Kaitlyn Stafford

Biography

Dr. Kaitlyn Stafford has various clinical experiences spanning from working with service members and veterans in inpatient treatment to providing counseling to those suffering from addiction in an outpatient setting. She has also managed intensive outpatient and outpatient addiction treatment programs for adolescents, women, adults, and clients with co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders. Since 2017, Dr. Stafford has owned and operated a private practice in Hawaii and remotely, where she specializes in treating complex trauma in adults. Additionally, she enjoys counseling service members, veterans, and their families and conducting group therapy.

Dr. Stafford is an EMDR certified clinician and provides EMDR and trauma therapy consulting. She is passionate about mentoring future and current clinicians to offer competent, trauma-informed care. Dr. Stafford is also committed to helping educate clinicians on the military culture and how to successfully and ethically navigate a telehealth practice. She also serves as a supervisor, consultant, and faculty member for a counselor training program in Ukraine. Her current research interests and endeavors include: the career and life satisfaction of military spouses who have advanced degrees, military culture, and trauma.

Dr. Stafford is proud of her South Louisiana roots and the art of cooking and eating that comes with them (gumbo, jambalaya, and shrimp and grits are regular favorites in the Stafford house). She enjoys yoga, hiking trails with her husband, son, and pup, and drinking a good cup of coffee on the lanai.

Degrees Earned

Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA

Master of Social Work, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Work Experience

Psychotherapy, Supervision, and Leadership Experience

10/17–Current: Owner & Therapist, Rising Behavioral Health Consulting, LLC

Conduct evidence-based individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy services with children, adolescent, and adult clients via face-to-face and telebehavioral health platforms

Specialize in conducting psychotherapy for adults with complex trauma disorders

Provide training, consulting, and supervision to behavioral health clinicians

11/17–Current: Ukraine Aid Coordination, Chair, International Mental Health Consultants, Inc.

Coordinate planning, logistics, grant writing, budgeting, and staffing for consulting contracts for psychology and rehabilitation-focused academic institutions and treatment facilities across the country of Ukraine

Coordinated the official translation of psychological resources such as the Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) Manual by Resick, Monson, and Chard (2016)

Facilitate fundraising and donation operations

10/16–11/17: Volunteer Counselor, The Hope Center, Fairhope, AL

Facilitated intake assessments, treatment planning, individual therapy, and family therapy utilizing various treatment modalities including EMDR, CBT, and Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Provided consultation regarding clinical intervention with veterans

4/16–12/16: Clinical Social Worker, Military Resiliency Unit, Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital, Panama City, FL (Former employer; worked for a contracted period of time)

Facilitated psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, discharge safety planning, individual therapy, family therapy, psycho-education group therapy, and process group therapy sessions

Conducted EMDR, PE & CPT for combat & non-combat related PTSD

Utilized evidence-based interventions & skills including Seeking Safety, CBT, DBT, MI, EMDR, CPT, & PE to address a range of client problems to include trauma, bereavement, dissociation, substance use, depression, anxiety, interpersonal issues, personality disorders, bipolar disorder, readjustment concerns, transitioning out of the military, and etc.

1/16–5/16: Practicum Supervisor, Regent University

Conducted virtual clinical supervision for 3 master level counseling students completing their clinical practicum experiences

12/14–4/16: Coordinator of Outpatient Programs, Substance Use Services, AltaPointe Health Systems, Mobile & Baldwin County, AL

Managed 7 intensive outpatient substance use programs to include adult, adolescent, women-specific, and co-occurring disorder programs

Developed and implemented evidence-based group curriculum

Supervised 9 clinicians & multiple counseling & social work interns

Conducted treatment plan reviewing & ensured all 300 plus clients were receiving appropriate care

Created, implemented, and monitored policy & procedures in adherence with state & federal guidelines

Participated in Baldwin County Drug Court staffings & hearings to provide clinical consultation

Conducted assessments, treatment planning, group, and individual therapy utilizing evidence-based interventions & skills including Seeking Safety, CBT, DBT, MI, CPT, and EMDR

8/14–12/14: Substance Use Therapist & Drug Court Liaison, AltaPointe Health Systems, Foley, AL

Conducted substance use assessments utilizing the ASAM criteria

Facilitated individual, group, couples, and family therapy

Coordinated with the Baldwin County Drug Court program by providing clinical consultation

Utilized evidence-based treatments & skills including Seeking Safety, CBT, DBT, MI, and CPT

8/13–8/14: Social Worker, Military Resiliency & Chemical Dependency Unit, Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital, Patriot Support Program, Panama City, FL

Facilitated biopsychosocial assessments, treatment planning, discharge safety planning, individual therapy, family therapy, psycho-education group therapy, and process group therapy sessions

Conducted PE & CPT for combat & non-combat related PTSD

Conducted managerial tasks to assist Clinical Director including staff scheduling, implementing policy changes, presenting & training at local organizations, presenting at employee orientation, coordinating with military referral sources & improving and implementing evidence-based curriculum

Managed PTSD research project evaluating program outcomes

Utilized evidence-based interventions & skills including Seeking Safety, CBT, DBT, MI, CPT & PE

Assisted in providing informal supervision & mentorship for pre-master level clinicians in their final internships & practicums

2/13–8/13: Social Work Intern, Military Resiliency & Chemical Dependency Unit, Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital, Patriot Support Program, Panama City, FL

Prepared biopsychosocial assessments, treatment planning, and discharge safety planning

Facilitated individual, family, psychoeducation, and process group therapy sessions

Completed supervised training in CPT with Dr. Stephanie Dutton, PsyD

Conducted CPT for PTSD with active duty and veteran military personnel

Utilized evidence-based interventions & skills including Seeking Safety, CBT, DBT, MI, & CPT

Participated in weekly multi-disciplinary treatment team meetings to discuss and advocate for effective patient care

Conducted administrative tasks to assist Clinical Director

5/12–12/12: Social Work Intern, DaVita Panama City Dialysis, Panama City, FL

Conducted intake interviews, psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, & transplant referrals

Administered, scored, and reviewed results of the Kidney Quality of Life Survey (KDQOL) with patients

Educated patients on dialysis modalities & assisted with obtaining community resources for patients

4/12–8/12: Targeted Case Manager (Contracted), Florida Therapy Services, Panama City, FL

Provided comprehensive case management for adults, children, and adolescents and their families

Linked clients to mental health treatment services and community resources

Prepared evaluations, assessments, & service plans for each client based on client’s needs, ability, and access to resources

5/10–9/11: Dependency Case Manager, Children’s Home Society of Florida, Panama City, FL

Coordinated the delivery and referral of services such as: substance use treatment, psychological and mental health evaluations, and counseling, in-home family preservation programs, transportation assistance, housing assistance, and other identified needs for clients & families of minors placed in care by the Florida Department of Children and Families

Prepared case plans, judicial reviews, & documented daily case activity

Assessed for child safety via conducting home visits and preparing child safety assessments

Provided specialized services that included interstate compact, post-placement supervision, home studies, court testimony, termination of parental rights and judicial review staffing and court hearings

Teaching & Academic Administration Experience

08/2022–Current: Assistant Director, Counseling Programs, Townsend Institute, Concordia University Irvine

Monitor and manage: the counseling program admissions process; curriculum implementation and improvement; disposition and gatekeeping practices and policies; coordinate and serve as a liaison for adjunct faculty; course staffing and scheduling and various other leadership and administrative duties for the Master of Arts in Counseling and Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision Programs

10/2020–Current: Assistant Professor, Counseling Program, Townsend Institute, Concordia University Irvine

Develop and oversee curriculum as the subject matter expert for the following courses: Foundations of Addiction Counseling (MAC); Human Sexuality in Counseling (MAC); Advanced Applications of Trauma-informed Practice (Ph.D.)

08/2020–12/2020: Adjunct Faculty, Social Work Graduate Program, Louisiana State University

Instruct the following courses: Military Social Work

02/2020–10/2020: Adjunct Faculty, Counseling Program, Townsend Institute, Concordia University Irvine

Instruct the following courses: Human Growth & Development, Theories of Counseling, Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues

1/19–01/2021: Adjunct Faculty, Psychology & Counseling Department, Regent University/Remote

Instructed the Disaster Trauma and Psychological First Aid Course (Ph.D. program)

Instructed the Community and Crisis Counseling course (Ph.D. and master’s program)

Instructed Ethics Courses (master’s program)

5/17–Current: Instructor & Supervisor, Ukraine Cross-Cultural Project, Regent University, Kyiv, Ukraine & Remote

Instruct Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary and Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University counseling students on supervision, counseling skills, trauma-informed care in addiction counseling, CPT, treating military services members and their families, and motivational interviewing (in English with translation) in Kyiv, Ukraine during local residencies

Supervise students’ counseling skills practicum in Kyiv, Ukraine during local residencies

Provide virtual cross-cultural supervision and consulting to Ukraine Project students who are supervising local counseling students as well as providing client care to local Ukrainian military service members, their families, and other local non-military clientele

4/17/18: Guest lecturer on “When Suicide Enters the Counseling Session” for Dr. Lisa Compton’s Counseling Skills Course for the Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling program at Regent University

