< Back to workshops

Safety, Vulnerability, and Intimacy After Trauma

Monday, July 13th, 2026   1:45 PM EDT -4:45 PM EDT
Pamela Klein, LCSW, CST
$59.99 USD

Developmental trauma can significantly impact an individual’s capacity for emotional and physical intimacy, often shaping how safety, trust, vulnerability, and connection are experienced within adult relationships. Survivors of developmental trauma may struggle with closeness, emotional expression, physical touch, fear of abandonment, hyper-independence, shame, or protective relational patterns that developed as adaptive survival responses. This workshop will explore the ways developmental trauma influences attachment, nervous system functioning, and relational dynamics, particularly within intimate relationships.

 

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how trauma responses can manifest in emotional and physical intimacy, including avoidance, emotional withdrawal, hypervigilance, dissociation, and difficulties with vulnerability. The workshop will also examine the role of attachment wounds, protective defenses, and the balance between safety and connection. Trauma-informed interventions and strategies for fostering relational safety, emotional regulation, communication, and healthier intimacy will also be discussed.

About the Presenter

Pamela Klein is a licensed clinical social worker and a AASECT certified sex therapist. She specializes in helping individuals and couples with all kinds of relationship problems. Couples come to see her at various stages of their relationship and they come in with a wide variety of issues. Pamela’s specialization in sex therapy differentiates her practice from others. She helps people with sexual dysfunction, low desire, sexual pain and other sexual problems. Her treatment is tailored to the needs of each client and she utilizes practical methods to help make changes in a short period of time. Pamela Klein has received her certification in sex therapy at the NYU Program for Human Sexuality. She has also been trained in Mindfulness, Somatic Intervention and Emotionally Focused Therapy. She has a private practice is working remotely with clients. She can be reached at pamelakleinlcsw@gmail.com.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe the ways developmental trauma may influence sexuality, physical intimacy, and patterns of connection in adult relationships.
  2. Identify trauma-informed interventions and clinical approaches that support emotional safety, vulnerability, and healthier relational functioning.
  3. Explain the relationship between vulnerability, relational safety, boundaries, and trust within intimate relationships.

Agenda:
  • 15 Minutes — Introduction and Workshop Overview
  • 15 Minutes — Developmental Trauma and Attachment
  • 15 Minutes — Understanding Vulnerability: What It Is and What It Is Not
  • 30 Minutes — Trauma, Sexuality, and Physical Intimacy
  • 15 Minutes — Relational Patterns and Fear of Closeness
  • 30 Minutes — Cultivating Vulnerability, Trust, and Emotional Safety
  • 30 Minutes — Trauma-Informed Clinical Approaches and Interventions
  • 30 Minutes — Group Discussion, Questions, and Closing Reflections

    • This workshop offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits

    This presentation is open to:
    • Social Workers
    • Professional Counselors
    • Therapists
    • Psychologists
    • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
    • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
    • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
    Course Level: intermediate
    Level of Clinician: intermediate
    • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
    • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
    • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
    • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

    Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

    Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
    There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
    • This program meets the requirements for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. These CE credits may be applied toward AASECT certification and renewal of certification. AASECT Knowledge Areas: Developmental Sexuality, Health/Medical factors that influence sexuality, Intimacy Skills, Learning theory and its application, Range of sexual functioning and behavior, sexual and reproductive anatomy, Socio-cultural and familial factors. May be used for Sex Therapy Training ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5, ST6, ST7.
    • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0122.
    • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
    • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
    • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0275.
    • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
    • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
    • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
    Refund Policy:
    Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
    48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
    *exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.