Talk Trauma
in Scuba Diving
Overview
Talk Trauma in Scuba Diving
Welcome to "Talk Trauma in Scuba Diving," a course dedicated to enhancing your understanding of the psychological aspects of diving. This program is specifically designed to provide you with essential knowledge and familiarisation to practical skills to address the mental and emotional challenges encountered in scuba diving. By participating in this course, you will gain valuable insights into the psychological dynamics of diving, relevant to various situations with greater awareness and confidence.
- Explore why psychologically traumatic or distressing events are problematic for scuba divers.
- Delve into what constitutes psychological trauma and distress, including common diving fears and anxieties, and understand the healing process.
- Identify what is distressing or traumatic in scuba diving and the body's trauma response.
- Explore how psychological trauma impacts scuba divers later, in life and diving.
- Learn how divers can heal from psychological trauma or recover after bad dives, including insights into post-traumatic growth and approaches to aid recovery.
- Develop skills for coping and recovery, focusing on managing fears and anxieties.
- Understand being fit to dive, with skills for prevention and resilience, in other words, "trauma preparedness".
This course is not just about acquiring knowledge; it's about empowering you to become a more resilient, aware, and skilled diver. Join us in this unique exploration to enhance your diving experience and contribute to a safer and more supportive diving community.
A Course for Divers at All Levels
This is for you if ...
"Talk Trauma in Scuba Diving" is designed for a diverse range of participants within the diving community. Whether you're just starting your diving journey or you're a seasoned diver with many dives under your belt, this course offers valuable insights and skills that can enhance your diving experience. Here's who will benefit most from enrolling:
- NOVICE DIVERS: If you're new to diving, this course will equip you with essential knowledge about the psychological aspects of diving, helping you start your diving journey with confidence and awareness. (It is recommended that you have some diving experience to draw on, about 10 - 30 dives).
- EXPERIENCED DIVERS: Even if you have logged numerous dives, understanding the psychological dynamics of diving can deepen your experience and provide new perspectives on handling challenging situations.
- DIVING INSTRUCTORS AND GUIDES: This course will enhance your teaching and guiding skills by providing a deeper understanding of the psychological aspects affecting divers. See the separate section for details.
- DIVERS INTERESTED IN PERSONAL GROWTH: If you're a diver who is always looking to learn and improve, this course will add a new dimension to your skills, focusing on the mental and emotional aspects of diving
- DIVERS WHO HAVE FACED CHALLENGES: For those who have experienced anxiety, fear, or other challenges in diving, this course offers insights and strategies to overcome these obstacles and enjoy diving to its fullest.
"Talk Trauma in Scuba Diving" is an opportunity to explore a side of diving rarely discussed yet fundamental to every diver's experience. Join us to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the underwater world.
Key Benefits for all levels of Scuba Divers
This unique program is tailored to enrich your diving experience, offering a blend of psychological insight and practical skills. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, this course is designed to enhance your understanding of the mental and emotional aspects of diving, ensuring a more confident and fulfilling experience underwater. Here are the key benefits available:
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ENHANCED DIVING SKILLS: Learn personal practices to refine and improve your scuba diving abilities.
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STRESS MANAGEMENT: Develop skills to understand and handle stress both in and out of the water.
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OVERCOMING MENTAL BLOCKS: Build awareness of psychological barriers that may affect your diving and learn how to overcome them.
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BUDDY SUPPORT: Gain insights into supporting your diving partners effectively.
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DISCOVERING STRESS BENEFITS: Uncover the hidden benefits of stress and when it can be a useful force.
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BROADER WELLBEING: Apply the skills learned to contribute to your overall mental health and wellbeing.
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COMMUNITY AWARENESS: Contribute to raising awareness about psychological trauma in the diving community.
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PREVENTION OF FUTURE INCIDENTS: Understand the link between past trauma and potential future diving incidents, and how you can play a role in prevention.
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SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND RESOURCES: Your participation helps support a resource center and a research project dedicated to divers' wellbeing.
