Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People (HT+)

Adults who experience the world from a female perspective and have experienced trauma

Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People is the 3rd edition of the Healing Trauma curriculum. This edition reflects the expanded definition of gender responsive to include the experiences of transgender and nonbinary people. The facilitator guide and participant workbook are on a flash drive which allows for easy duplication. There are introductory materials for the facilitator and then detailed instructions (specific lesson plans) for the sessions. The session topics include: the process of trauma, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire, power and abuse, grounding and self-soothing, and healthy relationships. There is a strong emphasis on grounding skills. HT is an adaptation of Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women which is highlighted on the CEBC as part of the combined intervention, Helping Women Recover & Beyond Trauma. It is particularly designed for settings requiring a shorter intervention.

Stephanie S. Covington, PhD, LCSW

• Agency/Affiliation: Covington Training Institute and Center for Gender and Justice
• Website: www.stephaniecovington.com/training/trainings-and-workshops/
• Email: sc@stephaniecovington.com
• Phone: (858) 454-8528

The goals of Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People (HT+) are:

• Increase understanding of trauma
• Decrease in trauma symptoms
• Decrease in depression
• Decrease in substance misuse
• Increase in self-efficacy
• Decrease effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

The essential components of Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women Gender-Diverse People (HT+) include:

• This can be conducted as a group intervention with 6-12 people who experience the world from a female perspective with one facilitator per group or can be used in individual work.
• Specific topics for each of the 6 sessions:
• Session 1: Welcome and Introduction (2 activities)
• Session 2: Power and Abuse (2 activities)
• Session 3: The Process of Trauma and Self-Care (4 activities)
• Session 4: The ACE Survey and Anger (5 activities)
• Session 5: Healthy Relationships (2 activities)
• Session 6: Love, Endings, and Certificates (2 activities)

Adult Services

Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People (HT+) directly provides services to adults (regardless of whether they are parents or caregivers) and addresses the following:

• Symptoms of abuse, especially interpersonal violence, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and emotional dysregulation

Recommended Intensity

One or two 90-minute sessions per week

Recommended Duration

6 sessions – approximately 3-6 weeks

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community-based Agency / Organization / Provider
• Group or Residential Care
• Justice Setting (Juvenile Detention, Jail, Prison, Courtroom, etc.)
• Outpatient Clinic
• Shelter (Domestic Violence, Homeless, etc.)

Homework

Participants have a workbook to process their group experience and practice skills.

Languages

Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People (HT+) has materials available in the following languages other than English:

• Spanish

For information on which materials are available in this language, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed in this page).

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

• Flash drive which contains the facilitator’s guide and participant workbook
• Flip chart
• Room with chairs in a circle
• A group facilitator
• Art supplies for collage work

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

Counselor with experience in the field or an experienced group facilitator are the typical qualifications. It can be used with peer facilitation, as well individual work.

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

• Covington. S., & Russo, E. (2021). Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People. Hazelden.

The flash drive with facilitator guides and workbooks can be purchased online, please contact kim@stephaniecovington.com or go to www.stephaniecovington.com and select “Bookstore.”

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact

Training Type/Location:

Training can be provided onsite or virtually. There are also trainings available at various sites in California and other parts of the U.S.

For more information see, www.stephaniecovington.com and www.centerforgenderandjustice.org

Number of days/hours:

Generally 1 day onsite, or 2 days (4 hours per day) virtually

“What is included in the Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research section?”

• Note: The following study was not included in rating Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People on the Scientific Rating Scale.

  Messina, N., Zwart, E., & Calhoun, S. (2020). Efficacy of a trauma intervention for women in a security housing unit. Archives of Women Health and Care, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.31038/AWHC.2020343

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of Healing Trauma [now called Healing Trauma+] on a population of incarcerated women in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) of the California Institution for Women. Measures utilized include the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Subscale, the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety Subscale, the Short Screening Scale for DSM-IV Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, the Buss-Warren Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), the Revised Instrumental and Expressive Representation Scales, the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised. Results indicate that there is strong support for the efficacy of Healing Trauma for women housed in SHUs. Participants exhibited significant improvement across depression, anxiety, PTSD, aggression (all 5 submeasures), anger (1 of 2 submeasures) and social connectedness from Healing Trauma. Effect sizes were moderate to large in size, with the largest impact on physical aggression. Limitations include lack of comparison group, small sample size, study relied on self-administered survey data, and lack of follow-up. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.

• Note: The following study was not included in rating Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People on the Scientific Rating Scale.

  Messina, N., & Zwart, E. (2021). Breaking the silence and Healing Trauma for incarcerated women: Peer-facilitated delivery of a brief intervention. MOJ Women’s Health, 10(1), 8–16. https://doi.org/10.15406/mojwh.2021.10.00280

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the Healing Trauma intervention [now called Healing Trauma+] among participants incarcerated at two women’s facilities in California. Measures utilized include the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Subscale, the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety Subscale, the Short Screening Scale for DSM-IV Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, the K6 Brief Mental Health Screen, the Buss-Warren Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory—2 (STAXI-2), the Revised Instrumental and Expressive Representation Scales, the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Results indicate that there is strong support for the efficacy of Healing Trauma and a peer-facilitated model of program delivery. Participants exhibited significant improvement across 90% of the outcomes measured. Effect sizes were small to moderate in size, with the largest impact on depression, PTSD, and feelings of anger. Limitations include lack of comparison group, small sample size, study relied on self-administered survey data, and lack of follow-up.

• Covington, S. (2022). Creating a trauma-informed justice system for women. In L. Gelsthorpe, & S. Brown (Eds). The Wiley handbook on what works with girls and women in conflict with the law: A critical review of theory, practice, and policy. John Wiley & Sons.

• Messina, N. P. (2021). The evolution of gender-and trauma-responsive criminal-justice interventions for women. HSOA Journal of Addiction & Addictive Disorders, 8(2). https://www.doi.org/10.24966/AAD-7276/100070

• Messina, N., & Esparza, P. (2022). Poking the bear: The inapplicability of the RNR principles for justice-involved women. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 140, Article 108798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2022.108798