Counseling Commons^™

Exploring Perinatal Mental Health: Navigating Challenges And Support For Women Of Color, Chloey R. Pestorious

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone Project focuses on peripartum depression, particularly its implications for women of color during the perinatal period, which includes pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Peripartum depression is a mental health condition that effects women, their families, and society as a whole (World Health Organization, 2008). The literature review takes a comprehensive approach, starting with an exploration of peripartum depression, including its prevalence, manifestations, and associated risk factors. Notably, women of color face a higher prevalence of peripartum depression, with disparities arising from multifaceted factors, including racial and ethnic healthcare disparities, socioeconomic challenges, and cultural nuances (Kozhimannil et al., …

Demystifying Music Therapy: Applications Over The Lifespan, Barry C. Nelson

Counselor Education Capstones

This study seeks to evaluate the curative factors of music therapy and discuss the benefits of the practice over the course of the human lifespan. Additionally, a case will be made for prospective and current counselors to add music therapy techniques to their repertoire in order to provide more diverse methods of care. To accomplish this aim, research will be presented conveying how music therapy has been evaluated for effectiveness in treating various mental health concerns during childhood, adulthood, and older adulthood. The results of this evaluation suggest that music therapy is effective at treating a diverse range of disorders …

Culturally Responsive Practices In Graduate Training: Challenges, Strategies, And Recommendations, Khadija Ali, Jolinpreet Dhami, Odessa Luna

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This paper examines three women of color perspectives on the relevance of incorporating culture and race discussions, activities, and assignments into graduate courses. The authors provide a description of their upbringing to highlight how their personal experiences shaped their perspective on culture and race in educational settings. The challenges of delivering instruction to encompass culture are discussed alongside a student’s evaluation of these barriers. In addition, instructors outline strategies they have implemented to incorporate a culturally responsive practice. Lastly, the authors present recommendations to urge other faculty members and students to use and advocate for culturally responsive practices.

Lack Of Multicultural Representation In Children’S Literature And Societal Attitudes On Youths’ Self-Perception, Ellen Knutson

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone Project addresses the use of multicultural representation in children’s literature, with particular relevance to educational resources and curriculum. Likewise, there is consideration of the impact of societal attitudes towards multicultural education and acts of inclusivity on the implementation of such ideas. Societal attitudes mentioned include state legislature and literature censorship. The implementation of multicultural education would inherently represent larger numbers of underrepresented communities and individuals, which would then be included in the classroom. This Capstone looks to understand the potential impact of thorough implementation of multicultural education and inclusive, representative literature for youth.

Social And Emotional Development Of Toddlers Post-Covid-19 Pandemic, Alice M. Bygd

Counselor Education Capstones

The COVID-19 pandemic created a significantly different world for infants and very young children to grow and develop their social and emotional skills. These infants are now today’s toddlers. They were born or spent the earliest months of their lives in a society that was lacking the naturally occurring social and emotional experiences that children have had in the past. Research on the social and emotional development of young children since the COVID-19 pandemic is lacking greatly. This is due to how close the lived experiences of a pandemic for society are to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The …

Success For Graduation And Beyond: College Counseling Advocacy Skills That Target The Needs Of First-Generation College Students, Meriel Laforce

Counselor Education Capstones

The writer explores how the role of a college counselor can support and advocate for first-generation students in a way that can lead to attainable success beyond merely graduating from an institution. Research has shown that college faculty have been proven to be a significant source of aspirational, intellectual, and emotional support in a student’s college success. The role of a college counselor could be an ideal mentor and advocate for those students who may be at a disadvantage, such as a first-generation student. The specific barriers that first-generation students experience that differ from continuing-generation students are discussed. Additionally, the …

Implications For Counseling High School Student Athletes In A School Setting, Tristan Schmidtknecht

Counselor Education Capstones

Career counseling is a vital part of the high school counselor’s job. There are unique considerations for every student that transitions from high school to college but the transition process for the prospective student-athlete is especially complicated. The role of the counselor is discussed to begin the literature review, followed by a review of the academic eligibility information that counselors need to be aware of. Academic implications for the student-athlete such as choosing a school and a major are then discussed before transitioning to issues student-athletes may face upon arriving at college. These issues include time management skills, mental health …

