Our Mission
Mission Statement
The Coffman-Crothers Training Program for Trauma and Psychological Health, based at the Clinical Center at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, is dedicated to establishing and funding a psychological training program focused on treating adults with complex trauma and dissociation. Future trainings may focus on additional psychological health issues.
National and international Trauma and Dissociation experts are consulted by Coffman-Crothers to ensure that the trauma and dissociation training opportunities provided meet the evidence-based professional standards and best practices established by the American Psychological Association
Coffman-Crothers is committed to giving SIU graduate students opportunities for training in complex trauma and dissociation for them to develop the unique skills necessary to provide appropriate counseling services to survivors of trauma and dissociation.
In addition, Coffman-Crothers will include University faculty and staff, and community licensed or certified psychologists and counselors in training opportunities that are designed to equip them with the unique therapeutic skills necessary to provide treatment to adult survivors of complex trauma or dissociation.
The training may include workshops, seminars, symposia, or a conference.
Strategic Plan
Goal 1: To provide the highest quality clinical training opportunities in complex trauma and dissociation to graduate students at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
Goal 2: To provide the highest quality clinical training opportunities in adult complex trauma and dissociation to the licensed or certified psychology and counseling faculty and staff at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
Goal 3: To provide the highest quality clinical training opportunities in complex trauma and dissociation to licensed or certified psychologists and counselors serving the residents of southern Illinois, the region, or the nation.
Goal 4: The best practices clinical training in complex trauma and dissociation provided by Coffman-Crothers to SIUC and southern Illinois licensed or certified psychologists and counselors will give clients and patients at SIUC and in southern Illinois access to the highest quality client services available to improve their overall psychological health and well-being.
History
Dr. Crothers began her association with SIUC as a high school theater intern in the summer of 1968. She returned to SIU as a freshman in 1969. In addition to being a 3-degree graduate, Dr. Crothers also worked as a student worker, a civil service, an extra help, an administrative professional, and a faculty employee. She clearly has demonstrated her longtime commitment to SIUC and southern Illinois.
Dr. Crothers is a survivor of complex trauma and dissociation. Searching for a professional therapist, she was fortunate to be referred to Dr. Coffman. While complex trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder were rarely mentioned in the professional literature at the time, Dr. Coffman diligently provided compassionate and caring treatment to Dr. Crothers. Dr. Coffman searched out and participated in as much training as she could to effectively treat Dr. Crothers and other clients. With Dr. Coffman’s support, Dr. Crothers entered a trauma inpatient hospital unit and was diagnosed with PTSD and dissociation. After she returned home, she continued treatment with Dr. Coffman until they agreed that Dr. Crothers was stable and could be discharged. This Training Program is named in her honor in recognition of Dr. Coffman’s dedication and compassionate care and treatment of Dr. Crothers and other trauma survivors. Treatment options for complex trauma and dissociation have grown in the last few years; however, comprehensive training for licensed or certified psychologists and counselors, especially in rural areas, is lacking. This Program intends to change that.
Progress to Date
2023-2025
We began our journey in the fall of 2023 with the establishment of SIU Coffman-Crothers Training Program in Trauma and Psychological Health at the SIU Foundation. Most of 2023 was spent organizing the program and getting all our ducks in a row with SIU such as building a mission statement, constructing a website, and organizing the office and various university accounts. We are now housed in the SIU Clinical Center and under the auspices of the College of Health and Human Services. Thank you, Dr. Holly Comier, and her staff at the Clinical Center and Dean Robert Mogan and his staff at the College. We also spent time looking for our first trainer. We were fortunate to find Dr. Janna Henning from Adler University in Chicago. She had written an article, co-authored by Dr. Christine Courtois and Dr. Bethany Brand, regarding the lack of evidence-based consistent training in colleges and universities in complex trauma and dissociation. After reading the article in the spring of 2024, I contacted Dr. Henning. She graciously agreed to meet with me, so I drove to Chicago. She was enthused by our mission and agreed to come down in October 2024 to conduct our first day long training, “Safe and Effective Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adults”. Over 40 faculty, staff, and graduate students and psychologists, social workers and counselors from throughout southern Illinois participated in the training. It was very successful. Also 2 graduate students from SIU Dept. of Psychology were awarded training scholarships to attend Dr. Bethany Brands virtual training sessions on the workbook Finding Solid Ground. In addition, a needs assessment was sent out to universities, colleges, and therapists in private practice throughout the four-state area to assess what needs they might have regarding trauma training.
In April 2025, we conducted a follow-up training with Dr. Henning, “Safe and Effective Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adults, Part 2”. Again, it was very successful. Dr. Henning agreed to continue to consult with Coffman-Crothers as we establish our training programs.
We conducted our first Advisory Committee meeting with representatives from the SIU Counseling Center, SIU Departments of Psychology and Counseling, SIU Medical School, and private practitioners from southern Illinois. Many suggestions were given for possible topics and trainers for future programs
SIU Coffman-Crothers was busy in the fall, 2025. We applied to the Illinois Board of Higher Education for permission to use the word Institute in our name. Dr. Crothers, our founder and Program Director met with the Chancellor of SIU, Dr. Austin Lane to introduce him to Coffman-Crothers Program.
The most significant event was our two-day conference in Oct 2025. Dr. Janna Henning returned to campus and presented a program: “Pump Up the Volume, Hypnosis to Augment
Complex Trauma Stress Disorder” and “Not Just Surviving but Thriving: Supporting Helping Professionals and Their Patients in Challenging times” and she facilitated the other presentations. We were so fortunate, with the help of Dr. Henning to have a Friday, half-day virtual workshop, “Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders: The PRISM Principles and Their Applications”, presented by complex trauma expert, Dr. Chistine Courtois. On Saturday, dissociation expert, Dr. Bethany Brand presented a full day virtual workshop on “Dissociation-Everything You’ve Been Taught May Be Wrong!” Having these three world-renowned trainers was very special and we are truly honored. We hope to have them back again. Our Oct. conference was attended, either virtually or in person, by 70 faculty, staff and students and practicing clinicians from throughout the U.S. as well as from India and Australia. A special thanks goes out to the trainers and to Bridgepoint Psychology in Chicago who handles our APA and LCPC CEUs. We are currently working on our next conference and will be announcing dates soon.
“It’s wonderful that SIU Coffman-Crothers is dedicated to providing training for students about trauma as well as clinical services for people who have experienced trauma. I’m glad to have been a part of it.”
“I was honored to have been able to present at your recent conference. You have organized such an important initiative that should be advertised widely. Your project paying forward is inspirational!”
