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What is Medical Trauma?

Definition & special considerations from a medical trauma expert

Sacha McBain, PhD

Heart attack. Intubation and mechanical ventilation. Cancer diagnosis.

These aren’t just conditions that affect our clients’ physical health. A life-altering diagnosis or unplanned medical emergency can leave your client feeling vulnerable and afraid…

…and the crisis doesn’t end when the physical body is stabilized.

While some clients may have entered your practice with the unique presentation of PTSD that results from traumatic medical experiences, many more have likely come to you for help with other clinical issues that could be fueled by a past health crisis.

Join Dr. Sacha McBain for this definition and explanation of the impacts of medical trauma:



Provide Expert Trauma-Informed Care Following a Health Crisis
Medical Trauma: Clinical Tools for Treating PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression Following a Health Crisis
Join medical trauma expert Dr. Sacha McBain for this one-day training that will help you understand the interconnectedness of the mind and body. You will learn to:
  • Conduct assessments that elucidate the mental health impacts of your clients’ health histories
  • Develop trauma-informed case formulations that integrate health and rehabilitation psychology principles into evidence-based treatments
  • Support your clients’ mental and physical health by giving them the skills they need to maintain treatment adherence and engage in effective medical self-advocacy

Your clients with medical trauma have associated treatment with danger. Register today to provide them with a trauma-informed approach to promote physical and psychological recovery!
Meet the Expert:
Sacha McBain, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, AR. Dr. McBain received her master’s in psychology and doctorate in clinical psychology at Palo Alto University in Palo Alto, CA. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at UAMS with a specialization in integrated care and trauma, and her postdoctoral fellowship in clinical psychology and implementation science at the Department of Veterans Affairs South Central Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) in North Little Rock, AR. She serves as the Associate Director of UAMS’ Center for Trauma prevention, Recovery and Innovation and leads the Trauma Psychology Consult Service on UAMS’ Trauma Surgery service to address the psychosocial needs of patients who have experienced a serious injury or illness. She also provides training and consultation to medical services regarding implementation of trauma-informed care practices and health care worker wellness initiatives designed to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder.

Dr. McBain’s expertise includes increasing access to care for people with a recent trauma and improving prevention of PTSD with a specific focus on trauma related to medical events. She has completed training in community health and prevention research and implementation science in order to identify and put into place organizational practices within healthcare systems designed to increase access to mental health care following a traumatic event. She currently serves as an expert panel member on the American College of Surgeons Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Best Practice Guidelines Work Group and is an active member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Learn more about their educational products, including upcoming live seminars, by clicking here.

Topic: Trauma

Tags: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | Threats | Toxic Stress | Trauma | Trauma Treatment | Video

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