WELCOME!
If you are here, you are committed to offering the best trauma treatment you can to your clients, and we are here to support you in that process.
Hi, I'm Rachel,
As a therapist, I quickly learned that so much of what my clients were experiencing could be traced back to traumatic experiences in their lives. And although talk therapy was helpful, it was not enough.
When I read the research on the effectiveness of EMDR Therapy, I got trained. After using it with my clients, I became passionate enough about it to train everyone that I could. That is how Trauma Specialists was born.
I believe that every therapist needs to know how to do EMDR Therapy because nothing works quite like it to treat trauma and move clients toward healing.
Now we have a whole team of trainers and consultants who have gone far beyond what I could ever do myself.
Jamie Sedgwick, LCPC, NCC
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
If I HAVE to choose, I am going to go with RDI. This is not only powerful in helping clients prepare for reprocessing, but I also see how much clients benefit from developing resources. It's amazing to witness the increased affect tolerance and ego strength! Pendulation Protocol is a close second to RDI though.
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping to destigmatize personality disorders so that we can see and treat them through a trauma lens ... using EMDR, of course!
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
Two things: get outside and spend time with my cats! If you are ever on a consultation meeting with me while I am home, there is a good chance that one of them will be joining us!
Sarah Smith-Trawick, LCSW-C
Sarah has been supporting trauma survivors for over 15 years. She has extensive experience working with women’s issues, interpersonal violence, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Sarah is licensed in the State of Maryland as a Licensed Certified Social Worker, Clinical (LCSW-C) and is Certified in EMDR therapy through EMDRIA.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
The R-TEP protocol for recent events is my favorite because it resonates with the way I think about processing through recent difficult experiences.
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping consultees find a way to do EMDR with most clients! I strongly believe that EMDR can be effective with all clients - we just need to find the right protocols (including resourcing!) and adaptations for each client.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
My favorite thing to do after a week of EMDR sessions is to spend some time in nature, practicing grounding and mindfulness skills. This allows me to let all the good work (i.e. paint) that clients have done dry.
Sarah Martin, LCPC, NCC
Sarah is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the State of Maryland and a Board Certified Counselor (through NBCC). Sarah has over 8 years of experience working in the mental health field. Sarah has extensive experience working with diverse individuals of all ages and families who have experienced trauma. She is passionate about helping individuals cope with medical trauma as well as helping families navigate adoption and the foster care system. Sarah is trained in EMDR, Neurofeedback, and offers Alpha-Stim treatment.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
It is hard to choose a favorite EMDR protocol! Honestly, there is something I enjoy about each protocol. If I had to choose, I would say pendulation because it has been instrumental in helping some of my most complex trauma clients process their trauma. Pendulation also works really well for children and there are so many creative ways we can integrate the protocol into session.
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping clinicians integrate EMDR into their clinical work with clients of all ages and teaching about the power of the brain.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
I love going for a walk outside with my dog after a week of EMDR sessions!
Katie Honeywell, LPCMH, NCC
Katie has been working as a licensed counselor for 10 years, providing counseling in inpatient and outpatient settings. Katie is a National Certified Counselor and an EMDRIA certified therapist. As a counselor, she enjoys working with children, adolescents, parents and adults. In relation to trauma, she has a special interest in parenting, attachment, dissociation, parts work, postpartum health and perinatal trauma. Katie's style of consultation is based in a nonjudgemental environment that highlights learning strategies to implement theory.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
My favorite is standard. Is that so basic? I like using the Phobia Protocol because you get to see how the phobia has impacted the client and they get to see it too.
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping people find a way to be comfortable with EMDR and learn. Learning something new is really hard and I want to help make it easier.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
Can I do 3? Exercise to counter all the time I'm sitting or losing a "few" minutes to tik tok.
Lauren Rudolph, LPC
Lauren Rudolph, LPC, is an EMDR Certified therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. She has worked as a clinician in the field of Clinical Psychology since 2011. Her clinical background includes working with kids, teens, adults, and families in various settings including inpatient psych/rehab, partial hospitalization, in home therapy services, and outpatient therapy. She helped to develop Trauma Focused Intensive Outpatient Programs at Sanare Today, and currently oversees all programs and trainings as Director of Program Development. Her private practice is located in Exton, PA where she specializes in treating individuals with complex trauma and dissociative disorders including DID. She is passionate about utilizing EMDR, Ego State therapy and Clinical Hypnosis in the treatment of complex trauma. She also wants to empower as many organizations as possible to become more trauma informed to enhance the well-being of themselves and their staff, and well as the care for the customers that they service.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
The recent event protocol because it is so powerful at allowing our brains to do what it already knows how to do and fully digest the traumatic elements of an event so that it doesn't have to become another trauma in that individual's life, and can be used in a moment's notice!
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping consultees understand what complex trauma is, and depending on the setting they're in, how often they may likely come across complex trauma and dissociation and that there are so many tools out there to empower us as clinicians to help these individuals heal as well.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
Get into my comfy clothes and relax at home with my boys.
Shari Kim, Ph.D., C.A.A.D.C.
