ARC Trainers

ARC Trainers

Joshua Arvidson, MSS, LCSW

Joshua Arvidson, LCSW is the Director of the Alaska Child Trauma Center at ACMHS, a center specializing in treating young children who have experienced complex trauma. Joshua is also the Founder and Director of the Anchorage Childcare Mental Health Consultation Program where he leads a multi-agency team providing trauma-informed mental health consultation to childcare and early learning programs. Joshua also serves as the statewide coordinator for Alaska’s Childcare Mental Health Consultation Network and the Alaska Early Childhood Mental Health Learning Network. He is a Director and former Board President for an Infant Learning and Early Education Program that provides developmental services to children 0-3 and teaches courses on child trauma for the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Beth Barto, LMHC

Beth Barto, LMHC is a licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts, with a Masters in Counseling Psychology concentrating in Child and Family Therapy. She is the Chief Executive Officer for LUK, Inc. Past accomplishments include being the Principal Investigator for the Category III NCTSN Central Massachusetts Child Trauma Center (CMCTC) a program of LUK, inc. Beth continues to coordinate the Massachusetts Child Trauma Project dissemination efforts.  MCTP is a collaborative effort between the Department of Children and Families, Justice Resource Institute, Boston Medical Center’s: Child Witness to Violence Program and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Beth’s professional experience has ranged from a clinician, supervisor, manager and director in a variety of mental health settings serving children and families.  She is passionate about assisting systems in understanding the impact of trauma in order to promote well-being outcomes for the most vulnerable children. Beth is part of the Child Welfare NCTSN leadership team and is the emeritus co-chair of the NCTSN Resource Parent committee.  Beth is an ARC trainer and provides a variety of trauma-informed trainings using National Child Traumatic Stress Network products.

Tracie Carlson, LCMHC

Tracie Carlson, LCMHC, is Program Director of the Diagnostic Assessment Program and Community Based Services at NFI-VT in South Burlington, VT. NFI-VT is a special services agency that provides outpatient and evaluation services, community based services, Therapeutic Foster Care, residential programs and independent schools.  Previous to this, Tracie worked at the Howardcenter, Burlington, VT’s designated children’s mental health agency, for 10 years holding several leadership roles in children’s mental health wraparound and residential programs. Tracie is a trainer for the Vermont Child Trauma Collaborative and has been providing ARC training around the state for several years. Trace is an adjunct professor with Southern New Hampshire University’s Program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She resides in Essex Junction, VT with her husband and their 2 active sons.

Jon Ebert, Psy.D.

Dr. Ebert is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and is a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive clinical and consultation expertise in the assessment and delivery of services to children and families who have experienced traumatic stress and mental health challenges. Dr. Ebert is Director of the Vanderbilt Center of Excellence for Children in State Custody (COE) which is part of a statewide network funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee to improve the public health by enhancing the quality of services provided to children in or at-risk of entering the Tennessee child welfare or juvenile justice systems.

Stacey Forrest, M.Ed.

Stacey Forrest, M.Ed., is currently the Director of The Susan Wayne Center of Excellence and the Susan Wayne Center Clinical Day School of JRI. Stacey has been with JRI for nine years, seven of which were at The van der Kolk Center, Glenhaven Academy, prior to moving to JRI’s Connecticut Division. As an administrator and later Director of several residential treatment settings, Stacey assisted with several major programmatic change initiatives, with a special focus on transitioning programs to more trauma-informed practices and the implementation of the Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Attachment (ARC) model. Stacey has also played key roles in staff development initiatives, as well as the creation of an agency-wide intervention model. As an adjunct training faculty for The Trauma Center at JRI, Stacey provides training to organizations seeking to adopt trauma-informed treatment models, as well as presents on this topic nationwide.

Hilary Hodgdon, Ph.D.