Lack Of Counseling Services Among Adults Aged 50 And Greater, Madalyn Olson

Counselor Education Capstones

The geriatric population is increasing every year which may indicate a rising need for retirement and mental health counseling. It is essential for individuals aging out of the workforce to prepare for a life after work and know how to create a new identity. Counselors need to be aware of the different scales and assessments that are available to help determine one’s attitude towards retirement and willingness to seek counseling to prepare for retirement. Additionally, it is important to be aware that although there are counseling services available for mental health disorders and substance use disorders, these services are limited …

Working With Students From Low Socioeconomic Families: What Can School Counselors Do?, Rachel S. Bluhm

Counselor Education Capstones

Poverty and low socioeconomic status (SES) in America negatively affect students in elementary, middle, and high school as they are still developing. It is crucial that school counselors and other helping professionals are aware of how to best support these students so they can achieve their highest as social support has been shown to be a protective factor for low SES in school. It is essential that school counselors and other staff in schools have effective training surrounding poverty and that they recognize how their social class affects their views and beliefs surrounding poverty and analyze those beliefs and practices. …

Ce 560 Syllabus: Addiction Counseling: Assessments And Treatment Of Addiction & Co-Occuring Disorders, Mitch Moore

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course addresses the principles of screening, assessment, diagnosis of substance use, induced, and co-occurring disorders in adults and adolescents, and treatment planning. Students will become familiar with an array of screening and assessment instruments, and diagnostic and treatment planning tools, including the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), Comprehensive SUDs Assessment, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s Patient Placement Criteria of Substance-Related Disorders (ASAM PPC), as well writing required reports and record-keeping functions. The treatment of co-occurring disorders, including the Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment model, process addictions (e.g., gambling), ethical considerations, and multicultural issues will …

Therapeutic Potential Of Hypnotherapy To Treat Substance Use, Theresa Sanchez

Counselor Education Capstones

The use and abuse of substances has been a problem throughout the country for decades. Treatment programs attempt to mitigate the issue, but death rates from all drugs are rising each year, showing a need to implement alternate treatment options. This literature review analyzed multiple scholarly articles on the components of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. The visualization technique used in Hypnotherapy mirrors The Miracle Question that is used in Solution-Focused Therapy. Connecting this knowledge to what scientists and researchers are discovering in the field of Neuroscience allows us to see that it is possible to harness the power of the mind …

Sizeism--What Multicultural Education & Training Are Missing, Jen Rynes

Counselor Education Capstones

Training in multiculturalism is a major focus in most counselor education graduate programs. These programs seek to graduate competent counselors who aspire to serve all populations. The harsh reality is that many programs fail to acknowledge body diversity and sizeism in these multicultural courses and trainings. There are a multitude of reasons why body diversity needs to be a part of multicultural education and training. The literature reviewed in this paper has a purpose of discussing those reasons, dismantling the many myths associated with fatness, identifying how body size intersects with other diverse identities, and reviewing current multicultural guidelines and …

Effective Treatment Modalities, Recommendations, And Desired Outcomes For Adolescents With Co-Occurring Disorders, Madelynn J. Revord

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone Project analyzes and assesses recent research of different modalities of treatment for adolescents with co-occurring disorders. While conducting research on this topic, the common goal of effective treatment for adolescents with co-occurring disorders includes eliminating continued substance abuse, resolving conduct concerns, developing appropriate coping skills, correcting negative thoughts and/or behaviors, decreasing delinquency, and addressing reoccurring mental health symptoms. Multidimensional family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, group therapy, and individual therapy are compared to formulate effective clinical approaches for adolescents with co-occurring disorders. Adverse childhood experiences, risk and protective factors, suicidality, community involvement, parental education and early intervention, …

Review Of Conceptualizations, Peer Interventions, And Principles And Standards In Approaches To Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Sara Fister

Counselor Education Capstones

Intimate partner violence (IPV), a type of domestic violence, is a human rights issue that is considered a global health concern. The daunting statistics outline the immense need for principles and standards for approaches to IPV. The overarching goal of this review is to explore peer support and peer mentorship as a potential adjunct service to a comprehensive service program for IPV victim-survivors. Conceptualization, theory, and frameworks; social support and peer support; the self-identity of IPV victims; single versus integrative services; service enhancement; evaluation; and advocacy and interventions are investigated in relation to IPV services, in general, and peer support, …

