The Counseling Department is pleased to announce a leadership transition for the Graduate Certificate in
Violence, Loss, and Trauma (VoLT). After fifteen years of dedicated service and more than 325 students completing the program since 2011, Dr. Carol Smith is passing the role of Coordinator to Dr. Kari Mika‑Lude, Assistant Professor of Counseling.
As of Tuesday, January 27, 2026, Dr. Mika‑Lude is serving as the new VoLT Coordinator.
The VoLT program offers advanced training in trauma-informed assessment, intervention, resilience, and recovery across a range of clinical settings and specialties. The program is designed for graduate students and post-graduate professionals in counseling, psychology, social work, and other closely related behavioral health disciplines who seek specialized preparation in crisis intervention and trauma-responsive practices.
The VoLT program emphasizes evidence-based and culturally responsive approaches to working with individuals, families, groups, and communities impacted by violence, loss, and trauma. Coursework integrates advanced clinical skills for trauma and crisis counseling, ethical decision-making, professional standards, trauma-informed practice with specific populations, and contextual factors that influence trauma exposure, resilience, and recovery.
The VoLT program is intentionally designed with a scaffolded curriculum to ensure that foundational knowledge is established early and reinforced across courses, emphasizing continuity, depth, and intentional progression. It provides a unified and rigorous pathway for advanced training and professional practice in trauma-informed mental healthcare, aligned with professional competencies and emerging workforce needs.
Learn more about the VoLT by visiting https://www.marshall.edu/coepd/graduate/counseling/certificate-of-advanced-studies-in-violence-loss-and-trauma/
VoLT Coordinator Contact Information
Kari Mika-Lude, PhD, LPC, AADC-S, ALPS, NCC, CCTP
Assistant Professor of Counseling
Coordinator of the Violence, Loss, and Trauma (VoLT) Program
Counseling Department
College of Education and Professional Development
100 Angus E. Peyton Drive, GC-232
South Charleston, WV 25302
Website: Violence, Loss, and Trauma Certificate
Email: mikalude@marshall.edu