Karen Doyle Buckwalter

Karen Doyle Buckwalter, LCSW, RPT-S is an Author, Podcaster, and Director of Clinical Practice at Chaddock a multi-service agency that provides a range of residential, educational, and foster and adoption services to children and their families. Karen has been a Certified Theraplay Trainer and Supervisor since 2000 providing training in the U.S. and across the world. She is also trained in many other types of therapy including Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Child Parent Psychotherapy, Video Intervention Therapy, and EMDR. In addition, she completed a 2-year post-masters Marriage and Family Therapy Training Program at Menninger Clinic. Her clinical specialty areas include working with attachment disruptions, complex trauma, and adoption and foster care-related issues. Having completed the 2-week Adult Attachment Interview Institute in 2007, she has a special interest in clinical use and research related to the AAI. Beginning her work at Chaddock in 1994 she spearheaded the development of an innovative and comprehensive form of treatment known as the Developmental Trauma and Attachment Program® (DTAP®). One of the only residential treatment programs of its kind in the country DTAP® has served youth from 33 different states in the U.S. She has authored peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and articles featured in Adoption Today and Fostering Families Today Magazines. Her first book, Attachment Theory in Action, edited with Debbie Reed released in 2017. Her second book, Raising the Challenging Child, co-authored with Debbie Reed and Wendy Lyons Sunshine released in 2020. Outside of work you will find her hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas.