Introduction

Our understanding of how trauma, emotional wellness, and sexual health intersect has increased in recent years. There has been increasing recognition of, and interest in, the connection between the brain, trauma, and physical well-being. Having a good understanding of pain, nociception, and the impact of trauma on pain is beneficial when selecting interventions for patients with a history of trauma and pelvic pain. Certain integrative strategies can be used to help manage pain and fear in these individuals, including mindfulness, mindful movements, breathing techniques and graded exposure. This course explores how these strategies can help calm the nervous system and subsequently reduce pain, fear and anxiety in individuals with pelvic pain. It also introduces specific exercises and a mindfulness-based graded exposure protocol relevant to pelvic examinations.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course you will be able to:

• differentiate the key differences between pain and nociception
• identify the association between pelvic pain and a history of trauma and key changes in pelvic floor muscle activation and awareness in survivors of trauma or in response to threat
• discuss the overall use of mindfulness and graded exposure as management strategies in trauma recovery for individuals with pelvic pain, identifying specific breathing and movement techniques and protocols that can be implemented in a rehabilitation care plan

Target audience

This course is aimed at rehabilitation professionals, students and assistants including but not limited to Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Rehabilitation Doctors, Rehabilitation Nurses, Prosthetists, Orthotists, Psychologists, Audiologists, Dietetics, Social Workers. Community Health Workers, Nurses or Medical Doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.

Practicalities

• Availability - this course is online and can be completed on your own schedule.
• Hours of Learning - No deadlines are applied to this course and it can be started and completed in your own time according to your personal schedule. We expect the required elements to take around 1-1.5 hours depending on your schedule and learning style. Additionally there are many optional resources provided and if you choose to review these the course could take longer to complete.
• Types of Activities - This course includes instructional and/or practical videos, reading activities, AI supported learning activities, reflection, evaluation forms, a quiz and additional resources.
• Certificates - At the end of the course, when you have completed all of the required elements, you will be able to download a certificate of completion and 1.1 Plus points will be added to your personalised learning dashboard.

Instructor financial and non-financial disclosures

Diana Blaney: No relevant relationships disclosed by instructor.

Accessibility and Non-Discrimination Policy

Physiopedia Plus is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment for all participants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, national origin, religion, sex, disability, military status, sexual orientation or age in any aspect of our continuing education services. We are dedicated to ensuring that all learners can fully participate in our programmes. Participants who require accommodations or have special needs are encouraged to contact us with details so that we can make all reasonable efforts to meet these requirements.