Our Model of Care: Comprehensive Collaboration
The Importance of a Treatment Team in Trauma Care
Our commitment to excellence in education, Client care, and Community Engagement
Trauma & Therapy Center of Tennessee firmly believes in the power of the collaborative care model as the best way to deliver individualized, quality, trauma competent treatment. As an established teaching practice, we place a lot of emphasis on educating & training therapists at all levels of development. We are a team of passionate healthcare providers who set our pride aside to ensure that our clients get the best fit care whether it’s with one clinician, two, or someone else in the community.
Our primary aim is to empower our clients to unlock their full potential and enhance their overall quality of life. Our dedicated team specializes in therapeutic approaches that not only address the root causes of distress but also respect the natural processes of the brain and body, fostering balance, healing, secure connections, and stability. It's important to note many of the specialized services we offer, such as EMDR, LENS Neurofeedback, Brainspotting, Prolonged Exposure, Safe & Sound Protocol, Sensorimotor Therapy, DBT, and Trauma-Informed Hypnosis, go beyond standard college-level training. They require additional training and financial investments.
These specialized services can be costly when provided by a licensed therapist with over a decade of experience, which may limit accessibility for a lot of individuals. This is why we advocate for a teaching model that involves master's level graduate students (Associates) and master's/doctoral level counselors (Residents). By doing so, we aim to make these valuable services more accessible to those seeking our support.
Additionally, trauma therapy is a specialized subset of psychotherapy (fancy word for all things counseling or therapy minus prescribing medications) and as such, not all licensed therapists who claim to work with trauma have had the appropriate type or the appropriate amount of training to work with trauma.
While many graduate school programs now offer a basic trauma-related course (usually optional), several programs don’t offer any coursework in trauma. Most basic trauma-related courses are limited and cannot teach someone how to work with trauma. These courses generally cover the basic theoretical aspects of trauma while exploring the different types of trauma treatment, but the necessary training needed to practice those specific treatments must be sought outside of the required and optional graduate coursework, usually at the cost of the therapist, through an accrediting body or organization. For example, our students, counselors, and therapists trained in EMDR are trained by EMDRIA (EMDR International Association-considered the “gold standard”) approved training only to ensure the highest standard for the clinical use of EMDR.
Having Master’s Level Graduate Students (Associates) and Master’s/Doctoral Level Counselors (Residents) allows us to:
Offer high quality, trauma care at a sharply discounted rate.
Offer multiple groups to meet the needs of our community at a rate that may be more affordable and as beneficial as individual therapy in some cases.
Offer trauma-specific educational opportunities and experience by fostering the growth and development of the next generation of trauma therapists, which is greatly needed in our community! In fact, Clarksville is the third most diverse city in the State of Tennessee AND home to the 101st Airborne Unit.. AND we are in the middle of a pandemic.. There is plenty of trauma to go around (sadly) and not enough therapists to adequately treat it!
Offer clients a treatment team with multiple levels of oversight and support
What is a Master’s Level Graduate Student Intern?
Generally speaking, our interns are students at the Master’s level who are earning hours towards their desired graduate degree. They have completed most all of their required coursework or “book knowledge” and they are in the final stages of completing their degree. They are required to obtain 700 practice hours prior to being awarded their graduate degree. They are not employees of the practice; however, they work with us as affiliates. Trauma & Therapy Center enters into a contract with their university and offers them clinical site to gain experience while also offering clinical supervision at no cost to the student or the university. In exchange, the Trauma & Therapy Center is able to set a lower rate for those counseling sessions, which benefits the public and also helps cover the overhead costs of having them on site and providing them with regular, scheduled clinical supervision as well as after hours or emergency supervision.
To be an intern with Trauma & Therapy Center, they must have had prior experience working in the mental health field, some personal or professional experience with trauma, OR possess a skill set that sets them apart from the average intern. Our interns undergo a fairly rigorous process that includes a preliminary candidate questionnaire that requires some in-depth questions around trauma informed therapy. If they make it past that stage, they are interviewed for 1.5-2 hours with our staff to ensure that they are good fit. If selected, they are required to spend the first 100 hours of their placement in sessions with our seasoned therapists. This allows them to observe a wide array of clients and therapeutic styles. It also helps them begin formulating their professional identity and allows our seasoned therapists to see them in action with clients.
Interns receive weekly supervision from their university supervisor. They are also required to have weekly on-site supervision with a site supervisor for the duration of their placement (4 hours a month). Our interns generally receive more than the amount of supervision required because trauma work requires more. They may participate in several consult groups with our licensed staff and leadership team, depending on their clients and areas of specialty. They are also given access to top trauma trainings through the International Society of the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), which is the oldest complex trauma and dissociation society in the world! As if that wasn’t enough, several of our interns obtain training in trauma-specific treatment modalities such as EMDR, Brainspotting, Trauma-Informed Hypnosis, Gottman Couples Counseling, etc. at some point during their internship to prepare them to launch into their role as a Master’s Level Counselor.
We see having interns as the key to keeping costs low without sacrificing the standard of care. It’s also a way to invest in the counseling profession through education and mentoring. It also allows for a really long job interview. This method has worked so well for us that 85% of our interns who have completed internship placement with us have gone on to work for us AND they have retained at least 90% of their clients! The other 10% generally decide to work with another intern to keep the lower cost.
What is a Master’s Level Counselor or Doctoral Level Counselor?
“Master’s Level Counselors” or “Doctoral Level Counselors” are those who have graduated from either their Master’s or Doctoral programs and are currently working on completing the state requirements to get provisionally licensed. These therapists hold at least two degrees (a bachelors and masters). They have completed the 700 required hours of internship. They continue working under supervision while preparing for several required board exams. Testing varies based on the licensure path being sought. Test dates vary and are set by the test administrator.
Most of the Master’s/Doctoral Level Counselors on staff with us are on the path to becoming an LPC-MHSP (Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental Health Service Provider). Others are on the path to becoming an LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist). As employees, they are required to obtain their temp (provisional) license within 6 months of employment (barring pandemics that prevent this like 2020 and barring the inability to get a test date within 6 months-thanks Covid). To obtain their provisional license, they are required to take and pass the NCE (National Counselor Examination) as well as a jurisprudence examination for counselors in the State of Tennessee.
These providers cost a bit more than interns due to the experience and training they possess. They may have 2-4 years of experience doing therapy and frequently have at least one area they specialize in. They are considered new emerging professionals full of passion and zeal ready to grow in experience!
What is a Provisionally (Temp) Licensed Therapist?
“Provisionally licensed therapists” are those who have everything the Master’s/Doctoral Level Counselor has, but they have also passed the NCE (National Counselor Examination) as well as the jurisprudence examination for counselors in the State of Tennessee. Some have also passed the NCMHCE (National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam), which is required before obtaining full licensure. They are awarded a temporary (provisional) license to practice under supervision until they reach 3,000 practice hours, which can take 2-3 years.
Similar to Master’s/Doctoral Level Counselors, provisionally or temp licensed therapists cost slightly more due to the steps they have taken towards investing in their professional development by testing and getting their license to practice. They may have 3-5 years of experience doing therapy and have advanced training and areas they specialize in. They are considered to be the “seniors” of the new emerging professionals. They come with experience, grounding, and fortitude in the practice. Often times, the interns and masters level counselors look to them for support as they grow.
What is a Licensed Therapist?
“Licensed therapists” (i.e., Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists) have completed ALL of the state requirements to hold and maintain a professional license. They are no longer under supervision and have taken all the needed steps to complete the process for licensure. This includes state and national examinations, several years of work experience, and recommendation letters.
These therapists have the highest rates in the practice given their experience and training. Licensed therapists have a firm grip on their population of choice and specialty areas. They are the experts in the building and are more equipped at working with more challenging cases.