I grew up between the urban cities of the East Coast and have lived and studied in Jerusalem, Israel. From a very early age, the value of service to others was instilled in me, propelling me toward a career in the helping professions. I was initially a Special Education teacher and specialized in areas of Selective Mutism and Autism Spectrum Disorder. I discovered the counselor inside from working with many diverse and delightful people of all ages and pursued a Master's degree in Counseling in 2004. Due to my equal love for the practice of psychotherapy, I combined two great passions of teaching and counseling through completion of a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision. I am continuously inspired by interactions with peers, students, and mentors, and learn so much from the academic environment. I am also a mother of four fantastic children who are my greatest teachers and make all of my endeavors worthwhile. It is a true honor to work at the University of Colorado Denver and I look forward to many rich experiences of teaching, research, scholarship, and leadership.
Areas of Expertise
- Historical Trauma
- Historical Trauma Response
- Cultural and Religious Trauma
- Sacred Stories and Cultural Stories in treatment of trauma
- Multicultural Dynamics in Clinical Supervision
Education, Licensure & Certifications
- Ph.D. Counselor Education and Supervision
- M.A. Counseling
- B.A. The Liberal Arts
- Licensed Professional Counselor (Colorado)
- Licensed Addictions Counselor
Resumes/CV:
Awards
- Excellence in Teaching Award, Regis University (2016)
- Student Advocacy Award, Regis University (2014)
Affiliations
I am affiliated with the ACA (American Counseling Association), ACES (Association for Counselor Education and Supervision)
Research
I am a qualitative researcher and focus primarily on case studies of Historical Trauma (HT), Historical Trauma Response (HTR), and the integration of sacred and cultural stories in treatment of HT and HTR.
Publications and Presentations
- Wiggins, E., Holstun, V., Vander Ley, M., Abrams, C.M., Caple, R., McColloch, D., Wilde, B.J. (2020). Supervision through the career span: The lived experiences of counselors. The Qualitative Report. Under review.
- Kramer, A. (Producer). (2019, November 6). EP147: Exploring Historical Trauma Response – A Conversation with Dr. Chaya Abrams [Audio Podcast]. The Thoughtful Counselor. Retrieved from https://thethoughtfulcounselor.com/?p=227458
- Abrams, C.M. (2019). Silenced no more: Transformation of female sexual violation into sacred stories and sacred silence. The International Journal of Gender and Women’s Studies, 7(2), pp. 13-21. DOI: 10.15640/ijgws.v7n2p2 URL http://dx.doi.org/10.15640/ijgws.v7n2p2
- Abrams, C.M., Elliot, G., Ortiz de Raet, A., McColloch, D., & Meder, C. (2018). The impact of program modality on counselor preparation comprehensive examination subscale scores. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision. 10(1). Retrieved from: https://repository.wcsu.edu/jcps/vol10/iss1/5.