Digital Commons Network^™

School Counselors-In-Training Career Counseling Preparation Assignment, Carleton H. Brown

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Career counseling is an important skill to attain in training to become a school counselor; however, research has shown that school counselors-in-training need more preparation in terms of career counseling. The author describes an optional career counseling assignment added to a 300-hour school-counseling practicum course provided to 14 students in a southern region university school counseling program. Ten students chose to participate in the assignment and provided pre and post feedback of their experience. Student feedback and practical implications are discussed.

Research Mentorship: Implications For The Preparation Of Doctoral Students, Alyse M. Anekstein, Linwood G. Vereen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Research mentorship is an important aspect of the preparation of doctoral students in counselor education. A review of the literature of research mentorship within counselor education and related disciplines, the ACES definition, and the experiences of doctoral students grounded in the literature are provided. Recommendations for implementing research mentoring relationships are identified as well as implications for future research.

Evaluation Of A Program Designed To Increase Retention In Counselor Education: Reaching Year Two, James D. Jensen, Aida Midgett, Diana M. Doumas

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Student retention is a key issue in maintaining academic programs’ viability. This study evaluated a program designed to increase retention for first year Masters in Counseling students (N = 44). The program consisted of a series of activities developed to increase social integration with both students and faculty. Results of this study indicated that students in the cohort who participated in the program reported higher retention rates than students in the control cohort. Findings suggest that implementing a program designed to increase social integration may be a promising approach to retaining first year students in Counselor Education (CE) programs.

The Relationship Between Counseling Students’ Theoretical Orientation And Treatment Outcomes, Jessica Holm, Cynthia Bevly, Elizabeth Prosek

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A MANCOVA was conducted to determine differences in client treatment outcomes based on counseling students’ theoretical orientations. Results indicated that at a training clinic, clients demonstrated statistically significant improvement and, students’ theoretical orientation did not significantly affect client outcomes. Pedagogical strategies are suggested for counselor educators and supervisors.

Developing A Pre-Practicum Environment For Beginning Counselors: Growing My Counselor Educator Self, Logan M. Lamprecht, Sneha Pitre

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This paper is a narrative of the challenges experienced as a faculty member in an attempt to transform the existing educational model for how school and clinical mental health counselors are trained to enter field-based clinical experiences with students and clients. The author shares the pre-practicum laboratory training as an important step towards the growth of a counselor both personally and professionally. The laboratory training addresses aspects of student anxiety and self-efficacy with relation to live supervision with use of technology, nature of feedback, reflective journaling, reflective teams, and process group experiences as pedagogical adjuncts to enhance the training and …

Shaping Supervisory Working Alliance From A Distance, Tawny Chamberlain, Carol Smith

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

As technology advances, more counselor education programs are implementing options for students to complete clinical experiences at a distance from campus which requires distant supervision. Although distance supervision has the benefit of flexibility, it also has challenges such as building rapport and establishing effective communication. Supervisors would benefit from understanding the influence of delivery method on supervisory working alliance in order to monitor supervisee growth and development.This article explores the influence of supervision delivery method on supervisory working alliance. Recommendations for future research and counselor education supervisory practice are provided.

Collaborative Gatekeeping Between Site Supervisors And Mental Health Counseling Faculty, Christian Dean, Sarah E. Stewart-Spencer, Anne Cabanilla, Dale V. Wayman, Mindy Heher

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study examined collaborative gatekeeping practices of CACREP-accredited (2001 and 2009 standards) mental health counseling programs and fieldwork site supervisors. A total of 28 programs participated in the study exploring site supervisor collaboration with fieldwork faculty when a problematic trainee is terminated, dismissed, or fired from a fieldwork site. Results indicate that a lack of clear policies for managing problem fieldwork trainees may leave counselor educators uncertain about appropriate follow-up actions. Recommendations for future studies include replicating this study using a larger sample size, studying this topic and population using qualitative methods, and surveying the perspective of site supervisors.

The Development Of Self-Efficacy To Work With Suicidal Clients, Gregory M. Elliott, Richard W. Audsley, Lisa Runck, Ashley A. Pechek, Adriana De Raet, Angelica Valdez, Brandon J. Wilde

The Qualitative Report

Suicide is a public health crisis which counselors must be prepared to address. In this grounded theory study, the researchers advance a model to show how counselors develop self-efficacy to work with suicidal clients. Counselor educators may use this model to improve programmatic training and supervision of students.

Exploring The Career Satisfaction Of Counselor Educators, Regina R. Moro, Rebecca Scherer

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In this article, the authors report counselor educators’ career satisfaction through a descriptive analysis. Seventy-five counselor educators from all across the United States completed an online demographic questionnaire and four self-report instruments related to career satisfaction in general, work environment, and mentorship experiences. The results indicate that counselor educators report satisfaction with most aspects of the job, but report dissatisfaction with pay/promotion and mentorship. This is important for consideration for current and future counselor educators, due to the amount of time and cost associated with obtaining a doctoral degree. The researchers discuss and suggest future research recommendations.

Using Supervision Mapping To Enrich School Counseling Fieldwork Supervision, Megan M. Krell, Peg Donohue

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Supervision mapping is a creative, visual approach to supervision wherein trainees identify concerns, strengths, goals, and ethical questions. While the supervision map has been identified as a potential tool for school counselors-in-training, no research has focused on its effectiveness. Therefore, this study sought to explore trainees’ experiences using the supervision map with faculty supervisors throughout their fieldwork experiences. The supervision map was used with school counseling trainees in two graduate practicum seminars in the Northeast (n=31). After using the supervision map for the duration of the seminar class, an electronic survey of their experience was administered, to which 23 trainees …

Trust Development In The Supervisory Working Alliance, Morgan E Kiper Riechel, Wesley Webber, Ki B. Chae, Pamela Jo Kayanan, Deneen Miller, Derek Robertson

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This qualitative study examined the development of trust in the supervisory relationship between doctoral-level student supervisors and masters-level students. Using phenomenological research methodology to analyze data obtained from 10 interviews with masters-level practicum students, six themes emerged: (1) Focus, (2) Investment, (3) Safety, (4) Honesty, (5) Expertise, and (6) Evaluation.

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Doctoral Counselor Education Students' Experience Of Receiving Cybersupervision, Sara Bender, Deborah J. Rubel, Cass Dykeman

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Cybersupervision with counselor education doctoral students is an understudied practice. This phenomenological study explored five doctoral-level counselor education supervisees’ lived experiences engaging in cybersupervision, Their experiences, which were embedded in their converging professional roles, included skepticism and anxiety, learning and growth in their relationship with supervisors, and unique context-dependent meaning making. Limitations and implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Language & Online Learning: Inform, Inspire And Engage Virtual Learning Communities, Linda Foster, Anita Neuer Colburn, Cynthia Briggs

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Standards for technology-assisted teaching/learning have existed for nearly 20 years (ACES, 1999), and trends show that counselor education programs increasingly integrate technology into the delivery of instruction for students either through hybrid classes, fully online classes, or fully online programs. While many researchers have investigated various aspects of student engagement in online formats, counselor educators still lack consensus for best practices in the online classroom. Maximizing the effectiveness of online pedagogy will help improve overall learning, retention of students, and growth of online programs. We suggest the intentional use of appropriate, warm, inviting and supportive language to inform, inspire and …

Research Mentoring: A Study Of Doctoral Student Experiences And Research Productivity, Alyse M. Anekstein, Linwood G. Vereen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article explored the research mentoring experiences of doctoral students’ (N = 131) in counselor education. Descriptive statistics and a factorial Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were utilized to ascertain the mentor roles utilized and the classification of productivity of doctoral students. Recommendations and limitations and implications for the counseling profession are offered to further the development of research regarding the research mentoring experiences of doctoral students.

Why Should We Care? Psychodynamic Theory And Practice In Counselor Preparation, Elyssa Smith

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

This constructivist grounded theory investigation explored the experiences and perceptions of seven counselors-in-training regarding psychodynamic theory and practice. Two categories, five themes including three subthemes, and a tentative theory which spoke to the experiences, perceptions, and attitudes of students regarding contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy emerged. Implications for counselor education and the training of counselors are discussed.

Keywords: counselor preparation, psychodynamic, reflective practice

Cognitive Complexity In Counseling And Counselor Education: A Systematic And Critical Review, Jaime H. Castillo

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Cognitive complexity has found a small yet established niche in the counseling and counselor education literature over the last 40 years. This body of research has highlighted how individuals with high cognitive complexity have greater consistency in empathy, show more varied responses to clients, demonstrate greater toleration of ambiguity, and show higher frequencies of unbiased clinical judgements towards clients. This article provides a systematic and critical review of the cognitive complexity literature and discusses future implications of cultivating cognitive complexity in emerging and professional counselors and supervisors.

Building A Consensus Of The Professional Dispositions Of Counseling Students, Jeffrey K. Christensen, Charles A. Dickerman, Cort Dorn-Medeiros

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Professional dispositions expected of counseling students has been a contested area within the counseling profession, and students challenging dismissal decisions have put counseling programs at risk of litigation. To better guide counseling programs’ evaluation and remediation efforts, the authors used a content analysis to investigate the most recurring professional dispositions of master’s level counseling students listed within student retention policies, evaluations and rubrics of CACREP accredited counseling programs (n=224). The most common dispositional themes included; Openness to Growth, Awareness of Self and Others, Emotional Stability, Integrity, Flexibility, Compassion, and Personal Style. Implications for how the disposition themes can assist in …

Undergraduate Minor In Counseling Program: Design, Implementation, And Reflection, Christopher D. Schmidt, Stacey Havlik, Krista Malott

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article argues the benefits for having an undergraduate counseling program and offers suggestions for successful implementation. The presence of an undergraduate counseling program could be an additional method for growing the field of counseling. Specifically, the development of a Minor in Counseling for the undergraduate population is described and reflections from students and faculty are included to help elucidate how other counseling programs might follow suit.

Affirmative Client Care: Reconciling Evidence-Based Practices Within Humanistic Engagement, Harvey C. Peters, Michele Rivas

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Contemporary trends in mental health have furthered the counseling profession’s adherence to scientifically-based practices while grounded in core humanistic values. This has created philosophical and clinical tensions, especially for counselors adhering to a humanistic philosophy. Despite the documented pressures, there is a gap in the literature addressing how professional counselors can navigate the integration of evidence-based practices into humanism. This manuscript offers an affirmative stance on the navigation of these tensions through the use of a case discussion and actionable suggestions.

Military Culture In Counselor Education: Assessing Educators’ Perceptions Of Inclusion, Seth C.W. Hayden, Heather C. Robertson, Emily Kennelly

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor educators are tasked with preparing counselors to effectively engage a wide range of topics and populations within counseling practice. The cultural experience of clients is often a significant focus both in content and experiential learning opportunities. Given the attention within the profession of counseling on our ability to effectively serve military service members and veterans, this begs the question as to the degree the context of the military is viewed as a unique culture within the field of counselor education. This article describes a research study of counselor educators’ perceptions of the military as a unique culture. In addition, …

A Phenomenological Study Of Counseling Students’ Experiences With Ambiguity, Stephani A. B. Jahn, Sondra Smith-Adcock

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Six master’s-level counseling students were interviewed about their phenomenological experiences of ambiguity in counselor preparation. Analysis revealed five themes: students’ preparation for ambiguous experiences, ambiguities of counselor preparation, accompanying overwhelming feelings, coping approaches, and self-assurance gained from facing ambiguity. These findings have implications for counselor education and supervision.

Burnout In Counselor Education: The Role Of Cynicism And Fit In Predicting Turnover Intention, Susannah C. Coaston, Ellen P. Cook

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study explored the experience of burnout in counselor education faculty, and how it relates to perceived worklife fit and turnover intention. Participants experienced a moderate level of burnout in the areas of exhaustion, cynicism, and professional inefficacy. The results of a MANOVA revealed that male and female participants differed on a composite measure of burnout, fit, and turnover intention, but there were no significant multivariate differences based on race or tenure status. Both cynicism and perceived worklife fit uniquely contributed to the prediction of turnover intention, together explaining 29% of the total variance in turnover intention. Further directions for …

Remedial Interventions Used With Students Enrolled In Counseling Graduate Programs, Kathryn L. Henderson, Roxane L. Dufrene

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

An exploratory qualitative content analysis was completed on documentation submitted from 12 CACREP counseling programs regarding student remediation. The analysis focused on remedial interventions used with students that resulted in four main themes and eight subthemes: (a) personal counseling; (b) courses (subthemes: clinical courses, related to clinical courses, and didactic courses); (c) assignments (subthemes: workshops, readings, and written assignments); and (d) remediation procedures (subthemes: meetings with faculty, and status in program).

Counseling The Military Population: The Factor Of Prior Military Exposure For Counselors-In-Training, Kellie E. Forziat, Nicole M. Arcuri, Chelsea Erb

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors must learn to ethically work with all cultures. This article explores how both counselors-in-training with prior military culture exposure and those with none can be trained to effectively counsel individuals from this culture. Additionally, the article highlights strategies for counselor educators on how to meet both groups’ learning needs.

The Impact Of Program Modality On Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam Subscale Scores, Chaya M. Abrams, Adriana De Raet, Deanna Mcculloch, Gregory Elliott, Cheri Meder

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Online counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs are growing in number, however little research exists comparing online and on-campus student outcomes. This study examined the impact of program modality (online versus on-campus) on Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam subscale scores of 451 students with an emphasis on the Helping Relationships subscale. Significant results included on-campus students performing higher on the Helping Relationships subscale and online students performing higher on the Career Development subscale. Analysis found no statistical difference on the remaining six subscales. Implications for counselor education are discussed.

A Problem-Based Learning Case Study In Rehabilitation Counselor Education, Stacia Carone

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A Problem-Based Learning (PBL) strategy utilized in Career Counseling and Selective Placement courses is described. Support for using PBL in rehabilitation counseling and counselor education courses is provided and encouragement for instructors sharing case studies and processes relevant to PBL is emphasized.

Using Fidelity Measures To Support The Training Of Graduate Students Working In School Settings, Nadia L. Ward, Lakeesha N. Woods, Patricia Simon, Jennifer Greif Green, Michael J. Strambler

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This paper presents a case example of a school-based social development program supported by counselors, yet implemented by graduate student facilitators in a mid-sized urban public school in New England. The authors describe a process for developing and validating fidelity instruments and the use of these assessments to train lay facilitators or graduate students enrolled in counseling or counselor education programs. Guidelines are presented for school counselors interested in using customized fidelity instruments to formatively assess training needs of graduate students.

Counselor In Training 360 Degree Case Conceptualization Process For Group Supervision, Meredith A. Rausch, Laura L. Gallo

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article introduces a developmental process for case conceptualization practice during group supervision based on the underpinnings of the Integrative Developmental Model presented by Stoltenberg and McNeill (2010) and Mindsets by Dweck (2006). The design incorporates a strengths-based method encouraging reflective practice and risk-taking. Practical methods for group interaction and discussion are presented.

Perceptions Of Grief Education In Accredited Counseling Programs: Recommendations For Counselor Education, Jane E. Hill, Richard J. Cicchetti, Shelley A. Jackson, Gary Szirony

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

As grief can be considered a critical life event, unresolved grief can interfere with quality of life, affecting lifestyle, behavior, emotional strength, and cognitive function. Unresolved grief can even result in suicidal ideation. Counselors can and often do work with grief issues in clients and can promote positive outcomes for grieving clients by addressing personal loss and helping clients process grief related issues. This study was based on an analysis of students within counseling programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs based on earlier research conducted by one of the authors. Self-perception of competency …