Are You a Guide or Instructor?
Why This Course is Also For You
As a diving instructor or guide, your role extends beyond teaching technical skills; it's about creating a safe and supportive environment for your divers. "Talk Trauma in Scuba Diving" offers invaluable insights that can transform the way you teach and interact with your students. Here's why this course is essential for you:
Trauma-Informed Instruction: Enhance your teaching by understanding the impact of trauma and distress on divers. This knowledge allows you to create a more empathetic and responsive learning environment.
Improved Diver Retention: By understanding the psychological aspects of diving, you can help divers overcome fears and anxieties, leading to increased confidence and a higher likelihood of them continuing with the sport.
Enhanced Safety and Communication: Gain skills in identifying and addressing signs of distress in divers. This not only improves safety but also fosters a more open and trusting communication channel between you and your students.
This course equips you with the tools to not just be an instructor, but a guide who understands the deeper psychological needs of divers. Embrace this opportunity to elevate your teaching and make a lasting impact in the diving community.
Course curriculum
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Welcome Message
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Before you begin the course...
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How to join the discussions
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Introductions
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Things people say
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REFLECTION | "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" or does it?
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AIMS | One
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INTRO | What does trauma mean?
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Trauma and Distress: Some basic definitions
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PRESENTATION | What is the psychological impact after a diving-related accident?
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DOODLE | Linking trauma and panic in scuba diving
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NOTE | Impact of distressing or traumatic dives
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Mind Ghosts in Scuba Diving Talk
FREE PREVIEW -
READING | Social Reactions To Decompression Illness
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PRESENTATION | How does addressing psychological trauma prevent future adverse events?
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QUICK QUIZ | Bowtie Model
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DISCUSSION | Prevention of, and recovery from psychological trauma
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NOTE | Human Factors in Scuba Diving
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STORIES | Meet Our Divers!
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THE DIVERS | Kai's dive course failure
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QUICK QUIZ | End of Section One
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BRIEF FEEDBACK | One
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REFERENCES & RESOURCES | One
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AIMS | Two
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INTRO | What is trauma?
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NOTE | Words used to describe physical trauma response
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DOWNLOAD | Sources of Trauma
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Process what?
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DOODLE | Feelings wave and Trauma
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QUICK QUIZ | Feelings Wave and Trauma
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NOTE | 90 seconds, is that really true?
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PRESENTATION | All the F's
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DOWNLOAD | All the F's
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QUICK QUIZ | All the F's
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PRESENTATION | How bad experiences can affect what we tell ourselves
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NOTE | Psychological Trauma is Physical Too
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What is PTSD?
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The Psychology of PTSD
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DOWNLOAD | Diagnosis of PTSD*
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DISCUSSION | Understanding Trauma and Distress
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BRIEF FEEDBACK | Two
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REFERENCES & RESOURCES | Two
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AIMS | Three
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INTRO | Advice for this section
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NOTE | What does the research say?
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NOTE | Accidents and Incidents
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THE DIVERS | Simon's Incident
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NOTE | Secondary Victims and Vicarious Trauma
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THE DIVERS | Lena's experience
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PRESENTATION | Diving-Trauma Stories
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NOTE | Defining drowning
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PRESENTATION | Power and Water
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DISCUSSION | Diving-Related Trauma
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NOTE | Primer on the Swiss Cheese model
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QUICK QUIZ | Swiss Cheese
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DOODLE | Developing Trauma
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DISCUSSION | Applying the Swiss Cheese Model to trauma
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BRIEF FEEDBACK | Three
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REFERENCES & RESOURCES | Three
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AIMS | Four
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INTRO | Impact of bad experiences in diving
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NOTE | Wide-ranging impact of trauma
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DOWNLOAD | Impacts of Trauma
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THE DIVERS | Lena struggles after the rescue attempt
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PRESENTATION | WATER-AIR BARRIER
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PRESENTATION | How diving is impacted after diving-related trauma
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NOTES | Overview of Impact of Trauma In Diving
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NOTES | Panic and Trauma, Again
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DOODLE | The Panic Triangle Model: What triggers panic in scuba divers?
