LIFESPAN TRAUMA - Key Persons
Early in his career, Forrest Lien, LCSW, worked as a treatment foster care coordinator in Arizona. Although he and colleagues followed best practices and applied what they had learned in graduate school, traumatized children and their caregivers continued to struggle. The system wasn't working. And, he realized, the residential treatment centers in which he had also worked previously weren't helping kids and families either. He knew something was missing and sought solutions to truly heal the impacts of early trauma. He consulted with trauma experts and continued to work closely with and observe children and families.
In his pursuit for answers, Forrest became a world-renowned trauma expert himself. Forrest ultimately created a unique therapeutic treatment model for reactive attachment disorder and led the organization as Clinical Director and then Executive Director for over two decades. Through his treatment model, private practice and trainings, he has helped thousands of children, adults and their families heal.
Over the last three decades of his career, Forrest has avidly shared his expertise to advance the field of trauma. He has consulted with 20/20, HBO and The Today Show and has presented at over 300 workshops internationally on the effects of early trauma including at the Mayo Clinic. As founder and owner of Lifespan Trauma Consulting, Forrest continues his legacy of therapeutic guidance and assessment and advocacy for adoptive and foster families and their children. Invite Forrest to guide your family toward effective therapeutic interventions.
Dr. Alston is a child, adolescent, family and adult psychiatrist. He has a significant national reputation within the attachment community. He has evaluated and treated over 3,000 patients with disruptive behavioral disorders associated with early life abuse and neglect. Dr. Alston has published several articles in medical journals and a book chapter emphasizing the co-existence of childhood mood disorders, especially bipolar disorder with reactive attachment disorder.