Careers for M.A. in Human Services Graduates Who Specialize in Trauma and Resilience
| 6 Min Read
By preparing for human services careers, you can make a difference on behalf of vulnerable populations in your community. Given the prevalence of trauma nationwide, choosing to specialize in trauma and resilience will enable you to understand the causes and impact of this challenge. As a result, you’ll have skills for delivering targeted support involving self-care strategies that promote recovery.
Why Careers in Human Services Focus on Trauma and Resilience
As outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), trauma is a common experience for many children and adults. It often stems from physical, emotional, or life-threatening harm that leaves a negative imprint on an individual’s mental health.
Practicing trauma-informed care assuages the stigma that many people feel after traumatic experiences. It encourages practitioners to avoid casting shame when exploring trauma with clients, especially when those experiences impact behavior. As detailed in a book co-authored by Dr. Bruce Perry, a neuroscientist and child psychiatrist, this approach helps “shift conversations away from ‘what is wrong with you?’ to ‘what happened to you?’”
Through this thoughtful support, people in human services careers can peel back the layers on client histories to see how actions might stem from traumatic experiences. It also steers interventions away from accusations of wrongdoing and toward imparting resilience that fosters positive change.
How Professionals in Varying Fields Address Trauma
Trauma-informed approaches are becoming a cornerstone of many industries with human services careers, such as:
Social Work
Social workers assist diverse clients with vulnerabilities, including people who have experienced trauma. Social Work Today shared that it’s vital for practitioners to understand how trauma affects clients while offering guidance and resources intended to lessen its effects. This type of support is less likely to trigger the memories of traumatic events that could result in unintended consequences for clients.
Health Care
Recognizing the toll that trauma has on patients, the American Medical Association (AMA) enacted trauma-informed policies in 2021. Through these policies, the AMA urges medical professionals to pay close attention to patient cues signifying trauma and respond sensitively when deploying care. In addition to identifying therapy options that center on recovery, trauma-informed care helps medical staff follow procedures that avoid re-traumatization.
Counseling
Mental health professionals who engage in trauma-informed care seek to deepen their understanding of client behavior and build empathy for challenging experiences, according to the American Counseling Association. That empathy establishes trust with clients, especially those resistant to treatment and lays the foundation for a constructive, collaborative counseling relationship.
Education
The National Education Association spotlights how educators can employ trauma-informed practices “to create safe and supportive learning environments for all students.” In addition to watching for red flags that students have experienced trauma and need assistance, educators must replace punitive disciplines with positive reinforcement, in turn encouraging growth and resilience.
Criminal Justice
According to Psychology Today, the justice system has largely allowed the links between trauma and criminal behavior to go unseen. That’s unfortunate because studies have shown that childhood trauma often opens the door to criminal behavior. In response, trauma-informed criminal justice stresses the importance of restorative responses to crime — focusing less on punishment and more on addressing the needs of victims and offenders affected by trauma.
Corporate Wellness
Trauma is not only felt by people in their homes and communities, but also within workplaces. As a result, many organizations are creating trauma-informed company cultures to make mental health and resilience central features of corporate wellness objectives.
Careers in Human Services That Focus on Trauma and Resilience
People wanting to provide assistance and guidance to individuals affected by trauma can seek an array of careers in human services and related fields, including the following options. Note that some careers with human services degree requirements also necessitate licensure or certification in some states.
Trauma-Informed Counselor
Becoming a trauma counselor is an excellent career path for people who want to work directly with clients. According to Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services, these counselors have specialized expertise in how trauma affects diverse clients across the lifespan. By applying their trauma screening and assessment skills, they identify coping strategies and instill resilience in clients.
In May 2025, the median trauma counselor salary was $86,000 per year, with the top roles paying $110,000 annually.
Case Manager
Case management careers are ideal for human services professionals skilled in coordination, as they connect clients with counseling and additional support for addressing trauma and other challenges. As detailed by ZipRecruiter, this work requires extensive engagement on behalf of clients, such as collaborating with physicians, insurance companies, and home health professionals.
Although the average case manager salary was $47,743 per year in May 2025, some of these roles paid as much as $68,500.
Victim Advocate
Victim advocates provide compassionate support intended to uphold the dignity of clients, according to the National Organization for Victim Advocacy. This support goes beyond offering access to resources, as victim advocates work to protect clients’ rights and partner with community leaders to advance the mission of this field.
The average victim advocate salary was $60,627 per year in May 2025, with the top pay exceeding $85,000.
Group Home Manager
Group home managers oversee residences established for people needing care and supervision due to injury, disabilities, and mental health conditions. Their responsibilities include upholding the safety of individuals in their care, managing budgets, and hiring staff, according to the National Association of Social Workers.
As of April 2025, the average annual salary for group home managers was $86,639, with some professionals earning just over $105,000.
Trauma-Informed Policy Advisor
As awareness of trauma’s effects becomes more well-known, some policy advisors are urging legislators to invest in trauma-informed care. According to the Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center, gauging the efficacy of trauma screenings and treatments is a priority for policy advisors wanting to expand support for people impacted by traumatic events.
Payscale reported an average annual salary of $79,675 for policy advisors in March 2025. Additionally, the highest-paying roles offered more than $120,000 per year.
With each of these careers in human services, you’ll get the opportunity to make a difference for people affected by trauma. Preparing for these roles provides significant job security, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects community and social service employment will grow faster than other occupations from 2023 to 2033. During that timeframe, employers are expected to post an average of 299,400 jobs each year.
Prepare for Careers with Human Services Degree Requirements
If you’re ready to develop expertise for human services careers, consider the online M.A. in Human Services: Trauma, Resilience, and Self-Care Strategies program from CSP Global. You’ll complete 12 courses to deepen your understanding of trauma and stressor-related disorders. The career-connected curriculum explores trauma’s impact on individuals and families, preparing you to meet the rising need for professionals ready to engage in trauma-informed practice.
Request information about this online program today. CSP Global enables you to transfer up to 50% of the required credits, so you can finish in fewer than 24 months.