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Full-Text Articles in Counseling

Social And Cultural Considerations In Accessing Mental Health Treatment In The Gambia, West Africa, Safiya Njai Jan 2022

Social And Cultural Considerations In Accessing Mental Health Treatment In The Gambia, West Africa, Safiya Njai

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the social and cultural considerations in accessing mental health treatment in The Gambia, West Africa. Participants were recruited from The Gambia for a qualitative study that included semistructured interviews (N = 17). A team of analysts identified five themes. The results highlighted social and cultural conceptualizations of mental health and mental illness, sociocultural determinants of health, interventions, barriers to care, and the legal framework to support mental health change. These findings are important for counselors to understand different perceptions of mental health and mental illness and the associated stigma. Furthermore, several opportunities for advocacy in The Gambia …


How Psychotherapists Practice In The Digital Era, Josh Weinstein Feb 2021

How Psychotherapists Practice In The Digital Era, Josh Weinstein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The digital era, marked by digital devices connected via high speed data networks, has altered human experience in profound ways over the past 40 years. The potential for novel forms of human relating and fulfillment of desire has led to myriad changes in behavior, thought and unconscious activity. While many adapt or thrive in expanded reality, for some, the digital can be context, source and/or location for psychological affliction. When those who suffer seek psychological relief, how psychotherapists listen for, conceptualize and work with the effects of the digital matter a great deal. While theoretical and quantitative research literature exists …


Trainee Attitudes Toward Social Class As Predictors Of Clinical Decision Making: Exploring The Effects Of Classism In Psychotherapy, Jeremy J. Coleman Jan 2021

Trainee Attitudes Toward Social Class As Predictors Of Clinical Decision Making: Exploring The Effects Of Classism In Psychotherapy, Jeremy J. Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of classist beliefs on trainee attitudes toward their client based on perceived social-class status. This study sought to determine whether classist attitudes contribute to meaningful differences in clinical decision making. A sample of mental health trainees (n = 147) attending graduate-level programs in the U.S. were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two clinical vignette conditions. Both vignette conditions included identical data regarding a hypothetical client’s presenting concerns (e.g., sleep disturbance, worry, rumination, loneliness), but differed on indicators of client socioeconomic status (SES). Results showed statistically significant between-group differences on ratings of clinical …


Agency, Atonement, And Psychological Theories Of Change: A Latter-Day Saint Christian Perspective, Richard N. Williams, Edwin E. Gantt Dec 2020

Agency, Atonement, And Psychological Theories Of Change: A Latter-Day Saint Christian Perspective, Richard N. Williams, Edwin E. Gantt

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

This paper interrogates the relationship of the hard determinism inherent in the theories and models currently on offer in mainstream psychology and the current trends in psychotherapeutic approaches. It foregrounds the seeming contradiction between the emphasis placed on mastering and incorporating discipline-specific knowledge – which clearly assumes scientism and hard determinism – and the emphasis placed on practitioners to develop a coherent theory of change as part of their approach to effective clinical practice. We argue that hard determinism and strategies for facilitating genuine therapeutic change and transformation are incompatible where there is no clear, coherent view of human beings …


A Sacred Trust, David T. Seamons Dec 2020

A Sacred Trust, David T. Seamons

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Being invited into the innermost intimate parts of a person’s life is a sacred trust. As such, it is one for which we must be personally prepared. Having an understanding that those in our care are sons and daughters of Heavenly Father must ground our approach to our clinical work, constantly guiding us as we assist them through the healing process.


