Description

Upon completion of this conference, participants will be able to:

1. Identify how adverse childhood experiences and developmental trauma shape vulnerability to Complex PTSD across the military lifecycle, beyond combat-related exposure alone.
2. Differentiate PTSD and Complex PTSD using ICD-11 criteria, with specific attention to disturbances in self-organization, identity, and relational functioning in military and veteran populations.
3. Apply a lifecycle-based conceptual framework to inform trauma-responsive assessment, intervention planning, and systems-level practice in military behavioral health and social work settings.

Presenter Bio

Jimmy Sullivan, LSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and veteran with over half a decade of frontline suicide prevention work in veteran and first responder populations. He has extensive experience operating in high-acuity, high-risk clinical environments, providing crisis intervention, suicide risk assessment, lethal means safety planning, and post-crisis stabilization with individuals navigating Complex PTSD, developmental trauma, and moral injury.

His clinical practice is grounded in advanced trauma-informed assessment, differential diagnosis, and deep case conceptualization across layered, treatment-resistant presentations. Jimmy specializes in phase-based trauma treatment, nervous system regulation, and identity-focused intervention for clients whose trauma histories span childhood adversity, institutional exposure, and cumulative operational stress. He brings significant experience in individual and group psychotherapy, clinical intake, and trauma-responsive program development within military and first-responder systems.

Jimmy’s work is direct, ethical, and systems-aware. He translates trauma theory into decisive clinical action, prioritizing diagnostic clarity, containment, and long-term recovery over symptom management alone. His approach centers accountability, precision, and respect for the lived realities of those who serve—meeting people at the point where survival skills stop working, and real healing has to begin.

Delivery Method: Live Interactive Training via Zoom Video Conferencing

Credit Hours: 1.0 (ACE)

Target Audience: This conference is intended for social workers and students.

Accreditation: University of Kentucky College of Social Work, Provider # 1377, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/29/25-9/29/28. Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 15 general continuing education credits.

Claiming CE Credit: Instructions for claiming CE credit will be disseminated at the beginning of each session.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding CE credit or to report a grievance, please contact Christina Krantz at Christina.Krantz@uky.edu. For technical assistance, please contact lmshelp@uky.edu.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these presentations are those of the individual presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the University of Kentucky or the College of Social Work. The inclusion of any topics, perspectives, or discussions is intended for academic engagement and does not constitute endorsement by the institution.