Competence with accountability
Clear expectations for education, scope of practice, supervision, assessment, intervention, consultation, and referral.
A higher standard for trauma practice
Advancing excellence in psychotraumatology.
A professional home for rigorous certification, ethical standards, continuing education, and public trust in psychological trauma care.
- Ethical practice
- Evidence-informed standards
- Public protection
ABTE resource center
Find certification, standards, and education resources
Standards that serve people
Defining responsible psychotraumatology practice
The Board’s proposed standards framework places competence, ethics, cultural humility, and safety at the center of professional practice.
Explore the standards frameworkEvidence with clinical judgment
Research-informed decision-making that respects context, complexity, professional judgment, and client preferences.
Human dignity and cultural responsiveness
Practice that recognizes culture, identity, systemic conditions, community knowledge, and lived experience.
Trust through transparency
Published requirements, independent review, conflict-of-interest safeguards, and accessible professional accountability.
Proposed certification pathways
Recognizing advanced trauma competence
Each pathway is designed around education, supervised experience, ethical standing, and a specialty examination. Final requirements remain subject to expert and public review.
Clinical pathway
Clinical Psychotraumatology
For independently licensed clinicians whose work includes assessment and treatment of psychological trauma.
Graduate education · supervised practice · examination
Review pathway
Specialty pathway
Medical Trauma & Recovery
For qualified professionals supporting patients and families through illness, injury, procedures, and recovery.
Specialty training · case experience · examination
Review pathway
Response pathway
Crisis & Disaster Trauma
For professionals serving communities before, during, and after disasters, violence, and public emergencies.
Response training · field experience · examination
Review pathway
1Confirm eligibilityEducation, license, and experience
2Submit applicationDocumentation and ethical standing
3Complete assessmentPractice-relevant specialty examination
4Maintain certificationEducation, ethics, and renewal
For the public
Know what a trauma credential means.
A public credential should be understandable and verifiable. Learn what education, examination, ethics, and continuing competence a Board credential represents.
- Understand professional qualifications
- Verify current credential status
- Find guidance for choosing trauma care
Credential verification
Verify an ABTE credential
Foundational resource
Core Competencies in Psychotraumatology
A proposed competency map spanning trauma science, assessment, intervention, systems, ethics, culture, and professional sustainability.
Preview the frameworkEducation across a career
Learning that strengthens real-world practice
Build specialty knowledge through structured learning designed for practicing professionals, supervisors, educators, and institutions.
Knowledge & policy
Building the field in public
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About the Board
A credible home for the evolving discipline of psychotraumatology
The American Board of Traumatology Examiners is envisioned as an independent professional body devoted to strengthening specialty competence, ethical practice, interdisciplinary learning, and public understanding in psychological trauma.
Help shape the foundation
Contribute to the next standard in trauma practice.
Invite practitioners, researchers, educators, people with lived experience, and public-interest representatives into the development process.