Narrative Focused Trauma Care® Level II

Narrative Focused Trauma Care® (NFTC) Level II Training is designed for practitioners and leaders who desire to deepen their skills in order to further serve and foster healing in their communities. Available in an interactive, fully online format, this secondary level of training expands on the foundational competencies and story engagement techniques of Narrative Focused Trauma Care developed in Level I.

Thank you for your interest in this training. Applications for the 2025-26 cohort of Narrative Focused Trauma Care Level II will open in April 2025. Please join the Interest List below to be notified as soon as applications open!

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About NFTC Level II

We believe that true growth in Narrative Focused Trauma Care comes from the ongoing connection between what you’ve learned, how you’ve been personally transformed, and your ability to engage others’ stories with both skill and care. This kind of transformation doesn’t happen all at once—it takes continued learning, regular return to foundational concepts, and space to practice and reflect.

Narrative Focused Trauma Care Level II brings all of this together. It’s designed to support your continued development—personally and professionally—as you deepen your ability to work with stories in your unique setting.

In Level II, you will take a more active role as you begin to apply and practice your skills and technique. You will take turns facilitating other participants’ stories, receiving personal feedback and in-the-moment coaching along the way. This will be coupled with thoughtful engagement around ways in which your own story has shaped your own style of relating.

You will also deepen your capacity to recognize and engage core issues such as shame, contempt, ambivalence, and cultural context as they are revealed through story. By the end of NFTC Level II training, you’ll have a stronger, more nuanced approach to naming and engaging these themes, grounded in both your personal growth and the new skills you’ve gained.

I am ending this year of training feeling more whole, more willing to engage, and more bold in my approach to life.” – NFTC Level II participant

Key Takeaways

Across four immersive weekends, this program will guide you in uncovering and developing your distinct approach to story work facilitation. You’ll engage with focused instruction from a diverse team of experienced leaders, gain hands-on experience by practicing story engagement in a group context with the support of a seasoned mentor, and receive in-depth coaching and personalized feedback to highlight your strengths and areas for growth. Through this journey, you will:

• Identify and utilize core Narrative Focused Trauma Care categories, including: narrative, trauma, family of origin, cultural context, arousal, triangulation, complicity, and binds
• Increase capacity to engage with wisdom and precision through identifying primary themes in story, learning to read body language and speech, learning to listen to your own body, and growing in discernment regarding the work of evil and the role of shame
• Develop increased awareness of your personal style of relating and facilitation style, including how they are experienced by others
• Deepen your understanding for how your style of relating was formed within story and cultural context and how it informs your calling
• Develop an understanding of how our past stories of harm continue to play out through the process of countertransference: how particular themes of our story create reenacting experiences within relationships, your leading style, and the group dynamic
• Continue to grow in personal identity formation and recognize where culture, gender, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic experiences inform how you read and engage the personal and collective stories and where they intersect
• Gain eligibility to continue to the Certificate in Narrative Focused Trauma Care Level III

I think Level I is more about understanding and Level II is about taking what we’ve learned and applying it in real time. It’s extremely valuable and I’m so glad that I answered the call. – Narrative Focused Trauma Care Level II participant

Level II Training Dates & Cost

NFTC Level II will take place over the course of one orientation and four intensive weekends. The teachings and Story Groups are completely Virtual; there is not currently an option for an In-Person cohort for Level II.

• Orientation: October 1, 2025 (4-5 PM PT)
• October 9-12, 2025
• December 4-7, 2025 
• February 5-8, 2026
• April 16-19, 2026

Each four-day session runs on a similar schedule: 8:00am-4:00pm PT Thursday-Saturday and 8:00am-12:30pm PT Sunday. A detailed schedule for the 2025-2026 cohort will be provided.

Cost: The total program cost of NFTC Level II, which includes 110 seat hours of training, is $7495. Complete details about the cost for this program, payment plans, and scholarship options are below.

Your Training Experience

Each weekend offers an immersive experience that fosters personal transformation, deepens knowledge, and builds skills—all within a carefully structured schedule that prioritizes rest, sustainability, and ongoing self-care.

The impact of this program is so profound and has brought such insight in ways I never knew were possible or thought I ever needed. I know I am certainly not the same person that entered this group as I am now.  -Level II Participant

FAQs and Virtual Learning Requirements

Life changing and transformational. I have felt empowered to continue in this work. I have experienced a deeper understanding of myself and how I show up in relationships. -Level II participant

Application Process

To be eligible to apply, you must have completed Narrative Focused Trauma Care Level I Training.

To apply, please create an account in our online application portal. In your application, we’ll ask you to share about the knowledge and skills you’d like to develop through this next level of training, your experience and comfort level with receiving and incorporating feedback, and how you hope to apply this training in your current context. We also include feedback from your NFTC Level I facilitator in our discernment for your readiness to partake in NFTC Level II. If we have any questions about your application, an admissions counselor may reach out to discuss your short answers.

A non-refundable $50 application fee is required to submit your application.

Admission into the Narrative Trauma Care Level II program is not competitive. We accept a wide range of experiences and backgrounds and applicants do not need to have professional experience in a helping profession to be considered for this program. All applications will be reviewed thoughtfully to ensure readiness to enter the depth of this work. Applicants will be notified of their admission status within 10 business days of application submission.

Costs

The total program cost for 110 seat hours of training at NFTC Level II is $7495 for the Virtual Cohort.

Upon acceptance to NFTC Level II, a non-refundable, non-transferable $500 deposit is required to initially reserve your seat. This deposit is applied toward your total program cost.

To fully secure your enrollment, you will be invited to set up a 6 Month or 10 Month Payment Plan to pay your remaining balance (the extended 10 Month option is only available for applicants who start their Payment Plan by July 31, 2025). If you would prefer to pay your balance in full instead of on a Payment Plan, please contact us at programs@theallendercenter.org for options. Limited partial scholarships are also available; see below.

Scholarships Are Available

We believe in the importance of this work and do our best to make this offering accessible. If the cost of the program is a barrier, we encourage you to invite your community to consider sponsoring you. We are also grateful to be able to offer a limited number of partial scholarships thanks to the generosity of our donor community.

We offer sliding scale scholarships ranging from $600-$1750 for NFTC Level II. Scholarships are typically awarded on a first-come, first-served basis at the time of application. However, if some initial award recipients do not officially enroll and use their scholarship, additional funds may become available on a rolling basis later in the year, though this cannot be guaranteed.

Instructions to apply for a scholarship using a self-reflection and self-assessment tool are provided through email when you submit your application. We prioritize support for applicants facing current financial constraints and/or systemic barriers that limit access to wealth and opportunities. If approved, you will be notified of your award amount along with your acceptance to the program.

If you are not initially awarded a scholarship but still choose to enroll at the standard fee, we trust this indicates you have found a way to cover the cost without scholarship assistance. As a result, we do not retroactively apply newly available scholarships to those who have already enrolled.

Cancellation, Payment, and Refund Policy

The Center understands that unforeseen circumstances may arise and wants to be clear about our financial policies regarding payments, cancellations, and refunds. This policy exists because your enrollment reserves a limited spot in our program, and cancellations close to the start date make it difficult for us to fill that space. We strive to steward our resources wisely, and withdrawals create financial challenges that impact our ability to operate and serve others effectively. We appreciate your understanding of the commitments required to sustain this program for all participants.

Once you receive your acceptance notice and choose to complete your enrollment, the following payment and refund policies go into effect:

• The $500 enrollment deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable under all circumstances.
• If you cancel or withdraw, any other Program fees may be refundable or still due, based on the following schedule. If an amount is still due, you are responsible for paying the amount through an existing payment plan or another payment method. The percentage refundable or still due is based on the total Program fees (excluding the deposit), not the amount paid to date:
  • More than 60 days before program start date: 100% refundable
  • 45–60 days before program start date: 75% refundable (25% is retained or still due if unpaid)
  • 30–44 days before program start date: 50% refundable (50% is retained or still due if unpaid)
  • Less than 30 days before program start date or anytime after start date: No refund (100% of Program fees retained or still due if unpaid)

If you choose to cancel or withdraw from the program, please promptly notify the Center in writing by sending an email to programs@theallendercenter.org.

Continuing Education Units

Participants in Narrative Focused Trauma Care Level II at the Allender Center receive a certificate of completion verifying 110 seat hours. Participants may apply for recognition of these hours for CEU credit with their respective licensing bodies. The Allender Center is an organization housed within The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. The Seattle School is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), is authorized by the Washington Student Achievement Council, and meets the requirements and minimum education standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institution Act.

The Allender Center at The Seattle School will not be held responsible for professional licensing boards or states that do not recognize the requested CEUs.

Scope & Limitations of NFTC

Narrative Focused Trauma Care is a theologically and psychologically-informed approach that integrates psychological perspectives within a Christian theological framework. NFTC incorporates research on trauma and attachment, as well as Christian biblical and archetypal frameworks, to understand the impact of trauma in relation to the self, God, and others. NFTC functions as a lens through which to understand personal and collective stories of trauma. It centers on the story engagement process, and NFTC training provides instruction that can help a trauma-informed individual offer a supported experience for exploring and understanding personal stories and their impacts. 

NFTC can be applied in various professional and vocational contexts. While licensed counselors may integrate NFTC into their practice, it is not a substitute for clinical mental health services and does not diagnose or treat mental health concerns. NFTC should not be regarded as counseling, psychotherapy, or any other clinical intervention. NFTC trained individuals who use NFTC in their professional, volunteer, or personal contexts are responsible for ensuring use of the training is in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and licensing or educational requirements in their location.

Learn More About Narrative Focused Trauma Care®

The Narrative Focused Trauma Care® (NFTC) Model is an innovative methodology that integrates psychology and theology to holistically engage the heartbreaking impact of trauma and abuse with compassion and care. This model builds on the foundational, lifelong work of Dr. Dan Allender in the realm of trauma and abuse recovery and his deep conviction that healing is not only possible, but is core to the gospel story unfolding within and around us. Read more about NFTC here.

Questions about this training? We’d love to talk with you. Please reach out to programs@theallendercenter.org.