TS Nelson                                  Publications, Consultation and Trainings

Terri Spahr Nelson is a psychotherapist specializing in sexual trauma recovery and a national consultant and educator with expertise on sexual trauma in the US military. She completed her undergraduate and graduate education in clinical social work at the University of Texas at Austin and later participated in the Ohio Victim Trauma Treatment Training Project from 1991 to 1993 for advanced training with a specialization in sexual abuse treatment.  She is also a member in good standing with the Academy of Clinical Social Workers (ACSW) and an affiliate member of the American Psychological Association, Trauma Division.

Ms. Spahr Nelson received her military training in behavioral sciences at the Academy of Health Sciences in 1980 while on active duty in the United States Army. She was twice awarded the Army Commendation medal during her four years in the military for her work at a hospital psychiatry department in Germany and at a social work services department at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.

Ms. Spahr Nelson's experiences over the past 28 years are diverse and extensive with non-profit civilian, military and governmental agencies as well as the owner of her own consultation and training business and a long time private practice. She was the founder and Director of a county wide rape crisis program, President of the Ohio Coalition on Sexual Assault and consultant on numerous advisory boards and committees on sexual violence including chair of the National Task Force to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, military subcommittee. She was also instrumental in opening the first Sexual Trauma Counseling Program for women veterans at the Cincinnati Vet Center in the early 1990’s.  In 2004, she was called upon as a Subject Matter Expert for the Department of Defense (DoD) in the preliminary development and planning of the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program.

Terri is the author several publications on rape, sexual assault, and violence, including For Love of Country:  Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the US Military (2002, Haworth Press) and the nationally distributed booklets, “Coping with Sexual Assault: A Guide to Resolution, Healing and Recovery” available in English, Spanish, Braille, and Large Print with special editions for teens, college students, military victims, and professionals and volunteers.  She is also the co-author of “The 1997 Violence Against Women Needs Assessment:  Ohio's Response to Violence Against Women” and “The Ohio Protocol for the Treatment of Sexual Assault Patients: A Five-Year Follow up Study.” Additionally, she was asked to contribute a chapter (The Enemy Within: Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military) in Abuse Your Illusions: The Disinformation Guide to Media Mirages and Establishment Lies published in 2003 by the Disinformation Company. 

She has been twice recognized by the state of Ohio for her work with rape victims and was named a Leading Woman of Greater Cincinnati in 1988 for her community service to victims of violence. Most notably, she served as Principal Investigator for a five-year international study on rape and sexual harassment in the United States Military resulting in the publication of her book, For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military. She has also provided consultation to numerous groups and organizations, including as a plenary speaker at the DoD Care for Sexual Assault Victims Conference in 2004 and guest speaker at the DoD worldwide Sexual Assault Response Coordinators Conference in 2006.  Additionally, she has provided consultation and interviews to the national and international media (including: CNN, NPR, 60 Minutes, BBC, Al Jazeera, Asia Times, Newsweek, The Government Executive, The Army Times and others) on her expertise regarding sexual assault in the U.S. Military and other sexual trauma issues.

Currently, Terri maintains a private psychotherapy practice, provides consultations and trainings for national and international programs and continues to author publications on these topics.

To contact Terri Spahr Nelson regarding trainings or consultations:

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