Treatment

Families don't have to face complex and chronic trauma alone. Treatment can change the present and futures of children and families enduring hardship. 

Using research and data, we've developed interventions that are versatile and adaptable to any organization. We work closely with organizations to make sure high fidelity is maintained for models. Our work doesn't stop at publication; we continually seek feedback from families and partners to update our models and ensure they continue serving the people who need it. See what projects we have worked on and collaborated on below.

The Trauma Adapted Family Connections (TA-FC) model developed by Dr. Kathryn Collins, Dr. Frederick Strieder, and the UMSSW team addresses families at risk for experiencing chronic and complex traumatic stress with the goal of reducing child maltreatment. Starting in Baltimore City, Maryland, the program strives to address the roots of traumatic conditions by preparing providers to engage with families in trauma informed ways.

TA-FC integrates:

• Trauma-focused family assessment and engagement
• Psycho-education to teach family members about trauma symptomatology
• A focus on building safety capacity within the community and immediate environment
• Trauma informed parenting practices and communication
• Trauma informed approaches to working with families

The TA-FC model can be conceptualized in the following graphic:

Image description: 8 cogs in different colors are interconnected with arrows around them, signifying they are all turning different directions. The cogs read from left to right: Trauma Informed Family Engagement, Trauma Informed Family Assessment, Psycho-education, Building Safety Capacity, Helping Families Meet Their Basic Needs, Family Shared Meaning of Trauma, Emotional Identification and Affect Regulation, and Strengthening Family Relationships. 

Each cog represents a different strategy utilized by TA-FC, aligned with different treatment phases in the model. This graphic demonstrates every strategy intertwines with other strategies and the progression from phase to phase is non-linear. As a whole, these cogs work together to improve family cohesion and coping mechanisms.

TA-FC consists of weekly 60 minute long meetings with families over the course of 6 months. See where TA-FC has been established below. 

Alba Prados Vilar, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor with over a decade of experience providing bilingual therapy to individuals, families, and couples in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Specializing in trauma, grief, life transitions, and cultural adaptation, she empowers clients to rediscover their strengths and resilience. Currently, she works at the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing and serves as a contractor therapist and certified trainer for the TA-FC model, integrating a variety of therapeutic approaches to support healing and growth.

Ashley Pope, LPCC-S, works at FrontLine Service as a Crisis Intervention Specialist with Frontline's Adult Mobile Crisis team. Prior to this work she has worked in leadership roles at the agency for 10 years, during which part of her role was leading the implementation of TA-FC for all of Frontline's family programming. Ashley is a certified Train the Trainer and has been invited to virtually train agencies across the country, and is also a trainer for Trauma Informed Care and Racial Equity work. 

Stephanie Campbell, LPCC, received her Masters in Art Therapy and Counseling in 2014 from Ursuline College. Stephanie’s area of expertise includes anxiety, mood disorders, PTSD and complex trauma, family system concerns, and behavioral concerns. Stephanie works with children, teens, and adults ranging from the age 4-65; and she has experience working with children and families involved with the child welfare system, providing clinical support around reunification, prevention, and enhancing family connections. 

Alexa Tweten, LICSW, graduated with an MSW from University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2017 and has worked with children and families impacted by trauma since. Alexa is currently the Resilient Scholars Project Family Services Program Director at The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing. The family services team uses Trauma-Adapted Family Connections to support Washington, DC families who have experienced trauma. 

Hannah Shackelford earned her Master’s Degree in Social Welfare and is a temporarily licensed Social Worker. Hannah is dedicated to supporting her clients whose lives and livelihoods have been devasted by conflict, disaster, and trauma. Hannah works at International Rescue Committee and is a certified trainer for the TA-FC model, using an adapted version of the therapeutic approach focused on strengthening migrant family relationships and generational trauma.

Yeni Silva-Renteria, LMSW, is a passionate social worker and advocate with over two decades of experience championing children and families, especially within communities impacted by displacement. An immigrant and the first in her family to graduate high school and college in the U.S., Yeni leads with lived experience and a deep commitment to equity and healing. As Executive Director of IRC Wichita, she drives innovative, trauma-informed programs that strengthen families and empower communities. Her leadership has earned statewide and national recognition, positioning her as a trusted voice in advancing justice, inclusion, and resilience.

Interested in replicating TA-FC at your agency? Click here for the Proposed Implementation Plan or reach out to Dr. Kathryn Collins at kcollins@ssw.umaryland.edu. You can also visit our Get Involved page for more information on how we can help implement TA-FC.

Within Fam-TREAT, our engagement trainings equip clinicians with strategies to strengthen the therapeutic alliance with clients that have experienced overlapping traumas. Barriers in an alliance are frequent with people who have been hurt and let down by others before; empathy, respect, authenticity, and the right tools can repair the trust between clinicians and clients for a positive collaboration. 

Engagement trainings are molded to whatever population an agency works with, whether they may be immigrant refugees or families at risk for homelessness in the inner city. Discussions, activities, and media are utilized to make the training more interactive and to bolster understanding in clinicians. See the Get Involved page if you or your organization are interested in requesting a training. 

Expanding the Reach of Evidence-Supported Treatment for Complex Trauma

Fam-TREAT has collaborated with the Guiding Stars Project of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) to develop, test and disseminate new tools and practice strategies to increase engagement and promote therapeutic relationships. The Guiding Stars Project has conducted an extensive literature review and a NCTSN-wide survey leading to development and pilot-testing of the Multidimensional Assessment for Complex Trauma (MACT). The MACT extends assessments beyond typical measures of PTSD exposure/symptoms and encompasses the impact of chronicity over time and a community perspective on both the impact of chronic trauma and strategies for increasing resiliency.  

To learn more about strategies and tools developed by the Guiding Stars Project, please see the Guiding Star's recently published article, Development of a Differential Assessment Guide to Improve Engagement with Youths & Families Living with Chronic Trauma at:  https://rdcu.be/cWtg0.  If you are interested in pilot testing the MACT or receiving a link to the Guiding Star's upcoming practice paper, When Trauma Isn’t 'Post...'; Expanding Engagement & Inclusion of Youths and Parents/Caregivers with Chronic and Persisting Traumatic Stress, please contact the Adelphi University Institute for Adolescent Trauma Treatment & Training: iattt@adelphi.edu.

Center for Infant Study (UMMS)

https://www.umms.org/ummc/health-services/psychiatry/services/child-adolescent/outpatient/center-for-infant-study

The Center for Infant Study (CIS) at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) provides multidisciplinary treatment to children aged 0-5 who are/ at risk of experiencing a mental health or psychosocial problem.

Real Life Heroes; Resiliency-focused Therapy for Complex Trauma (RLF)

https://reallifeheroes.net/

Buy the workbook on Routledge

Real Life Heroes® provides therapists with easy-to-use tools including a life storybook, manual, 24 CE credit asynchronous training program, multi-dimensional assessment guide, multi-sensory creative arts activities and psycho education resources to promote engagement of children, adolescents and parents/caregivers in assessment-driven, evidence-supported therapy for complex trauma.

Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma (ITCT)

https://centerforitct.org/

ITCT is an evidence based treatment model developed by Dr. Cheryl Lanktree and Dr. John Briere to address the needs of children, youth, young adults and their families affected by complex trauma; trainings and certifications available. 

Family Centered Treatment (FTC) 

https://www.familycenteredtreatment.org/

FTC is an evidence-based research model developed to address 1) forced removal of their children from the home, or 2) dissolution of the family due to external and internal stressors and circumstances; program consultation, training, design, and evaluation available.