Naturalism, Theism, And The Risks Of Professional Values Imposition In Psychotherapy With Theistic Clients, Jefrey S. Reber Dec 2020

Naturalism, Theism, And The Risks Of Professional Values Imposition In Psychotherapy With Theistic Clients, Jefrey S. Reber

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

The codes of ethics guiding the work of counselors and psychotherapists state that ethical practitioners pursue training in areas where they are at risk of imposing values. While training in the potential imposition of personal values is pervasive, training in the potential imposition of professional values is rare. Naturalism, the guiding worldview of science and psychology excludes theism, which is the guiding worldview of many people. Consequently, naturalism is a professional value that may be imposed on theistic clients in psychotherapy. The exclusion of theism from psychology and psychotherapy along with the naturalization of theistic experiences and concepts and the …


Bourdieu And Jung: A Thought Partnership To Explore Personal, Social, And Collective Unconscious Influences On Professional Practices, Rosa Bologna, Franziska Trede, Narelle Patton Oct 2020

Bourdieu And Jung: A Thought Partnership To Explore Personal, Social, And Collective Unconscious Influences On Professional Practices, Rosa Bologna, Franziska Trede, Narelle Patton

The Qualitative Report

This paper introduces a thought partnership between Pierre Bourdieu and Carl Jung used to explore clinical play therapists’ understanding and critical reflexivity of unconscious influences on their relational practices with parents. The partnership is situated within a broader methodological partnership between Paul Ricoeur and Jung discussed by the authors in another paper in this issue. The purpose of the Bourdieu and Jung partnership is to design a comprehensive theoretical tool kit that enables the exploration of the interrelated nature of personal, social, and collective unconscious influences on professional practices. The paper discusses seven Bourdieusian and ten Jungian thinking tools and …


A Critical Imaginal Hermeneutics Approach To Explore Unconscious Influences On Professional Practices: A Ricoeur And Jung Partnership, Rosa Bologna, Franziska Trede, Narelle Patton Oct 2020

A Critical Imaginal Hermeneutics Approach To Explore Unconscious Influences On Professional Practices: A Ricoeur And Jung Partnership, Rosa Bologna, Franziska Trede, Narelle Patton

The Qualitative Report

Professional relationships are at the heart of professional practice. Qualitative studies exploring professional practice relationships are typically positioned in either the social constructivist (interpretive) paradigm where the aim is to explore actors’ subjective understandings of their relationships and relational practices, or in the critical paradigm where the aim is to reveal objective unconscious structures and hidden power plays influencing actors’ practices. This paper introduces critical imaginal hermeneutics as a systemic philosophical and methodological approach situated on the juncture of the social constructivist and critical paradigms where the dual aim is to explore both actors’ subjective understanding and meaning-making processes associated …


A Synopsis And Extension Of Thayne And Gantt's Who Is Truth? Reframing Our Questions For A Richer Faith, Lane Fischer Sep 2020

A Synopsis And Extension Of Thayne And Gantt's Who Is Truth? Reframing Our Questions For A Richer Faith, Lane Fischer

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Thayne and Gantt’s recent book, Who is Truth?: Reframing Our Questions for a Richer Faith, presents an ancient but revolutionary conception of truth. They compare the ancient Greek conception of Idea-truth with the ancient Hebrew conception of Person-truth. They explore the implications of Person-truth for our faith. They use Person-truth to reframe questions. This article presents a synopsis of the book and extends its implications around the issue of suffering and psychotherapy.


Therapeutic Rupture Repair In Treatment Of Military Adolescents., Brent Anthony Luebcke Aug 2020

Therapeutic Rupture Repair In Treatment Of Military Adolescents., Brent Anthony Luebcke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ruptures in the therapeutic alliance have shown to be a significant predictor of therapy outcomes, with non-repaired ruptures resulting in increased dropout rates of therapy, and repaired ruptures resulting in positive therapy outcomes. This study investigated the impact of alliance ruptures on outcomes of therapy among youth and adolescents, with a specific focus on military youth and adolescents. A sample of 5,640 military adolescents who were treated by 101 therapists were selected for analysis based on inclusion criteria of: a) being aged 13 to 19 years old; and b) attending more than one session of therapy. Each session, clients completed …


Predictors And Impact Of Psychotherapy Side Effects In Young Adults, Tierney K. Lorenz Mar 2020

Predictors And Impact Of Psychotherapy Side Effects In Young Adults, Tierney K. Lorenz

