Who is ATSS?

ATSS is an international organization dedicated to recognizing professional excellence in services, support and treatment of individuals impacted by traumatic events.

Our Mission

The mission of the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS) is to organize, educate, and professionally certify our world-wide membership in order to assist those affected by trauma.

Our Values:

  • We acknowledge that individuals, families, groups, communities, or nations can be overwhelmed by traumatic events and experience traumatic reactions.
  • We are an organization of people caring for people at all levels of intervention and support.
  • We will do no harm.
  • We will promote human well-being.
  • We will be fair.
  • We will fulfill commitments.
  • We will strive to model empathic, engaged, responsive interaction and a high degree of professionalism.
  • We will engage in acts intended to assist in the normative healing processes of trauma recovery through multiple levels of interaction.
  • We are sensitive to and respectful in our interventions with persons who have experienced trauma.

Benefits of an ATSS Membership Include:

  • Networking opportunities;
  • Access to trauma-focused research, publications and resources;
  • An online membership directory;
  • Access to information about training, education and on-line trauma focused courses;
  • Professional recognition for your training, education, and experience with an international certification that recognizes your particular area of expertise in treatment, response, or services.
  • Assistance with certification application preparation through our certification sponsor program;

ATSS offers three professional certifications:

The Certified Trauma Treatment Specialist (CTTS) designation is appropriate for counselors and treatment specialists, facilitators of trauma recovery groups, hypnotherapists, art or drama therapists, individuals who provide Thought Field Therapy, Traumatic Incident Reduction, EMDR, meridian based therapies, individual, group and/or family counseling to trauma survivors. The applicant must have a Masters or Doctorate degree in a mental health field or a clinical license to practice, or current practice permit registration.

The Certified Trauma Responder (CTR) designation is appropriate for those engaged in critical incident response and intervention, group crisis intervention, debriefing, or emergency response. Certifications entitle members to be recognized as having met a rigorous standard of educational and experiential requirements in the field of trauma services.

The Certified Trauma Services Specialist (CTSS) designation is appropriate for those engaged in services and assistance to victims and survivors and co-victims of traumatic incidents. Services and support can include: peer counseling, advocacy, crisis support, mission-work, response, victim services, crisis response, pastoral care, hospice, treatment, and crisis intervention.