Dr. Hilary Hodgdon is a practicing clinical psychologist, trainer, and researcher specializing in the study and treatment of traumatic stress. Her research interests center on deepening understanding of the etiology and sequelae of childhood trauma, elucidating mechanisms that convey risk for psychopathology among vulnerable populations, and development and evaluation of trauma-informed treatment approaches. Dr. Hodgdon is the Director of Research Operations at the Trauma Center and a Research Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice in the Department of Psychology at Suffolk University. Dr. Hodgdon also serves as the Co-Director of the Complex Trauma Treatment Network, a National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Category II training and technical assistance center, as well as the Director of the LAMP Project, a curriculum development grant funded by the Office for Victims of Crime. Dr. Hodgdon received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Jeremy Karpen, MA, LCPC

Jeremy Karpen is the Director of Learning and Devleopment at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago, IL. Jeremy has worked in residential care with youth between the ages of 11-25 as a therapist, direct care supervisor, and staff trainer since 2008. Currently, Jeremy directs Mercy Home’s staff learning and development program. In addition to joining the National ARC training team in 2016, Jeremy is a certified instructor for the following curricula: Crisis Prevention Institute Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, National Resource Center for Youth Services’ Residential Child & Youth Care Professional, Red Cross adult and pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED, and the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Protecting God’s Children. Jeremy received his BA from Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN and his MA in Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Jeremy is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois. In addition to residential care, his clinical experience includes domestic violence and partner abuse intervention. He is currently pursuing certification in the Child Trauma Academy’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT).

Valerie Krpata, LICSW

Valerie Krpata, LICSW is the senior clinical director for JRI group homes and co-director of Trauma Drama. She received her Master’s degree in social work from Simmons College. She has extensive experience working with the adolescent and transitional age youth population through individual, group and family therapy within the group homes and community. She has special interest in working with transitional-age youth who have experienced complex trauma.

Jennifer Lefebre, Psy.D., RPT-S, TCTSY-F

Jenn Lefebre, PsyD, RPT-S, TCTSY-F is a clinical psychologist, registered play therapist supervisor, and trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator.   She is the president-elect for the New England Association for Play Therapy, a member of the Complex Trauma Treatment Affiliates, and an advisor for the International Association of Trauma Professionals.  Dr. Lefebre’s clinical and research interests focus on the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, adults and families whose lives have been impacted by complex trauma, having extensive experience working with young children (0-5), adult survivors of severe childhood abuse and neglect, first responders, and combat veterans.

Dr. Lefebre is the founder and clinical director of Healing the Child Within, a holistic trauma center in northwestern Connecticut which integrates psychotherapy, EMDR, SMART, ARC, trauma sensitive yoga, play therapy, and the expressive arts into the treatment of complex trauma.  She also provides clinical supervision and play therapy consultation throughout New England and online, and is an adjunct faculty member at several universities, teaching both at the undergraduate and graduate level.  In addition to being an experienced play therapist and professor, Dr. Lefebre is a sought-after expert for speaking engagements, podcasts and webinars on the topics of play therapy and complex childhood trauma.  Additionally, Dr. Lefebre is an approved CEU provider for the Association for Play Therapy and EMDRIA, and is finalizing the process of becoming an EMDR consultant.

Rachel Liebman, Ph.D.

Jennifer Malcolm-Brown, LICSW

Photo and bio coming soon!

Kelly Moore, Psy.D.

Kelly N. Moore, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in New Jersey & Pennsylvania with a clinical specialty in the treatment of anxiety, trauma, and perinatal disorders in youth and adults. Dr. Moore has worked in efforts to disseminate evidence-based treatments and develop trauma-focused programs in community mental health in Philadelphia and New Jersey. Her work has focused on identifying facilitators and overcoming barriers to implementation of evidence-informed practice and implementing trauma-informed care with multidisciplinary teams. She is the owner of Moore Wellness, LLC, a mental health training and consultation business and creator of The Well Family Spot blog (www.thewellfamilyspot.com), and is currently the Director of the Center for Psychological Services at The Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. Prior to that role, she served as a Program Manager for Rutgers Children’s Center for Resilience and Trauma Recovery focusing on training professionals across disciplines in evidence-based practice for trauma treatment for youth, and early recognition and response to youth impacted by mental illness.

