TRAIN

Autistic and intellectually disabled people are at increased risk of being victimized and experiencing trauma, however, few therapists are skilled in both supporting these communities and providing trauma-focused care. To bridge this gap, psychologists with the ASERT team created the TRAIN program—12 weeks of self-guided learning and live webinars for mental health therapists licensed in Pennsylvania who are currently working with Autistic and/or intellectually disabled adults. TRAIN is an integrative and neuro-affirming approach to trauma-focused care with neurodivergent adults, centering clinical work with the Autistic and intellectually disabled communities. After completing the 12 weeks of learning, participants have the option to continue their training through clinical consultation with the developers of TRAIN.

Continuing Education (CE) credits are provided through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) upon completion of the program.

Licensed mental health therapists interested in participating in TRAIN should complete the following survey for information about availability in upcoming cohorts.

TRAIN Interest Survey

The TRAIN program covers:

Trauma-focused mental healthcare
Types and prevalence of trauma
Expressions of trauma
Neurodiversity and Neuro-affirming practices
Navigating disclosures of abuse and ethical considerations of reporting abuse and neglect of dependent adults
Assessing trauma and using trauma-focused interviews
Trauma-focused and neuro-affirming psychoeducation
Trauma response and nervous system regulation strategies
Trauma processing techniques
Resiliency and therapist self-preservation

TRAIN is a 12-week program that concludes with case consultations with the course instructors. Therapists selected to participate in TRAIN attend an introductory kickoff event that introduces participants and instructors, provides an overview of the program and introduces the learning platform that will be used. Participants then complete three weeks of self-paced learning followed by an interactive discussion session with the group. There are three sets of self-paced learning and discussion sessions.

Throughout the self-paced learning weeks, participants will complete readings, watch pre-recorded videos, work through engaging learning experiences and complete routine assessments. The interactive discussion sessions will be opportunities for deep-dives into the material and conversations around applications of the learning.

After the first 12 weeks are complete, optional cases consultations will begin wherein each therapist who attends is asked to present twice.

Jessica (Jes) Bonatakis, PsyD (she/fae/they)

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Dr. Jessica Bonatakis is a licensed psychologist, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, and the lead developer of TRAIN. She joined clinical faculty at Penn State College of Medicine in 2019 and completed her doctoral studies at Adler University, where fae received specialized training in Socially Responsible Practice. Jes is an AuDHD, multiply neurodivergent, disabled and queer survivor of complex trauma who is passionate about serving Autistic/ADHD/AuDHD people, their caregivers, and the LGBTQIA+ community. Her lived experience, ongoing professional development and integrative, person-centered application of evidence-based practices inform the TRAIN program.

Fae brings a neuroaffirming, anti-oppressive and identity-affirming lens to her trauma recovery work with the misunderstood, historically excluded/exploited, change and movement makers, creatives, nerds and geeks, and in her service to families with young children who communicate through concerning, challenging and baffling behaviors.

Jes resides on the ancestral and unceded land of the Arapaho, Ute, Cheyenne and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (now known as Fort Collins, Colorado). She recognizes these Indigenous communities as the traditional stewards of the land and honors their continued presence.

Keely Hirsch, PsyD (she/her)

Dr. Keely Hirsch is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, having joined clinical faculty at Penn State College of Medicine in 2022. She completed her doctoral program at Chatham University, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she focused her training on Autism Spectrum Disorder, including diagnosing individuals of all ages, providing evidence-based psychotherapy to individuals on the spectrum, and working with families and supports. Prior to joining Penn State, Dr. Hirsch worked as a generalist psychologist in California providing individual and group psychotherapy to a range of presenting mental health disorders and concerns for adults, as well as working as an Autism Specialist providing diagnostic evaluation for adults. Presently at Penn State, Dr. Hirsch provides outpatient services including Autism diagnostic evaluations and psychotherapy for individuals with Autism and their families. She also serves as an educator/supervisor for the psychiatry residency and psychology training programs. Her current interests include gender expansive identities with autistic individuals, identifying and increasing evidence based treatment for the Autism population, and clarifying/differentiating the female phenotype of Autism.

Our TRAIN team is proud of the program’s success and the impact the program has had on participants and those they support. See below for testimonials for previous TRAIN participants.

“The information I received I could immediately implement with my client.”

– Fall 2021 Participant

“Great information about trauma and recognizing trauma!”

