Steven N. Gold, Ph.D.

Nova Southeastern University
Center for Psychological Studies
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314
(954) 262-5714
E-mail:  gold@nova.edu

Steven N. Gold, Ph.D. is a Professor at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Center for Psychological Studies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  He also founded and serves as Director of the Trauma Resolution Integration Program (TRIP) at NSU's Community Mental Health Center.  In addition, Dr. Gold was president of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation in 2004, and serves as  co-editor, along with Jon Elhai, Ph.D., of the Journal of Trauma Practice [Click here for an electronic copy of a sample issue of the Journal of Trauma Practice in pdf format].  Dr. Gold earned his doctoral degree at Michigan State University and his bachelor's degree at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Trauma Resolution Integration Program (TRIP) provides psychological services to individuals age 18 and over who are experiencing difficulties related to a history of child abuse, a single event trauma occurring in adulthood (e.g. rape, physical assault, life threatening accident or injury, natural disaster), or dissociative experiences.  TRIP also offers doctoral level training in the psychological treatment of difficulties related to abuse, trauma, and dissociation, and conducts ongoing research on these and related topics.  The treatment model and approach developed and employed at TRIP is described in detail in Dr. Gold's book, Not trauma alone: Therapy for child abuse survivors in family and social context.  For an introductory overview of this treatment model, referred to as contextual therapy, see pages 12 - 15 of volume 11, issue 1 of the National Center for PTSD Clinical Quarterly.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Gold, S.N. (February 3, 2006). The Interpesonal and Developmental Context of Trauma and Dissociation: Conceptualization and Treatment. Carlos Albizu University, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Gold, S.N. (April 20-22, 2006). Contextual Therapy for Child Abuse Survivors: Theory, Treatment, and New Developments. Invited Workshop at 11th Annual Northwest Regional Conference on Trauma Disorders, Lake Chelan Community Hospital, Lake Chelan, WA.

Gold, S.N. (October 13-14, 2006). Contextual Therapy for Survivors of Prolonged Child Abuse. Invited Workshop sponsored by the Center for Treatment of Sexual Abuse & Childhood Trauma, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

ABOUT CONTEXTUAL THERAPY FOR ABUSE SURVIVORS

Contextual therapy is the model of treatment for prolonged child abuse (PCA) survivors of developed at the Trauma Resolution and Integration Program at Nova Southeastern University's Community Mental Health Center. This therapeutic approach is grounded in the observation that in addition to the overt incidents of abuse they are subjected to, PCA survivors often grow up in an interpersonal context that fails to teach them the abilities needed for effective daily functioning.  Contextual therapy addresses the damaging effects of abuse as one component of a broader framework aimed at helping survivors develop adaptive capacities that, rather than having been disrupted by abuse trauma, may have never been established in the first place.  From this perspective abuse trauma is seen as compounding these deficits, rather than as being the sole cause of them.

A detailed description of contextual therapy is presented in Dr. Gold's book, Not Trauma Alone Therapy for Child Abuse Survivors in Family and Social Context.  The fundamental premise of the book it is frequently not abuse trauma alone that is responsible for the difficulties of prolonged child abuse survivors, but also growing up essentially alone -- without the consistent emotional support and guidance needed for the development of effective functioning.

Excerpts From Reviews of Not Trauma Alone:

Gold's sensitivity to the traumatized patient is everywhere in evidence throughout this volume. Because he considers it extremely problematic when therapists assume that abuse unquestionably lies at the root of the presenting complaint, he is able to view abuse victims as whole people whose psychological problems may not be defined exclusively by the abuse incident. This represents a bold step forward. I wholeheartedly recommend this book as a worthwhile addition, not only to the trauma literature, but to our understanding of the human condition.
– American Journal of Psychotherapy
 

....this book is a thought-provoking alternative way of approaching a difficult treatment population. It will lead many readers to question the "accepted wisdom" of their preferred approaches to PCA survivors, and it offers concrete treatment strategies that many will wish to try for themselves. – Journal of Trauma & Dissociation

Dr. Gold has contributed a much-needed resource to assist clinicians in working with individuals reporting prolonged childhood abuse. This book represents a significant shift in treatment of child abuse survivors in that Gold purports that direct confrontation of the traumatic incidents may be one aspect of treatment for survivors, but should not be the primary focus for most survivors. The book is written so as to make it easy to put principles and guidelines into practice. – Trauma, Violence & Abuse

Not Trauma Alone brings forward in a practical and insightful manner the perception that traumatic resolution can occur outside of the abuse-focused therapy that many of us have been trained in.... Dr. Gold has masterfully provided many learners and clinicians an additional approach to treatment that is likely, in my opinion, to impact on not only how treatment happens, but also its very definition. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! – National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity News

Steven Gold offers therapeutic efforts and treatment techniques that serve to support client-therapist connection and renewed accountability to wellness, using a present-day focus that cultivates adaptive living skills....This is an essential and rewarding read that promises to enrich the texture of treatment for both clinicians treating adult survivors of child abuse as well as by traumatologists struggling to help any number of people throughout the world.– Sidran Institute

This book is about post-modern psychotherapy for people abused as children; a systems sensitive, transgenerational, goal-oriented, respectful approach to helping people of all ages confront, manage, and draw strength from overcoming a legacy of maltreatment. From the first moment I understood Professor Gold's thesis, I knew that this gentle and wise approach had great promise for a wide group of traumatized people. – Charles R. Figley, Director, Traumatology Institute, Florida State University, Tallahasee, FL

Steven Gold is a skilled clinical researcher with a special affinity, understanding, and empathy for the plight of adult survivors of pervasive and prolonged abuse. Not Trauma Alone is an important book and a brave clinical contribution due to its shift away from a strict abuse-trauma orientation to one that is more trauma-responsive and more encompassing. – Christine Courtois, Director, The CENTER: Posttraumatic Disorders Program at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington DC

ON RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Excerpts From Reviews of Trauma Practice in the Wake of September 11, 2002:

EXTRAORDINARILY TIMELY AND IMPORTANT. . . . It is now a different world that confronts mental health professionals. This book presents both broad theoretical perspectives and the personal accounts of some who have required care and those who provide it. It begins to help us understand the changes of the post 9/11 era--how domestic terrorism has affected the national psyche as well as individuals, inflicting new wounds and awakening old hurts. - James A. Chu, MD, Director, Trauma and Dissociative Disorders Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Editor, Journal of Trauma & Dissociation
 
 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

BOOKS

Gold, S.N. (2000). Not trauma alone: Therapy for child abuse survivors in family and social context. Philadelphia, PA: Brunner/Routledge.

Gold, S.N., & Faust, J. (in press). Trauma practice in the wake of September 11, 2001. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
 

BOOK CHAPTERS

Gold, S.N. (2004). The contextual treatment model. In D.R. Catherall, Ed. Handbook of stress, trauma and the family. Philadelphia, PA: Brunner-Routledge.

Gold, S. N. (2000). Sexual addiction. In C. D. Bryant. Encyclopedia of criminology and deviant behavior. Philadelphia, PA: Brunner/Routledge.

Gold, S.N., & Brown, L.S. (1999).  Adult survivors of sexual abuse.  In R.T. Ammerman and M. Hersen, Eds., Sons. Assessment of family violence: A clinical and legal source book, 2nd Ed (pp. 390-412).  New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Gold, S.N.& Bacigalupe, G. (1998).  Interpersonal and systems theories.  In D.F. Barone, M. Hersen & V.B. Van Hasselt, Eds., Advanced personality.  New York: Plenum.

Gold, S.N.  (1998). Dealing with defensiveness.  In M. Hersen & V.B VanHasselt, Eds., Basic interviewing: A practical guide for counselors and clinicians (pp. 151-164). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Johnson, N.L. & Gold, S.N. (1995).  The defense mechanism profile: A scored sentence completion test.  In H.R. Conte & R. Plutchik, Eds.  Ego defenses: Theory and measurement (pp. 247-262). N.Y.: Brunner-Mazel.

Gold, S.N. & DePiano, F. (1992).  The assessment competency area.  In R. Peterson & J. McHolland, Eds.  The core curriculum in professional psychology (pp. 89-95). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

SELECTED ARTICLES IN REFEREED PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS

Gold, S.N. (2004). The relevance of trauma to general clinical practice. Psychotherapy [Special Issue - The Psychological Impact of  Trauma: Theory, Research, Assessment and Intervention.], 41(4), 363-373.

Gold, S.N., Hyman, S.M., & Andres-Hyman, R.C. (2004). Family of origin environments in two clinical samples of survivors of intra-familial, extra-familial, and both types of sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 28, 1199-1212.

Andres, R.C., Cott, M.A., & Gold, S.N. (2004). Ethnicity and sexual orientation mitigate ptsd in childhood sexual abuse survivors. Journal of Family Violence, 19(5), 319-325.

