Trauma Model Therapy
About This Program
Target Population: Adults with severe childhood trauma and complex comorbidity; program has been used for other mental health disorders as well.
Program Overview
Trauma Model Therapy is a structured therapy that involves a blend of cognitive-behavioral, systems, psychodynamic and experiential principles. The program can be delivered in individual or group therapy in an in-patient or out-patient setting. The program focuses on the problem of attachment to the perpetrator; the locus of control shift; just saying "no" to drugs; addiction is the opposite of desensitization; and the victim-rescuer-perpetrator triangle. Trauma Model Therapy is designed to address all phases of a three-stage trauma recovery.
Program Goals
The goals of Trauma Model Therapy are:
- Remission of Axis I and II disorders
- Reduction in symptoms
- Decrease in mental health care utilization
- Decrease in psychotropic medications
- Increase in independence and function
- Resolution of trauma
Logic Model
The program representative did not provide information about a Logic Model for Trauma Model Therapy.
Essential Components
The essential components of Trauma Model Therapy include:
- A focus on the following subjects:
- Attachment to the perpetrator
- A locus of control shift
- Just say "no" to drugs
- Addiction is the opposite of desensitization
- Victim-rescuer-perpetrator triangle
- These are delivered in a structured therapy that involves a blend of cognitive-behavioral, systems, psychodynamic and experiential principles.
- Model can be delivered in groups with between 10-18 participants or individually.
- Treatment model can be adapted for any setting and level of care including private practice, and across all phases of a three-stage trauma recovery
- Good professional boundaries and ethics
- Self-responsibility and a focus on recovery from clients – they are not excluded if they are lacking in commitment to recovery, but if they are, this becomes a focus of the treatment
- A focus on trauma resolution and recovery
Program Delivery
Adult Services
Trauma Model Therapy directly provides services to adults (regardless of whether they are parents or caregivers) and addresses the following:
- Experienced traumatic events; suicidal and homicidal ideation; severe anxiety, depression, substance abuse, dissociation; inability to function on an outpatient basis
Services Involve Family/Support Structures:
This program involves the family or other support systems in the individual's treatment: Family therapy in person or on speaker phone if the family is out-of-state
Recommended Intensity:
Inpatient – 25 hours of group therapy 3 hours individual therapy/week Partial hospitalization – 20 hours group therapy, 2 hours individual/week
Recommended Duration:
Maximum length of stay inpatient is 3 weeks, maximum length of stay partial hospitalization is 4 weeks, duration of outpatient therapy is years. This can be adapted to other settings.
Delivery Setting
This program is typically conducted in a(n):
- Hospital
Homework
Trauma Model Therapy includes a homework component:
A variety of structured homework assignments are given focusing on the reasons for admission, goals of the admission, specific tasks that need to be worked on, and specific strategies for accomplishing the goals. There is no one set homework sheet but there is a standard handout called a Therapeutic Assignment that is used when there is acting out or a lack of focus on treatment – it covers the above plus a section on what the acting out was, what its purpose was, and a detailed plan for how to deal with the feelings or conflict without acting out.
Resources Needed to Run Program
The typical resources for implementing the program are:
Typical hospital facilities and staff for inpatient and partial hospitalization. Could be run in a standard group format in an outpatient setting with sufficient staff, or can be adapted to intensive outpatient or private practice – the resources are those typical of the setting and level of care and are not specific to Trauma Model Therapy.
Manuals and Training
Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications
The usual qualifications for a given setting – MD, MA, PhD, BA for technicians
Manual Information
There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.
Training Information
There is training available for this program.
Training Contact:
- Tere Kole
www.rossinst.com
teresdesk@rossinst.com
phone: (972) 918-9588
Training Type/Location:
It is a set of books, papers, DVDs and a CD that can be purchased online for Trauma Model Therapy Certification – there are 30 hours of CEUs attached to it. Also, professionals can visit the hospital in Dallas and sit in on groups and attend treatment team meetings at no cost.
Number of days/hours:
30 hours of CEUs for Trauma Model Therapy Certification – the visiting professional's program has no set duration and can be a half day to several weeks depending on the person.
Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research
The following studies were not included in rating Trauma Model Therapy on the Scientific Rating Scale...