Tiffany M. Naste, LICSW

Tiffany M. Naste, LICSW, is the Director of Clinical Support and Training for JRI’s Community-Based Services (CBS) Division. She leads the JRI CBS Division’s internal ARC  (Attachment, Regulation, Competency) leadership team and is a member of JRI’s Trauma Response Network (TRN), providing education, support, emergency assistance and counseling in response to terrorism, disasters, community violence and other acute traumatic incidents impacting the Greater Boston community. In addition to her work at JRI she has worked in residential treatment, schools, and hospital settings providing therapy, teaching and consultation.

Emily Neal, LCSW

Emily Neal, LCSW, is the Vice President of Organizational Development and Clinical Operations at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, a residential treatment and community-based youth care organization in Chicago, IL. She received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago in 2002.  Her work and training has focused on providing trauma-informed interventions to children, adolescents, young adults, and families in a variety of settings including residential treatment, outpatient mental health, schools and juvenile corrections. Emily has held a number of positions at Mercy Home including Milieu Therapist, Training Manager, Admissions Director and Clinical Director before taking on her current role in 2019.  Emily’s first exposure to the ARC framework was in 2013 at the Trauma Center’s Summer Institute.  Since that experience, she has co-lead the adoption and implementation of the framework at Mercy Home, consulted with other agencies on ARC implementation and founded the IL ARC Consortium in 2017.

Jennifer Packard, LCSW

Jen Packard in a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in working with youth, adults, families and systems that have been impacted by trauma. She is the Director of Project 180, which aims to build the trauma-informed workforce, increase access to school-based mental health services, and develop trauma-informed schools.  She is a Clinical Supervisor, trainer, and therapist at CHRIS 180, a large non-profit organization in Atlanta, Georgia. Jen has been working within CHRIS 180 on implementing ARC clinically and systemically across all programs. She has been training educators and administrators in Atlanta Public Schools in ARC since Project 180 began in 2016. Jen is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and an approved TF-CBT supervisor. She is trained and certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS), and The Seven Challenges.  In addition to these evidence-based models, Jen practices from the paradigms of interpersonal neurobiology, attachment, and mindfulness-based psychotherapy. She incorporates play and art therapy principles and techniques in her work as well as trauma-informed yoga.  Jen earned her BFA in Contemporary Dance from University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 1999 and earned her MS in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work in 2008.

Jana Pressley, Psy.D.

Jana Pressley, Psy.D. is Director of Training and Professional Development at the Trauma Center, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Richmont Graduate University. Dr. Pressley was formerly the Clinical Training and Associate Professor in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at Wheaton College Graduate School. Her research interests are focused on the experience of court-involved young adults who have suffered relational trauma in the midst of chronic poverty and community violence, as well as the impact of complex trauma history on adult spirituality and meaning-making. Dr. Pressley teaches trauma-related courses at the graduate level, and has designed and implemented trauma counseling specialization courses for graduate programs in close collaboration with the Trauma Center senior leadership. Clinically, Dr. Pressley serves as a therapist and supervisor at a community-based counseling center, where she specializes in the treatment of individuals and families whose lives have been impacted by complex trauma. Dr. Pressley founded and directed a non-profit agency for uninsured/underinsured individuals and families in Chattanooga, TN. She is is a national ARC trainer and consultant, and also trains on the impact of trauma on adult spirituality.

Christina Russel, MSW, LICSW

Christina Russell, MSW, LICSW (Boston University, 2005, 2008), is an ARC-certified trainer who has worked with children and families in both residential and out-patient settings for twenty years.  In 2012 she researched and co-wrote an innovative $383,000 3-year grant bringing trauma-Informed training to a shelter for homeless women recovering from addiction and their children. This grant initiated an unusual partnership with the Justice Resource Institute, who had not, until that time, utilized ARC principles to work with traumatized newborns and infants. She helped to create a therapeutic day care environment centered on the needs of these children and successfully advocated for change in the way Cape Cod Hospital treats NAS infants. In addition to building her own home and farmstead in Chatham, MA and commercially shell fishing, Christina maintains a private behavioral health family practice specializing in creative, extra-office therapy.

Tara Sagor, CAGS, LMHC

Tara Sagor, CAGS, LMHC is the Director of Training and Trauma Response for Justice Resource Institute. She received her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in counselling psychology from Lesley University where she is currently an adjunct professor in their graduate department. She has 14 years of experience within residential programs in various roles across departments including educationally, clinically and within the residential milieu. She has spent the majority of her professional career working with adolescents and their caregivers at the van der Kolk Center, a facility specializing in the treatment of complex trauma. She has also worked within inpatient settings and for child advocacy centers. She is trained in Sensory-Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment (SMART), Neurofeedback and Trauma-focused CBT. She has led multiple training initiatives and implementation teams to establish high standards of trauma-informed treatment within programs both internally and through her role as a consultant.

Liza Simon Roper, ACSW, LCSW

Liza Simon Roper is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois and Wisconsin. Over the past 25 years she has worked in private practice, community counseling centers, residential programs and trauma treatment services. For the past fifteen years Ms. Simon Roper has been a supervisor of Outpatient Counseling Services at One Hope United, and the Project Director for the Healing Path: A Trauma Treatment Program for Youth, a category III NCTSN program. Ms. Simon Roper was initially trained in ARC in 2011, and has worked to implement this model across the counseling programs at One Hope United. She has a strong interest in program development and implementation of evidence based programs for children and families in both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. She is trained in EMDR and is a trainer for the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network’s Resource Parent Curriculum. When balancing life and work, Ms. Simon Roper enjoys training and competing in performance events with her two Golden Retrievers.

Joseph Spinazzola, Ph.D.,

Joseph Spinazzola, Ph.D., a trauma-specialty psychotherapist in private practice, is the Executive Director of the Foundation Trust and an Adjunct Professor at Richmont Graduate University. He trains and consults internationally on diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of complex trauma in children and adults, trauma-informed care, and systems transformation.  An internationally recognized clinical researcher in the area of complex traumatic stress, Dr. Spinazzola is Principal Investigator of the Developmental Trauma Disorder Field Trials and founder of the Complex Trauma Workgroup and Treatment Network of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. He is the lead developer of Trauma Drama, an improvisational theater-based youth violence prevention and tertiary intervention model. He co-developed Component-Based Psychotherapy, a complex trauma treatment framework for adults. Dr. Spinazzola has authored over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters in the fields of traumatic stress and violence prevention, as well as the recently published book Treating Adult Survivors of Childhood Emotional Abuse and Neglect: Component-Based Psychotherapy. He co-authored the ISTSS expert guidelines for the treatment of Complex PTSD and the forthcoming joint guidelines of the American Psychological Association and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. Dr. Spinazzola is the creator of complextrauma.org, a comprehensive information and resource website for trauma-impacted individuals, families, providers, and loved ones.

Kati Taunt, Clinical Child & Adolescent Mental Health Social Worker

Kati Taunt is a clinical child and adolescent mental health social worker, cognitive behavioral therapist, experienced trainer and systemic practitioner based on Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.  She has been working in the field of child and adolescent mental health for the past 19 years.  Currently, Kati manages the trauma and bereavement services for a child mental health charity in Bedfordshire.  Kati became the first licensed ARC trainer outside of the United States in May 2016 and has been busy with a number of ARC-based projects since then.  She has trained and implemented the ARC model in two private foster care agencies.  She also continues to support a number of services using the ARC model within the Hertfordshire County Council, including both specialist and mainstream foster care, social workers, teachers, special guardians, post-adoption workers, residential child care services, and parents.  Kati is currently working with Islington CAMHS and education services on a pilot study using the ARC model to create trauma-informed schools in 6 primary schools and special education settings.  Kati is currently training to become a licensed System Centered Practitioner to further develop her work with children and adolescents who have experienced early childhood trauma.

