Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

“An Existential Place Of Pain:” The Essence Of Despair In Women, Nancy Scroggs, Mona Shattell, W. Richard Cowling

Mona Shattell

While there is a substantive body of knowledge on depression, little is known about the experience of despair. This phenomenological study explored women’s experience of despair through qualitative interviews with 14 women ages 28 to 55 (M= 45) who self-identified as experiencing despair. Three themes emerged: “crippling and debilitating,” “there’s nothing you can do”, and “it’ll never end.” The findings suggest that women desire to have their experiences recognized and validated while simultaneously receiving acknowledgement of their ability to overcome the past and to shape their own destinies.

“Take My Hand, Help Me Out:” Mental Health Service Recipients’ Experience Of The Therapeutic Relationship, Mona Shattell, Sharon Starr, Sandra Thomas

Mona Shattell

Statement of Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe mental health service recipients’ experience of the therapeutic relationship.

Research Question: The research question was “what is therapeutic about the therapeutic relationship?”

Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of qualitative interviews conducted with persons with mental illness as part of a study of the experience of being understood. This secondary analysis used data from 20 interviews with community-dwelling adults with mental illness, who were asked to talk about the experience of being understood by a health care provider. Data were analyzed using an existential phenomenological approach.

Findings: Individuals …