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

What should we tell our younger clients—who may or may not have chosen to come to therapy—about possible risks of engaging in psychotherapy? To explore this question, we examined psychotherapy side effects in 366 young adults with a history of psychotherapy or counseling. Psychotherapy side effects were common, with 41% of participants reporting at least one. Perceived lack of control over the decision of when and how to engage in therapy was the strongest predictor of experiencing therapy side effects. Of the different kinds of side effects, feeling that therapy had gone on too long and experiencing worsening of existing …


Power In The Counseling Relationship: The Role Of Ignorance, Izaak L. Williams, Peg O'Connor Oct 2019

Power In The Counseling Relationship: The Role Of Ignorance, Izaak L. Williams, Peg O'Connor

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This article explores the role of therapist self-disclosure in clinical settings. Distinctions are made between the enmeshed concepts of privacy, secrecy, and confidentiality to elucidate the role of ignorance in maintaining the power dynamics in therapeutic relationships. While some measure of privacy is essential to counseling practice, secretive behavior (in which the counselor divulges too little about themselves) can have a negative impact on the therapeutic relationship and the client’s therapeutic outcomes. There is, therefore, an under-appreciated and delicate balancing act between withholding information to protect the client and the counselor and revealing enough personal details to empower the client’s …


Between Identity And Truth: A Christ-Centered Perspective On Emotion, Mauro Properzi Dec 2018

Between Identity And Truth: A Christ-Centered Perspective On Emotion, Mauro Properzi

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Emotions are receiving a lot of attention in both academic and popular circles. In fact, our culture is increasingly characterized by emotionality in thought, expression, and personal interaction, with some positive but also many negative consequences. How should Christians respond to these developments in the secular culture? A Christ-centered approach to the emotions is the general theological foundation on which we need to ground our reflections and decisions about their nature and significance. Specifi- cally, by deepening our understanding of Jesus’s teachings on His identity, telos, life-giving reality, and sanctifying power, as aptly described in John 14:6, we may experience …


Grace As Psychotherapy: Suggestions For Therapists With Latter-Day Saint Clients, Matthew R. Draper, James S. Mcgraw, Daniel Sturtevant, Richard D. Draper Sep 2017

Grace As Psychotherapy: Suggestions For Therapists With Latter-Day Saint Clients, Matthew R. Draper, James S. Mcgraw, Daniel Sturtevant, Richard D. Draper

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

There is a growing body of literature that shows how perfectionism has tremendous effects on a person’s well-being. Specifically, maladaptive perfectionism continues to have an alarming influence on many individuals’ experiences with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicidal ideations. Interestingly, for religious or spiritual individuals, perfectionism is often colored by profound religious themes that further complicate treatment. This paper seeks to explore this issue by introducing the case of Sister Vivi, a Mormon woman who suffered a great deal of depression and anxiety, and eventually a suicide attempt due to perfectionism entwined within her religious beliefs. In cooperation with her …


Thanks For Nothin,' Timothy Leary: Reflections On Gantt And Thayne's, Lane Fischer Sep 2017

Thanks For Nothin,' Timothy Leary: Reflections On Gantt And Thayne's, Lane Fischer

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.


Life's Lessons: Reflections On A Disciple Scholar, Colleagues And Students Of Dr. Robert L. Gleave Sep 2017

Life's Lessons: Reflections On A Disciple Scholar, Colleagues And Students Of Dr. Robert L. Gleave

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.


A Few Reasons I Choose Christ: A Beginning Expression Of Thankfulness For What Jesus Does For Me, Robert L. Gleave Sep 2017

A Few Reasons I Choose Christ: A Beginning Expression Of Thankfulness For What Jesus Does For Me, Robert L. Gleave

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.