Shari is a licensed psychologist and certified addictions counselor. She specializes in treatment of addictions and PTSD. She is also certified to provide Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), which is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. She is the Chair of the Behavioral Health Workgroup for the York County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Chair of the Human Trafficking Subcommittee for the Pennsylvania Psychological Association. She also serves as the Disaster Response Network Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and the Regional Co-Lead for Disaster Mental Health with the American Red Cross.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
My favorite protocol is standard protocol, because it's very versatile. It can be used in the traditional way or adapted for use in the RTEP. We can also scale it back to keep clients from being overwhelmed by processing, focusing just on parts of the standard protocol to reduce the effects of processing for those who might have smaller windows of tolerance.
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping consultees learn how to use EMDR safely in clients with DID and in helping others understand dissociation. I also just love helping people learn EMDR at whatever point they are in their learning.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
At the end of a busy week, I love relaxing with my family and crocheting.
April Lehman, LPC
April Lehman is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice in Kearneysville, WV. She is licensed to practice in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. She has been practicing since 2011 and EMDR trained since 2016. Being trained in EMDR changed the trajectory of her practice and the way she conceptualizes her work with client’s. She is experienced in working with clients with co-ocurring disorders and also enjoys working with teenagers and adults with anxiety, depression, complex trauma, dissociation, and PTSD. April is a Certified EMDR Therapist through EMDRIA.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
My favorite is standard. It always amazes me how the brain guides the client’s healing, sometimes taking paths and connecting to memories we do not expect.
2. What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about being part of the healing process and empowering other clinicians to do the same using EMDR.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
I love to exercise, do yoga, hike, and spend time with my family. And have a good cup of coffee!
Marlee Bardenett, LCPC, LPC, NCC
Marlee is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor and has worked in the mental health field for over 7 years. She has experience with a wide range of presenting concerns including PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, attachment concerns, self harm, and suicidal ideation. She works with children, teens, and young adults. She specializes in integrating creative approaches to support clients through resourcing and trauma processing. She is trained in Humanistic Sandtray Therapy and is EMDR certified.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
My favorite protocol is probably the pendulation protocol. It has been so helpful and powerful for my clients and I love integrating pendulation with sandtray.
2. What are you passionate about?
I'm passionate about supporting consultees as they learn to "go with" their clients' brains. I love teaching about dissociation and integrating creative approaches.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
At the end of a busy week, I like to curl up with a good cup of coffee, my dog, and a good book!
Dante Brown, LCPC, NCC
Dante is a person-centered Trauma Specialist and EMDR Therapist who enjoys walking alongside clients as they attain the change and healing they desire. He has a wealth of experience serving clients in private practice, residential treatment settings, and school settings. He is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and a National Board Certified Counselor (NBCC). He has an extensive background of working with survivors of trauma, both single-incident traumas and also traumas of a relational nature that unfold over time.
Jennifer Youdom, LCSW-C
Jennifer is a Licensed Certified Social Worker, Clinical (LCSW-C) and is Certified in EMDR therapy through EMDRIA. Jennifer has been in the mental health field for 10 years serving clients from diverse ages and backgrounds. Jennifer has also been trained in DBT, couples therapy, ego state therapy and IFS. She has special interest in developmental and complex trauma, attachment, and dissociation. She attributes EMDR to directing her shift in clinical practice towards a trauma informed lens and is dedicated to helping people through their healing journeys.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
I have genuine appreciation for every protocol, though I am particularly fond of Recent Events Protocol. After a client has just experienced a traumatizing event, it’s a powerful tool we can use to give them hope in what often feels a hopeless place to be.
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about destigmatizing trauma, reducing shame in survivors of trauma, and empowering other clinicians with powerful tools available to them to help their clients in their own healing journeys through a trauma informed lens.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
No matter what activities we get into, I love spending time with my kiddos. They keep me on my feet yet grounded at the same time!
Crystal Rainey, LCPC
Crystal has been a licensed counselor through the state of Maryland, LCPC since 2017 and is certified in EMDR therapy through EMDRIA. She works with all ages and backgrounds to support clients in their healing journeys. Crystal has experience working with a wide range of presenting problems and believes that completing basic training completely changed her approach to therapy with all clients.
1. What is your favorite protocol? Why?
I don’t think I can pick a favorite. I love that there are so many options so that we can meet clients where they are. If I must choose, I will say RDI because it lays the groundwork for whatever comes next.
2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping more clinicians learn about EMDR and experience how empowering it can be.
3. What do you like to do after a week of EMDR sessions?
I like to go backpacking, craft, and cuddle with my 3 chihuahuas.
About the Founder
Rachel is the founder of Trauma Specialist Training Institute, built for therapists. She believes that Trauma Specialists is a movement about empowering mental health: the more clinicians trained as trauma specialists, the more people you can heal. Rachel is passionate about treating trauma, but also loves to paddleboard, ride her Peleton, and sing (though not all at the same time). She believes in being human, always, and enjoys getting to know other humans on this journey of life. Her two sons inspire everything she does.
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Training the Trauma Specialists of Tomorrow
