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Advanced Relationship Trauma Certification Exam

Hello Coach, 

Here is the exam. There are multiple choice, multiple selection, T/F, and open-ended questions (please type up all open ended answers in a docs and copy/paste into the exam). 

NOTE: BEFORE taking this exam, I HIGHLY recommend that you answer the written portion on your own google doc, FIRST. This way, when you get to the written portion of the exam, you can copy/paste and not worry about losing any answers! Click here for the written question portion. 

Plan on giving yourself 60-120 minutes to take the exam. 

1) The exam is open book. 

2) The exam needs to be taken in one sitting (you can complete the written portion during a different time, just make sure you paste the answers and take the multiple choice section at the same time).

3) After you submit, you will receive a pass/fail for the multiple choice section. This score will be averaged out with your written portion.

4) When you receive your final score, copy/paste your pass fail page to easily submit with your certification requirements. If you forget, don't worry. It can be looked up. 

Good luck!

Click the button below to start.

Start

Question 1 of 75

Full name and email, please!

 

Question 2 of 75

How would you define a Trauma-Informed Coach?

Question 3 of 75

What do you see as the value of the Self Trust Triad: Big Picture?

Question 4 of 75

What are the 4 basic steps to healing from trauma? Explain each step.

Question 5 of 75

Share at least 5 ways you can envelop yourself and clients in an environment that is highly conducive to safety.

Question 6 of 75

How would you explain a "flipped lid" to a client? 

Question 7 of 75

Share an example of both a healthy Parasympathetic response and a healthy Sympathetic response.

Question 8 of 75

The Polyvagal Theory splits the Parasympathetic nervous system into two branches. Please name and explain those two branches.

Question 9 of 75

What are the THREE types of triggers? Please share an example of each.

Question 10 of 75

Explain the "TRAILS" acronym and how it can help you know when to refer out.

Question 11 of 75

Define the 5 types of trauma responses and share an example of each.

Question 12 of 75

Share an example of Secondary and Environmental Trauma

Question 13 of 75

What are some examples of "Little T" Trauma? 

Why can "Little T" trauma be considered a misnomer?

Question 14 of 75

Define Transgenerational (or Intergenerational) Trauma. When you consider this and your "One Big R," do you think this could play a part in any of your current day behaviors? How can understanding this not be disempowering, but incredibly empowering?

Question 15 of 75

How can you distinguish between grief and a trauma response?

Question 16 of 75

Explain how you can use orienting & layering for yourself and/or with clients.

Question 17 of 75

When you look at the Poelman Relationship model, what is the biggest "ah-ha" for you with respect to your "One Big R?"

Question 18 of 75

If you notice a client in the drama triangle, how do you see yourself guiding them?

Question 19 of 75

Why is it important to consider having a support system in place for yourself as a practitioner?

Question 20 of 75

Why do you think it matters to know what your core values are? How can knowing this support you (or your clients) when you're trying to make tough decisions or understand your past? 

Question 21 of 75

With respect to your "One Big R," discuss:

1) Where was your belief garden when you started this program

2) Where is it now?

3)Where are you headed? What is coming? What are you planting? What are you harvesting?

4) Imagine it. Feel it. See it. Hear it. Sense it. Smell it. Know it. Notice anything???

Question 22 of 75

When it comes to Trauma-Informed Mindset, what do you prefer,

1) A more linear approach (Awareness ➡️ Thought ➡️ Feeling ➡️ Behavioral Response ➡️ Reality),

2) More of an awareness of  a pattern/cycle that came from a certain stimulus, and how it impacts/impacted your reality;

3) Something else? Both?

Why?

Question 23 of 75

When it comes to changing behavior sustainably, why does presence matter? 

Question 24 of 75

What is a belief plan? What do you plan to move towards as a graduate? Why are you absolutely 1000% worthy of EVERYTHING your heart desires?

If you knew in your core that you were worthy, resourceful, and whole, how do you see things shifting in your life? In the next 5 minutes?

Question 25 of 75

Connecting with yourself helps you:

A

Deepen your self trust

B

Increase your self confidence

C

Improve relationships with people, places, organizations, & your business

D

All of the above

Question 26 of 75

What is helpful to consider when processing on group coaching calls?

