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Gestalt Therapists' Perspectives On Gender In The Therapeutic Relationship : Implications For Anti-Oppressive Practice, Benjamin Philip Borkan
Gestalt Therapists' Perspectives On Gender In The Therapeutic Relationship : Implications For Anti-Oppressive Practice, Benjamin Philip Borkan
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study seeks to explore How does Gestalt therapy training influence therapists in navigating clinical encounters involving gender identity? Gestalt therapists’ responses noted the importance of authenticity, contact, ability to question biases, self-examination, personal responsibility, and the therapist’s sense of their own gender identity privilege and oppression. Gestalt therapy is contrasted with anti-oppressive practice principles, in which there are congruent philosophies between Gestalt therapy and anti-oppressive practice principles. Participants’ and this author’s recommendations for future research include further research on the efficacy of Gestalt therapy training in working with varying identities, as well as gathering perspectives from people of marginalized …
Client's Experiences And Perceptions Of The Therapist's Use Of Swear Words And The Resulting Impact On The Therapeutic Alliance In The Context Of The Therapeutic Relationship, Hollyanne J. Giffin
Client's Experiences And Perceptions Of The Therapist's Use Of Swear Words And The Resulting Impact On The Therapeutic Alliance In The Context Of The Therapeutic Relationship, Hollyanne J. Giffin
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This thesis explores how clients perceive therapist swearing in the context of a therapeutic relationship. This was done via an exploratory, mixed methods research study. Individuals whose therapists had used swear words during their individual therapy were surveyed about their own personal swearing habits, their opinions of swearing and therapist swearing in general, their specific experiences and perceptions of their therapist swearing, as well as demographic information. The majority of the study’s respondents reported that their therapist’s use of swear words had helped their therapeutic relationship. While participants reported they were happy with the frequency and context of their therapist’s …
Social Class In The Therapeutic Dyad : How Do Clinicians Engage In Dialogue About Class With Their Clients?, Andrew L. Cohen
Social Class In The Therapeutic Dyad : How Do Clinicians Engage In Dialogue About Class With Their Clients?, Andrew L. Cohen
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory qualitative study surveyed practicing clinicians about their experiences engaging in discussions about social class with their clients. There is little research on the topic of social class in the therapeutic setting broadly and on the topic of broaching social class specifically. As such, this research was an initial attempt to begin to fill this gap in the literature. Twelve mental health clinicians voluntarily participated in an anonymous online survey about their experiences and thoughts about engaging in dialogue about social class with their clients. Results included a pattern in the difference between which clients clinicians discussed social class …
Clinicians' Experiences Of Personal Wealth : Impacts Within Clinical Practice, Sarah Schwartz Sax
Clinicians' Experiences Of Personal Wealth : Impacts Within Clinical Practice, Sarah Schwartz Sax
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory/descriptive quantitative/qualitative study surveyed clinicians with wealth about their experiences working with clients who do not have wealth. While there is much research that examines the implications of race-privileged clinicians (i.e., white clinicians) when they work with clients who are race-oppressed (i.e., clients of color) there is very little research on parallel class-based dynamics when the clinician is of a more privileged socioeconomic class than the client. Thus, this research was an initial attempt to fill that gap in the literature. Fifty-four mental health clinicians with wealth voluntarily identified themselves to the researcher via a confidential online tool. Screened …
Exploring Clinicians' Experience Of Countertransference In Play Therapy, Asya Tsarkova
Exploring Clinicians' Experience Of Countertransference In Play Therapy, Asya Tsarkova
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore clinicians' experience of countertransference in play therapy. Through semi-structured individual interviews with twelve clinicians, narrative data was collected on the ways in which clinicians experience, process, and utilize countertransference in play therapy. Some of the findings of this study support previous research and theoretical literature on countertransference in the field of child psychotherapy. Additionally, this study's findings introduce the possibility that specific aspects of play therapy have a unique effect on the experience and processing of countertransference in play therapy due to the nature of this therapeutic modality. Implications for social …
The Dyad Of Colleagues : Transferential Experiences Of Clinical Trainees With Their Personal Therapists And Its Impact On Practice, Aubrey J. Koch
The Dyad Of Colleagues : Transferential Experiences Of Clinical Trainees With Their Personal Therapists And Its Impact On Practice, Aubrey J. Koch
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study was conducted in pursuit of the answer to the following question: what is the experience of transference in the personal therapy of clinicians-in-training and how does this unique therapeutic relationship influence the practice of clinical trainees? This study utilized exploratory qualitative intensive interviews. Participants included individuals who were enrolled in a masters in social work (MSW), counseling, or clinical psychology program; participant had to have aspirations to be a therapist, voluntarily be in personal therapy, and reside in the United States. Questions were designed to draw from subjects their experiences of transference, specifically those that arose as a …
