Our Story
It Started With a Question: Why Doesn't Anyone Teach This in Grad School?
Clinicians Trained Since 2021
Expert Trainers & Consultants
Report Learning a Lot From Training
Years Combined Clinical Experience
You became a therapist to help people heal. But somewhere between grad school theory and your first trauma client, you realized: nobody actually taught you how to treat trauma effectively. You're not alone in that feeling, and it's exactly why we exist.
Thirteen Years of Feeling Like Something Was Missing
Rachel Harrison had been a therapist for 13 years when she finally found EMDR. Thirteen years of good work. Meaningful relationships with clients. Real progress, sometimes.
But also: thirteen years of watching clients understand their trauma perfectly and still not heal from it.
"I could help clients make sense of what happened to them. But making sense of something isn't the same as being free from it."
Rachel Harrison, LCPC, NCC, Founder & Lead Trainer
The Moment Everything Changed
Then Rachel learned EMDR.
"The first time I used it, I didn't fully believe it would work. The client had been stuck on the same traumatic memory for months. We'd talked about it, processed it, understood it. And nothing changed.
After one EMDR session, she came back and said, 'It feels like a movie I watched once. It doesn't hurt the same way anymore.'
I went home that night and cried. Not because I was sad, but because I was frustrated. Why hadn't anyone taught me this years ago? How many clients could I have helped differently?"
That frustration became a calling.
"I didn't set out to build a training institute. I just kept saying yes to therapists who were hungry for something more effective."
Coffee conversations became informal consultations. Consultations became workshops. And a vision took shape: What if EMDR training could be relational, practical, and genuinely transformational? Trauma Specialists Training Institute was born from that question.
Our Mission
Training the Trauma Specialists of Tomorrow
We believe every therapist who works with trauma deserves access to training that's practical, supportive, and designed for real clinical work, not just academics. We're here to give you the tools, the confidence, and the community to help your clients truly heal.
Our Vision
What If Every Therapist Could Treat Trauma Effectively?
We imagine a world where no therapist feels stuck with trauma clients. Where evidence-based trauma treatment is standard training, not a specialty. Where every survivor who walks into a therapist's office finds someone equipped to help them heal. We're building toward that world, one clinician at a time.
What People Say
Don't Take Our Word for It
"Not all EMDR trainings are created equal. There's a wide range of quality out there. I was specifically looking for training that maintains fidelity to EMDR protocols and high-quality consultation delivered in a timely manner. I was thrilled to find both with Trauma Specialists. What I didn't expect was the level of preparation and resources provided before training even began. The materials are incredibly thorough yet easy for therapists to access and navigate. Rachel and her team have created a fantastic training center that's not only well-run but a true asset to the field."
Nicole Brewer, LCSW
EMDR Certified & EMDR Consultant · Founder & CEO, reThink Therapy
"Through TSTI we have been able to get over 25 therapists trained in EMDR so that we can expand our trauma focused services throughout our organization. Without this program, EMDR trainings would likely be more inaccessible to our therapists, especially those just starting out in the field."
Lauren Rudolph, LPC
EMDRIA Approved Consultant & Certified Therapist · Chief Product Officer, Sanare Today
"This training literally changed the way that I practice."
- 2025 TSTI Training Participant
Our Team
Meet the Team Behind Your Training
Every trainer on our team is a practicing clinician who still sees clients every week. We teach from experience, not textbooks.
Rachel Harrison
Founder & Lead Trainer
Jamie Sedgwick
Training Director
Sarah Martin
Consultant
Katie Honeywell
Consultant
Tyisha Woodroffe
Certified Therapist
What We Believe
These values guide everything we do, from how we design training to how we treat each other.
People-Centric
We don't believe in passive learning. Our training happens in small cohorts, with cameras on, in real relationship with trainers who know your name. Questions aren't just allowed, they're expected.
Transformational
Our trainees regularly tell us the training changed more than their practice. It changed how they see themselves as clinicians. That's not an accident. We design experiences that don't just inform you but transform you.
Practical
We've sat through too many trainings that sounded great but didn't help us Monday morning. Everything we teach connects to real clinical work. You won't leave with theory you can't apply.
Community-Oriented
Trauma work is hard. You shouldn't do it alone. From your training cohort to EMDR Circle membership, we build structures for ongoing connection. The best growth happens with colleagues, not in isolation.
Impact-Focused
When you heal one client, you impact everyone they touch. That ripple effect drives everything we do. Your training affects generations.
Freedom-Oriented
Mastering trauma treatment brings freedom, for your clients and for you. We want you to love this work, not burn out from it.
Ready to Join Our Community?
Take the first step toward becoming the trauma specialist you were meant to be.