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Any Stage of Healing (ASH) was born after repeatedly discovering that accessible, competent mental health services and trainings for complex trauma were extremely difficult to come by. So many survivors are led to believe that there is something "wrong" with them that they need to fix, without being asked about what happened to them. As a social worker, the inclusion of environmental influences- not just intrapersonal and interpersonal ones- is important and central to holistic care.
The mission of ASH is to join with survivors and responders in their own communities to engage in healing, recovery, and empowerment, with the goal of attaining post-traumatic growth and resiliency. Having the courage to navigate the deepest, most hidden parts of yourself in order to feel free is the first step toward healing, hence the term shadow work. Whether you are living or working in the trenches, the degree of support we receive should be nothing short of the highest caliber and based on a raw, real understanding of diverse forms of trauma. |
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Kristen Muché
MSW, LCSW (she/her) 
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Welcome! My name is Kristen. I’m a trauma specialist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a passion for serving survivors of trauma, teaching, supporting helping professionals, and breaking the stigma of mental health.
The reason why I chose to study social work is because of its dedication to enhancing the well-being and complex needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable, marginalized, or exploited. I am constantly in awe of my clients and feel so honored in being permitted into their lives and moving alongside them on their journeys. I received my Bachelor of Social Work degree to delve into topics such as human behavior, the impact of our environments, social justice, and research. During my Master of Social Work degree, I was able to receive advanced clinical training in evidence-based and trauma-informed practices, which led me to interning as a psychotherapist, hotline worker, and sexual assault response team (SART) advocate at a rape crisis center. I have practiced in a diverse range of settings, including community non-profits, outpatient clinics, street-based homeless services, residential facilities, jails, courthouses, police departments, and hospitals. In addition to therapy, I create trainings on various trauma-related topics, with the goal of creating more awareness and challenging the stigmas that so many survivors face. As a professor and clinical supervisor, I also share my passion for this work with clinicians and students who are earning their degrees in social work, counseling, psychology, and criminal justice. As someone who has personally experienced mental health struggles, I understand what it means to take a risk and put yourself out on the line to ask for help. This is part of what keeps me connected and passionate about this work, and I am committed to modeling that mental health needs are nothing to be ashamed of. |
Education & MEMBERSHIPS
Education
Memberships
- Master of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach
- Bachelor of Social Work (Minors in Art and Psychology), Azusa Pacific University
Memberships
- American Psychological Association: Division 56 Trauma Psychology
- Special Interest Group: Division 56 Trauma Psychology
- International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
- Special Interest Groups: Creative Arts Therapy, Eating Disorders, EMDR, Trauma Model Therapy, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, OEA, Psychoanalytic-Psychodynamic, Transgender and Non-Binary, Vicarious Trauma and Resilience
- International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
- Special Interest Groups: Complex Trauma, Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma and Resilience, Military, Trauma and Substance Use
- National Association of Social Workers
- California Chapter, Clinical Social Work
- National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
LICENSES & Certifications
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
1. California: #82170, Board of Behavioral Sciences
2. Florida: #SW23125, Florida Department of Health
3. Nevada: #9946-C, Board of Examiners for Social Workers
4. Oregon: #L14361, Board of Licensed Social Workers
5. Utah: #13217414-3501, State Social Worker Licensing Board
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
International Association of Trauma Professionals
California State Certified Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Counselor-Advocate
Peace Over Violence
Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act Designation
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Certified Field Instructor and Practicum Supervisor
California State University- Northridge, California State University- Los Angeles, California State University- Long Beach, University of Southern California, University of California- Los Angeles, Azusa Pacific University, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Simmons University, Meridian University
1. California: #82170, Board of Behavioral Sciences
2. Florida: #SW23125, Florida Department of Health
3. Nevada: #9946-C, Board of Examiners for Social Workers
4. Oregon: #L14361, Board of Licensed Social Workers
5. Utah: #13217414-3501, State Social Worker Licensing Board
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
International Association of Trauma Professionals
California State Certified Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Counselor-Advocate
Peace Over Violence
Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act Designation
