Tiamo Tamale
Assistant Professor
What I do
Clinical Assistant ProfessorDirector of the Trauma Disaster Recovery Clinic
Clinical Lead for Survivor of Torture Program
Clinical Supervision
Advising
First Gen/POC Group Facilitator
Specialization(s)
trauma, Child Psychology, Immigrant Mental Health, Working with Interpreters in Therapy, Family and Marriage Therapy
Professional Biography
Dr. Tiamo Tamale, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the State of Colorado. She earned her doctorate in Clinical-Child Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Tamale currently serves as Director and Clinical Supervisor of the Trauma Disaster Recovery Clinic, where she trains graduate students in providing culturally responsive care to survivors of torture, while also teaching several graduate-level courses.
Dr. Tamale completed her postdoctoral training at Aurora Mental Health Center, including work within the Colorado Refugee Wellness Center and Asian Pacific Development Center, where she provided mental health services to refugees and immigrants from diverse global backgrounds. Her specialized clinical work with survivors of torture began at Marjorie Kovler Center in Chicago in 2017, where she developed expertise in trauma-informed and cross-cultural care.
Earlier in her training, Dr. Tamale gained broad clinical experience across multiple settings, including University of Chicago Counseling Services, the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center, and the DePaul Family and Community Services Center. Across her work, she remains deeply committed to training future clinicians and expanding access to culturally responsive mental health services for historically underserved populations.
Dr. Tamale completed her postdoctoral training at Aurora Mental Health Center, including work within the Colorado Refugee Wellness Center and Asian Pacific Development Center, where she provided mental health services to refugees and immigrants from diverse global backgrounds. Her specialized clinical work with survivors of torture began at Marjorie Kovler Center in Chicago in 2017, where she developed expertise in trauma-informed and cross-cultural care.
Earlier in her training, Dr. Tamale gained broad clinical experience across multiple settings, including University of Chicago Counseling Services, the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center, and the DePaul Family and Community Services Center. Across her work, she remains deeply committed to training future clinicians and expanding access to culturally responsive mental health services for historically underserved populations.
Degree(s)
- Ph.D., Clinical-Child Psychology, DePaul University, 2019
- MA, Clinical-Child Psychology, DePaul University, 2014
- BA, Psychology, DePauw University, 2012
Licensure / Accreditations
- EMDR Trained
- Narrative Exposure Therapy
- Licensed Psychologist
Professional Affiliations
- Denver Rocky Mountain Association of Black Psychologists
- Denver Rocky Mountain Association of Black Psychologists
Media Sources
Research
Dr. Tamale’s research is grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health care for immigrant and refugee populations, with a particular focus on survivors of torture. Her work takes a translational and practice-based approach, examining how evidence-informed interventions can be effectively adapted and implemented in real-world clinical settings.
Her scholarship centers on language access in mental health care, including the clinical, ethical, and training implications of working with interpreters in therapy. She is particularly interested in how clinicians can be trained to deliver high-quality care across language and cultural differences, and how interpreter-mediated therapy can be integrated into standard clinical practice.
In addition, Dr. Tamale’s work explores clinical training models and systems-level interventions that expand access to care for underserved communities. Through her leadership of a training clinic, she evaluates and refines approaches to supervision, service delivery, and program development that support both clinician competency and client outcomes.
Overall, her research bridges community need, clinical practice, and workforce development, with the goal of advancing equitable and accessible mental health services globally.
Her scholarship centers on language access in mental health care, including the clinical, ethical, and training implications of working with interpreters in therapy. She is particularly interested in how clinicians can be trained to deliver high-quality care across language and cultural differences, and how interpreter-mediated therapy can be integrated into standard clinical practice.
In addition, Dr. Tamale’s work explores clinical training models and systems-level interventions that expand access to care for underserved communities. Through her leadership of a training clinic, she evaluates and refines approaches to supervision, service delivery, and program development that support both clinician competency and client outcomes.
Overall, her research bridges community need, clinical practice, and workforce development, with the goal of advancing equitable and accessible mental health services globally.
Key Projects
- Direct Services for Survivors of Torture (SOT) Program in Denver
- Delivering Culturally Responsive Mental Health Care to newly arrived Afghans
Presentations
. (2023). Community-embedded Mental Health Care for Resettled Afghan Families: Navigators as Key Supports. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Los Angeles California: International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
. (2021). Growing Local: Novel program model nurtures clients' resilience and grows local SoT mental health provider network. National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs (NCTTP): Torture treatment: Clinical, Community, Policy Interventions, Outcome Evaluations" Virtual Symposium: Monday, March 8, 2021 . Virtual Symposium : National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs (NCTTP) & Heal Torture.
. (2022). Impact of medical diagnosis and physical health during clinical sharebacks of survivor of torture treatment progress. Trauma as a Transdiagnostic Risk Factor Across the Lifespan. Atlanta, Georgia: International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
. (2022). Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders. CHA/PA Program Guest lecture |Anschutz Medical School. Aurora, Colorado: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
Awards
- DU Supervisor of the Year, University of Denver Student Employment
- University of Denver Teaching Award, University of Denver Faculty Teaching
