If you want a single comprehensive certification that covers neurobiology, screening, assessment, and treatment, pick AllCEUs. If you specifically need ASWB/ACE-approved credits for license renewal, choose Courses from Continued Social Work. Relias Academy offers clinician- and peer-support-focused courses and bundles; NASW‑CA curates population-specific options.
If you’re a social worker looking for high-quality continuing education (CE) in trauma-informed care, I’d focus on courses that are social-work-specific, offer recognized CE/contact hours, and go beyond basic trauma awareness into practical application.
Strong options to consider
Course/provider
What it covers
CE
Best for
NASW Specialty Practice Section — “The Trauma Informed Social Worker”
Trauma-informed principles, practice, and partnership
2 hours
A concise foundation specifically for social workers
— “Trauma Informed Care for Social Workers: Shifting the Lens”
The best continuing education courses on trauma-informed care for social workers include ASWB-ACE approved online bundles, university post-master’s certificate programs, and specialized clinical modules that fit your specific depth and scheduling needs.[](]()](]()]()
Complex/historical trauma, neurobiology, and the five pillars of TIC: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment
3 CEU
Building practical TIC skills
NASW-Maryland — Certified Trauma-Informed Professional (CTIP)
15-hour, 3-part training emphasizing trauma awareness, safety, empowerment, ethical practice, and anti-oppressive approaches
15 Cat I
A more substantial credential/training
NASW-Texas trauma track
Multiple 2026 courses covering trauma recovery, family violence, moral injury, immigrant trauma, TBRI, and other specialized areas
Varies
Texas social workers wanting several trauma-focused options
NASW-Washington — Trauma-Informed, Culturally Responsive Care
Trauma-informed practice combined with cultural responsiveness and health equity
3 hours
Social workers working with diverse/underserved populations
The NASW Specialty Practice Section currently lists The Trauma Informed Social Worker: Principles, Practice, and Partnership as a 2-hour social-work CE program.
The NASW-Maryland Shifting the Lens course is particularly practical: it covers complex and historical trauma, trauma neurobiology, and the five core TIC principles, rather than treating trauma-informed care simply as a diagnostic topic.
For a deeper investment, Maryland's 15-hour CTIP program runs October 6, 13, and 20, 2026, and explicitly incorporates trauma-informed, empowerment-based, and anti-oppressive practice. It is listed at $250 for NASW members and $375 for nonmembers.
If you're in Texas
The NASW Texas 2026 conference/course catalog has an unusually broad trauma selection, including Trauma and Recovery: A Framework for Understanding and Treating Psychological Trauma, Ethical Trauma-Informed Assessment & Treatment in Family Violence Interventions, Genograms, Genealogy and Generations: Intergenerational Trauma, Complex & Layered Immigrant Trauma, and Tools for Ethical Practice: Using TBRI.
For online/self-paced learning, NASW also maintains an Online CE Institute and approved-vendor CE database, where you can search by topic and format. NASW specifically recommends checking your state licensing board's rules for whether distance/home-study education qualifies.
My practical approach: If you're new to TIC, start with a 2–3 hour foundational course, then take a 10–15+ hour advanced training focused on applying TIC to your population (children/families, clinical mental health, domestic violence, substance use, veterans, etc.). That gives you considerably more practical depth than collecting several introductory CEUs.
If you tell me your state/license (e.g., Texas LMSW/LCSW), your practice population, and whether you want online/self-paced or live training, I can search for 5–10 currently available courses with CE hours, cost, dates, and direct registration links.
Best For: Quick, targeted professional development units.
Details: They offer micro-credential courses like SocialWork.net Trauma-Informed Care in Brief which focus explicitly on identifying best practices in psychotherapy and clinical interventions for trauma.[](https://courses.socialworkweb.com/collections/trauma-informed-care)
If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:
Your licensure level (LBSW, LMSW, LCSW) and state
Whether you prefer free vs. paid options
If you work in a specific subfield (e.g., child welfare, healthcare, schools, or mental health clinical practice)
I can tailor the exact recommendations to match your renewal requirements.
When looking for top-tier continuing education (CE/CEU) courses on trauma-informed care (TIC) tailored to social work, you want programs approved by organizations like the ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards) or reputable university schools of social work.
Here are some of the best-regarded options, ranging from comprehensive certificate programs to targeted practical modules:
Michigan State University School of Social Work – Trauma-Informed Care Certificate Program
Overview: A robust, structured certificate program requiring 32 Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECHs). It splits requirements into core live-virtual courses (like Introduction to Trauma, Trauma and the Brain , and Secondary Traumatic Stress ) and flexible electives.