Clinicians' Experiences With Child Clients' Explicitly Stated Love In The Transference, Alexandra L. Shumway
Clinicians' Experiences With Child Clients' Explicitly Stated Love In The Transference, Alexandra L. Shumway
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study explored the experiences of clinicians in responding to their child clients' statements of "I love you." It is clear that this experience is common amongst child therapists, but the literature on this topic is virtually non-existent. While the literature does touch on countertransference, therapy with children, and love in therapy, never has the literature touched on the space in which these three topics come together. In order to explore this void in the literature, this study was completed using a mixed-method, anonymous online survey. Thirty clinicians participated in this survey, which asked clinicians to reflect on the interaction …
Client Perceptions On The Therapeutic Quality Of Care When Disclosing Spiritual And Religious Beliefs : A Mixed Methods Study, Maia Nikitovich
Client Perceptions On The Therapeutic Quality Of Care When Disclosing Spiritual And Religious Beliefs : A Mixed Methods Study, Maia Nikitovich
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The spiritual and religious life of clients is an important clinical factor in therapy; it holds significant meaning and may support therapeutic outcome. This study explored client perceptions of the quality of care they received in therapy when disclosing their spiritual/religious life to their therapists as well as the factors that might contribute to their perceptions of care and disclosure. A total of 75 respondents participated in an online survey tool composed of quantitative and qualitative questions. Qualitative responses were coded and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings showed that most clients (73%) shared some or all of their …
Talking About Race : How Do White Clinicians Engage In Dialogue About Race In Cross-Racial Therapy With Black Clients?, Elizabeth J. Hare
Talking About Race : How Do White Clinicians Engage In Dialogue About Race In Cross-Racial Therapy With Black Clients?, Elizabeth J. Hare
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study explores how White clinicians engage in dialogue about race in cross-racial therapy with Black clients. Open-ended survey questions were used to gather narrative data from 12 White clinicians who have conducted therapy with Black clients. The central question of this research study is: when, how and why do White clinicians engage in dialogue about race in cross-racial therapy with Black clients? The study investigates how White clinicians think about their choices to broach the subject of race and their perceptions of the therapeutic alliance as it relates to conversations about race and racial difference. It also explores …
What's Faith Got To Do With It : Clinicians' Experiences Of Addressing Issues Of Religion And Spirituality In Therapy, Lauren Raymond
What's Faith Got To Do With It : Clinicians' Experiences Of Addressing Issues Of Religion And Spirituality In Therapy, Lauren Raymond
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory, mixed-methods study was conducted to investigate the experiences of clinicians who have both been in personal therapy and practice with clients, to consider the nature of addressing issues pertaining to religion and spirituality, both in the role of client and as clinician. The study sought to explore whether there was any evident correlation between clinicians' experiences in therapy or one's personal spiritual affiliation, or lack thereof, and if and how they approached the discussion of these topics with clients. The research was carried out via an online survey that was distributed to practicing clinicians via direct as well …
Mortality Practices : How Clinical Social Workers Interact With Their Mortality Within Their Clinical And Professional Practice, Joseph K. Hovey
Mortality Practices : How Clinical Social Workers Interact With Their Mortality Within Their Clinical And Professional Practice, Joseph K. Hovey
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This quasi-mixed methods, exploratory study examined the mortality practices of clinical social workers. The study sought to understand how clinical social workers interact with their mortality within their clinical and professional practice—whether they have discussions about their mortality with clients, what attitudes they have about disclosing potentially terminal illness to clients, and how clinical social workers prepare for the potential that they may die or become incapacitated during the process of practicing clinical work. While the literature provides robust support for at least some practices, few studies have examined actual practice implementation. The present study explored the attitudes and mortality …
Therapists' Experiences Treating Clients With Dissociative Identity Disorder, Alexandra E. Paull
Therapists' Experiences Treating Clients With Dissociative Identity Disorder, Alexandra E. Paull
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this exploratory study was to collect qualitative data to examine what social workers describe as their experience working with clients who fit the diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). This study interviewed twelve licensed therapists through in person, phone, and skype interviews. These interviews explored the experience of their clinical work and its impact on them personally. Seven major themes were identified from coding the narrative data: the challenges and rewards of treatment, characteristics of the population, characteristics of the clinicians, treatment structure, what treating their first client with this disorder was like, misconceptions, and places current …
Exploring The Impacts Of Disclosure For The Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Therapists, Samuel B. Lurie
Exploring The Impacts Of Disclosure For The Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Therapists, Samuel B. Lurie
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people face numerous challenges and disparities as members of a marginalized and stigmatized group (Grant, et al., 2011). With the increased visibility of the transgender and gender non-conforming community, there are also more TGNC people becoming professionally trained therapists, and there is a lack of guidance on navigating this particular experience. Four focus groups were conducted in the northeastern part of the United States with 19 total participants who are all Master's level or above mental health clinicians who identify as TGNC. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to examine the experiences of …
"Don't Call Us, We'll Call You" : The Cell Phone And The Therapeutic Relationship, Rachel C. Gordon
"Don't Call Us, We'll Call You" : The Cell Phone And The Therapeutic Relationship, Rachel C. Gordon
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study examines the impact of both clinician and client use of cell phone on the therapeutic relationship. Eighteen one-hour interviews were held with clinicians who either used cell phones as tools in their therapy practice or who had clients who used them. Different ways in which clinicians used cell phones as interventions and tools in therapy as well as the varied ways in which clients brought cell phones into therapy to discuss their own lives were examined. Open-ended questions included: affects on the real relationship, the working alliance, countertransference experience, talking on the phone, phone coaching, text messaging, …
A Historical Study Of The "Use-Of-Self" In Clinical Practice, Eva Tracy-Raeder
A Historical Study Of The "Use-Of-Self" In Clinical Practice, Eva Tracy-Raeder
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this study was to examine the concept of the use-of-self in clinical practice through a historical lens, in order to clarify what is meant by the term, to illuminate the evolution of the concept, and to attempt to reconcile the perspectives of several theoretical approaches. Seven theoretical approaches were examined, they are presented in five sections. The first section examines the Classical Psychoanalytic Theory of Sigmund Freud. The second section examines expansions on and departures from the classical position and includes contributions made by Carl Jung and Carl Rogers. The third section highlights three postclassical theories which …
The Therapist's Pregnancy And The Client-Therapist Relationship : An Exploratory Study, Elizabeth H. Wolfe
The Therapist's Pregnancy And The Client-Therapist Relationship : An Exploratory Study, Elizabeth H. Wolfe
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This empirical research study explored the impact of the therapist's pregnancy on the therapist-client relationship. Specifically, this study asked whether therapists and clients interact in less professional, more personal ways during the therapist's pregnancy, and how this is perceived by therapists to impact treatment. Relational psychodynamic theory was the theoretical underpinning of this study. Thirteen psychotherapists were interviewed about their experiences of practicing therapy while pregnant. All participants were either currently or recently pregnant. Interview questions were developed by this researcher to elicit therapist experiences with clients who asked personal questions or offered baby gifts to the therapist, and how …
How Do Mental Health Clincians Using Feedback Informed Treatment Methods Create A "Cultural Of Feedback" With Clients?, Alexander H. Tew
How Do Mental Health Clincians Using Feedback Informed Treatment Methods Create A "Cultural Of Feedback" With Clients?, Alexander H. Tew
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study was undertaken to explore how mental health clinicians using feedback informed treatment (FIT) interventions attempt to increase the likelihood of receiving genuine feedback from their clients. Furthermore, the study explores clinicians' perceptions about the ways in which interpersonal power dynamics, including race/ethnicity dynamics, influence the feedback process. An anonymous online survey was posted on two Internet forums for FIT practitioners. A final sample of thirty licensed mental health clinicians completed the mixed methods survey, answering five demographics questions (age, gender, race/ethnicity, years using FIT methods, and nationality) and three open-ended questions. The open-ended questions asked respondents to discuss …
Connecting After Killing : An Exploration Of The Intersubjective Space Between Therapist And Client When Combat Rests Between Them, Alicia L. Simoni
Connecting After Killing : An Exploration Of The Intersubjective Space Between Therapist And Client When Combat Rests Between Them, Alicia L. Simoni
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study examines how the psychological dimensions of killing in combat manifest in intersubjective space between civilian therapists and service member clients. The investigation is based on interviews with 10 civilian therapists who provide psychotherapy to combat service members who have killed or think they may have killed in combat. The reality of killing in combat renders most individuals both viscerally and existentially uncomfortable, and thus is often turned away from. Civilian psychotherapists are not immune to this. The aim of this study was to explore how therapists' subjectivities—in the form of conscious and unconscious actions, thoughts, and emotions …
