Course Outline

This workshop is ideal for, but not limited to frontline practitioners in shelters, housing, crisis, or addictions services, and provides a blend of theory, case examples, and applicable skills to better support individuals navigating both trauma and substance use.

Trauma and addictions are deeply interconnected, with substance use often emerging as a strategy to cope with a chronically dysregulated nervous system. This full-day workshop explores the relationship between trauma and addiction through a trauma-informed, neurobiological lens. Grounded in the concept of the Window of Tolerance, participants will examine how trauma responses manifest in frontline settings, particularly with marginalized and system-impacted populations.

Drawing on principles from the Seeking Safety model, the course also offers practical tools to enhance client safety, stabilize trauma symptoms, and support reductions in cravings and substance use. Special attention will be given to how trauma impacts a client’s ability to ask for help, maintain boundaries, and engage in change. Participants will explore ways to help clients identify trauma-based cues that drive substance use and learn concrete strategies to respond in ways that foster empowerment and self-regulation.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the connection between trauma, the nervous system, and substance use.
• Apply the concept of the Window of Tolerance to recognize trauma responses in clients and adapt support strategies to foster emotional safety and engagement.
• Integrate principles from the Seeking Safety model to help clients build coping skills, reduce trauma symptoms, and manage cravings without re-traumatization.
• Identify trauma-informed strategies for setting boundaries and supporting behavior change, including how to respond when trauma-based triggers interfere with substance use goals or a client’s ability to ask for help.
  

Trainer Bio

Dhwani Joshi is a Registered Social Worker with extensive expertise in the areas of addictions and trauma-focused care across levels of care including community-based services and hospital systems. She has also gained international experience through a mental health placement at a high school in Beijing, China. Her clinical practice has been deeply rooted in integrating trauma and culturally safe approaches into every aspect of her work, recognizing its’ critical role in understanding and addressing substance use challenges.

Dhwani has played a key role in developing and implementing trauma-informed interventions within hospital-based outpatient settings. At Halton Healthcare, she successfully piloted the Seeking Safety program within the concurrent disorders clinic, and at Trillium Health Partners, she contributed to the creation of a harm-reduction-oriented addictions day treatment program. These initiatives introduced structured, client-centered approaches to addressing trauma and substance use concurrently, resulting in meaningful and lasting outcomes for clients.



Driven by a passion for education and collaborative practice, Dhwani brings deep clinical expertise and a strong commitment to advancing safer, more responsive care for individuals navigating the complexities between trauma and addiction.