– Fall 2021 Participant

“I was overall very happy with this program.”

– Fall 2021 Participant

Our next cohort is beginning in April of 2025. Therapists interested in being considered, should complete the survey link below:

TRAIN Interest Survey

TRAIN Directory

Below is a map showing where past participants of the TRAIN program currently work and practice. Contact information is provided for those who choose to share that information, along with any details related to their practice.

Please note that while participants are listed by county, many currently provide telehealth services which can be accessed from across the state. This will be updated regularly as more participants complete the TRAIN program.

Click a county to find more info

Select a county

Allegheny County

Armstrong County

Beaver County

Berks County

Bucks County

Butler County

Chester County

Cumberland County

Dauphin County

Delaware County

Erie County

Fayette County

Greene County

Lancaster County

Lebanon County

Mercer County

Monroe County

Montgomery County

Northampton County

Perry County

Philadelphia County

Snyder County

Somerset County

Washington County

Westmoreland County

York County

Data by County

Allegheny County

Nicole Gannon, LPC

nicolegannonlpc@gmail.com
Psychology Today Profile

*Telehealth available in all counties

Jon Bender Andrews

Hanlon Therapy Associates
JBenderAndrews@hanlontherapy.com

*Virtual/remote only at this time, only available for people in Adult Autism Waiver

Jennifer Macioce LCSW, ICGC

3825 Northern Pike Suite 203
Monroeville PA 15146
724-708-9150
VP 412-516-9394
Jenn.macioce@gmail.com

*Telehealth only

Ashley Brown, LCSW

The Stern Center
724-626-9941
abrown@thesterncenter.org

Gale Foster, LCSW

Wesley Family Services
1045 4th Ave
New Kensington, PA 15068
724-895-8218

https://wfspa.org/

*Telehealth and in-person available

Accepted Insurance: All commercial, Medicare, Medicaid

Hannah Damgaard

The Center for Counseling Arts
907 West Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15221
https://thecenterforcounselingarts.com/

TRAIN

Jessica (Jes) Bonatakis, PsyD (she/fae/they)

Keely Hirsch, PsyD (she/her)

Our TRAIN team is proud of the program’s success and the impact the program has had on participants and those they support. See below for testimonials for previous TRAIN participants.

Our next cohort is beginning in April of 2025. Therapists interested in being considered, should complete the survey link below:

TRAIN Directory

Select a county

Data by County

Allegheny County

Nicole Gannon, LPC

Jon Bender Andrews

Jennifer Macioce LCSW, ICGC

Ashley Brown, LCSW

Gale Foster, LCSW

Hannah Damgaard

Armstrong County

Gale Foster, LCSW

Hannah Damgaard

Beaver County

Jon Bender Andrews

Hannah Damgaard

Berks County

Jessica Adam, LPC

Hannah Damgaard

Bucks County

Paulette Chobot

Meagan Smolsky

Hannah Damgaard

Butler County

Jon Bender Andrews

Gale Foster, LCSW

Hannah Damgaard

Chester County

Meagan Smolsky

Hannah Damgaard

Maleita Olson, LCSW

Cumberland County

Kate Hall, LSW

Sasha Winters MS, CCTP, NCC, LPC

Hannah Damgaard

Dauphin County

Kate Hall, LSW

Sasha Winters MS, CCTP, NCC, LPC

Hannah Damgaard

Delaware County

Yancun Wisseh, LPC, MS, MMHC

Hannah Damgaard

Maleita Olson, LCSW

Erie County

Janet Pawlowski, RN, MA, LMFT

Hannah Damgaard

Fayette County

Ashley Brown, LCSW

Amanda Collins, NCC, LPC

Hannah Damgaard

Greene County

Ashley Brown, LCSW

Hannah Damgaard

Lancaster County

Sasha Winters MS, CCTP, NCC, LPC

Hannah Damgaard

Lebanon County

Sasha Winters MS, CCTP, NCC, LPC

Hannah Damgaard

Mercer County

Elizabeth Thompson LCSW

Hannah Damgaard

Monroe County

Marcey B. Wilder, MS, Clinician

Hannah Damgaard

Montgomery County

Yancun Wisseh, LPC, MS, MMHC

Meagan Smolsky

Hannah Damgaard

Maleita Olson, LCSW

Northampton County

Marcey B. Wilder, MS, Clinician

Hannah Damgaard

Perry County

Sasha Winters MS, CCTP, NCC, LPC