Advance your career with a trauma counseling certificate.
Develop the skills needed to care for clients impacted by trauma with our in-depth trauma-informed care certificate.
Affordable
Among the lowest tuition cost per credit hour in the U.S.
Attainable
No entrance exams. Complete in as little as one summer or up to four summers.
Flexible
100% fully online with several start dates available.
High quality
Our graduate programs are nationally ranked for excellence.
Online Certificate of Advanced Studies in Trauma Counseling
The Trauma Counseling certificate online is designed for graduate counseling students and professionals who want specialized preparation for working with clients impacted by trauma. Topics addressed are expected to include professional self-awareness, evidence-based interventions and application, and the integration of physiological responses in mental health treatment.
Coursework covered in the certificate in trauma counseling also explores advanced clinical considerations such as trauma across the lifespan, complex trauma, and the ways trauma symptoms can affect relationships, behavior, and overall .
Students may pursue this coursework if they have been accepted and are completing coursework in a graduate counseling program or related field. Professionals who are seeking this trauma-informed counseling certificate are eligible if they have completed a graduate degree in counseling or a related field and are in good standing with all state licensure boards and national certification bodies.
Fast facts
Delivery format: Fully online
Total classes: 4
Total credit hours: 9
Questions? Contact:
Counseling Department
Benthack Hall, Room 111
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 402-375-7389
Estimated program cost
Credit hours: 9
Cost per credit hour: $412 (includes fees)
*Based on 9 credit hours at the current online tuition rate for 2025-26. Does not include indirect costs. For more information on costs of graduate tuition, visit the Cost of Attendance page.
Get started today!
Our free application can help you decide if Wayne State College is the right choice for you and your career goals. You can apply up until the first day of the term!
Next term starts: Monday, July 13, 2026 (5-week summer session)
Upcoming start dates:
- Aug. 24, 2026 (8- and 16-week fall sessions available)
- Oct. 26, 2026 (8-week fall session)
- Jan. 11, 2027 (8- and 16-week spring sessions available)
Trauma Counseling certificate courses
The Certificate of Advanced Studies in Trauma Counseling consists of four courses (9 credit hours). Certificates of Advanced Studies may be earned separately or while working toward a master’s degree. The Trauma Counseling certificate is open to students and professionals who are completing coursework in a graduate counseling program or related field or have a completed graduate degree in counseling or a related field.
Trauma Counseling certificate courses are offered only in the summer.
Credit hours: 2
Description: This course is designed to facilitate personal reflection and enhanced sensitivity related to working with clients who have or are experiencing trauma. Topics in this course include identifying transference and countertransference concerns related to this work, integration of self into the therapeutic relationship, effective use of boundaries and self-disclosure, and professional evaluation of self-referrals. This course is utilized as a gatekeeping class to ensure that all students are adequately prepared both personally and professionally for this work. Please be mindful that the faculty instructor reserves the right to recommend personal counseling for the students if concerns arise.
Prerequisites: Enrolled in graduate counseling program or approved graduate program or completion of a
graduate degree in counseling or related field.Credits: 2
Description: This course will evaluate and review current evidence-based practices (EBTs) related to working with clients in trauma in the clinical counseling setting. Additional topics related to evidence-based practices include effective adaptation of models, lifespan concerns, legal processes and standards related to traumatic experiences, drug therapy implications, best practice standards, and certification requirements will be explored.
Prerequisite: A grade of B- or better in CSL 606 Professional Preparedness for Trauma Counseling.
Credit hours: 2
Description: This course will identify unique topics in the context of trauma treatment. Topics include child abuse/neglect, rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, complex grief, complex trauma, combat, witness to violence, etc.
Prerequisite: A grade of B- or better in CSL 606 Professional Preparedness for Trauma Counseling.
Credits: 3
Description: This course is designed to immerse students in the neurobiological responses related to trauma counseling practices and client symptom expression. This course will detail topics related to autonomic nervous system and sensory responses related to trauma, social and relational implications of trauma symptoms, and clinical awareness and treatment complexities related to trauma diagnoses.
Corequisite: CSL 606 Professional Preparedness for Trauma Counseling
Related programs
Students interested in the Trauma Counseling graduate certificate may also be interested in: