Meet Rosemary Masters, JD, LCSW

I am a psychotherapist in private practice and the Founding Director of the Trauma Studies Center, a Division of the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy in New York City. In my role as Founding Director, I helped develop one of only a handful of programs in the United States that specifically trains licensed mental health professionals to recognize and treat persons with adult onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as individuals living with the psychological and physical consequences of childhood abuse and neglect. Currently I teach the neurobiology of trauma and supervise the work of clinicians enrolled in the Center’s Integrated Trauma Studies Program.

My original education as a psychotherapist was in psychoanalysis and family therapy. While I continue to use the theory and methods of these two rich traditions, I have learned that those suffering from the consequences of psychological trauma need specialized clinical approaches.

After being introduced to the work of Bessel van der Kolk and Judith Herman, I became trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. In my current work I synthesize the relational insights of family therapy and contemporary psychoanalysis with techniques of the newer methods for treating traumatic memories.

As an expert consultant for HealthRight International I have testified at asylum hearings on behalf of more than 50 survivors of torture. I have also been privileged to work in partnership with Pilgrim Africa, an indigenous N.G.O. that serves the people of the war torn Teso region of northern Uganda. Under the auspices of Pilgrim Africa I have taught human services workers to recognize and assist survivors of psychological trauma.

Working with the Director and faculty of LaGuardia Community Colleges EMT and paramedic training program, I helped create a protocol for lessening the distress of emergency medical patients and their families. This protocol has been adopted by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and is being introduced into EMT and Paramedic Training Programs across the United States.

Masters, R. (2022). Learning EMDR in Uganda: An experiment in cross cultural collaboration. In Cultural Competence and Healing Healing Cultural Trauma with EMDR Therapy.  M. Nickerson (Ed). New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Masters, R. (August 2016).  Preventing invisible wounds. EMT World. pp. 50 – 53.

Masters, R. (1998). Death on the Doorstep. Family Therapy Networker. June: pp. 38-44.

Masters, R. (1996). Too proud to cry: Clinical work with survivors who employ narcissistic defenses. National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Quarterly. Vol. 6, No. 2: pp. 49-52.

Masters R. (1991). Crime victims. Handbook of Social Work Practice with Vulnerable Populations. New York: Columbia University Press: pp. 416-445.

Masters, R. (1989). Attachment, separation and the prospect of death for people with AIDS. Contemporary Psychotherapy Review. Vol. 5,  No. 1: pp. 92-112.

Masters, R., Friedman, L.N., and Getzel, G. (1988). Helping families of homicide victims: a multidimensional approach. Journal of Traumatic Stress, Vol. 1: pp. 92-112.

Getzel, G.S. and Masters, R. (1983). Group work with parents of homicide victims. Social Work with Groups. Vol. 6, No. 2: pp. 81-92.

B.A. Mount Holyoke College

J.D. Harvard Law School

M.S.W. Hunter College School of Social Work

Advanced certificates in psychoanalysis and family therapy, Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy

Certification in Mediation from the Center for Mediation in Law

Certification as an EMDR therapist and consultant, the EMDR International Association