Dr. Joseph Spinazzola is an internationally recognized traumatic stress researcher and trainer, and one of the most prolific scholars in the field of complex trauma. Dr. Spinazzola is Managing Director of the Complex Trauma Institute, Senior Psychologist at the Complex Trauma Treatment Center Boston, and Co-Director of the Complex Trauma Treatment Affiliates program. He is Executive Director of the Foundation Trust, Adjunct Professor at Richmont Graduate University, Principal Investigator of the Developmental Trauma Disorder Field Trials, and a member of the Forensic Panel. A Yale graduate, he earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duke University.
Dr. Spinazzola founded the Complex Trauma Treatment Network of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and was a member of the Complex Trauma Taskforce of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. He has overseen statewide trauma-informed care initiatives and directed complex trauma conferences and training institutes in the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong. He has co-authored trauma treatment guidelines and evidence-based intervention manuals and overseen all facets of randomized controlled trials of psychotherapeutic, psychopharmaceutical and mind-body interventions for PTSD and related disorders.
Dr. Spinazzola has a wealth of experience with program development and evaluation. He is a national trainer and consultant in the Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) model; lead developer of Trauma Drama, an improvisational theater-based youth violence prevention and tertiary intervention model, and co-developer and lead trainer of Component-Based Psychotherapy (CBP), a relationally-based, traumatic stress and dissociation treatment model for adults with histories of complex childhood trauma.
In addition, he is the creator of complextrauma.org, a comprehensive information and resource website for trauma-impacted individuals, families and providers.