Hyman, S. M., Gold, S. N., & Cott, M. A. (2003). Forms of social support that moderate ptsd in childhood sexual abuse survivors. Journal of Family Violence, 8(5), 295-300.

Klotz Flitter, J.M., Elhai, J.D., & Gold, S.N. (2003). MMPI-2 F scale elevations in adult victims of child sexual abuse. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 16, 269-274.

Elhai, J.D., Frueh, B.C., Gold, P.B., Hamner, M.B., & Gold, S.  (2003).  Posttraumatic stress, depression, and dissociation as predictors of MMPI-2 Scale 8 scores in combat veterans with PTSD. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, 4, 51-64.

Gold, S.N., & Seifer, R.E. (2002). Dissociation and sexual addiction/compulsivity: A contextual approach to conceptualization and treatment. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 3 (4), 59-82.

Gold, S.N. (2001). Conceptualizing child sexual abuse in interpersonal context: Recovery of people, not memories. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 10, 51-71.

Gold, S.N., Elhai, J.D., Rea, B.D., Weiss, D., Masino, T., Morris, S.L., & Mcininch, J. (2001). Contextual treatment of dissociative identity disorder: Three case studies.  Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2, 5-36.

Elhai, J.D., Gold, S.N., Mateus, L.F., & Astaphan, T.A. (2001). Scale 8 elevations on the MMPI-2 among women survivors of childhood sexual abuse: Evaluating posttraumatic stress, depression, and dissociation as predictors. Journal of Family Violence, 16, 47-58.

Elhai, J. D., Gold, S. N., Sellers, A. H., & Dorfman, W. I. (2001). The detection of malingered posttraumatic stress disorder with MMPI-2 fake bad indices. Assessment, 8, 217-232.

Elhai, J. D., Klotz Flitter, J. M., Gold, S. N., & Sellers, A. H. (2001). Identifying subtypes of women survivors of childhood sexual abuse: An MMPI-2 cluster analysis. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 14, 153-169.

Hill, E. L., Gold, S. N., & Bornstein, R. F. (2000). Interpersonal dependency among adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse in therapy.  Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 9 (2), 71-86.

Lucenko, B. A., Gold, S. N., & Cott, M. A. (2000). Relationship to perpetrator and posttraumatic symptomatology among sexual abuse survivors. Journal of Family Violence, 15, 169-179.

Lucenko, B. A., Gold, S. N., Elhai, J. D., Russo, S. A., & Swingle, J. M. (2000). Relations between coercive strategies and MMPI-2 scale elevations among women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 13, 169-177.

Gold, S.N., Hill, E.L., Swingle, J.M., & Elfant, A.S. (1999).  Relationship between childhood sexual abuse characteristics and dissociation among women in therapy. Journal of Family Violence, 14, 157-171.

Gold, S. N., Lucenko, B., Elhai, J., Swingle, J. M., & Sellers, A. (1999). A comparison of psychological/psychiatric symptomatology of women and men sexually abused as children. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 683-692.

Gold, S. N., Hughes, D. M., & Swingle, J. M. (1999). Degrees of memory of childhood sexual abuse among women survivors in therapy. Journal of Family Violence, 14, 35-46.

Gold, S.N., Elhai, J., Lucenko, B., Swingle, J.M., & Hughes, D.M. (1998).  Abuse characteristics among childhood sexual abuse survivors in therapy: A gender comparison. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22, 1005-1012.

Gold, S.N., Swingle, J.M., Hill, E.L., & Elfant, A.S. (1998).  Acts of childhood sexual abuse: An empirically derived typology.  Journal of Family Violence, 13, 233-242.

Gold, S.N., & Heffner, C.L. (1998).  Sexual addiction: Many conceptions, minimal data. Clinical Psychology Review, 18, 367-381.

Gold, S.N.  (1997). Training professional psychologists to treat survivors of childhood sexual abuse.  Psychotherapy, 34, 365-374.

Gold, S.N.  (1997).  False memory syndrome: A false dichotomy between science and practice. American Psychologist, 52, 988-989.

Gold, S.N., & Brown, L.S. (1997).  Therapeutic responses to delayed recall: Beyond recovered memory. Psychotherapy, 34, 182-191.

Gold, S.N., Hughes, D.M. & Swingle, J.M. (1996).  Characteristics of childhood sexual abuse among female survivors in therapy.  Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 323-335.

Gold, S.N., Hughes, D., & Hohnecker, L. (1994).  Degrees of repression of sexual abuse memories.  American Psychologist, 49, 441-442.

Last Updated 11/11/05