The Effects Of Social Media On Internalizing Disorders In Adolescents, Deziree Wiegmann

Counselor Education Capstones

This platforms capstone project paper is about the effects that social media or advanced technology platforms has on young individuals. Many articles were reviewed, which included research studies on the prevalence of social media usage by adolescents, along with its negative and positive effects on their development. This topic is important for counselors to review in order to treat young clients that struggle with depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, etc. For counselors and other professionals who work with adolescents, it would be important to look at the data, which has helped derive what treatment approaches may be the most effective and …

Adolescent Trauma: The Effects On Development And Interventions To Help, Allison Skrentny

Counselor Education Capstones

Trauma is something that can impact everyone in some way. Experiencing trauma at a young age can be even harder for some as they have not had the chance to develop fully socially, emotionally, mentally, and physically. As counselors and educators, it is extremely important to be trauma informed and be able to ensure that the student has necessary supports and resources in place to ensure that they are having all their needs met and able to work through their trauma. Knowing where a child is at developmentally and the obstacles, they may face through their adolescent years make it …

Mental Health In Rural Communities: Barriers And Solutions To Access, Andrea Ducharme

Counselor Education Capstones

Rural communities encompass a unique culture and a way of life difficult to find anywhere else. Unfortunately, barriers to mental health services exist more frequently in rural than urban and suburban areas. These barriers include stigma, cultural factors, financial concerns, as well as lack of resources and providers. Solutions to these barriers exist in some part, but also present their own challenges. This literature review explores the problem, causes of the problem in the form of barriers, and solutions to accessing mental health resources in rural areas of the United States. A discussion with suggestions for further action and study …

Effects On Youth Experiencing Homelessness In Public Schools, Abby Golish

Counselor Education Capstones

Abstract

An examination of the issues of youth who are experiencing homelessness is crucial in supporting this vulnerable population. Public schools have a responsibility to assist these students in their academic, career, and social-emotional development. With unique, personal needs, students who are homeless must be understood by school counselors and other school personnel to be appropriately supported. Homelessness can be identified through many characteristics and identified needs. It is key for school counselors to recognize these characteristics and consider the impacts that the school and resources can make on the student’s life. Throughout the paper, the causes of homelessness, potential …

Examining Consent Education As A Preventative Measure For Sexual Violence, Harassment, And Bullying In Adolescents, Alexis Olson

Counselor Education Capstones

This paper is an examination of consent education in K-12 schools in the United States. Each state determines its own consent education policies. Most states do not require consent education despite high rates of adolescent sexual activity and increasing rates of sexual violence in adolescents. This paper examines the integration of adolescent sexual violence, harassment, and bullying. Considerations of current research shows an increase in adolescent experiences of sexual violence and connections to sexual harassment and bullying. Additionally, this paper explores consent education through classroom guidance lessons and cross-curricular implementation. Examination of consent education as a preventative measure for sexual …

The Impact Of Surviving Suicide Loss On Adolescent Psychosocial Development, Sophie Leonard

Counselor Education Capstones

There has been extensive research in the areas of the impact of suicide and human development over the past several decades. Researchers continue to examine the role that experiencing suicide loss plays in terms of the formation of a healthy identity and overall development. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of suicide loss on adolescent development. Specifically, this paper will address the potential impact of surviving a significant suicide loss on adolescent development during the identity versus role confusion stage of Erikson’s theory of development. Based on a thorough review of professional literature, the long-term effects …

Navigating Covert Exploitation: Treatment Considerations For Counseling Human Trafficking Survivors, Lindsey Holper

Counselor Education Capstones

Human trafficking is a pervasive form of modern-day slavery. Despite increased resources being devoted to fighting these atrocities, human trafficking numbers are rising (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2018). Unfortunately, due to the covert, criminal nature of exploitation, research regarding human trafficking and its impact on survivors has been limited. This literature review seeks to aid mental health counselors in their treatment of human trafficking survivors by garnering an understanding of the complex mental health needs of trafficking survivors by exploring biological, genetic, and psychosocial influences that increase their susceptibility to the development of mental health concerns. This …

Ce 560 Syllabus: Addiction Counseling - Assessments & Treatment Of Addictions & Co-Occurring, Mitch Moore

