Psychiatrists

AN INJURY-BASED APPROACH TO SEXUAL TRAUMA AND PSYCHIATRY
Explore how the Sexual Abuse Injury Framework can bring greater understanding to complex psychiatric presentations. SAIF helps psychiatrists consider underlying injuries, support disclosure and bring an injury-based perspective into assessment and treatment planning.

Understand The Injury Deepen Psychiatric Practice

EDUCATION FOR PSYCHIATRISTS AND PSYCHIATRY RESIDENTS

Some patients present with symptoms that are difficult to interpret, incomplete histories or experiences they have not yet been able to disclose. What appears to be treatment resistance may involve aspects of their history that remain unrecognised.

SAIF provides a structured approach to understanding injury levels associated with sexual abuse. By supporting disclosure and looking beyond presenting symptoms, the framework helps psychiatrists develop a fuller understanding of the patient and bring that perspective into clinical decisions.

Why SAIF?

Explore the injuries underlying complex presentations.

Develop understanding that supports disclosure.

Connect injury levels with treatment planning.

Access professional guidance and supervision.

What SAIF brings to psychiatric practice

DEEPER UNDERSTANDING FOR INFORMED CLINICAL DECISIONS

Understand complex presentations

Consider how undisclosed sexual trauma and underlying injuries may contribute to symptoms, incomplete histories and difficulties engaging with treatment.

Support disclosure

Develop an approach that helps patients share relevant experiences, bringing previously unrecognised aspects of their history into the clinical picture.

Inform treatment planning

Use a structured understanding of injury levels to support assessment and consider how treatment can address the needs of each patient.

Strengthen professional practice

Connect with a global network of professionals to exchange knowledge, seek guidance and access supervision while developing your understanding of sexual trauma.

Meet Our Specialists

Learn from professionals who bring clinical experience, research, observation, and knowledge to the development of survivor-informed healthcare.

The Full SAIF program

Explore the framework through introductory learning, screening and dedicated courses on injury levels and dissociation. Study at your own pace, with recorded lectures and live webinars included in selected courses.

SAIF Intro

Discover the framework through a self-paced introductory course with a certificate of completion.

SAIF: Screening

Explore screening through self-paced learning and recorded lectures, with certification and professional network access options.*

SAI Levels and Dissociation

Continue with SAI Levels 1–2, Dissociation, Levels 3–4, and Level 5. All include recorded lectures, with live webinars in selected courses.

Explore the Courses

How It Works

BUILD KNOWLEDGE AND BRING IT INTO PRACTICE

Learn online

Study from home and learn at your own pace, fitting studies around clinical and personal commitments.

Develop your knowledge

Explore SAIF foundations, then deepen your understanding through screening, injury-level courses, and dissociation.

Connect through webinars

Meet teachers and students through monthly webinars, with live sessions in selected courses.

Work towards certification

Choose when ready for monthly online assessments. Certification is purchased separately.

Program Requirements

WHO CAN JOIN AND WHAT YOU NEED

Psychiatrists and Residents

The programme is designed for psychiatrists who want to deepen their understanding of sexual trauma. Psychiatry residents are also welcome.

Required Qualification

WONSA lists a valid psychiatry licence or degree as its qualification requirement and also states that the programme is open to psychiatry residents.

Certification

Certification involves an online examination and is paid for separately from the course. Additional fees may apply for access to the professional network.

Who can join the SAIF program? &

SAIS is designed for healthcare professionals who want to develop a deeper understanding of Sexual Abuse Injury and bring this knowledge into their clinical practice.

SAIF Program specifications

LEARN, GET CERTIFIED AND CONNECT

1

Study SAIF

Learn online at your own pace, with monthly webinars and training in sexual abuse injuries.
2

Get certified

Take an online exam and list your services in WONSA’s directory. Optional renewal is available with each SAIF release.
3

Access the network

Connect with professionals for advice and supervision. Share experiences through WONSA’s global community.

Bring SAIF into your Clinical Practice

Whether you are a professional seeking deeper clinical knowledge, a survivor seeking greater understanding, or someone supporting a survivor, there is a SAIF pathway for you.

Frequently
Asked Questions

Questions we often asked

The programme is intended for psychiatrists and is also open to psychiatry residents. WONSA lists a valid psychiatry licence or degree as its qualification requirement.
SAIF offers an injury-based perspective on sexual trauma. It helps professionals consider how underlying injuries and undisclosed experiences may relate to complex presentations, bringing additional context to assessment and treatment planning.
The programme lists six courses: SAIF Intro, SAIF: Screening, SAI Levels 1–2, SAI: Dissociation, SAI Levels 3–4 and SAI Level 5. Courses are self-paced, with recorded lectures beyond the introductory course and live webinars in selected courses.
No. Course participation and certification are paid for separately. SAIF Intro provides a certificate of completion, while certification for the other listed courses requires an additional fee. Network access may also involve an additional charge.
The professional network offers opportunities to seek advice, receive guidance and connect with others for supervision. Certified professionals can also list their services in WONSA’s provider directory.