Relationship Recovery Process (RRP) Research Study
Bringing RRP to the Clinical Community
Since 2022, we’ve been conducting empirical research on the Relationship Recovery Process (RRP) group model. Our goal? To introduce RRP as a proven, evidence-based therapy for addressing childhood trauma.
The first findings of this ongoing research project are aimed to be published in 2025, offering ethical, transparent, and transformative insights into the RRP model, focusing on the six-month group modality.
How It Works
Over the course of the six-month RRP groups, we collect data from participants at three key points:
Before the group starts.
This helps establish a baseline.
Midway through the group process.
(approximately 12 sessions).
At the conclusion of the group.
(approximately 24 sessions).
Note: Groups with fewer participants may have fewer sessions.
Steps to Participate
Step 01
Speak with Your RRP Therapist
If you’re currently in or planning to join an RRP group, ask your therapist about becoming a research participant.
Step 02
Complete the Consent Form
Step 03
Complete the First Assessment
Step 04
Stay on Track with Reminders
Your Privacy Matters.
- Participants remain anonymous and are assigned a unique identifier.
- All data is stored securely, ensuring the safety and confidentiality of your information.
- An email address is required to facilitate communication and reminders.
Why Participate?
We are in the middle of a long-term effort to make the public aware of the Relationship Recovery Process that we already know to be an effective model of childhood trauma therapy but we need to empirically make it known as well.
Our goal in the research is to educate the public as well as inform the mental health community to know the RRP is a highly effective clinical group resource to utilize in practices and clinics. Why just continue with CBT that doesn’t really concern itself with childhood trauma?
Clients are welcome to see their results in the self reported assessments. Just ask your RRP therapist to obtain your data and discuss the results.
The Research Team
Patrick Teahan
LICSW
I earned my master’s degree in Social Work from Boston College and my bachelor’s degree in music and psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Before entering private practice, I worked with veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs in acute inpatient psychiatry.
I also worked as a clinical supervisor in community mental health and private practice outpatient clinics.
Kyle Jennette
PhD, MA
Kyle Jennette, PhD, MA serves as a research and statistical consultant for RRP. He provides oversight of research and data management operations for studies in RRP Group.
Dr. Jennette is also a clinical neuropsychologist at UI Health and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Neurology, and Surgery and the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine.
Dr. Christopher Frechette
LICSW, ThD, MSW
Dr. Christopher Frechette is a licensed independent clinical social worker and fellow childhood trauma survivor.
In his private practice, Christopher Wellness LLC, he helps adults heal from effects of childhood trauma and engages in research and publication studying both childhood-trauma treatment and spiritual resources for trauma recovery.
Dr. Stephen Foster
PhD, MS
Dr. Stephen Foster is a PhD Social Psychologist currently working as an Assistant Professor at the Penn State University York campus. Dr. Foster holds a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A./B.S. in Spanish from Albion College in south central Michigan.
He subsequently received both his M.S. in Psychology and his PhD in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma.
Learn more about Patrick:
While I enjoyed the academic study in my master’s program, my experience in childhood trauma healing came from my time as a client. At 19, I stumbled into therapy as a somewhat feral childhood trauma survivor and spent five years with a gifted and profoundly influential trauma therapist and fellow LICSW – Amanda Curtin.
Amanda developed the RRP group model of childhood trauma that I now practice, do research on, train, and talk about on my YouTube channel.
Currently, I spend most of my time making psychoeducational videos on childhood trauma and training clinical therapists in Amanda Curtin’s RRP group psychotherapy model.
Learn more about Kyle:
Dr. Jennette earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Flagler College, master’s degree in Gerontology from the University of South Florida, and PhD in Clinical Psychology with emphasis in Neuropsychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He completed his clinical psychology internship in Neuropsychology at the University of Chicago Medical Center and fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Illinois – Chicago Medical Center.
Dr. Jennette clinical work is focused on neuropsychological evaluation of adults with memory and cognitive concerns, with expertise in aging and dementia; Alzheimer’s disease; end-stage organ failure; transplant surgery (stem cell, kidney, liver, heart, intestinal); complex medical/cerebrovascular disease (Long-COVID; stroke; sickle cell disease); epilepsy; and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Dr. Jennette’s research is broadly focused on translational neuroscience, interdisciplinary care, and social determinants of health (SDoH) in cognitive and psychological functioning.
Learn more about Christopher:
He offers group and individual psychotherapy employing the Relationship Recovery Process (RRP) developed by Amanda Curtin. His expertise includes helping childhood trauma survivors who have been injured by oppressive religious influences, those who seek to integrate spirituality into their healing journey, and those who identify as LGBTQ+.
Dr. Frechette earned an undergraduate degree in English and philosophy, with a minor in psychology (BA, Rockhurst University); masters degrees in social work (MSW, Salem State University), in ministry (MDiv, Santa Clara University), and in theology (STL, Boston College); and a doctorate in ancient Near Eastern religious texts (ThD, Harvard University).
His internationally recognized academic publications using trauma theory to interpret biblical texts include Bible through the Lens of Trauma (2016, co-edited with Elizabeth Boase) and “Two Biblical Motifs of Divine Violence as Resources for Meaning-making in Engaging Self-blame and Rage after Traumatization,” Pastoral Psychology 66 (2017): 239–49.
Learn more about Stephen:
He currently teaches a range of classes in social psychology and social-adjacent themes including Health Psychology and Cross-Cultural Psychology.
His research is focused on the overlap between cultural factors, health behaviors, and stigma, with a recent focus in mental health help-seeking and trauma. He also does work in psychological measurement and the validation of assessments for clinical features and outcomes.