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About Us

The Complex Trauma Institute (CTI) aims to ensure that ALL mental health professionals achieve the utmost confidence and competence whilst working with traumatised individuals.

Our mission is the achievement of the highest standards of  professional support, training and research in the field of complex trauma.

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Dzmitry Karpuk

Director & Trainer, Supervisor,
Researcher, Systemic Psychotherapist

Dzmitry is registered with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) with over 30 years experience of working therapeutically within complex trauma recovery; for the last 20 years, being based in Leeds & Harrogate. He is a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist, also registered with the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) & British Psychological Society, GMBPsS

His work experience includes being a Paramedic and Nurse in the Armed Forces, before training and working as a Counselling Psychologist in various settings. Dzmitry is particularly recognised for his significant experience in delivering trauma-related training to various professionals, both nationally and internationally. He is the Founder of the Complex Trauma Therapist Network in the UK (CTTN).

His particular professional interests include supporting professionals working with traumatised and vulnerable clients, burnout and secondary trauma impact on professionals. He is also a trainer and a team member of Blake Emergency Services & Suicide Bereavement UK.

 

He regularly delivers individual and group supervision. His research interests are currently employed as collaborator to various trauma related projects with the Department of Philosophy at the University of York.

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Michael Guilding

Trainer, Psychotherapist

Having worked as a counsellor and psychotherapist for 30 years, Michael now devotes his time to writing and training.  After a career in senior management in Royal Mail, he retrained as a therapist and worked for over a decade in the NHS where he was Head of Primary Care Counselling within the York and Selby NHS trust.  For a number of years his clinical supervisor was Dr Una McCluskey who introduced him to her own work on therapeutic attunement and to the work of Dorothy Heard and Brian Lake on adult attachment.  This sparked his interest in the biological fear system and its impact on our patterns of attachment.

 

Further work on the fear system helped Michael to realise the profound importance of the work of Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory for the practice of psychotherapy and the necessity of working with the body in the treatment of complex trauma.  Michael has written several papers for the Complex Trauma Institute Journal on the theory of complex trauma (which he sees as a biological fear-system disorder) and the practical applications of this theory for psychotherapy.  

 

Michael provides two workshops for the Complex Trauma Institute’s C-PTSD Practitioner course –“Fear and the Therapist” and “Fear and Attachment”. These introduce therapists to the theory of the fear-system, deepen their awareness of it’s activation in their own bodies and the way it infiltrates their patterns of attachment and ways of working, and explore ways of regulating fear-system responses in both professional and personal contexts.

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Celia Dawson

Trainer, Psychotherapist

Celia is a Co-ordinator at the International Focusing Institute (USA), who originally trained as a person-centred psychotherapist in the UK. Celia has over 25 years counselling experience and is the Co-Founder of the Complex Trauma Therapist Network in the UK (CTTN).

For many years she ran a successful counselling service in Bradford, and upon retirement, has continued with a small private practice to date, but her passion remains teaching Focusing-Oriented Therapy.  

Together with Dzmitry, Celia has run successful training workshops within the UK specifically for therapists working with complex trauma clients. Internationally, Celia has provided trauma informed webinars on behalf of the International Focusing Institute to their worldwide membership.

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Paul John Griffiths

Honorary Consultant, Trainer
Chartered Psychologist & Researcher

Paul is registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist, he specialises in trauma informed therapy; as a Chartered Psychologist & Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), he holds the positions of Chair Elect to the North East of England Branch and Committee Member for the Special Group of Independent Practitioners. He regularly sits on the Advisory Panel to HMP Grendon, the UK’s first therapeutic prison.

Considerable experience of working independently within the UK’s legal system since 1999, providing psychological opinion to civil, family and criminal courts in the UK and the Isle of Man. Prior employment includes the National Probation and Health Services, working with Indeterminate and Restricted Offenders. In addition, has worked within Prison, and Community based Therapeutic Communities, Housing Associations, and Charitable Organisations providing residential therapeutic interventions. Since 2003, has been a Practitioner in Brief Strategic Therapy working with traumatised personnel either returning from theatres of conflict, or who work within frontline emergency services.