Social Work Test Prep (SWTP) CEUs – Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice
Overview: Offers streamlined, ASWB-ACE approved clinical continuing education credits focused specifically on applying trauma-informed frameworks directly to social work settings.
International Trauma Training Institute – Culturally Competent Trauma Informed Practice (CULC)
Overview: A 13-hour, self-paced online certification broken into 6 modules. It explicitly bridges the gap between traditional trauma-informed care, systemic racial disparities, and cultural competency across vulnerable populations.
Best for: Professionals wanting to heavily emphasize cultural humility and diverse demographics in their trauma practice. Look into the curriculum at the International Trauma Training Institute.
TTC Learn Now – Trauma-Informed Care in Practice
Overview: A micro-credential/short course providing around 2 CE units. It covers acute, chronic, and complex trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and applying the Four R’s (Realize, Recognize, Respond, and Resist Re-traumatization).
Best for: A quick, highly affordable foundational refresher. See the offering at TTC Learn Now.
If you'd like to narrow this down, tell me:
What is your primary practice setting (e.g., school social work, healthcare, clinical mental health, child welfare)?
Do you prefer self-paced online modules or live interactive webinars?
I can pinpoint the exact course that matches your state board requirements and budget.
If you're a social worker looking for trauma-informed care (TIC) continuing education, I'd prioritize courses that are social-work-specific, clinically applicable, and clearly accepted for your license.
Strong options to consider
NASW Online CE Institute — A good starting point because you can search NASW-approved courses by topic, format, and location. It offers webinars, webcasts, podcasts, and presentations.
Certified Trauma-Informed Professional (CTIP), NASW Maryland — A more substantial option if you want something beyond a one-off webinar. The 2026 program is 15 CE hours over three days and covers trauma awareness, safety, empowerment, anti-oppressive practice, client engagement, regulation, and professional resilience. The listed 2026 cost is $250 for NASW members and $375 for nonmembers.
NASW-MD: Trauma-Informed Care for Social Workers—Shifting the Lens — A shorter 3-hour foundational course covering complex and historical trauma, the nervous system, the five core TIC principles, retraumatization in agency procedures, and vicarious trauma/compassion fatigue.
PESI trauma courses — Useful if you want a large selection of self-paced clinical trainings. Current PESI course listings show CE availability for Georgia social workers, including courses offering 3.25, 5.75, and 12.75 CE hours, depending on the course.
NASW-Wisconsin trauma-focused self-study — Their 2026 offerings include courses such as The Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adults: Building Resiliency to Thrive and Betrayal Trauma among Child Welfare-Involved Youth and Families, and Pathways to Healing.
How I'd choose
For a generalist social worker, look for a foundational TIC course emphasizing safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and avoiding retraumatization.
For a clinical social worker/therapist, I'd add training that goes deeper into trauma assessment and evidence-based treatment modalities (rather than stopping at general TIC principles).
For someone working in child welfare, schools, or family services, prioritize childhood/developmental trauma, attachment, complex trauma, and intergenerational trauma.
One important caveat: NASW approval does not automatically mean a course satisfies every state's licensing requirements. NASW itself recommends checking your state licensing board's rules.
If you're licensed in Georgia, I can narrow this down to 5–10 currently available trauma CE courses that qualify for Georgia social-work CE, including cost, CE hours, online/self-paced options, and whether they're geared toward LMSWs vs. LCSWs.
For a social worker, the “best” trauma-informed care continuing education (CE) course depends on your role (clinical practice, child welfare, medical social work, community work, supervision, etc.), your license requirements, and whether you want foundational TIC skills or advanced trauma treatment training. Here are several well-regarded options to consider:
Strong foundational trauma-informed care CE courses
1. National Association of Social Workers (NASW) trauma-informed CE courses
Best for: Licensed social workers who need NASW-recognized CE and practical social work applications.
NASW offers a large catalog of webinars, self-study courses, and specialty trainings. Their CE portal allows searching by topic and credential needs, including clinical and behavioral health areas.
Good choices include:
The Trauma Informed Social Worker: Principles, Practice, and Partnership (2 social work contact hours)
Chapter-based trainings such as Trauma Informed Care for Social Workers: Shifting the Lens, which covers trauma definitions, neurobiology, and the core TIC principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.
Why choose it: Good fit if you need CE credits while strengthening day-to-day social work practice.
2. Trauma Research Foundation — Traumatic Stress Studies Certificate Program
Best for: Social workers wanting deeper, graduate-level trauma education.
