WHAT IS TRAUMA MODEL THERAPY?

Created by Dr. Colin A. Ross, Trauma Model Therapy (TMT) is a comprehensive, trauma-driven, theoretically grounded metapsychology bridging biological, psychological, and social domains, that is designed to treat most mental health disorders, and is especially effective at treating complex PTSD, Dissociative Disorders, and other conditions rooted in childhood trauma. Think of it as the unified theory of the human mind’s survival. Rather than seeing psychiatric symptoms as biological glitches or random malfunctions, TMT views them as brilliant, logical adaptations to an abnormal and traumatic environment.

WHO LEADS TRAUMA MODEL THERAPY?

Dr. Colin Ross, MD

Theorist. Researcher. Practitioner. Author. Creator of TMT.

Dr. Ross is the founder of The Ross Institute for Psychological Trauma and the creator of Trauma Model Therapy. Dr. Ross has authored 38 books and over 290 professional papers, and has reviewed for numerous professional journals and grant agencies. He is a past President of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation and also a recipient of ISSTD's Lifetime Achievement Award. He still puts all of his heart and mind into clinical work, and he continues to provide attuned and genuine care to all of his patients...with a sprinkle of his silly and dry sense of humor.

AshleyDawn Sheppard, LMFT-S, LPC-S

Director of Education. Clinician. Teacher. TMT Torch Carrier.

AshleyDawn has been a clinician for over a decade and has a passion for empowering and teaching mental health practitioners to become more competent in working with complex trauma, dissociation and Dissociative Identity Disorder. AshleyDawn partnered with Dr. Ross in order to help more clinicians get trained in Trauma Model Therapy, and to ensure that his legacy and model are available to the next generation of clinicians.

OUR MISSION

To empower survivors and clinicians through a unified, evidence-based architecture that honors the logic of survival, fosters professional excellence, encourages clinical curiosity, and restores inherent worth through compassionate, goal-directed recovery.

THE HISTORY OF TRAUMA MODEL THERAPY

1979

Dr. Ross encounters his first patient with a diagnoses of Multiple Personality Disorder (now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder).

1984

Dr. Ross publishes his first case history regarding Multiple Personality Disorder (now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder).

1987

Dr. Ross creates and begins validating a measure he created called the DDIS, or the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule.

1992

Dr. Ross begins formulating the foundations of his theory as he works in clinical settings. Dr. Ross served as President of ISSTD (which was then known as ISSMP&D), during one of the most turbulent periods of ISSTD history. Colin became President Elect in 1992, served as President in 1993 and Immediate Past President in 1994. The False Memory Syndrome Foundation was formed in 1992.

1995

The Colin A. Ross Institute was formed in 1995 to further the understanding of psychological trauma and its consequences by providing educational services, research, and clinical treatment of trauma based disorders.

1998

Dr. Ross presents the first draft of his theory, then known as Trauma Model, to a group of clinicians at Timberlawn.

2009

Dr. Colin A. Ross, MD & Naomi Halpern, CQSW, publish "Trauma Model Therapy: A Treatment Approach For Trauma, Dissociation, & Complex Comorbidity.

2018

Dr. Colin A. Ross, MD publishes a short and specific book entitled "Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder" which provides clinicians with specific guidance on how to work with alters and DID systems. Dr. Ross receives a Lifetime Achievement Award from ISSTD.

2019

Dr. Colin A. Ross, MD collaborates with Hong Wang Fung to publish "Be a Teammate with Yourself: Understanding Trauma & Dissociation." That book was one of the first evidence-based psychoeducation tools for people with dissociative symptoms, as it was found to be helpful to participants affected by dissociation in two pilot studies and one randomized controlled trial.

2025

Dr. Colin A. Ross, MD partners with AshleyDawn Sheppard to modernize the TMT Certification System, expand public knowledge of TMT, and empower a new generation of clinicians in evidence-based trauma treatment.