Abstract
Research has established the need for trauma education and training for safe and effective entry-level practice. However, studies have shown insufficient and inconsistent training in graduate counseling programs. Those studies reflected the opinions and experiences of practitioners and graduate students. To add to the extant literature, we used the Delphi method to gather information from counselor educators who have experience in trauma counseling and education. The Delphi technique is a group communication strategy designed to obtain expert consensus through a series of survey questionnaires, modified and adapted to reflect group opinion. We asked participants for their insight into the most effective way to integrate trauma education into the graduate counseling curriculum. After three survey rounds, 12 trauma and counselor education experts reached consensus on the following: (a) faculty education and training to increase competence and efficacy in teaching trauma-focused material and utilization of trauma-informed teaching practices that enhance learning; (b) counselor educator dispositions that reflect a responsive, trauma-informed, and resilience-oriented framework to facilitate change; (c) development of course content that incorporates trauma-informed principles, trauma-specific knowledge and skills, cultural diversity, and assessment; (d) accreditation standards that support trauma education. The expert panel offered recommendations that the counseling profession can utilize to move forward in making trauma education a priority.
Recommended Citation
York, J., Baggs, A., Schmuldt, L., & Sherman, N. (2024). Trauma Curriculum Integration in Counselor Education: A Delphi Study. Trauma Counseling and Resilience, 1(1). Retrieved from https://mds.marshall.edu/tcr/vol1/iss1/4