Date: 09/09/2025
 Authors: Alison Hendricks, Kalila Papanikolas
 Time: 4 minute read

The NCTSN Affiliate Program creates opportunities for Network members formerly funded by SAMHSA to stay connected with the NCTSN. The Affiliate Spotlight highlights the work of Affiliate members and organizations, recognizing and capitalizing on their unique and valuable expertise to assist current grantees with their specific projects and to advance the field of child traumatic stress.

Alison Hendricks, LCSW, is a trainer and consultant who specializes in trauma-informed care, secondary traumatic stress, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She is a National Trainer for TF-CBT and specializes in TF-CBT with Latiné Children and Families. In this Q&A, Alison Hendricks discusses her professional journey, her work integrating cultural and developmental factors into TF-CBT, addressing secondary traumatic stress (STS) in trainings, and more. 

Q: To start, can you tell us a bit about your professional background and what led you to specialize in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) training? 
A:  I started working as a child and family therapist about 25 years ago in New York City, working in family shelters and community mental health centers. I started specializing in trauma when I moved to San Diego and worked at the Chadwick Center, where I was first trained in TF-CBT. I became a TF-CBT trainer a few years later. I have been an Individual Affiliate of the NCTSN for 12 years and have been providing TF-CBT training and consultation for almost 20 years.

Q: What types of organizations or professionals can benefit from TF-CBT training?
A: Because trauma is unfortunately so prevalent among children, any mental health provider or agency serving children and families can benefit from TF-CBT training. I have provided training to a wide variety of organizations, such as non-profits, county and community mental health centers, child advocacy centers, and school districts. I have also trained individual therapists working in other settings such as shelters, residential treatment centers, hospitals, child welfare, private practice, etc.

Q: One of your specialties is TF-CBT with a focus on Latiné children and families. How do you tailor your trainings to meet the unique needs of organizations and professionals serving these populations?
A: It is so important to consider culture when working with families, as I learned when implementing TF-CBT with families in San Diego (many of whom recently immigrated from Mexico). I was fortunate to receive training and consultation from Michael de Arellano, who developed cultural enhancements to TF-CBT for Latiné families. I provide this specialized training to help those serving Latiné families learn skills for engaging and assessing Latiné children and families and integrating core cultural values into each TF-CBT treatment component. I include a multitude of resources such as books and videos in English and Spanish and opportunities to practice TF-CBT skills in Spanish through role plays.

Q: In your experience, how does integrating cultural and developmental factors into TF-CBT enhance treatment outcomes for those receiving care?
A: I think that engagement is key to success in TF-CBT, and there can be cultural barriers to engagement such as shame, stigma, and family privacy that contribute to families dropping out of treatment. Incorporating important cultural beliefs and practices into treatment helps with engagement and retention so that families can get the benefits of TF-CBT. I also integrate developmental considerations in my training and consultation because we need to meet kids where they are at and provide interventions that are relevant, fun, and developmentally appropriate. This is why we created separate TF-CBT and child traumatic grief workbooks for children and teens.

Q: Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is a concern among professionals in helping fields. How do you address this issue in your training and consultation work?
A: Yes, STS is a major concern and is something that I address in all of the trainings and consultations that I provide. I have integrated self-reflections related to STS into each TF-CBT component during the initial training as well as teaching strategies for addressing STS during all initial and booster trainings for TF-CBT and during TF-CBT consultation. I also provide specific trainings on STS for individuals and organizations, as well as training for supervisors using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Core Competencies in Trauma-Informed Supervision.

Q: Can you provide some examples of strategies included in your STS trainings?
A: I include strategies such as self-awareness and self-assessment/monitoring of STS reactions, grounding and mindfulness, deep breathing, guided meditation, cognitive coping, enhancing compassion satisfaction (the rewards and positive impact of the work), and how to give and receive effective peer and supervisory support. My STS trainings are very experiential so that participants are able to practice the skills and increase their resilience as a result of the training.

Q: You co-authored the NCTSN Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit (CWTTT). What is the CWTTT, and how does it work?
A: The CWTTT is a comprehensive training series for child welfare professionals that is designed to teach them about childhood trauma and its impact and how to intervene to enhance child and family resilience. It includes concrete strategies, resources, and case examples to help participants apply the essential elements of a trauma-informed child welfare system to their work with families. The CWTTT includes education about STS and strategies for workers, support staff, and supervisors to address STS. The training series can be provided in its entirety or in parts, and I have adapted the content for specific audiences such as advocates and legal professionals and was the lead author of a guide for implementing the CWTTT virtually.

Q: How do you address action planning and sustainability in your work with the CWTTT?
A: Each segment of the training series includes takeaways and a list of strategies that workers can practice with families. The STS module has an action planning activity in which participants create a detailed plan for addressing STS. We also created a post-training consultation series for supervisors to help them continue to support staff, especially around issues related to safety and STS.

Q: Where can interested individuals or organizations go to learn more about your work or to request a training?
A: I post all of my open trainings as well as descriptions of my services on my website: https://www.ahendricksconsulting.com. My contact information is included on my website as well. I’m always happy to answer questions and help people find the resources they need to serve families impacted by trauma.