Publication Date

Summer 2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Counselor Education

Advisor

Zachary McNiece; Marion Beach; Minyi Li

Abstract

To address gaps between research and psychotherapeutic intervention for trauma and trauma-related issues, the current study elicited and analyzed the perspectives of licensed trauma therapists via a concept mapping process. A literature review was conducted to explore the history and limitations of trauma’s current medical use as outlined by Criterion A of posttraumatic stress disorder in the DSM-5-TR. To answer the research question regarding how practitioners understand trauma, the researcher recruited licensed trauma therapists (n = 17) to participate in concept mapping. Participants generated 126 unique statements, which they then sorted based on similarity and rated individually on importance. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed four dimensions of trauma as outlined by practitioners: trauma recovery, symptoms and characteristics, traumatic events, and clinical definitions. Key findings involved emphases on the diversity of trauma presentations, the importance of subjective interpretation of the traumatic experience, and the physiological aspects of recovery.

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