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Certified Field Instructor and Practicum Supervisor
California State University- Northridge, California State University- Los Angeles, California State University- Long Beach, University of Southern California, University of California- Los Angeles, Azusa Pacific University, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Simmons University, Meridian University
ADDITIONAL training
Trauma-Informed Care and Teaching
- Considerations for Trauma-Responsive Teaching and Mentoring, University of Southern California
- Trauma-Informed Care & Services Foundation, Tarzana Treatment Center
- Asylum and Cancelation of Removal Evaluations: Focus on Practical Skills in Providing Testimony in Immigration Court, Refugee Mental Health Resource Network
- Black Family Mental Wellness and Intergenerational Trauma: A Systemic Approach, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
- CSEC 101 & 102: Commercially Sexually Exploited Children, Los Angeles County Probation Department
- Dissociative Identity Disorder: Best Practices for Working with Complex Trauma, Attachment Wounds, and Multiplicity, Greg Nooney, LCSW
- Dissociative Identity Disorder, I & II: Treating Ritual Abuse, Christina Mardirossian, LMFT
- Hearing Voices Group Facilitator Training, Wildflower Alliance
- Helping Crime Victims Heal, California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB)
- Intergenerational Trauma and Youth Experiencing Homelessness, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- LGBTQ+ Mental Health Workshop Series, The LGBTQ Center Long Beach
- Trafficking in Persons (TIP-ID) Certification, Center to Restore Trafficked and Exploited Children
- UndocuAlly Professional Development, California State University, Los Angeles Dreamers Resource Center
- VetNet Ally Training, California State University, Los Angeles Veterans Resource Center
- Working with Men Sexually Abused in Childhood, 1in6, Inc.
- Basic Crisis Negotiation, Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health First Aid USA
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Crisis Prevention Institute
- R3 Continuum's Best Practices in Disruptive Event Management for in the Workplace, Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists
- Harm Reduction, The People Concern
- Overdose Prevention and Narcan Administration, Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles
- Procovery, Procovery Institute
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), National Crime Victims Research & Treatment Center
- DBT and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Psychosis, DMH-UCLA Public Mental Health Partnership
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Brenda Ingram, LCSW, Ed.D
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Parts One and Two, Institute of Creative Mindfulness
- Narrative Exposure Therapy, Long Beach Trauma Recovery Center
- Prolonged Exposure for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Seeking Safety, Brenda Ingram, LCSW, Ed.D.
- TF-CBT for Childhood Traumatic Grief, National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Trauma Regulation and Integration Process (TRIP), Relationshipworx
- A Window Between Worlds, Peace Over Violence
- Beat the Odds Drumming Program Facilitator Training, UCLArts & Healing
- Introduction to Expressive Arts Therapy, Expressive Arts Institute
- Certificate in Meditation, Glendale Community College
- Dissociation and the Body, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute
- Introduction to Havening, Metamorphosis Havening, LLC
- On Trauma: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness, Peter Levine, Ph.D.
- Working with Trauma and the Body, Pasadena Trauma Therapy, Inc.
- Yoga for Healing Trauma, Uprising Yoga
- Community Emergency Response Team, Citizens Corp | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Community Police Academy, Long Beach Police Department
EXPERIENCE
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Teaching Faculty
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Past Employment, Internships, and Volunteering
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PRESENTATIONS, PUBLICATION, PROJECTS, BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATIONS & MEDIA
Conference Presentations
- Identification, Assessment, and Treatment of Incarceration Trauma | 49th Annual FMHAC Conference, Forensic Mental Health Association of California, 2024
- Identification and Trauma Treatment for Sex Trafficking Victims and Survivors | 29th Annual IVAT San Diego International Summit, Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma
- Sanctuary: A Content Analysis of Literature on Trauma-Informed Psychiatric Inpatient Treatment for Female Survivors of Rape and Sexual Assault Under Involuntary Hold | MSW Thesis · ProQuest LLC, 2013
- Effects of Restraining Orders on Episodes of Domestic Violence | BSW Field Research Project, 2011
- Study of Pedophilia | BSW Ethics Thesis, 2011
- McGaffic, D., 2018. LPS CLINICAL ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES- for Improved Assessment and Delivery of Clinical Service to Involuntarily Detained Individuals. California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions. Retrieved from https://policycommons.net/artifacts/1643382/lps-clinical-assessment-guidelines
- Taubman, S. (2022). Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) in Brief. National Association of Social Workers: NASW California Chapter Online CE Program. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkweb.com/details/in5mukjdPkAMSMvbP
- Cristina Mardirossian. (2023). Interview with Kristen Muche, LCSW [Video]. Vimeo. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/834606506