Do Clinicians Perceive A Connection Between Their Personal And Professional Habits Of Self-Disclosure? : A Study Exploring Self-Disclosure On Social Networking Sites And In Therapy, Marie H. Desloge
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative, exploratory study used an interview method to understand if clinicians believed there was any connection between their online self-disclosure on social networking sites (SNS) and offline self-disclosure with clients. Twelve clinicians were asked a myriad of questions to address the perceptions of their disclosures in each arena and any potential relationship between their comfort and frequency to self-disclose online and in therapy. Using a relational theory lens to understand therapeutic self-disclosure, this research adds a new component to current clinical literature on the topic by comparing it to self-disclosure on social networking sites like Facebook. As a whole, …
Forming Therapeutic Relationships With People Living With Schizophrenia-Spectrum Diagnoses, Eliza J. Morgan
Forming Therapeutic Relationships With People Living With Schizophrenia-Spectrum Diagnoses, Eliza J. Morgan
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study aimed to explore how one attempts to build a therapeutic alliance with someone who is living with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder. Finding out more about how one attempts to form therapeutic relationship with a client who has symptoms of schizophrenia-spectrum may help provide more insight about the challenges that may arise in trying to connect to these individuals, what mental health workers have found to be barriers and how they attempted to mend any breaks in the relationship, thus adding to literature for further research. A narrative online survey link was emailed to all members on the United States …
Exploring Cultural Competence In Clincial Practice Behaviors, Yolonda M. Young Armstrong
Exploring Cultural Competence In Clincial Practice Behaviors, Yolonda M. Young Armstrong
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative research study explores clinical practice behaviors that influence the perceptions of college students' of color regarding cultural competence in the therapeutic dyad. Interviews were used to obtain data from six college students of color in Western Massachusetts who had a history of engagement in outpatient therapy. This study uses Object Relations Theory as a conceptual framework for understanding social constructions of privilege and identity development and as a learning tool for examining interpersonal behavior as a reflection of one's internalized perceptions. More specifically, for this study, Object Relations Theory provides academic context for understanding how external social phenomena …
Implicit Communication : The Body's Role In Clinical Work With Trauma Survivors, Julia A. Jakubowski
Implicit Communication : The Body's Role In Clinical Work With Trauma Survivors, Julia A. Jakubowski
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory-descriptive study examined therapists' use of their physiological responses in work with trauma survivors. Broadly, the study sought to understand how a therapist's physiological responses play a role in how they construct meaning about a client. The study sample consisted of eight Relationally oriented therapists who worked with trauma survivors. Data were collected through hour-long, semi-structured interviews with each participant at a single point in time, utilizing the Physiological Response to Trauma Questionnaire. Findings revealed that participants used their physiological countertransference to inform clinical functions, specifically: ability to attune, choice of interventions, assessment, and ability to maintain boundaries and …
Psychotherapists' Decisions Regarding Boundary Crossings In Outpatient Practice, Victoria E. Brinckerhoff
Psychotherapists' Decisions Regarding Boundary Crossings In Outpatient Practice, Victoria E. Brinckerhoff
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This research study was a quantitative, exploratory investigation of the experiences and opinions of outpatient psychotherapists regarding decisions about crossing boundaries within clinical practice. The focus was on boundary-crossing behavior, as distinguished from boundaryviolating behavior, in that boundary crossings are not necessarily harmful, and at times may be helpful to the client. An electronic questionnaire, developed specifically for this research, was administered anonymously to 46 practicing clinicians in the United States. The major areas of inquiry were the following: boundary-crossing decisions with which clinicians experienced the most difficulty, factors influencing decisions regarding boundary dilemmas, and types of resources that clinicians …
The Voice Of The Voiceless : Client Perspective Of Therapist Self-Disclosure, Pamela H. Lefever
The Voice Of The Voiceless : Client Perspective Of Therapist Self-Disclosure, Pamela H. Lefever
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study investigated whether the client prefers therapist self-disclosure or therapist non-disclosure during a therapeutic session. In addition, it examined whether the client's preference varied by demographic characteristics. Self-disclosure was limited to therapist self-revealing disclosures which are verbal revelations of a therapist's private life (e.g., experiences, religious beliefs) that are shared in-session with the client. Using a convenience sampling method, sixty adult respondents who had been clients between 2007 and 2012 were selected to provide demographic information and their preference for therapist self-disclosure on 36 close-ended questions. The survey was distributed using the snowball method and SurveyMonkey. …
The Effects Of Therapist Self-Disclosure On The Therapeutic Alliance : A Relational Perspective, Brittany A. Hollingsworth
The Effects Of Therapist Self-Disclosure On The Therapeutic Alliance : A Relational Perspective, Brittany A. Hollingsworth
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory/descriptive quantitative/qualitative study surveyed clinicians to ask their views about the effects of voluntary self-disclosure by therapists when the issue to be disclosed is one the therapist shares with the client. Clinicians surveyed were 51 licensed clinical social workers, or those with at least a year of postgraduate experience and working towards licensure. Opinions about this topic were often mixed. A majority of the clinicians who participated in the study said they rarely disclosed, but 72% had disclosed an issue shared by a client at least once; when they did so, 94% said their disclosures concerned issues that had …
What's The Impact Of Cultural Competency Education? : Exploring Clinical Social Workers' Attitudes Towards Clients Health-Related Beliefs, Opinions And Psychosocial Contexts, Sheryl J. Jaffe
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This descriptive study explored clinical social workers' attitudes towards their clients' health-related opinions, beliefs, and psychosocial context. Individuals who self-identified as having earned a graduate degree in social work and were employed as clinical social workers were recruited utilizing a snowball sampling method. 120 clinical social workers completed an online survey, a modified version of the Health Beliefs Attitudes Survey (Crosson et al, 2004; Dobbie et al, 2002) which included several demographic variables. The results indicated that 117 participants (97.5%) had previously completed some form of cultural competency coursework or training. No statistically significant differences were found for the participants' …
The Management Of Transference And Countertransference In The Wilderness Therapy Milieu, Jon E. Dukes
The Management Of Transference And Countertransference In The Wilderness Therapy Milieu, Jon E. Dukes
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study set out to explore the ways in which clinicians in Wilderness Therapy (WT) manage and address the clinical phenomena of transference and counter transference as it arises in the field. Additionally, the topics of personal and professional boundaries were explored in order to help assess ways clinicians maintain appropriate boundaries and educate their para professional staff about this topic. Seven clinicians from various WT programs across the country participated in a thirty to forty minute long interview via telephone. Throughout the interview process, valuable information was gained pertaining to the process of transference and counter transference within …
Social Workers' Perspectives On Managed Care : An Exploratory Study, Julia Fraley Coles
Social Workers' Perspectives On Managed Care : An Exploratory Study, Julia Fraley Coles
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this study is to explore social workers' perceptions of the impact of managed care on their work with clients. The thesis question is "What are clinical social workers perceptions of the impact of managed care on practice?" Included in this question are social workers' perceptions of the impact of managed care on their therapeutic relationships with clients, their effectiveness and autonomy, helpful support systems when interacting with managed care organizations, ethical issues including confidentiality and issues of social justice, assessment, implementation of the treatment plan - including the time frame of treatment and choice of treatment modality, …
The Role Of Language In Therapy : How Bilingual/Multilingual Therapists Experience Their Work With Bilingual/Multilingual Clients, Sofia Maia Rosenblum
The Role Of Language In Therapy : How Bilingual/Multilingual Therapists Experience Their Work With Bilingual/Multilingual Clients, Sofia Maia Rosenblum
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Bilingualism and multilingualism have not been afforded adequate exploration in clinical social work practice. This exploratory study examined the experiences of bilingual/multilingual therapists working with bilingual/multilingual clients. Utilizing interviews with twelve bilingual/multilingual therapists who were linguistically diverse, this study looked at the process of language switching in therapy, the effects of shared versus different languages on countertransference experiences, the interview subjects' conceptualizations of linguistic identity and how these identities have come to influence professional development, as well as the role that language plays in academic and training settings for mental health practitioners. The findings of the research showed the natural …
Examining The Relationship Between Human Sexuality Training And Therapist Comfort With Addressing Sexuality With Clients, Cari Lee Merritt
Examining The Relationship Between Human Sexuality Training And Therapist Comfort With Addressing Sexuality With Clients, Cari Lee Merritt
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between human sexuality training and clinical social workers' comfort with addressing sexuality issues with clients. A mixed methods survey was responded to by 90 participants who had graduated from Smith SSW between the years 2000 and 2009. Participants were asked questions pertaining to their level of comfort with discussions about sexuality; their attitudes about sexuality; and their knowledge and comfort with issues regarding erotic transference. The results of this study indicate that participants who received human sexuality training had a greater degree of comfort with discussing sexuality issues with their …