Research Excellence: Our Trauma Support Model Recognized at Psychology Conference
The Jacob’s Ladder Group and Pillar Research Institute recently participated in the Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) Annual Conference, where we shared our work on the Interpersonal Whole-Brain Model of Care® (IWBMC™) Trauma Support Model.
Dr. Holly Haynes, Pillar’s Executive Director, presented our paper “Using the IWBMC’s Trauma Support Model to Address Traumatic Symptomatology in a Neurodivergent Sample” on Thursday, April 10th. We were pleased to have this work recognized as a finalist for the Outstanding Professional Paper Award through peer review selection. Amy O’Dell provided a video introduction that helped attendees understand the IWBMC™ and The Jacob’s Ladder Group’s approach to supporting neurodivergent individuals.
Professional attendees expressed interest in our integration of neuroscience with therapeutic care. Our presentation highlighted how the IWBMC™ framework meets the unique needs of neurodivergent children who have experienced trauma by addressing both brain function and emotional well-being. “Our study revealed that children receiving support through our model showed improvements in sensory information processing, emotional management, and physical coordination, “ said Haynes. “This reinforces our belief that understanding both the neurological and emotional aspects of trauma is essential for providing effective care.” Dr. Haynes also moderated a panel on developmental psychology on Friday afternoon, further representing our organization’s expertise in the field.
“Our study showed that children receiving support through our model demonstrated improvements in how they process sensory information, manage emotions, and coordinate physical movements. This reinforces our belief that understanding both neurological and emotional aspects of trauma is essential for effective care.”
– Dr. Holly Haynes, Pillar Research Institute
On Saturday, April 12, Dr. Holly Haynes and Julian Gonzalez presented our research poster, “Model & Content Validity of the IWBMC™ Utilizing Bornhöft et al.’s (2006) Checklist.” The poster examined how our model meets different validity criteria, including theoretical, face, construct, social, predictive, and ecological validity. It presented data on interrater reliability, implementation fidelity measures, and provider performance rankings. A key finding was that perfect implementation fidelity across all providers, regardless of age or experience, demonstrates the model’s robust theoretical foundation and operational clarity.
Our study showed that children receiving support through our model demonstrated improvements in how they process sensory information, manage emotions, and coordinate physical movements. This reinforces our belief that understanding both neurological and emotional aspects of trauma is essential for effective care.
The SEPA conference provided an excellent venue to share how The Jacob’s Ladder Group bridges neuroscience research and individualized, compassionate care. We look forward to continuing this important work and sharing more developments in the future.
