An Overview of the Services Provided by the Trauma Resolution Integration Program:

Areas of Specialization

Child Abuse
In recent years there has been a growing recognition that the sexual and physical abuse of children and adolescents is much more common than previously thought. Child abuse is a deeply hurtful and potentially damaging experience. It can continue to affect the abuse survivor for years and decades after its occurrence in numerous ways. The types of difficulties that have been associated with a history of prolonged child abuse include:

- depression, a sense of hopelessness, and extremely low self-esteem;
- feeling fearful, anxious, mistrustful, and guarded much of the time;
- periodic flashbacks and/or nightmares of the abuse, 
  and thinking about the abuse even when one does not want to;
- craving for acceptance, over-attachment to others even when they are
   mean or abusive;
- escape into compulsive or addictive behaviors such as substance abuse, 
   eating disorders, compulsive sexual behavior, or self-injury; 
- and dissociative experiences, described below. 

The treatment philosophy adhered to at TRIP is that many of the difficulties experienced by survivors of prolonged child abuse are not due solely to discrete incidents of abuse. Often ongoing abuse occurs in an interpersonal environment that fails to teach many of the abilities needed to cope effectively with the complexities of adult living. Therefore, the model of therapy employed at TRIP, rather than focusing primarily on confronting and processing abusive experiences, emphasizes the acquisition of the abilities needed to live comfortably and effectively. This treatment approach, called contextual therapy, is described in detail in the book Not Trauma Alone.

Dissociation
The term "dissociation" refers to a range of experiences that have in common the purpose of allowing someone who has been exposed to overwhelmingly painful situations to mentally escape from or block out the resulting distress. Dissociative experiences are common among survivors of sexual and physical abuse, although they occur among other people as well, especially those who have suffered similarly extreme and intensely disturbing events. Examples of dissociation include:

- "spacing’ or blanking out, having difficulty sustaining awareness of or staying focused in the present;

- extensive forgetting and significant gaps in memory;

- not being able to account for significant periods of time in the recent past, ranging from minutes to hours to
days;

- not feeling real, not feeling "like oneself," feelings as if you are watching yourself from outside your body, feelings as if our srroundings are not real;

- finding evidence of or being told by other people about having recently engaged in activities of which you have no recollection.

Single Incident Trauma
Traumatic events are ones that are so extreme and threatening that they overwhelm a person’s ability to cope. Some examples of experiences that may be experienced as traumatic include rape, physical assault, and life threatening injuries or accidents. Even once the traumatic event is over, many people find that they are so distressed by it that they are unable to effectively go about their daily activities. Examples of the difficulties people may experience after a traumatic event include:

- problems at work due to difficulty with concentration, sleepless nights, and apprehension about leaving the house;

- disruption in personal relationships due to irritability, feelings of mistrust, and a strong desire to withdraw from others;

- feeling "haunted’ by memories and dreams about the event.

Friends with good intentions may urge a person who has experienced a trauma to "just forget about it" and "put it behind you," but it is often not possible to simply push it away. In fact, when a person tries to push thoughts about the traumatic event out of mind, often they come back more forcefully. As disruptive as exposure to a traumatic event can be, with appropriate treatment its distressing effects can be greatly reduced or entirely eliminated, frequently within a matter of weeks.

Services Provided

TRIP, a division of the Nova Southeastern University Psychology Services Center, provides the following services.

Clinical Services

TRIP is designed to serve:
1. Individuals age 18 and above who have been sexually and/or physically 
    abused as children or adolescents, and are currently experiencing problems 
    in functioning as a result of the abuse.
2. Individuals age 18 and above with dissociative experiences that are 
    disturbing to them and/or which are interfering with their ability to function effectively.
3. Individuals age 18 and above who have experienced a traumatic
    event such as a rape, physical assault, or a life threatening accident or injury which is 
    creating ongoing distress that interferes with day to day functioning.

A combination of individual psychotherapy and participation in coping skills training groups form the core of the treatment package provided by TRIP.

TRIP offers:

- evaluation and testing
- individual psychotherapy
- coping skills training groups
- therapy groups for women abused as children
- therapy groups for men abused as children

Professional Training
TRIP is staffed by doctoral trainees in clinical psychology who have been specifically prepared to provide clinical services to survivors of sexual and/or physical abuse, single incident trauma, and individuals experiencing problems resulting from dissociative experiences.
All clinical services are conducted under the direct supervision of doctoral level psychologists with extensive training and experiences in the areas of sexual and physical abuse, trauma, and dissociation.
TRIP is also available to provide specialty instruction, in-service training, and consultation to mental health professionals, students in the mental health professions, and regional agencies.

Research
TRIP conducts ongoing research on sexual and physical abuse, dissociation, and trauma in an effort to expand the existing knowledge base and improve the quality of treatment for problems related to these areas.
Individuals receiving psychological services at TRIP are encouraged to participate in research. Research participation, however, is not required in order to receive treatment at TRIP.
Protecting the privacy and anonymity of those who do agree to participate in research at TRIP is a carefully maintained priority.

To Apply for Services

Eligibility for Services
TRIP serves individuals living in Broward County, Florida. Individuals living elsewhere are eligible to make application for services.
Fees are assessed on the basis of the client'=s ability to pay and set on a sliding fee schedule. Private insurance is accepted where applicable.
Services are available to adults age 18 and above regardless of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, and sexual orientation.

Making an Appointment
Before being formally admitted for treatment at TRIP, each individual first receives an initial intake evaluation from which it is determined whether the services provided at TRIP are likely to be appropriate for and beneficial to her or him.
If it is determined that admission is appropriate, an initial treatment plan is formulated collaboratively between client and therapist on the basis of the intake evaluation.
In those cases where TRIP does not appear to be the most appropriate treatment facility, the staff will assist in identifying and referring to an appropriate service agency.
To schedule an appointment for an initial intake evaluation or for additional information, call (954) 262-5730.

Hours
Week days and evenings by appointment.

Location
Maltz Psychology Building
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314
(954) 262-5730