2/28/18: Guest lecturer on “Instruction Strategies: Considering Counselor Level of Consciousness and Development” for Dr. Lisa Compton’s Instruction in Counselor Education Ph.D. course at Regent University

8/17–8/18: Teaching Assistant, Dr. Lisa Compton, Regent University

Assisted Dr. Lisa Compton in the instruction of the following courses: Counseling Skills, Theories (master level), Treating PTSD, Compassion Fatigue, and Trauma (master and Ph.D. level), and Instruction in Counselor Education (Ph.D. level)

Provided face-to-face supervision of master’s students’ counseling skills practicum during residency from August 5–11, 2017, in Virginia Beach, VA

8/16–5/17: Instructor, Teaching Internship, University of Mobile, Marriage & Family Graduate Counseling Program, Mobile, AL

Developed and instructed the Group Counseling course and facilitated experiential group sessions with students

Developed and instructed the Addiction Counseling course which included instruction on Motivational Interviewing and the ASAM criteria

12/16: Co-facilitated a live lecture on Family Systems Theory with Brenda Keck, LMFT, Ph.D. & Yashika Neaves, Ed.S, PhD via blackboard collaborate for Dr. Cyrus William’s Doctoral Advanced Theories Course at Regent University

10/16: Facilitated a live experiential group utilizing a Learning Through Discussion Model on Multicultural Counseling in Groups via blackboard collaborate for Dr. Mark Newmeyer’s Doctoral Group Counseling Course at Regent University

6/16: Co-facilitated a live lecture and experiential activity on Spirituality & Religion in Counseling with Nicole Walton, LICSW and Rachael McCormick, LPC, PhD via blackboard collaborate for Dr. Jacqueline Smith’s Doctoral Multicultural Counseling Course at Regent University

9/15: Co-facilitated a live lecture on an Introduction to Research Design with Brenda Keck, LMFT, PhD via blackboard collaborate for Dr. Mark Newmeyer’s Doctoral Research Course at Regent University

Courses Taught

COUN 601 Human Growth and Development

COUN 602 Theories of Counseling

COUN 605 Legal Ethical and Professional Issues

COUN 607 Social and Cultural Foundations

COUN 613 Foundations of Addictions Counseling

COUN 627 Human Sexuality

COUN 611 Crisis and Trauma Counseling

COUN 640 Practicum

COUN 600 Personal Development Skills Process Group

COUN 609 Assessment and Testing

COUN 641 Supervised Internship I

COUN 642 Supervised Internship II

CES 725 Advanced Applications of Trauma Informed Practice

CES 774 Research Seminar: Methodology

CES 774A Research Seminar: Instrumentation

Additional Certifications

Certified EMDR Clinician and Consultant

Professional Memberships

EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association) Member — Certified Clinician and Consultant

American Counseling Association — Member

ACES — Member

Specialized Practice Fields

Trauma and Addiction (Certified in EMDR Therapy)

Awards and Recognition

2012 Social Work Student of the Year, FSU, NASW Emerald Coast

Publications

Stafford, K. (2023). Manuscript in progress. The impact of trauma. In L. Compton & T. Patterson (Eds.), Safeguarding. Intervarsity Press. This textbook will be distributed to participants of the Safeguarding program via the Catholic Church. The Safeguarding program prepares specialists to respond to and prevent the abuse and trauma many have experienced in the Catholic church.

Stafford, K. (2018). The impact of military lifestyle on the careers of military spouse behavioral health clinicians (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest. (Accession No. 10982534)

Stafford, K. & Neaves, Y. (2018). Career counseling and the military. In C. Williams & T. Hourihan (Eds.), Career, lifestyle, and spiritual development: Work, purpose, calling and God (Preliminary Edition) (pp. 314-356). San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.

Stafford, K. (2017). Combined models of counseling supervision. Kyiv Institute of Business and Technology, BIZNIK, (2)33, 115-116.

Presentations

Stafford, K. (2023, October 25). Understanding the impact of complex developmental trauma: What your clients are experiencing & how you can help. Charlie Health Clinical Development Lecture Series, Virtual.

Buckingham, P., Fischer, K., McDaniel, M., Newmeyer, M., Stafford, K., & Wilson, R. (2023, October 12). Gatekeeping and evaluating counseling students prior to fieldwork: do core and adjunct faculty evaluate alike using dispositions of the CCS-R? [Round table discussion]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) 2023 Conference, Denver, CO.

Keck, B., Stafford, K., & McCormick, R. (2023, October 14). Student dispositions: how to develop an effective gatekeeping process in an online counseling program [Education session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) 2023 Conference, Denver, CO.

Stafford, K. (2023, August). Developing mental health care in Ukraine. Concordia University Irvine Research and Assessment Day, Irvine, CA.

