The relationship between experience and training with counselor confidence in working with Veterans
Abstract:Up to 65% of veterans deployed in combat or returning from combat regions such as Afghanistan and Iraq meet criteria for a mental health diagnosis, yet up to 50% do not receive specialized mental health treatment. On October 17, 2020, the United States government passed legislation to increase and improve mental health services for veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) agreed to submit a plan that bolsters the mental health workforce in its facilities by recruiting licensed professional mental health counselors (LPMHCs). Although this legal statute intends to enhance the VA mental health workforce with LPMHCs, recent memorandum published in March of 2025 by the Department of Veterans Affairs stated they will be reducing its workforce by cutting over 70,0000 jobs. Thus, many veterans may seek mental health care both in and out of the VA. Considering these changes, it is important to gain insight into LPMHCs training and experience relevant to veterans’ mental health care needs and assess how confident they feel about working effectively with this population. The current study utilized a correlational design to evaluate the relationships between counselor training, experience, and confidence in working clinically with veterans while investigating the roles of didactic and experiential training within counselor education. Participants (N = 188) completed an online survey and statistical analyses were used to examine the relationships between counselor training, experience, and confidence as well as which counselor education strategies are associated with confidence. Several key findings emerged. First, confidence increased with 1–10 years of veteran-specific clinical experience but leveled off and declined beyond 10 years, indicating a curvilinear relationship. Second, the study found strong correlations between confidence and specific training areas such as TBI, sexual trauma, and prolonged exposure which highlight the value of focused professional development. Moreover, both didactic and experiential training strategies were significantly related to confidence, suggesting that each educational style contributes meaningfully to self-reported confidence in treating veteran populations. These findings imply that more support is needed for counselors working with veterans for 10+ years. Furthermore, the use of both didactic and experiential educational strategies as well as specified training topics such as TBI, sexual trauma, and prolonged exposure are vital for counselor development in preparation to work clinically with veterans.