This is a more intensive program covering topics such as:
neurobiology of trauma
developmental trauma
attachment
dissociation
trauma processing approaches
vicarious trauma and clinician self-care
Why choose it: Better suited for clinicians who regularly work with complex trauma, PTSD, childhood trauma, or survivors of severe adversity.
3. Certified Trauma-Informed Professional (CTIP)-style trainings
Best for: Social workers who want a structured trauma-informed credential.
Some NASW-affiliated offerings include multi-part CTIP trainings focused on trauma awareness, safety, empowerment-based practice, ethics, and integrating trauma-sensitive approaches into professional work.
Why choose it: Useful if your employer values a formal trauma-informed certificate.
Specialized trauma CE options by practice area
If you work with children and families
Look for courses covering:
attachment and developmental trauma
adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
family systems
caregiver regulation
child-centered approaches
The Trauma Research Foundation offers trainings that include attachment and developmental trauma content.
If you work in hospitals, crisis settings, or community agencies
Prioritize:
trauma-informed systems of care
secondary traumatic stress
cultural humility
social determinants of health
For example, NASW California has offered CE programming connecting trauma-informed care with social determinants of health and systemic factors affecting recovery.
If you provide psychotherapy
Consider adding training in specific evidence-informed modalities, such as:
EMDR
trauma-focused cognitive behavioral approaches
somatic approaches
internal family systems (IFS)
stabilization and grounding methods
(Verify whether a modality training meets your state licensing board’s CE rules before enrolling.)
How I’d choose a course as a social worker
Check your license board first
Confirm whether the course provider and CE hours count toward your renewal requirements. NASW notes that NASW approval does not automatically guarantee acceptance by every state board.
Supervisor/administrator → trauma-informed organizational training
Look for these topics
trauma physiology and nervous system responses
cultural and historical trauma
empowerment and client choice
avoiding retraumatization
boundaries and clinician self-care
If you tell me your license level (BSW/MSW/LCSW), practice setting (child welfare, hospital, mental health clinic, school, etc.), and state, I can narrow this to the most relevant CE options.
When picking a program, check that the provider holds valid approvals through bodies like the ASWB ACE (Association of Social Work Boards) or the NASW Continuing Education Approval Program to ensure your credits count toward licensure renewal.[](https://mastersinsocialworkonline.org/certifications/trauma/)
Top Trauma-Informed Care Continuing Education Options
Social Work.net Trauma-Informed Care Collection : Offers modular online options such as an Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care for Children providing specific CEUs for child and adolescent treatment.[](https://courses.socialworkweb.com/collections/trauma-informed-care)
If you let me know your state of licensure and whether you are looking for a quick CEU bundle or an in-depth multi-week certificate program , I can tailor these recommendations further.
If you’re a social worker looking for trauma-informed care (TIC) continuing education, I’d prioritize courses that go beyond defining trauma and actually teach you how to change assessment, engagement, documentation, environments, and intervention practices.
Strong options to consider
NASW-approved trauma-informed courses — A good starting point because you can search NASW’s CE database by topic, format, state, and date. NASW also offers an online CE institute.
NASW-Maryland: Trauma Informed Care for Social Workers — Shifting the Lens — A 3-hour course covering complex, historical, and intergenerational trauma; the nervous-system response; the five TIC principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment; recognizing retraumatizing agency practices; and vicarious trauma/burnout.
NASW-Maryland: Certified Trauma-Informed Professional (CTIP) — A more substantial option: a 15-hour, three-part training scheduled for October 6, 13, and 20, 2026. It focuses on trauma awareness, empowerment, anti-oppressive practice, ethical practice, regulation, and resilience. NASW-MD lists 15 Category I CE hours and a $250 member/$375 nonmember price.
NASW-WI: Ethical Resilience and Trauma-Informed Practice in Today’s Social Work — Particularly useful if you want to connect TIC with ethics, professional resilience, and secondary/vicarious trauma. The October 9, 2026 session provides 1.5 ethics CEUs.
NASW-WI self-study courses — Their 2026 catalog includes shorter courses such as The Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adults: Building Resiliency to Thrive and Betrayal Trauma among Child Welfare-Involved Youth and Families, and Pathways to Healing. These can be useful for targeted learning rather than committing to a lengthy certification.
PESI trauma trainings — Worth considering if you want a large selection of intensive, self-paced programs. Some current PESI programs provide substantial CE hours; for example, programs in its catalog list Illinois social-work approval for 20.5 and 48 contact hours respectively.