Julie Thayer, Psy.D.

Julie Thayer, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist who specializes in working with youth, adults and families impacted by complex trauma. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology in 2014, and has past training and experience providing clinical services in a range of settings including school-based, in-home, outpatient, inpatient, and day treatment settings. She completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Metrowest Behavioral Health Center at JRI focused on the assessment and treatment of trauma, and subsequently worked in multiple clinical and administrative roles at both MBHC and the Trauma Center at JRI. Currently, Dr. Thayer works with youth impacted by co-occurring medical and psychiatric concerns in a family-based treatment setting at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. She is a Certified ARC Trainer, and provides training and consultation in the Attachment, Regulation and Competency framework nationally.

Natalie Turner, Ph.D.

Dr. Natalie Turner is the Associate Director for the Child and Family Research Unit and CLEAR Trauma Center at Washington State University in Spokane. Dr. Turner’s areas of specialization include Children’s Mental Health, K-12 Education, Family Violence and the integration of Complex Trauma knowledge and practice into systems. She is a co-developer and serves as project director for CLEAR (Collaborative Learning for Educational Achievement and Resilience), a framework for implementation of trauma-informed education systems, which is currently being implemented in multiple school districts across Washington State and California.  Dr. Turner’s current research focus is on development of trauma-informed practice in school settings, and to date she has provided training and consultation to over 10,000 individuals locally and nationally in content related to understanding the impacts of complex trauma exposure on learning, development and behavior.

Kaitlyn Wilson, LICSW

Kaitlyn Wilson is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with extensive frontline work as a practicing clinician, supervisor, professional trainer and director within residential, outpatient, and wraparound services. Her background of personal and professional diversity has given her a passion for and specialty in translating clinical materials in a relatable and usable way for diverse populations, settings and staff roles particularly those in caregiving-child systems impacted by complex trauma. Kaitlyn currently holds positions as a Clinical Director at Eliot Community Human Services, clinician in private practice, faculty member at Complex Trauma Training Institute, and Training and Resource Development Associate at the Foundation Trust.  Kaitlyn graduated with a Masters Degree in Social Work from Boston College.

Dana Wyss, PH.D., LMFT, ATR-BC

Dr. Wyss is a board-certified art therapist, a marriage and family therapist, holds a doctorate in expressive therapies from Lesley University and is the coauthor of The Invisible String Workbook. As Director of Training at Star View Adolescent Center a psychiatric hospital, secure group home and non-public school Dr. Wyss specializes in clinical supervision, training, and treatment of complex developmental trauma. Dr. Wyss is a national trainer for ARC (attachment, regulation, competency) with the Center for Trauma Training and state-wide trainer to raise awareness of commercial sexual exploitation. Her expressive therapies background has led her to create programs integrating art, music, poetry, dance and animal assisted therapy in the healing process for clients and the self-care of staff. She has a passion for working with all individuals supporting them in reconnecting with their passion, creativity and hope. Although Dr. Wyss has many research interests, her current research focuses on using art-based research to build empathy and understanding for self-injurious behaviors, the use of exotic animal assisted therapy in residential treatment, and the use of creativity to build stronger connections and heal from attachment disruptions.

Ilya Yacevich, LMFT

Ilya Yacevich is a trauma clinician, specializing in work with children, families, and adults who’ve experienced multi-layers of stress and complex trauma. She is the founder and Executive Director of Global Trauma Project. She has worked as an Organizational Consultant/ Trainer, specializing in developing and strengthening trauma-informed systems in outpatient clinics, residential treatment centers, Department of Children & Families, group homes, community-based programs, etc.
Ms. Yacevich is the developer and author of “Trauma-Informed Community Empowerment” (TICE), a capacity building framework for strengthening community-based, trauma-informed systems in low-resource settings.