Dr. Sapp is the CEO of TRI.
The Trauma Resource Institute (TRI) is a non-profit organization devoted to creating trauma informed and resiliency focused individuals and communities throughout the world. It does so through two main models of treatment: The Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)® and the Community Resiliency Model (CRM)®.
Dr. Sapp's journey within TRI has been marked by his dedication to its vision and his leadership qualities. In 2016, he assumed the role of Associate Executive Director, and his exceptional leadership skills led to his appointment as CEO in 2020.
A notable aspect of Dr. Sapp's work lies in his keen interest in neuroscientific approaches to trauma healing. Dr. Sapp has made significant international contributions by training clinicians and community leaders in various parts of the world. His humanitarian efforts have taken him to regions affected by earthquakes, typhoons, mass shootings, and crises, where he has displayed exceptional leadership skills in guiding teams and contributing to TRI's growth and success.
In collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund, Dr. Sapp played a crucial role in establishing a CRM Teacher Training program for Angola in 2023. This program aims to educate 180 Young Adult Social Mobilizers (YASM), impacting up to 6,000 Angolan Youth. His humanitarian work was further shaped by experiences in Istanbul, Turkey, supporting Syrian refugees and assisting survivors of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. He was instrumental in launching TRI's training programs in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and London, England, and also participated in the Ukrainian Humanitarian Resiliency Project. Currently, Dr. Sapp continues to offer support to CRM teachers in the Middle East.
His commitment to global healing efforts is underscored by his role as the team leader for CRM Teacher Training workshops in Kathmandu, Nepal, following the devastating 7.8 earthquake in April 2015. Additionally, he co-led TRI's response in Cebu City, Philippines, aiding communities affected by Typhoon Yolanda.
Under Dr. Sapp's leadership, the Trauma Resource Institute achieved the highest level of recognition from GuideStar in 2023 – the Platinum Seal of Transparency. This acknowledgment represents a testament to TRI's commitment to transparency and its significant contributions to the nonprofit sector.
TRM
TRM is an innovative, biological skills-based approach to treating trauma founded by Elaine-Miller-Karas, LCSW and Laurie Leitch, Ph.D. It integrates elements of Somatic Experiencing, Sensory Integration Theory, Solution-Focused Psychotherapy, Eugene Gendlin’s Focusing, and neuroscience to provide a research-informed intervention for trauma recovery with particular emphasis on building resiliency. The model uses a set of nine skills to help stabilize the nervous system and can be used as an effective treatment model for recovery from all levels of stress (e.g., everyday stressors, complex traumas, etc.).
As a Senior Trainer, Dr. Sapp...
...has helped train clinicians and non-clinicians throughout Southern California, New York, North Carolina, and other areas of the US through live virtual trainings.
...traveled with Ms. Miller-Karas to London, England, where they provided a TRM Level 1 training to various clinicians and community leaders devoted to helping victims of trauma.
...traveled with Ms. Miller-Karas to Reykjavik, Iceland, where they provided TRM Level 1 and Level 2 trainings to various clinicians and community leaders devoted to helping victims of trauma.
CRM
Six of the nine TRM skills are considered self-care wellness skills that can be practiced daily. These six wellness skills can be taught in isolation – referred to as the Community Resiliency Model (CRM). TRI has trained clinicians and non-clinicians alike, both domestically and internationally, to help their own community members implement the CRM wellness skills in order to recover from various local disasters (e.g., earthquakes, typhoons, war/refugees, etc.).
International Experiences
In January 2014, Dr. Sapp accompanied Ms. Miller-Karas, and two other clinicians, to Cebu City where they spent two weeks training leaders from various NGOs throughout the Philippines to teach CRM skills to members of their own communities impacted by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
In January, 2015, Dr. Sapp traveled with Ms. Miller-Karas, and a team of five other clinicians/interns to Istanbul, Turkey, where they spent one week training various community leaders and clinicians to teach the CRM skills to those heavily impacted by the Syrian refugee crisis.
In August of that same year, Dr. Sapp returned to Istanbul, Turkey, with a smaller TRI team to provide follow-up training for some of the members of that original training.
In July, 2016, Dr. Sapp traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal, as project leader for a team of 5 clinicians/CRM skills trainers to provide a CRM follow-up training for various community leaders working with those heavily impacted by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in April, 2015.
In January 2017, Dr. Sapp traveled to Hamburg, Germany, with a TRI team to provide a CRM Teacher Training to groups of community members and clinicians working with refugees who have been welcomed into their cities from Syria, Afghanistan, Irag, and war-torn areas.