A

Always go deeper and more in-depth than on 1:1 calls

B

Keep it lighter than in a 1:1 coaching relationship

C

Always process the same as you would with a 1:1 call

D

Save processing for 1:1 calls only

Question 27 of 75

How do you find out if you are a mandatory reporter as a coach?

A

Ask your client

B

Google search mandatory reporting requirements in your state

C

Coaches are only permissive reporters, not mandatory

Question 28 of 75

When/if you do refer out to a therapist, we recommend:

A

Having a reporting/safety plan for you and your clients

B

Documenting if client had any strong emotional or trauma responses on a call

C

Documenting your reasoning for referring client out.

D

All of the above

Question 29 of 75

What is Countertransference?

A

Educating the client on trauma/other topics

B

When the client tries to put blame on you, the coach

C

When the coach unconsciously projects their feelings onto the client

D

When the client unconsciously projects their feelings onto the coach

Question 30 of 75

How can you minimize the impact of countertransference?

A

Being aware that countertransference happens

B

Have your own coach or therapist

C

Meet with a group of colleagues

D

All of the above

Question 31 of 75

When is a good time to give educational context to your clients?

A

Whenever you (the coach) think it's best/needed

B

When they are ready, have given consent, and/or asked

C

When they're triggered - it will help ground them

D

If you know it's the root cause of their problem

Question 32 of 75

When you access your intuition, truth generally feels:

A

Open, loving, non-urgent

B

Exciting and and adrenaline-like thrilling

C

Urgent, rushed

Question 33 of 75

One goal of the Self Trust Triad is to be aware of where your client is, and potentially where to guide them during a call.

A

True

B

False

Question 34 of 75

Spending time facilitating grounding work on a call isn't helpful, it's more effective if they do it on their own time.

A

True

B

False

Question 35 of 75

A grounded body is the foundation for all thoughtwork and intuitiveness to occur. 

A

True

B

False

Question 36 of 75

What IS Trauma?

A

A separation from self due to a "big" experience or series of small chronic experiences

B

An event that overwhelms the CNS, altering the way we process and recall memories

C

The current imprint of past pain, horror or fear living inside people

D

All of the above

Question 37 of 75

Being grounded, informed, and empowered is a great place to be in as coach when presenting and educating about trauma with clients. 

A

True

B

False

Question 38 of 75

Presenting the "possibility of trauma" to clients is important because:

A

Some people don't believe in trauma

B

Trauma is not one size fits all (events can be traumatic to some but not all)

C

Many people have experienced trauma so they need to know about it

Question 39 of 75

Trauma can keep us locked on past belief systems and stuck in fear of the future. Our main goal as coaches is to:

A

Educate and show them how their thoughts are keeping them stuck

B

Keep records and refer out so we don't get in trouble

C

Establish safe self-connection and bring clients back to the here and now on calls

Question 40 of 75

A safe nervous system is:

(Select all that apply)
A

Open to learning

B

Easier to coach

C

Open to the attunement of thoughts

D

An overused idea in the coaching world

Question 41 of 75

Safety is a:

A

Feeling

B

Circumstance

C

Both

Question 42 of 75

During coaching sessions, it's important to understand and communicate:

(Select all that apply)
A

Constant permission

B

Their ability to choose

C

What is/is not trauma

D

Empowerment

Question 43 of 75

My approach to coaching is:

A

Brain-focused

B

Body-focused

C

Nervous System-focused

D

Whole Bodied

Question 44 of 75

Grounding helps us:

(Select all that apply)
A

Connect to the here and now

B

Attend to the needs of our nervous system

C

Reconnect with our bodies

D

Create Safety

Question 45 of 75

Observing what you see or hear in any given moment is generally a form of grounding.

A

True

B

False

Question 46 of 75

Tapping is the only way to bring thoughts to your consciousness.

A

True

B

False

Question 47 of 75

We often stop "Play" when we're on guard. Re-Integrating play into your life can help heal old wounds.

A

True

B

False

Question 48 of 75

Upper Brain vs. Lower Brain = Adult vs. Child and we always listen to the Adult.

A

True

B

False

Question 49 of 75

Lower Brain behavior can be:

(Select all that apply)
A

Younger, wounded parts

B

Conditioned responses

C

Immature toddler-like behavior and we should always ignore and not listen to.