How I'd choose
For a social worker, I'd look for courses covering all or most of these areas:
Trauma screening and assessment
Complex/developmental/intergenerational trauma
Trauma-informed interviewing and engagement
Avoiding retraumatization
Cultural humility and anti-oppressive practice
Secondary traumatic stress and clinician self-care
Practical application through cases or role-play
Evidence-informed interventions—not just trauma theory
If you want a single foundational course, the NASW-MD Shifting the Lens training is a good example of the scope to look for. If you're seeking something that is more substantial for your professional development, the 15-hour CTIP series is the type of multi-session training I'd investigate.
One important caveat: CE approval is state-specific. If you're licensed in Illinois, for example, verify that the particular course and provider satisfy Illinois IDFPR requirements before paying for it. NASW's CE database can help with that, and some providers explicitly list Illinois approval.
If you tell me your license level (LCSW/LMSW/LSW, etc.), state, population you work with (children, adults, veterans, child welfare, medical, etc.), and whether you want online/self-paced or live, I can narrow this to 5–7 courses that fit your practice and CE requirements.
Best for: Applied clinical interventions and body-based regulation.
Details: While general trauma-informed courses focus on systemic awareness and language, PESI's somatic options provide practical, step-by-step tools for working with the nervous system, complex trauma, and attachment wounds in real-time sessions. They offer frequent ASWB-approved CE hours via PESI.[1][](https://ce4less.com/ce-courses/an-introduction-to-trauma-and-trauma-informed-care-e277/)
The Embody Lab – Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate
Best for: Advanced nervous system regulation and polyvagal-informed practice.
The best continuing education (CE) courses and programs on trauma-informed care for social workers include comprehensive online packages and university certificate programs approved by bodies like the ASWB or NASW.
Top Trauma-Informed Care Continuing Education Options
If you're a social worker looking for high-quality continuing education in trauma-informed care, I'd prioritize courses that go beyond the basic definition of trauma and teach you how to apply trauma-informed principles in assessment, engagement, intervention, and systems work.
Here are the strongest options I found:
1. NASW — The Trauma Informed Social Worker: Principles, Practice, and Partnership
This is probably my best starting recommendation for a generalist social worker. The course is specifically designed for social workers and covers trauma-informed principles, practice, and collaboration. The 2026 version offers 2 social work contact hours. NASW Specialty Practice Section members can access it free.
Best for: Building a solid trauma-informed foundation without committing to a lengthy certification.
2. NASW Maryland — Certified Trauma-Informed Professional (CTIP)
If you want something more substantial than a one-off CE course, this is worth considering. The 2026 program is a 15-hour, three-part certification, offered October 6, 13, and 20. It focuses on trauma awareness, safety, empowerment, anti-oppressive practice, ethical awareness, and regulation skills. The listed cost is $250 for NASW members and $375 for nonmembers.
Best for: Social workers who want a credential and a more structured trauma-informed curriculum.
3. NASW — CE Portal
If you want to compare many courses rather than choose one provider, NASW's CE Portal is particularly useful. You can search approved courses by topic, location, provider, and date.
Best for: Finding a course that specifically satisfies your state's CE requirements.
4. PESI — Trauma-focused clinical training
pesi.com offers a much broader selection of clinical trauma training, including trauma and grief, complex trauma, somatic approaches, EMDR-related training, and certification programs. Their courses are particularly useful if you're doing clinical/behavioral-health work rather than primarily macro or community practice.
Best for: LCSWs and other clinically oriented social workers who want concrete therapeutic techniques.
5. NASW California — Trauma + social determinants of health
For social workers interested in structural and community-level trauma, NASW California's Social Determinants of Health and Trauma Informed Care is a particularly good model. It examines how poverty, racism, housing instability, healthcare access, and other systemic inequities interact with trauma and recovery. The 2026 offering was a 3-hour virtual course.
Best for: Community social work, medical social work, child welfare, behavioral health, and anyone wanting an anti-oppressive/systemic perspective.
What I'd choose
If your goal is...
I'd start with...
General trauma-informed practice
NASW Trauma Informed Social Worker
A formal trauma credential
CTIP 15-hour certification
Clinical trauma treatment
PESI advanced trauma training
Community/structural social work
NASW-CA SDOH + Trauma
Finding the most licensing-friendly option
One important caveat: "trauma-informed care" and "trauma treatment" aren't the same thing. A trauma-informed CE course teaches you to make your practice safer and more responsive to trauma; it doesn't necessarily qualify you to provide specialized treatments such as EMDR or somatic trauma therapy.
If you tell me your license (e.g., MSW, LCSW), state, practice setting (clinical, hospital, child welfare, school, etc.), and how many CE hours you need, I can narrow this down to the 3 best courses for you, including current cost, CE approval, and online availability.