Ross, C. A., & Ellason, J. W. (1997). Two-year follow-up of inpatients with dissociative disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(6), 832–839. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.154.6.832
The purpose of the study was to monitor outcomes of individuals with dissociative identity disorders. Participants received the inpatient trauma treatment program [now called Trauma Model Therapy]. Measures utilized include the Dissociative Disorder Interview Schedule and Dissociative Experiences Scale, Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Results indicate that there was a significant improvement on substance abuse, depression, and symptoms that mimic psychosis, while simultaneously reducing the number of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs. Limitations include selection bias, nonrandomization of subjects, attrition bias, sample size, and reporting bias. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.
Ross, C. A., & Ellason, J. W. (2001). Acute stabilization in an inpatient trauma program. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2(2), 83–87. https://doi.org/10.1300/J229v02n02_07
The purpose of the study was to examine the short-term treatment response of patients with dissociative disorders and other trauma related disorders admitted to an inpatient trauma program [now called Trauma Model Therapy]. Participants were in the inpatient trauma program. Measures utilized include the Dissociative Disorder Interview Schedule, Self-Report Version, the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R), the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Dissociative Experiences Scale. Results indicate that there were significant reductions in scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Limitations include selection bias, nonrandomization of subjects, sample size, reporting bias, lack of follow-up, and lack of a control group. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.
Ross, C. A., & Haley, C. (2005). Acute stabilization and three-month follow-up in a trauma program. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 5(1), 103–112. https://doi.org/10.1300/J229v05n01_06
The purpose of the study was to replicate the data of Ross and Ellason (2001) in a second set of inpatients, and to extend the study by providing data on a three-month follow-up of discharged patients. Participants received Trauma Model Therapy. Measures utilized include the Dissociative Disorder Interview Schedule, Self-Report Version, the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R), the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Dissociative Experiences Scale. Results indicate that there were significant reductions in all measures that were sustained at 3 month follow up. Limitations include selection bias, nonrandomization of subjects, sample size, reporting bias, lack of control group, and lack of controlled postintervention follow-up. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.
Ross, C. A., & Burns, S. (2007). Acute stabilization in a trauma program: A pilot study. Journal of Psychological Trauma, 6(1), 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1300/J513v06n01_02
The purpose of the study was to measure Beck Depression Inventory scores at admission and discharge from inpatient treatment at a hospital-based trauma program in Michigan serving a similar population and employing the same treatment mode as a hospital-based trauma program in Dallas, Texas used for inpatients with borderline personality disorder. Participants received the Michigan Trauma Program [now called Trauma Model Therapy]. Measures utilized include the Beck Depression Inventory. Results indicate that the excellent treatment response at the Texas hospital likely can be replicated at other locations. Limitations include selection bias, nonrandomization of subjects, and lack of controlled postintervention follow-up. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.
Ross, C. A., Goode, C., & Schroeder, E. (2018). Treatment outcomes across ten months of combined inpatient and outpatient treatment in a traumatized and dissociative patient group. Frontiers in the Psychotherapy of Trauma and Dissociation, 1(2), 87–100.
The purpose of the study was to report outcomes on inpatients in a hospital trauma program. Participants received Trauma Model Therapy. Measures utilized include the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), the Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). Results indicate that average scores on the DES declined significantly from 37.8 to 31.1; average scores on the BDI declined from 36.9 to 24.3; and average scores on the SDQ declined from 41.5 to 32.5. Limitations include small sample size, missing demographic data, lack of control group, and lack of controlled postintervention follow-up. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.
Additional References
Ross, C. A. (2008). Group therapy for dissociative disorders and addiction. Journal of Groups in Addiction and Recovery, 3, 323-346.
Ross, C. A. (2007). Trauma Model Therapy. A solution to the problem of comorbidity in psychiatry. Richardson, TX: Manitou Communications.
Ross, C. A., & Halpern, N. (2009). Trauma Model Therapy. A treatment approach for trauma, dissociation and complex comorbidity. Richardson, TX: Manitou Communications.
Contact Information
- Colin A. Ross, MD
- Agency/Affiliation: The Ross Institute
- Website: www.rossinst.com
- Email: rossinst@rossinst.com
- Phone: (972) 918-9588
- Fax: (972) 918-9069
Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed by CEBC: January 2025
Date Program Content Last Reviewed by Program Staff: June 2015
Date Program Originally Loaded onto CEBC: June 2013