Christian Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Lucy C. Phillips May 2017

Christian Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Lucy C. Phillips

Fidei et Veritatis: The Liberty University Journal of Graduate Research

Albert Ellis was the creator of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Although Ellis opposed organized religion and religious beliefs for most of his life, this type of therapy can be adapted for use with many religious groups, including Christians. This paper will discuss biblical support for REBT as well as incongruences of Christian tenants and REBT. Christian REBT (CREBT) will be explored, including the therapeutic techniques that can be used. The efficacy of CREBT will be covered. Since there is a paucity of randomized clinical trials examining CREBT, Christian cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) will also be discussed. This paper will …


Psychological Attitudes Of Saudi Arabian International Students Toward Mental Health Counseling, Ruba Alajlan Apr 2016

Psychological Attitudes Of Saudi Arabian International Students Toward Mental Health Counseling, Ruba Alajlan

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological attitudes of Saudi Arabian international students toward mental health services. One of the problems that prompted this research is the scarcity of scientific literature on this issue. This research used a mixed-method study convergent design with a convenience sampling of 162 for quantitative section and 35 for the qualitative. The main validated instrument used was the Beliefs About Psychological Services Scale (BAPS) along with a demography survey and some qualitative open-ended questions. The researcher found that licensed psychologists and professional counselors had the highest statistical representation of relationship with intent. …


Beyond Mindfulness: Expanding Integration Of Spirituality And Religion Into Psychotherapy, Thomas G. Plante Jan 2016

Beyond Mindfulness: Expanding Integration Of Spirituality And Religion Into Psychotherapy, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

Since the publication of Bergin’s classic 1980 paper “Psychotherapy and Religious Values” in the Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, an enormous amount of quality research has been conducted on the integration of religious and spiritual values and perspectives into the psychotherapy endeavor. Numerous empirical studies, chapters, books, blogs, and specialty organizations have emerged in the past 35 years that have helped researchers and clinicians alike come to appreciate the value of religion and spirituality in the psychotherapeutic process. While so much has been accomplished in this area of integration, so much more needs to occur in order for the …


The Shared Experiences Of Counselors Who Practice In Natural Environments, Bonnie King Dec 2014

The Shared Experiences Of Counselors Who Practice In Natural Environments, Bonnie King

Bonnie King

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to gain a deep understanding of the shared experiences of therapists who provide counseling in non-traditional, natural environment settings. Eight participants shared their experiences about counseling in nature. The primary research question for this study was: What are the shared experiences of counselors who provide nature-based counseling? A review of the literature of nature-based counseling provided benefits to spending time in nature, descriptions of various types of nature-based counseling, and ethical and legal issues that affect nature-based counselors. Semi-structured interviews comprised of open-ended questions were used to collect data by phone and …


Same-Sex Couples' Lived Experiences Of The Repeal Of The Defense Of Marriage Act's (Doma) Section Three, Alicia Anne Bosley Jan 2014

Same-Sex Couples' Lived Experiences Of The Repeal Of The Defense Of Marriage Act's (Doma) Section Three, Alicia Anne Bosley

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Same-sex couples are affected by the social and political climates in which they live, as these create the difference between acceptance and legalization, and discrimination and prohibition, of their relationships. This contingence is made increasingly impactful by the privileges and protections afforded to married couples by the federal government; same-sex couples, along with other couples that choose not to, or cannot, marry, are excluded from these benefits. Following the June 26, 2013 ruling that Section Three of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as between a man and a woman, was unconstitutional, same-sex couples were given access …


A Call To Integrate Religious Communities Into Practice: The Case Of Sikhs, Muninder Kaur Ahluwalia, Anjali Alimchandani Sep 2012

A Call To Integrate Religious Communities Into Practice: The Case Of Sikhs, Muninder Kaur Ahluwalia, Anjali Alimchandani

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

Sikhs, an ethnic and religious minority group in the United States, have seen a significant shift in their social location since 9/11. They have experienced harassment and violence beyond race and ethnicity to the visible markers of the religion (e.g., turbans). In this article, we address how counseling psychology is uniquely positioned to work with Sikhs given these circumstances. We provide an overview of Sikh Americans, including specific experiences that may affect treatment such as race-based traumatic injury, identification as a part of a visible religious minority group, and the impact of historic community-level trauma. We discuss recommendations for practitioners …