The Relationships Among Neuroscience Knowledge, Traumatic Life Experiences, and Factors Related to Impairment Among Counselors

This study identifies and addresses the relationship among counselor impairment, counselor trauma experiences, and factors related to impairment. It seeks to identify one potential creative intervention that might assist in the reduction of impairment, through counselor knowledge and use of neuroscience. Using a quantitative study design, participants were recruited and participated in completion of a multiple measurement survey, in which they provided data regarding neuroscience use and knowledge, trauma history, compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and posttraumatic growth. Data was analyzed using stepwise multiple regression and canonical correlation analysis in order to root out themes within the data. Possible implications of the study data include increasing understanding of how neuroscience knowledge relates to counselor levels of impairment, past trauma, and posttraumatic growth, as well as the need for ongoing support for research regarding the creative incorporation of neuroscience into counselor education and supervision. Additionally, how the use of neuroscience might act as a predictor of levels of PTGI and creative metacognition in counselors with past trauma experiences.