Coming Out of the Darkness: Understanding Complex Trauma

YVONNE JOHNSON- GILBERT, attained her BA in Clinical Psychology with a secondary in Special Education under a full academic scholarship and continued for her Graduate degree attaining her MSW from SUNY, Stony Brook, NY with a major in Clinical Social Work and Secondary Specialization in Psychopharmacology and Addiction. Ms. Gilbert’s internships included CPS/DSS, Probation and Parole and Inpatient Psychiatric/Medical. Having come from a Professional Fine Arts background, she emerged her analytic understanding of psychology with the concepts of Art and attained Certification as a Clinical Art Psychotherapist (RATR) from the Amer Artist Therapist Assoc. in NYC and has taught many courses over the years to Mental Health and Educational Professionals. While working in Mental Health she quickly became aware of the symbiotic relationship between mental disorders and substance misuse deciding to attain Certifications in Substance Abuse and now holds the CC-ATODSW, LCAS, CCS. Yvonne Gilbert’s Professional Career spans almost thirty years, having worked Mental Health, inpatient and outpatient covering New York at Central Islip Psychiatric Hospital, Florida at Charter Hospital and out-patient Center as well as teaching courses at Edison Community College and North Carolina with Blue Ridge Mental Health and North Carolina Dept. of Corrections. She is currently in Private Practice in Waynesville, working DWI Assessments and Treatment and Assessments & Addictive Behavioral Alternatives, PLLC. Because of her dedication and compassion for the field she has developed and published several articles and numerous professional training seminars for NASW, APNC, NAADAC, MAHEC among others on various topics and is currently writing a book on “Journey Into The Inner Psyche,” which is based upon her clinical work and case histories working with Clinical Art Psychotherapy. Yvonne Gilbert is not only a seasoned professional but also a mother to adult children, grandmother, and great-grandmother which has given her “human insight” having worked through many of the issues other families struggle with and seek help with. Yvonne Gilbert, loves gardening especially flowers and herbs, swimming, fishing, hiking, museums, art galleries, flea markets, photography, and painting, cooking, and entertaining friends.