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course addresses the principles of screening, assessment, diagnosis of substance use, induced, and co-occurring disorders in adults and adolescents, and treatment planning. Students will become familiar with an array of screening and assessment instruments, and diagnostic and treatment planning tools, including the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), Comprehensive SUDs Assessment, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s Patient Placement Criteria of Substance- Related Disorders (ASAM PPC), as well writing required reports and record-keeping functions. The treatment of co-occurring disorders, including the Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment model, process addictions (e.g., gambling), ethical considerations, and multicultural issues …

Ce 534 Syllabus: Multiculturalism And Diversity, Mitch Moore

Counselor Education Syllabi

The purpose of this course is to: (1) promote student growth and development through the learning and practice of basic communication and helping skills; (2) study cultural diversity as it relates to human relations and communication; (3) examine gender and sexual orientation in terms of human relations and communication; and (4) address human relations and communication as they relate to special populations (persons with disabilities, older adults, economically disadvantaged individuals, children, etc.) Grade only. This course will also cover substance abuse issues as relates to diverse cultures, specifically as addressed by the SAMHSA Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 59.

Ce 621 Syllabus: Research Design, Anquinetta V. Calhoun

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course provides the fundamentals of research design and program evaluation. Current methods of research design and evaluation in counseling will be discussed and students will complete a brief literature review, a research proposal, and peer reviews.

Ce 645 Syllabus: School Counseling Practice, Dawnette Cigrand

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course addresses important conceptual and practical issues of effective school counseling practice, with an emphasis on the critical importance of proactive, primary prevention applications that positively impact student development and success. Developmental guidance curriculum, consultation, advocacy, and data-driven outcomes will be addressed, both in the classroom and in field-based learning cohorts.

Ce 652 Syllabus: Treatment Planning, Rieko Miyakuni

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course is designed to assist mental health counselors in designing client-centered, individualized, and culturally sound treatment plans for a wide variety of clinical mental health disorders. Course content will include a strong focus on the diagnosis of mental health disorders based on criteria from the DSM-5, and the subsequent treatment planning and provision of evidence based clinical care. Students completing this course with a satisfactory evaluation will be familiar with evidence-based treatment as a philosophy of practice as well as interventions indicated for specific mental health disorders, and be able to create basic treatment plans that include evidence-based interventions …

Ce 653 Syllabus: Theory & Practice Of Sexual, Substance Abuse And Crisis Counseling, Kathy Harowski

Counselor Education Syllabi

This 4-credit course will provide theoretical frameworks and practical skill building in the counseling of student and clients with sexual concerns, substance abuse and addiction issues, and crisis interventions. This course facilitates knowledge, awareness and skill development as it relates to student growth and development in preparation to work with client concerns in these sensitive topic areas. Students practice application of counseling theories in a laboratory setting with simulated situations. A strong emphasis is placed on the ethical standards of the counseling profession and on multicultural issues.

Ce 660 Syllabus: Counseling Theory And Practice, Mary Fawcett

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course exposes students to theories of personality development and change, theories of counseling, and counseling techniques. Students practice application of counseling theories in a laboratory setting with simulated situations. Students are encouraged to identify and develop a tentative theory of personality as it relates to an effective counseling approach. A strong emphasis is placed on the ethical standards of the counseling profession and on multicultural issues.

Ce 690 Syllabus: Counseling Internship, Mary Fawcett

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course provides a practical, field-based experience in a school or clinical mental health setting. This experience may be arranged with supervision coordinated through the CE Internship Coordinator and an onsite supervisor. A total of six (6) credits of internship work must be completed. Purpose of the Course: To enhance the counseling skills and conceptualization processes acquired through direct counseling experience, supervision and classroom interaction. The course is designed to prepare counselors for development as independent professional counselors. The evidence provided through the quality of the course requirements, demonstration of maturity, personal insight and professional presentation as appropriate to the …

Ce 622 Syllabus: Family Systems Counseling, Anquinetta V. Calhoun

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course introduces students to the theory, assessment techniques, and intervention strategies used in the practice of family systems counseling. The focus of the course will be on building a theoretical base for understanding and applying family systems counseling strategies and techniques. Didactic and experiential learning will provide students with the opportunity to apply and integrate knowledge and skills.