Forensic psychological interests include working with traumatised adolescents (16+) and adults (18+) who commit serious and specific offences; prison and mental health law; developmental impact of complex trauma; effective supervision for therapist working with complex trauma clients, assessment & risk management; leaving care, re-integration; psychological first-aid, substance-use and personality disorder.

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Yuko Micus

Operations Manager, Art Psychotherapist

Yuko is registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as an Art Psychotherapist. She works with adults and older adults for Devon Partnership Trust (NHS), specifically with individuals who experience complex trauma, and also in the field of dementia. 

 

In addition, she works for BCHA Housing Association, where one of her particular interests include recognising the links between homelessness and psychological factors related to traumatic experiences. 

 

Yuko is aware of the multidimensional benefits of complimentary therapy when working with complex trauma clients; in order to develop her embodied approach further, Yuko is researching the benefits of personal Yoga training with the view to include this in her therapy practice. 

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Karla Dolinsky

Trainer, Clinical Supervision,
Clinical Counsellor, M.C., M.Sc, RCC

Karla earned her Master of Counselling and Master of Psycholinguistics degrees and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), based in Victoria (Canada) and working worldwide. She is a trained EMDR Therapist. Karla has received specific occupational awareness training to work as a Mental Health Therapist with First Responders and has earned the Silver Seal of Endorsement by the BCPFFA. She is also on the list of Preferred Counsellors with the Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP).

 

Karla has also has worked as an educator, developing and presenting courses at the graduate level. Karla has had intensive training with Dr. Gabor Mate on the subjects of complex trauma, attachment and addictions, and has studied with Dr. Gordon Neufeld toward certification as a Parenting Coach, with the realisation that if we prevent or attend to the traumas of childhood well, then we may minimise the development of complex trauma.

 

Karla works in Private Practice , as well as contracting with organisations who seek her skills, insights and expertise. Karla’s areas of practice include grief and loss, complex trauma, challenging relationships, PTSD, chronic/terminal illness, life transitions and critical incident trauma. Karla also offers 1:1 clinical supervision: karla@karladolinsky.com

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Rose Hall

Supervisor & Trainer
Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, Counselor and Solution Focused Therapist

Rose Maria Hall is a BABCP accredited cognitive behavioural psychotherapist with qualifications as a psychodynamic psychotherapist, counselor and solution focused therapist.  She is also an NSPCC-trained Safeguarding Supervisor. She has worked with the NHS, in the private sector and also for MIND. She has practiced in the North West, North East, North Essex, East Anglia, Eire and Wales.  

Rose has a specialist interest and expertise in Complex Trauma and Dissociative States including for those who have experienced sexual, physical, emotional or domestic abuse, hearing voices, visual hallucinations and longstanding depression and anxiety.

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Dr Diane Harrison

 

Supervisor & Trainer
Chartered Counselling Psychologist

Dr Diane Harrison is a Psychologist Registered with the BPS, BABCP and HCPC. Trained in Counselling, CBT, DBT Skills, Psychodynamic Interpersonal Therapy and EMDR. Supervisor across a range of health care professionals working across the NHS and independent organisations.

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Olena Ostrakova

 

Ukrainian Project Manager, Supervisor, Trainer
Counselling Psychologist

Olena is a trainer, supervisor, and trauma therapist.  She holds a master's degree in both psychology and economics. With over 15 years of experience, Olena has dedicated her career to individual counselling and therapy with adults, specialising in crisis intervention and post-traumatic growth. Her professional focus extends to supporting and training professionals in vicarious trauma and honing the skill of stabilization. Olena is actively involved in conducting group and individual supervision, as well as training webinars on the development of personal safety for therapists and helping professionals. Additionally, she plays a key role in shaping and supporting CTI projects in Ukraine, contributing to the development and support of the team. Her research and academic endeavors focus on preventing vicarious trauma and the development of support projects for trauma therapists.

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