern, the presenter’s teaching style may not be the best fit.

This workshop has been approved 3.0 CE clock hours in Diagnosis by the Louisiana Counseling Association as authorized by the Louisiana Mental Health Law (R.S.37:1101-1123).

This event is in the process of being approved for3.0 clinical hours through National Association of Social Workers- Louisiana Chapter.

• Differentiate types of trauma (acute, chronic, and complex developmental trauma) and describe how each may present clinically across emotional, relational, and nervous system domains, including DSM-5 diagnostic features of Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
• Identify key features of trauma-related presentations, including attachment disruptions, affect dysregulation, dissociation, and defensive adaptations, that impact diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Apply ethical case conceptualization principles to assess client readiness for trauma processing versus the need for stabilization, resourcing, or containment.
• Distinguish appropriate use of top-down and bottom-up interventions based on client capacity, clinical presentation, and scope of practice considerations.
• Recognize the relationship between trauma and suicidality, including increased prevalence and shared risk pathways, and integrate suicide risk awareness into trauma-informed assessment and treatment planning.