Andrew, A., Redinger, A., & Stafford, K. (2023, August). Supporting the vocation of motherhood. Concordia University Irvine Research and Assessment Day, Irvine, CA.

Stafford, K. & Myers, C. (2022, September). Applying EMDR for acute addiction and complex trauma in women. EMDRIA Virtual Conference.

Stafford, K. (2022, August). Integration: One step deeper. Townsend Institute Conference. Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, CA.

Stafford, K. & Myers, C. (2022, March). Utilizing EMDR with women with complex trauma and substance use disorders. EMDR Canada Virtual Conference.

Stafford, K. & Newmeyer, M. (2021, October). A rolling stone gathers no moss: military spouses’ journeys to becoming counselors (poster presentation). Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Stafford, K. (2021, August). The trauma of COVID. Townsend Institute Conference. Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, CA.

Stafford, K. (2021, March). A Sacred Experience: A Counselor as Guide in a Trauma Survivor’s Healing Journey. Townsend Institute Conference. Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, CA (virtual).

Zaporozhets, O., Stafford, K., & Towns, D. (2017, October). Suicide prevention among service members & implementation of master’s and post-graduate programs for psychologists. Round table discussion facilitated by the National Guard of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.

Zaporozhets, O., Stafford, K., Kreimeyer, J., & Schoenenberg, C. (2017, October). Mental health standards of care for treating military families. Presented at the conference facilitated by the Counsel of Mothers and Wives of Anti-terrorist Operation (war) Combatants: We are Together Conference. Bila Tserkva, Ukraine.

Stafford, K. (2017, May). Treating moral injury in service members. Presented at the Educational Continuum in Preparation of Specialists in the Field of Psychological Help to the ATO Participants and their Families. Kyiv, Ukraine.

Research Experience

8/18–12/18: Research Consultant for Dr. Mark Newmeyer’s Doctoral Introduction to Research Design Course at Regent University

1/14–4/16: Program Outcome Data Collection & Reporting for AltaPointe Health Systems Outpatient Substance Use Disorders Programs, Mobile & Baldwin County, AL

8/13–8/14: Established & Managed PTSD Outcome Data Project for Military Resiliency Program, Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital, Panama City, FL

8/08–1/09: Research Assistant for Dr. Melissa R. Beck, Cognitive Psychologist, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA

Workshops and Trainings

3/16: Conducted a workshop for the Baldwin County, AL Veteran’s Court Team on Co-occurring disorders and treatment of PTSD in Military Service Members

8/15: Presented on the dangers of drug and alcohol use to over 1,200 high school students at Daphne High School

2014: Conducted various & needed staff trainings on Motivational Interviewing & CPT at AltaPointe Health Systems in Mobile & Baldwin County, AL

11/13: Presented a workshop on conducting CPT for PTSD with Stephanie Dutton, Psy.D, at a National Association of Social Workers unit meeting in Panama City, FL

Specialized Training

2016: Completed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Level I & II trainings and required consultation through EMDRHAP

2014: Completed a 5-day training on counseling military service members and their families & Pro-longed Exposure (PE) therapy through The Center for Deployment Psychology

2013–2014: Completed Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) training and supervision under Dr. Stephanie Dutton

Community & Volunteer Service

I am the Fundraising Coordinator and, on the Expert, Advising Board for Ukraine Institute of Traumatherapy https://uit.org.ua/. We are currently raising money to build a trauma therapy center

2018–2021: Waimanalo Youth and Family Collaborative (WYFC), Board Member

2017–Current: International Mental Health Consultants (IMHC), Chair of Standing Financial Committee

2017–2020: Approved provider (volunteer) for Wounded Warrior Project, Project Odyssey retreats

2016–2020: Give an Hour & National Military Family Association, Registered Supervisor, Mentor, & Provider

2016–2018: Counseling Department Newsletter, Regent University, Co-editor

2015–2016: Baldwin County Drug Court Foundation, Member

2010–2014: Northstar Church, Panama City, FL, Participant in community outreach & Volunteer

2008–2009: S.T.R.I.P.E.S., LSU, Executive Staff Member, Communications & Hospitality Event Coordinator

Planned 7 major events in their entirety at Louisiana State University campus

Assisted in the creation and implementation of staff training programs and according training manuals for over 60 staff members

Communicated daily with Louisiana State University officials through emails, phone calls, and meetings

Arranged housing & coordinated meals for over 500 students and 60 staff members

2007–2008: S.T.R.I.P.E.S., LSU, Small Group Leader

Facilitated campus tours, teaching the history, traditions, & resources of Louisiana State University

Served as a mentor to over fifty incoming freshmen