Trauma Concentration and Certificate

Arcadia’s Graduate Program in Counseling prepares highly qualified counselors to work with a range of communities across various settings, such as community agencies, private practices, hospitals, college counseling centers, and primary and secondary schools. The Trauma (Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery) concentration is one of seven available specialty concentrations offered as part of the Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC, 60 credits) program, which is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Accreditation Council (MPCAC). A graduate certificate in Trauma is also available to practicing clinicians who already have a Master’s degree and wish to further their knowledge and skills in this specialty area. 

The Trauma Concentration is only available to students completing the 60-credit MAC. This 15-credit concentration includes three required courses and two additional electives. These courses address the need for counselors to assist clients who have been impacted by traumatic experiences both locally and internationally. Specifically, training focuses on short-term interventions and long-term care with emphasis on evidence-based treatments of trauma, strategies for treating grief and bereavement, as well as advocacy and social justice.

Graduates will display and understanding of the diagnosis and features of trauma and stressor-related disorders and challenges, including grief, bereavement, and complex trauma; demonstrate comprehension and application of several empirically supported psychotherapies for trauma, as well as grief and bereavement; and learn and practice advocacy and social justice strategies for individuals and communities with trauma. Students who complete this concentration are required to complete their internship at a site that provides clinical services to clients who have experienced trauma.

The Trauma Certificate is one of three advanced educational options for practicing counselors who already have a Master’s degree and related mental health providers looking to further their knowledge and skills and career opportunities. This graduate certificate addresses the need for counselors to assist clients who have been impacted by traumatic experiences both locally and internationally. Specifically, training focuses on short-term interventions and long-term care with an emphasis on evidence-based treatments of trauma, strategies for treating grief and bereavement, as well as advocacy and social justice.