Trauma Psychology at lesley University

The field of trauma studies has grown in the past twenty years but interest peaked after frequent incidents of school violence, the September 11^th attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the devastation in the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. There is a heightened sense of vigilance in schools, the workplace and society as a whole, and a definitive need to understand and treat the effects of trauma. The Counseling and Psychology division at Lesley University offers two options in trauma training.

The Trauma Certificate

This twelve-credit program offers advanced training for counselors and master’s level graduates in counseling psychology or related fields, who hope to specialize in working with survivors of trauma. Students in the program have an opportunity to develop skills in both trauma assessment and intervention. This twelve-credit program covers a full exploration of the trauma field that includes looking at the history and the nature of trauma, examining the role of power and oppression in the expression of trauma, how trauma affects human, social and cultural systems, and a critical evaluation of diverse approaches in trauma intervention.

Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Trauma Specialization

In this 60 credit masters degree program students declare a specialization in trauma studies at the beginning of the program. Through coursework, the program provides students with the opportunity to develop broaden and refine their clinical skills and knowledge in trauma studies. This is achieved through a discussion of controversies and new developments in the field of trauma studies from a multicultural perspective. The roles of socio-political stressors in the expression of trauma are examined in order to explore innovative/integrative and culturally relevant interventions that address the impact of these stressors. Students are encouraged to reframe trauma so that resilience and strength are highlighted, the sources of oppression and victimization at a personal, interpersonal and institutional level are identified and survivors are empowered.

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.- Trauma Studies Specialization