This session explores the intersection of trauma, vocational rehabilitation (VR) counseling, and the training experiences of VR counselors. The presentation covers the definition and impacts of trauma, emphasizing its prevalence and the need for trauma-informed care (TIC) in rehabilitation counseling. The study investigates post-graduate training experiences of VR counselors, examining how such training influences the counselors' adoption of trauma-informed approaches. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research finds that training in trauma/TIC has a positive impact on the actual use of trauma-informed approaches in practice, highlighting the importance of perceived ease of use in training provision. The study raises questions about the adequacy of current training and calls for improved technical assistance from federal agencies to promote TIC in rehabilitation counseling.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the definition and broad impacts of trauma, recognizing its prevalence and the need for trauma-informed care in vocational rehabilitation counseling.
• Examine the training experiences of vocational rehabilitation counselors, evaluating the relationship between training and the adoption of trauma-informed approaches in practice.
• Explore the role of perceived ease of use in the effectiveness of trauma/TIC training, emphasizing its significance as a predictor of actual use behavior among rehabilitation counselors.