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NOTES | Regulation of emotion and attention
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NOTES | The Window of Tolerance
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DOWNLOAD | The Window of Tolerance
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QUICK QUIZ | Window of Tolerance
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NOTES | A bit about behaviour
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NOTES | Trauma and Learning
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THE DIVERS | Alex is learning to dive
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NOTES | Trauma and persisting helplessness
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NOTES | Trauma and Ego
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DOWNLOAD | Phobias that may impact diving
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DISCUSSION | Your Takeaways?
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BRIEF FEEDBACK | Four
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REFERENCES & RESOURCES | Four
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AIMS | Five
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INTRO | Conditions and processes for healing
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DOODLE | Natural Processing
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QUICK QUIZ | Processing after trauma (Computer Data Analogy)
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DISCUSSION | Conditions for healing
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NOTES | Loss, Bereavement and Grief
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DOWNLOAD | Healing After Trauma
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TALK | Healing Blue Spaces
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NOTES | Healing Blue Spaces
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THE DIVERS | Kai reflects and makes changes
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NOTES | The Role of Psychological Safety in Recovery After Trauma
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QUICK QUIZ | Psychological Safety and Recovery After Trauma
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NOTES | Talking can Help, or Harm
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Supporting a buddy
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PRESENTATION | Debrief or No Debrief?
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NOTES | Trauma-Focused Debriefs
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DISCUSSION | Debriefs after traumatic/distressing adverse events in diving
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NOTES | Returning to diving
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DOODLE | Facing fear
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DISCUSSION | Returning to diving
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THE DIVERS | Simon reflects and returns to diving
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BRIEF FEEDBACK | Five
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REFERENCES & RESOURCES | Five
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About this course
Who is making & teaching the course?
Instructor & Course Creator Dr Laura Walton
Diving since 2007, Laura is an active scuba diver and instructor (& Clinical Psychologist in the UK) with range of experience from low visibility, cold water dives to tropical locations and the various challenges different sites offer. Her perspective in training is influenced by 20 years of studying psychology & 7 years as a diving professional. Alongside this she previously co-managed an active dive club and school in Scotland, and has experience of the dive industry and community. Laura holds multiple relevant qualifications including PADI Master Instructor, DDI Instructor, EFR Instructor & DAN Instructor. With her interest in diving psychology and physiology, she seeks to learn more through research and to share understanding through creation of unique courses that help divers to be physically, mentally and emotionally fit-to-dive.
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Disclaimer
Education (not therapy & not dive training)
Please note that "Talk Trauma in Scuba Diving" is an educational resource designed to provide information and insights into the psychological aspects of scuba diving. This course is not a substitute for professional psychological therapy or scuba diving instruction. It is intended to enhance awareness and knowledge for divers, diving instructors, and guides, but it does not provide therapeutic intervention or diving certification.
Participants are responsible for ensuring they are medically fit to dive and dive within the limits of their qualification and training. If you are currently experiencing psychological trauma or distress, we recommend seeking professional support. For resources and assistance, please visit our resource center at Fit to Dive.
By enrolling in this course, you acknowledge and agree that the course is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological therapy or professional diving instruction.
Content Warning
This course is addressing a sensitive issue. Care will be taken to ensure content is appropriately presented. The focus will be on key theory concepts on stress, trauma, mental health and diving performance. There will be mention of incidents in diving, through case studies and links. These will be presented respectfully and with limits on level of detail. The case studies created for the course are fictional. If there is any resemblance to an event that occurred in reality, this is coincidental and only reflects the fact that divers do experience such things occasionally. If you are currently struggling with something difficult, it may be that this is not the right time for you to take this course. If you find the content distressing, you are advised to stop and contact the author.
More Than a Course
Contributing to Diver Wellbeing and Research
"Talk Trauma in Scuba Diving" is more than just an educational program. The course fees play a vital role in supporting ongoing research and resource development. This year, for example, a qualitative pilot study on divers' experiences with traumatic or distressing events in scuba diving. This research is useful in understanding and addressing the psychological needs of divers.
Additionally, a comprehensive resources section, which can be found here, has been developed to provide support and information. Plans are also underway to create a booklet that will serve as a valuable guide for divers facing challenges.
Additionally, a comprehensive resources section, which can be found here, has been developed to provide support and information. Plans are also underway to create a booklet that will serve as a valuable guide for divers facing challenges.
This work is not externally funded, and your enrollment in the course directly contributes to these efforts, helping to offer useful resources and support to the diving community. By joining the course, you're not only investing in your own growth and understanding but also supporting a small, independent project, that aims to support diver wellbeing.
Fee Options
The primary goal of this course is to help divers. The course fees are set to make the course accessible to divers and support the project. Although the value of the course is certainly higher that fees shown (in terms of content and interaction) fees are set relatively low. You get to choose what you pay: the set fee, bring-a-buddy and split the fee or show your support by contributing more.
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Choose to contribute & book your place
£75.00
Course Fee
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Choose to contribute & book your place
£97.00
Generous Supporter
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Choose to contribute & book your place
£37.50
Bring-a-buddy
What students say
Reviews from other courses (because Talk Trauma is too new to have reviews yet)
Insightful and relevant, a must do course for all divers!
Faye Wilde
Lots to relate to here and a great overall look at the way panic manifests itself and how to manage it. This is relevant to all divers irrespective of experi...
Read MoreLots to relate to here and a great overall look at the way panic manifests itself and how to manage it. This is relevant to all divers irrespective of experience and has some very important lessons and tools. All divers should take this course!
Read LessBesides Rescue dive course - one of the best courses ever
Inge Delzotto
I liked the course a lot! Very informative, complex psychology topics broken down into small learning units, great videos, easy to understand, huge relevance...
Read MoreI liked the course a lot! Very informative, complex psychology topics broken down into small learning units, great videos, easy to understand, huge relevance for enhancing diving know how, great for reflection your own scuber diver life and learning about yourself. Personally I think this course should be mandatory to all dive professionals (already within the IDC) but maybe it is already. During the time I made my IDC it was not. Why? Because the course showed me, that I experienced all the topics covered during my active OWSI time with students, but also as a fun diver but the course offered the possibility to put all of the experiences into great frame work. But also for fun diving it is a great course as it gives you the possibility to get insights and consciousness of yourself and your scuba diver life.
Read LessReally interesting
mary cordall
The second of Laura’s courses I have done. Very interesting, useful and accessible.
The second of Laura’s courses I have done. Very interesting, useful and accessible.
Read LessHelp is here ..... A Great Course on How to Prevent Panic...
Brian Jensen
As scuba divers we venture into a whole different world. It can be full of wonder, but it can also lead to stressful situations. This course, "Prevent Panic ...
Read MoreAs scuba divers we venture into a whole different world. It can be full of wonder, but it can also lead to stressful situations. This course, "Prevent Panic in Scuba Diving", is a practical and eye opening study that gets to the cause and effect of how to recognize and prevent panic while diving. I highly recommend this course for any diver skill level!
Read LessAwesome course!
Melanie Ensign
Laura is a fantastic instructor and has developed a well-structured and enlightening course. Loved it!
Laura is a fantastic instructor and has developed a well-structured and enlightening course. Loved it!
Read LessFAQ
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Are the lessons at set times, or can I do then at any time?
Yes, the course is self-paced and you may complete lessons any time.
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What format are the lessons?
The lessons are a mix of slides, audio, video, quizzes, discussion boards, reflective exercises, case studies etc. These are mostly made to be accessed independently, and not live recorded, because this enables clearer and more concise presentation of concepts.