D

Triggers worth looking into

Question 50 of 75

Our Nervous System: 

A

Is what we use to make conscious choices/responses

B

Controls movements, thoughts, and automatic responses

C

Can tell the difference between physical and emotional trauma

D

Is the enemy

Question 51 of 75

What's true of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)?

(Select all that apply)
A

It's made up of motor and sensory neurons to perform voluntary activities

B

It contains the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems

C

It controls muscles of your internal organs

D

It's part of the Central Nervous System

Question 52 of 75

Getting back to a robust nervous system baseline only comes with thought work. 

A

True

B

False

Question 53 of 75

Our brain can have a difficult time discerning an actual threat versus a perceived threat.

A

True

B

False

Question 54 of 75

Generally speaking, does our brain distinguish between PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL threats?

A

Yes - emotional threats are less severe

B

No - a threat is a threat

Question 55 of 75

Which are steps of Dorit Reichental's 4 Steps to Safety & Co-Regulation?

(Select all that apply)
A

Identify the Trigger

B

Orient to the here and now

C

Ignore anyone trying to help you. Stay alone.

D

De-escalate, Safety, and Stabilization

E

Social Engagement

Question 56 of 75

Interoception + Relaxation Response = 

A

Problem Solving

B

Self Regulation

C

Instability

D

Intuition

Question 57 of 75

Before doing deep processing on 1:1 coaching calls, make sure that:

(Select the one that doesn't apply)

A

You always have a trauma therapist on the call with you

B

Client knows they can change their mind and stop at anytime.

C

Clients have the capacity and ability to regulate their emotions when they are in between calls with you.

D

There's adequate time to start, finish, and use any pertinent grounding practices thereafter.

Question 58 of 75

Trauma affects: 

A

The mind

B

The body

C

The brain

D

All of the above

Question 59 of 75

Healing journeys are _______________ to each individual.

A

the same

B

non-linear and unique

C

incredibly difficult

Question 60 of 75

If a client's body language does not match their verbal content during a session, they could be experiencing a trauma response. 

A

True

B

False

Question 61 of 75

What are the three MAIN types of trauma?

(Select all that apply)
A

Chronic

B

Childhood

C

Acute

D

Complex

E

Countertransference

Question 62 of 75

When using the Model in trauma work:

A

Always walk them through a model first THEN do grounding work

B

It can be helpful to put sensations, emotions, triggers, etc. in the "C line"

C

Don't use it - grounding or somatic work is more effective

D

Show them that only their thoughts create their results, always and forever.

Question 63 of 75

What's true of Relational Trauma?

(Select all that apply)
A

It's caused by a single event

B

It arises from unhealthy relationships

C

It's caused by ongoing events and the nature of the relationship

D

It increases your capacity to regulate your inner world

Question 64 of 75

Attachment styles are generally formed from:

A

Marriage relationships

B

Relationships with parents during early childhood

C

Your Genetics

D

Conditioning

Question 65 of 75

Great benefits of Internal Family Systems (IFS) are:

A

Client-led

B

Client-sensitive

C

Easily self-correcting

D

All of the above

E

None of the above

Question 66 of 75

You have to be fully regulated and cannot be in a trauma response to access your intuition.

A

True

B

False

Question 67 of 75

If you get an intuitive hit you should always act on it--right away.

A

True

B

False

Question 68 of 75

Intuition is the language we came here knowing how to speak.

A

True

B

False

Question 69 of 75

Intuition speaks to everyone differently and is often non-linear/non-rational.

A

True

B

False

Question 70 of 75

Connectedness (or our connection to self) has to be learned.

A

True

B

False

Question 71 of 75

Anytime your perception of what you thought would be doesn't line up with reality, you have permission to grieve.

A

True

B

False

Question 72 of 75

Shame:

A

Is just a feeling

B

Operates below rational thinking

C

Creates a Fight response

D

Is pro-social, a step towards healing

Question 73 of 75

What are the 3 phases of Poelman's Relationship Model (in the correct order)?

A

Remember + Mourn, Safety, Reconnect + Return

B

Safety, Remember + Mourn, Reconnect + Return

C

Grounding, Remember + Mourn, Reconnect + Return

D

Remember + Mourn, Grounding, Reconnect + Return

Question 74 of 75

True or False: Trauma responses are Pro-Social

A

True

B

False

Question 75 of 75

True/False: Growth and healing happen linearly.

A

True

B

False

Confirm and Submit