Catch us at our best!

 Sibyl is a Ph.D candidate in School Psychology at the University of Northern Colorado. Her background includes providing comprehensive assessment and individual counseling services in school districts and clinical settings, for a wide variety of presenting concerns. She has worked in multiple community mental health centers, first as a Behavior Coach, helping children and families to recognize their resilience and gain skills to succeed. She also worked in a mental health crisis center, supporting individuals and families in their efforts overcome significant life challenges and have immediate support during acute mental health crises. Outside of clinical practice, she is completing her dissertation research on how refugee students in the United States view the available academic and social support systems for their journey to higher education 

Dottie is a predoctoral intern at the Stress and Trauma Treatment Center. She received her Master of Arts in School Psychology at East Carolina University, and will obtain her PhD in Pediatric-School Psychology following internship year. Dottie primarily uses treatment strategies that are cognitive-behavioral and behavioral in nature. She also emphasizes the role that stress, and trauma play in mental health during case conceptualization and treatment. Dottie especially has a passion and interest in teaching behavioral strategies to parents that they can use at home with their children, and in doing therapy with children and adolescents. Dottie has plans to provide behavioral health services in a primary care setting following internship 

  Jerica Knox is an intern at the Stress & Trauma Treatment Center and a 5th year PhD Candidate at North Carolina State University. She primarily provides care to children, adolescents, and families. Her clinical interests revolve around culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices that ensure her clients are receiving individualized care. She conceptualizes clients' needs through a cognitive behavioral and family systems lens. She is very interactive and enjoys engaging children and families through both activities and conversations. 

 Karla has her bachelor’s degree in social work and currently working on her master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Throughout her 23-year career Karla has worked with teens in a residential setting, assisting with life skills training, trauma, and behavioral challenges. She became a licensed foster parent and fostered children for nearly 11 years leading to adoption. She has experience working with foster/adoptive parents and children in the foster care system or who have been adopted. Karla has experience working with young children through Early Intervention for 12 years, focusing on children with Autism, and received certification in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). She has experience working with children with feeding challenges and received training and certification in the Save Our Ship (SOS) feeding Approach. Karla has experience working with children, as well as the families of children, who have experienced trauma, sensory challenges, and a variety of developmental delays.
Since coming to the Stress and Trauma Therapy Center Karla has taken part and is working with MAP, TF-CBT, and PCIT therapy. Karla has a passion for children who have experienced trauma, and enjoys working with children, families, and adults.   

Dr. Diane King has spent decades working with children, families, educators, and professionals in the areas of child development, trauma, social-emotional learning, temperament and personality, and family systems. She has developed college courses embedding topics such as adverse childhood experiences, trauma informed practice, trauma informed care, brain development, and developmental trauma to support professionals in learning how to apply that knowledge into working with young children (birth to 5). Dr. King has been an advocate for social and emotional wellness in early childhood for 20 years - since the inception of the "Social Emotional Program", now commonly known as "The Pyramid Model.” As a National Head Start Coach Mentor and Early Childhood Consultant, she was an early trailblazer in this work with administration, teachers, and families to implement the program. 

Dr. King and Dr. Buckman, PhD., Licensed Psychologist, Executive Director, Stress & Trauma Treatment Center have been collaborating for over four years to coordinate and deliver outstanding professional development events to early childhood professionals in southern Illinois. In 2019, Dr. Buckman and Dr. King co-taught "The Neurosequential Model for Education." This course provided an in-depth study of the neurosequential development of young children (birth through age five) and effective teaching practices to enhance development. 

Over the past school year, Dr. King has conducted presentations on Staff Wellness/Self Care, worked with Prevention Initiative infant toddler staff and Pre K staff concerning individual children, assisted administrators with program consultations, and worked with individual families. She serves as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant for the school districts in the southern sixteen counties. She continues to provide consultations and act as a mentor for educators supporting them to explore effective strategies in the classroom, staff development, family engagement, and optimal whole child development. She is a Pyramid trainer for Preschool and Infant Toddler as well as a trainer for the new Trauma Informed Care (TIC) eModules program and has an extensive network of relationships in the southern 16 counties of Southern Illinois with many school districts, Head Start programs, and child care programs.  

Dr. King received her Bachelor’s degree in Education with a minor in Psychology from Western Illinois University one course short of a double major. She maintains active Illinois teacher licenses for Early Childhood and Elementary Education and has taught PreK, Kindergarten, first, second, and third grades and substituted in Special Education. Dr. King’s Master’s degree is in Knowledge Management with a specialization in Organizational Development/Early Childhood Leadership and Management from the University of Illinois at Springfield. She completed her Doctorate Degree in Educational Administration – Management of Programs for Children and Youth at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, in 2010. Her research study, “Facilitating the Professional Development of Early Childhood Program Administrators Through an Online Education and Mentoring Program” was conducted with 25 southern Illinois administrators.

Dr. King is the vice president of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA). Dr. King is also vice president of the Southern Illinois Early Childhood Action Team (SIECAT). She is the treasurer for the Southern Illinois Chapter of Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children (SILAEYC).