These two terms get used almost interchangeably, but they describe different things, and the difference matters if trauma is part of why you are looking for a therapist.
Trauma-informed is a baseline, not a specialty
A trauma-informed therapist understands that trauma is common, can shape behavior and relationships in ways that are not always obvious, and should never be re-triggered by the therapy process itself. This is closer to a standard of care than a credential. It is how sessions are paced, how safety is prioritized, and how consent is handled throughout, and it should be true of any competent clinician, regardless of what someone comes in for.
Trauma-trained means a specific certification
"Trauma-trained" goes further: additional coursework, supervised hours, and a formal certification exam on top of a clinician's core license. It is an add-on to an existing credential, not a replacement for one.
What CCTP actually requires
CCTP, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, requires a master's degree in a mental health field, a state or national clinical license, and completed training hours in trauma specific methods on top of general practice. Meghan Cobham, MHC-LP, is CCTP trained, meaning trauma treatment here goes beyond a trauma-informed baseline into specific trained methods for how trauma is processed and released, including somatic awareness and narrative work.
Why the distinction matters when choosing a therapist
If you are looking for general support and trauma is part of the picture but not the main focus, trauma-informed care is enough. If trauma, complex trauma, or PTSD is specifically what you want to work on, a trauma-trained clinician has gone through additional, verifiable preparation for that work specifically. It is a fair question to ask any therapist directly: are you trauma-informed, or trauma-trained, and what does that training actually consist of?