Trauma-Informed Experiential Therapy: A Modality for Substance Use, Mental Health, and Relational Dysfunction Interventions and Treatment

Dr. Ramona Roberts is the Senior Executive Director of the Regional Outpatient Services for Caron Treatment Center, overseeing clinical and administrative operations in Wyomissing and Philadephia, PA as well as clinical oversight for Encore Outpatient Services located in Arlington, VA. Her clinical vision for all of the outpatient offices includes quality and credentialed services for substance use and co-occurring diagnoses with some specific offices providing services that can include gambling, mental health, and trauma. She has previous experience as the supervisor for trauma services and staff psychologist on the main Caron residential campus.

Dr. Roberts is currently a level II certified clinical trauma professional with training in multiple trauma modalities (ie. cognitive processing therapy, EMDR, internal family systems, etc), and is a certified experiential therapist with training in trauma-informed experiential therapies (including sociometry, psychodrama, and adventure-based counseling).

Dr. Roberts is the author of Making Sense of What Hasn’t Made Sense, which is geared towards trauma survivors, family members, friends, and clinicians, and has garnered both the Counselor’s Choice award in 2022 and the Independent Press’ Distinguished Favorite award in 2023.

Dr. Roberts has presented research at regional, national, and international conferences and has several publications in professional peer-reviewed journals. She is recognized as a certified trainer of adolescent co-occurring disorders by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

She has won several awards in her career, including Humanitarian of the Year, Betty J. McDonough Treatment Award, Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and the Inaugural Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Employee Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. She earned her Doctor of Psychology degree in clinical psychology at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

As a psychologist at the Caron Outpatient Treatment Center, Dr. Camille St. James provides individual and group therapy focusing on recovery maintenance and trauma. A certified clinical trauma professional, Dr. St. James utilizes evidence-based an trauma-focused approaches including EMDR, internal family systems, sensorimotor, cognitive behavioral therapy, and expressive arts to support holistic recovery and wellness for individuals and families. Her clinical work is concentrated in addiction and trauma and supported by a theoretical orientation grounded in psychodynamic an family systems theories. She approaches her work with a keen awareness of diversity, equity, and justice. “We humans are resilient. We have a remarkable capacity for healing. It is an honor to be part of that process, to create a safe space and offer tools that allow people to discover the path within themselves that leads to a life of recovery.” Dr. St. James earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was the first recipient of the Thomas E. Klee, Ph.D., Award for her demonstrated commitment to modern psychodynamic theory as applied to psychotherapy. While pursuing her doctorate, she was also honored as an Emerging Leader by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and continues as an active member of that organization. Dr. St. James completed an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at The Psychological Services Clinic of Chestnut Hill College and her post-doctoral fellowship at Caron’s inpatient facility in Wernersville, Pennsylvania, where she stayed on as a member of the psychology staff until transferring to outpatient services. Dr. St. James has experience working with diverse populations from childhood to older adulthood. Dr. St. James is a contributing author of Treating Contemporary Families: Toward a More Inclusive Clinical Practice (Browning & van Eeden-Moorefield, 2022), offering her experience working with addiction, ambiguous loss, and violence. Dr. St. James’ research is oriented around the broad themes of diversity, justice, spirituality, and well-being, as well as professional competence. Dr. St. James has taught a range of psychology courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels as an adjunct faculty member at Chestnut Hill College.

Emily Rojo is an outpatient therapist and clinical trauma professional at Caron Philadelphia Outpatient Treatment Center. In this role, she facilitates the Intensive Outpatient Program and provides individual therapy. Her goal is to build a strong therapeutic alliance to provide patients with the tools and techniques to promote consistency, confidence, and commitment to support their early recovery journey.

Emily is trained in trauma-informed experiential therapy that includes sociometry, psychodrama, and adventure-based counseling. She is also trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based treatment that effectively reduces or eliminates post-traumatic symptoms in children and adolescents.

Prior to joining Caron in 2022, she worked with a variety of populations including six years in private practice and as a court-mandated therapist working with adolescents and families with a focus on trauma and drug and alcohol treatment. Emily has a Master of Science in clinical psychology from Holy Family University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Felician University, Rutherford, New Jersey.

As a Breakthrough therapist, Jennifer Ewald supports clients in looking at and understanding their life histories, particularly their relationships and emotional patterns, in order to gain insight and develop awareness that can lead to healthy self-confidence and fulfillment.
Jen has been at Caron since 2011, working as a behavioral health therapist in the Healthcare Professionals Program, Young Adults Program with young women, and Men’s Program. She also worked with other patients as needed, giving her well-rounded experience with people of various ages, backgrounds, and experiences.
That varied experience prepared her for this role, which she took on in 2023. With more than a decade of therapeutic experience and training, Jen is able to support and guide Breakthrough clients in exploring their relationships and families of origin in order to move forward to realize their personal goals. Using tools like art therapy, she helps clients gain self-understanding and awareness.
In addition to being trained in various trauma therapies, like EMDR and cognitive processing therapy, she also has training in art therapy and internal family systems.
Jen is a licensed professional counselor, a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor, a national certified counselor, and a certified clinical trauma professional. She is trained in cognitive processing therapy, internal family systems, EMDR, trauma art, and grief counseling. Jen has a Master of Arts in community counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in behavioral health, both from Alvernia University, Reading, Pennsylvania.

Joe Emick is a Therapist in Caron’s Breakthrough Program. In this role, he provides therapy and trauma-informed support through a lens of non-judgmental and non-conventional adjunctive therapeutic approaches.
He has designed and implemented weekly trauma art therapy groups and three-day intensive sessions focused on addiction interaction for patients struggling with substance use, trauma, and other behavioral compulsivity issues.
Joe has worked at Caron since 2011 focusing on addiction and relapse issues; sexual, physical, and developmental traumas; LGTBQIA+ issues; and internal family system dynamics. Prior to coming to Caron, he worked with various populations at the National Institutes of Health Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, and the George Washington Art Therapy Trauma Clinic in Alexandria, Virginia. Joe practiced architecture for 25 years before moving into the counseling profession.
In recovery for almost two decades, Joe has had experience as an addict, a patient, and as a counselor, giving him a deep understanding of the specific issues that come with struggle and change. He is passionate about creating a safe container to explore difficult topics with creative methods and approaches. He is passionate about creating a safe container to explore difficult topics with novel methods and approaches.
Joe is a licensed professional counselor, a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor, and a certified sex and multiple addictions therapist. He has a Master of Arts in art therapy and counseling from George Washington University, Washington, DC.