Reframing Agitation and Aggression: Practical Applications and Case Analysis

General Course
2 CE credits
Location: LIVE, Interactive Webinar

Course Description: This course focuses on practicing how to interpret responsive behaviors, identify potential triggers, and select individualized strategies for reducing distress and promoting safety. Attendees will analyze a variety of behavioral expressions—such as agitation, resistance, pacing, verbal outbursts, and fear-based reactions—to uncover the unmet physical, social, or emotional needs that may be driving the behavior. Participants will practice trauma-informed communication approaches, environmental modifications, and de-escalation techniques tailored to the unique needs of each individual. This course is fully interactive, encouraging open discussion, shared problem-solving, and hands-on application. By the end of the course, participants will leave with practical, person-centered tools to support individuals experiencing distress behaviors and to enhance care outcomes in a wide range of settings.

From this course you will be able to:

1. Analyze case vignettes to identify possible triggers and unmet needs underlying responsive behaviors.
2. Demonstrate effective, person-centered approaches for de-escalating agitation and distress in real-world scenarios.
3. Develop individualized response plans—including environmental, relational, and procedural strategies—to reduce distress behaviors and prevent escalation.
4. Evaluate how caregiver approach, tone, body language, and environmental factors influence behavioral outcomes.