Trauma Model Therapy (TMT)

What is Trauma Model Therapy?

Trauma Model Therapy (TMT) was created by Dr. Colin Ross. TMT is a treatment model based on established scientific concepts within the mental health field and organized into a structured framework that helps both therapists and clients work through complex trauma cases.

In his book The Trauma Model: A Solution to the Problem of Comorbidity in Psychiatry (2007), Dr. Ross outlined the general principles of the trauma model and trauma therapy. In his subsequent book, co-written with Naomi Halpern, Trauma Model Therapy: A Treatment Approach for Trauma, Dissociation, and Complex Comorbidity (2009), hands-on techniques and practical strategies are presented.

TMT can be used with some of the most challenging trauma-related diagnoses, including dissociative identity disorder (DID), complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many other conditions rooted in trauma, such as eating disorders, substance use disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, and attachment-related concerns.

With the support of Trauma Model Therapy (TMT), individuals who have previously been labeled “hard to treat” or “resistant to change” may finally find the relief they deserve.

How Trauma Model Therapy Helps both Clients and Therapists.

Therapists trained in various modalities can use the principles of Trauma Model Therapy (TMT) as an aid when working with challenging clients. Trauma Model Therapy allows both therapists and clients to better understand how concepts such as “attachment to the perpetrator” and “locus of control shift” influence thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and beliefs.

Another major concept within TMT is the idea that “the problem is not the problem.” This perspective emphasizes that while a person’s symptoms may be distressing, they are not the root cause of the issue. By identifying and working through the underlying causes, the symptoms that initially brought the individual to therapy can begin to resolve.

Trauma Model Therapy can aid in de-pathologizing individuals who are struggling and help them achieve their goals. TMT can also support therapists working within the trauma field by increasing confidence in their clinical work.

Trauma Model Therapy Training and Consultation for Therapists

Trauma Model Therapy (TMT) training is now offered in an online format. By clicking the link below, you will be taken directly to the webpage that provides information about this comprehensive training. The online format is divided into three levels, allowing therapists to first learn the foundational principles—and stop there if they choose—or continue on to more advanced applications of TMT to incorporate into their practice.

For clinicians interested in receiving consultation on the use of TMT in practice, or in working toward becoming a Certified Trauma Model Therapist, please feel free to reach out to me through my contact page for these services. You may also click the link below to find other consultants who work within this model.

The cost for consultation with me is $80 per hour for individual sessions and $50 per hour for group sessions (2–4 people per group). Group consultations are available on Wednesdays after 5:00 PM Central Time.