Overview of the Center

The Center for Trauma Recovery (CTR) is a multi-disciplinary center of the University of Missouri-St. Louis whose purpose is to foster Research, Graduate and Undergraduate Education, and Service (by way of a specialized Trauma Clinic) in the areas of trauma and victimization. CTR is also the home to the Sexual Assault Research and Education (SARE) Program.

The Center consists of faculty affiliates from six departments at the University who have research, teaching, or service interests in trauma-related topics. These individuals share a common set of goals. The Center offers a graduate and an undergraduate certificate in Trauma Studies. The CTR is housed in the Kathy J. Weinman Building which also contains the Weinman Child Advocacy Center that provides services to traumatized children.

The impact of traumatic stress has received increased attention by researchers and community service agencies over the past decade. However, the interaction between researchers, community agencies, and the populations they serve have been very limited nationally. Furthermore, training and education in the delivery of mental health services to traumatized populations has lagged far behind the knowledge that has been accumulated. There is currently very little available in the way of coursework and training for either clinical services or in research at either the undergraduate or graduate level. UMSL is one of the few universities to offer courses and standardized fieldwork on an undergraduate level and specialized therapy training on the graduate level. Other trauma centers are usually located at VA Hospitals or medical schools and limit their training functions to psychology doctoral interns and post-doctoral trainees. There are no centers located in doctoral programs at universities. The establishment of the Center for Trauma Recovery at UMSL puts us in the forefront, especially for training clinical psychologists.

The overall objective of the Center is to facilitate university-community links with research, education, and service in the area of traumatic stress. The Center is more than a conceptual link; by being physically located together, researchers, clinicians and community advocates benefit from each others' expertise.

Long-Term Objectives of the Center are to:

  1. Expand trauma-related research.
  2. Facilitate interdepartmental communication, teaching, and research efforts with fellowships.
  3. Establish a certification program for trauma counselors.
  4. Continue to develop a colloquium series with both campus and external scholars.
  5. Develop a specialty track for graduate clinical training in the area of trauma.
  6. Continue to develop the post-doctoral program for research and clinical training.
  7. Sponsor continuing education seminars and conferences for professionals.
Academic Departments which are currently involved: