Digital Commons Network^™

Forming Physicians For Others: The Identity Of The Jesuit Catholic Medical School, John Hardt, David G. De Marco Sj

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Forming Physicians for Others: The Identity of the Jesuit Catholic Medical School

The Jesuit medical school accepts a widely-acknowledged telos: the preparation of the medical student to offer excellent patient care. It pursues this telos, however, through the distinctiveness of Ignatian formation, which finds expression in each domain of undergraduate medical education. This formative commitment, oriented toward and witnessing to an appreciation of the unconditional worth of the human being, may empower a subset of medical students—who are engaged by a life of faith and open to the transcendent invitation of their lives—to experience an even more fundamental transformation—one that …

Factors Associated With Vaping Frequency Among University Students, Oluwatosin Marylyn Oduneye

Masters Theses

Electronic cigarette use among university students is a growing public health concern, with approximately 20-25% reporting current use. Despite extensive research on vaping initiation, factors associated with vaping frequency among established users remain understudied. This study examined stress-coping mechanisms, peer influence, and health risk perceptions as predictors of vaping frequency, guided by Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). A quantitative cross-sectional survey was administered via Microsoft Forms to 399 university students aged 21-25 with recent vaping experience, recruited nationally through campus flyers and online platforms. Multiple linear regression was conducted in SAS OnDemand for Academics, with stress-coping, peer influence, and health …

Handbook Of Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapies, Thomas St. James O'Connor

Consensus

Richards, P. S., Allen, G. E. K., & Judd, D. K. (2023). Handbook of spiritually integrated psychotherapies. American Psychological Association. ISBN: 9781433835933

A Student-Centered Coaching Program In Jesuit & Mercy Traditions, Sara Gifford, Karen Mihelich, Arthur Ko

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

A student-centered coaching program grounded in Jesuit and Mercy traditions, called “Coaching for Care,” was implemented at a midwestern Jesuit and Mercy institution. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the development of future nurse educators’ pedagogy, foster holistic licensure examination preparation among pre-licensure nursing students, and examine students’ perceptions towards the program’s guiding Jesuit and Mercy values. Pre-licensure students who received coaching felt that their uniqueness/holism, accountability, and reflection were important for their licensure exam preparation at significantly higher rates than pre-licensure students who did not receive coaching. Themes identified from the doctoral student coaches included instilling confidence …

Hospital Organizations’ Obligation To Promote Spiritual Well-Being Among Nurses: Development Of A Normative Ethical Argument, Michael Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents an innovative strategy to promote the support of nurses' spirituality within hospital organizations. By focusing on the spiritual well-being of nurses by hospital organizations, with a natural extension into nursing schools, the approach aims to enhance nurse’s ability to protect their own spirituality, provide comprehensive spiritual care to patients, and increase nurse moral resilience. By investing in nurses' spirituality and spiritual growth, hospitals can potentially increase job satisfaction among nursing staff, improve patient care outcomes, and create a more holistic healing environment for both nurses and patients. As the nursing shortage continues and the number of nurses …

The Lasting Legacy Of Dr. Fritz Smith And Dr. Aminah Raheem: Founders Of Zero Balancing And Soul Lightening/Insight Acupressure, Deanna Waggy Otr

Journal of Transformative Touch

Dr. Fritz Smith and Dr. Aminah Raheem were pioneers in the field of holistic bodywork. Their innovative techniques, Zero Balancing (ZB) and Insight Acupressure (formerly Soul Lightening International), helped shape integrative medicine practitioners around the globe. Their marriage not only symbolized a personal union but also a professional synergy, with their complementary therapies offering a yin-yang approach to mind-body healing. Their legacy continues through the many practitioners trained in Zero Balancing and Soul Lightening/Insight Acupressure and the various organizations that uphold their commitment to research, education, and professional standards.

Roadmap To Better Mental Health Care, James R. Kilgore, James C. Somers, Jenna Rolfs, Everett Allen, Tom Colletti, Blake Rogers, Maggie Banger, Nikoleta Delis, Debra S. Munsell Dhsc, Pa-C

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

This article will describe the current providers involved in delivering mental health services, the projected needs for mental health providers in the next decade, and interventional strategies that may enhance their delivery of care. By adopting comprehensive, patient-centered interdisciplinary strategies, and utilizing new and innovative tools and pharmaceutical agents healthcare providers can mitigate the adverse effects of lack of access and the delivery of mental health care.

How Jesus Christ Saves The Addict: A Phenomenological Study On The Perceptions Of A Christ-Centered Approach To Addiction Recovery, Olivia M. Matthews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Reaching epidemic proportions, drug and alcohol addiction is a prevalent problem within the United States that demands urgent attention. With numbers exceeding 20 million Americans struggling with a substance use disorder (SUD) and over 111,000 individuals falling victim to illicit drug overdose fatalities in 2022, the question of effectiveness in rehabilitation outlets for this subgroup is of critical concern (Lashley, 2018; CDC, 2024). The purpose of this study is to analyze the perceptions of Christ-centered initiatives in securing sobriety among addicted individuals and/or substance use offenders. This study utilized qualitative methods with a phenomenological and narrative design to explore Christ-centered …

Peak Teaching: Exploring And Fostering Sacred Experiences In University Classrooms, Charles Burack

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Supporting the spiritual growth of college and university students with diverse backgrounds and orientations is both important and challenging. It is important not only because spirituality is a crucial dimension of human life but also because the majority of students at both private and public schools want their teachers to address spiritual issues in the classroom. A powerful way to address spirituality is to explore and foster sacred experiences in university classrooms. Sacred experiences include religious, spiritual, mystical, transcendent, numinous, and peak experiences as well as many other nonordinary experiences. The author offers guidance to educators on how to: 1) …

Protocols For Enhancing The Role And Value Of Spiritual Care Resources In The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Garrett Harper

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the assessment of innovative practices in police chaplaincy. The purpose of the project intervention is to develop protocols that can guide police chaplains through an assessment process. The intervention relies on practical theology as exemplified through the ministry of chaplaincy. This ministry comprises police chaplains offering spiritual comfort to persons encountering critical incidents involving violence, accident, or other trauma-intensive events and situations. Adoption of innovations can allow police chaplains to be more effective in fulfilling many outward-focused tasks such as delivery of death notifications. I conclude that: (1) police chaplaincy is amenable to use of protocols to …

Peak Teaching: Exploring And Fostering Sacred Experiences In University Classrooms, Charles Burack

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

Supporting the spiritual growth of college and university students with diverse backgrounds and orientations is both important and challenging. It is important not only because spirituality is a crucial dimension of human life but also because the majority of students at both private and public schools want their teachers to address spiritual issues in the classroom. A powerful way to address spirituality is to explore and foster sacred experiences in university classrooms. Sacred experiences include religious, spiritual, mystical, transcendent, numinous, and peak experiences as well as many other nonordinary experiences. The author offers guidance to educators on how to: 1) …

Increasing Quality Of Life And Well-Being Among Older Adults Living In An Assisted Living Facility Through Engaging In A Wellness Program., Hannah Steckler

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The focus of this scholarly project was to create a group protocol to increase the quality of life and well-being of older adults living in an assisted living facility (ALF). Furthermore, it promotes increased engagement in meaningful activities to combat health disparities and provide education on various areas of wellness. Older adults' quality of life and well-being are impacted when residing in an ALF due to decreased engagement in wellness activities (Bartley et al., 2018; Morgan et al., 2016). Furthermore, risk factors and health disparities increase among the older adult population, which causes a negative impact on everyday routines …

Exploring The Effects Of Christian Worldviews On Heart Rate, Stress, And Adjustment After Loss In Bereaved Individuals, Emma Radini Ratnavel

Honors Scholar Theses

The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between Christian values, perceptions of God, and physiological stress, assessed through heart rate, among individuals who are experiencing grief due to the loss of a loved one. Previous studies have analyzed various physiological effects on the body. There are very few studies that examine the correlation between Christian values and heart rate in bereaved participants. To explore these topics further, this study analyzes 59 undergraduate students who have recently lost a loved one, identify as a Christian, and are at least 18 years old. The participants' perceptions of God and …

Seminarians In The Person-Of-The-Therapist (Pott) Training : A Phenomenological Study, Tomichan Moonnanappillil

Dissertations

This dissertation presented a transcendental phenomenological study conducted among eight seminarians in one of the theological schools in Southern Texas, who attended the personof-the- therapist (POTT) training program during the fall semester of 2019. This study aimed to examine seminarian participants' experiences in POTT training, their influence on their selfawareness, and their impact on their emotional maturity and the ability to make responsible life choices. The study was guided by an existential-humanistic philosophical orientation as an overarching theoretical orientation with the subjective epistemological worldview and socialconstructionism paradigm. Findings indicated POTT training positively impacted seminarian participants' human formation, which was foundational …

Spirituality Of The Servant Leader, Sally Duffy

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

Reflecting on the words and lived actions of philosophers, theologians and others in the Catholic tradition can inform the Spirituality of a Servant Leader. Thoughtful considerations of the crucified today and personal examination of reader towards systems and structures of oppression should inform those in leadership. Members and alumni of a Vincentian university must recall and embody the leadership styles of Jesus Christ and St. Vincent De Paul in their own places of influence to make for a more just and righteous global society. A Vincentian education calls leaders to holistic care of those they lead coupled with radical principles …

Perceptions, Benefits, And Use Of Complementary And Integrative Therapies To Treat Menopausal Symptoms: A Pilot Study, Marnie Vanden Noven, Mia Larson, Emma Lee, Cavan Reily, Mary Fran Tracy, Manda L. Keller-Ross

Funded Scholarship

Background: Menopause symptoms can be debilitating, and the use of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) has declined significantly since the Women's Health Initiative.

Materials and methods: We surveyed 508 peri- and postmenopausal females to determine (1) the use of complementary and integrative therapies (CIT), MHT; and pharmacotherapies; (2) the perceptions, perceived benefits/risks of CIT, MHT; and pharmacotherapy use; and (3) factors associated with CIT and MHT use for menopause symptom treatment.

Results: The majority of respondents used CIT to treat menopause symptoms based on physician recommendation and research studies. Treatments that were perceived as most beneficial included exercise, mind-body therapies, diet, …

Commencement Program 2022, Loma Linda University

Commencement Programs

CONTENTS

1 | Message from the President

3 | 2022 Events of Commencement

5 | The Academic Procession

6 | Institutional Administration

7 | Board of Trustees

8 | Significance of Academic Regalia

9 | University History Highlights

11 | Criteria for Institutional Awards

13 | Loma Linda University Health and Loma Linda University Honorees

27 | The Programs, The School Honorees, and The Speakers

• School of Medicine, 28
• School of Pharmacy, 52
• School of Dentistry, 67
• School of Public Health, 92
• School of Allied Health Professions - Allied Health Studies, Cardiopulmonary Sciences, Clinical Laboratory Science, Communication Sciences and Disorders, …

Analysis Of Zero Balancing Case Studies Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Deanna Waggy Otr, Msa, Czb, Csla

Journal of Transformative Touch

Does Zero Balancing positively impact occupational performance? This is a question many Occupational Therapists (OTs) ask when discerning if Zero Balancing (ZB) is an evidence-based treatment modality. Case studies from the book Experiencing the Power of Zero Balancing: Case Studies of Journeys to Health and Wholeness (Quarry & King, 2016) were reviewed and compared to the Occupational Therapy domain of practice to show clear evidence that each case study had a positive impact on occupational performance. A comparison chart shows a direct link between the occupational categories and documented evidence of improved occupational performance through practitioner observation and client feedback …

Five Spiritually Based Tools For Clinical Practice During Challenging, Stressful, And Apocalyptic Times, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

Stress in America and across the globe is high with so many ongoing societal problems. The COVID-19 global pandemic along with accelerating climate change, increasing economic instability and inequality, divisive politics and an increase in authoritarianism, racism, and discrimination against those who are oppressed and marginalized are just a few current examples. Evidence suggests that mental health problems and demand for services have exploded as well. Psychotherapists who are well versed in spiritual and religious integration in their clinical work can help. While therapists cannot solve the country’s and world’s numerous problems, they can help their clientele better cope and …

Spiritual Direction Practice In Physician Associates, Nicholas Nielsen

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Burnout affects nearly 50% of healthcare providers including physician associates throughout their professions. The extent of burnout experienced is directly related to the life satisfaction of these providers and to the level of care they provide their patients. One effective way to combat burnout is emotional intelligence practice, but there is little evidence to suggest that incorporating spiritual well-being can reduce burnout and improve life satisfaction in clinicians. In this study, we will assess the effect of spiritual guided practice on burnout and life satisfaction in physician associates. Using a non-blinded randomized control trial, we will select inpatient hospitalist physician …

Recovery-Oriented Dance Movement Therapy: A Controlled Trial In Mental Health Rehabilitation, Talia Bendel-Rozow

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated the appropriateness of using a recovery-oriented dance movement therapy (RODMT) intervention for people who were experiencing severe mental illness. Dance movement therapy (DMT) has been used for decades to support people with psychological and psychiatric symptoms but, before this research, has not been studied in context of the recovery approach to mental health rehabilitation. The theoretical assumption of this study was that movement-based experiential activities could be used as the primary agent to demonstrate and convey specific recovery concepts among participants. The researcher developed a protocol for 13 sessions of group intervention that merged DMT with Illness …

Education And Assessment Of Psycho-Existential Symptoms To Prevent Suicidality In Cancer Care, David W. Kissane

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Clinicians acknowledge awkwardness and lack of skills in assessing suicidal symptoms. This requires increased education, screening for psycho-existential symptoms, and the therapeutic targeting of key symptoms. Assessment of hopelessness, pointlessness, low morale, entrapment, anhedonia, loss of control, loss of roles, and the wish to die prove extremely helpful in recognising a suicidal patient. Use of a screening tool for psycho-existential symptoms aids this recognition and empowers referral for treatment. Communication skills training increases each clinician’s skill and provides a strategic sequence to explore symptoms that mediate suicidal thinking. Network analysis research to identify core symptoms suggests that hopelessness, pointlessness, and …

Early Identification Of Frailty Predictors In A Vowed Religious Community Of Catholic Men: A Strategy For Successful Aging In Place, Julia Senn-Reeves

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Background: The population in the United States is aging and experiencing age- and disease-related changes, leading to increased frailty, as well as increased disability, morbidity, and mortality. Timely recognition of these vulnerabilities, and intervention implementation, are crucial to prevent adverse outcomes and to support successful aging in place. Purpose: The purpose of this project is to develop and implement a multifaceted assessment process to identify early predictors of frailty among members of a vowed religious community of Catholic men to ultimately support successful aging in place. Participants: A single vowed religious community of Catholic men in the United States, living …

Blended With The Savior: Gregory Of Nyssa's Eucharistic Pharmacology In The Catechetical Oration, John David Penniman

Faculty Journal Articles

Humankind, for Gregory of Nyssa, was poisoned through a primordial act of eating the forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden. As a result, the toxin of sin and death has been blended into the body and soul of each person, dispersing itself throughout the component parts of their nature. If eating and drinking initiated the spiritual and physical degradation of humanity, Gregory argues, then it must also be through eating and drinking—namely, through the Eucharist—that humanity will be healed. This article proposes that Gregory's instruction on the Eucharist in his Catechetical Oration should be understood as more than merely …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 59 Number 1, Spring 2018, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

22 - TRUST ME After decades of declining trust in journalism, here’s some good news. Introducing the Trust Project. By Steven Boyd Saum and Deborah Lohse. Illustrations by Franziska Barczyk.

28 - NOBEL BEGINNINGS Santa Clara Professor Hersh Shefrin, fellow economist Richard Thaler, and the beginning of the fight to have behavioral economics taken seriously. There was yelling involved. By Deborah Lohse. Illustrations by Paul Blow.

32 - AFTERMATH OF DISASTER When fire or flood, wind or tremor strikes, what do you make of what’s been lost? How do you help others put their lives back together? Stories from the …

Alumni Journal - Volume 89, Number 1, Loma Linda University School Of Medicine

Alumni Journal, School of Medicine

Features
12 | An Experience Rich in History, Beauty, and Fellowship
14 | Department Reports: Anesthesiology and Internal Medicine
22 | In Search of the Celestial
32 | APC 2018: A Preview

Departments
2 | From the Editor
5 | From the President
8 | From the Dean
9 | The Student Fund
10 | School of Medicine News
39 | Letter to AIMS Members
40 | Book Review
43 | Classified/Placement Ads
44 | Alumni News
46 | In Memoriam
50 | Historical Snapshot
51 | What's Up Doc?

Extras
4 | Board of Directors and Holding Fund Ballot …

African American Clergy's Attitude Toward Professional Mental Health Services, Ebony Gaffney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evaluating the attitude of African American clergy toward parishioners seeking professional mental health services for mental illness has important treatment implications. Religion and spirituality are equally important determinants of mental health and can affect African American clergy's attitudes toward professional care for mental illness. Utilizing the health belief model (HBM), this quantitative study examined the role of theological beliefs, education, and personal experience with mental illness as they correlated with clergy's attitudes toward seeking professional mental illness services. Approximately 98 African American Protestant Clergy in the states of Georgia and South Carolina participated in this study. Data were collected using …

Examining The Connection Between Spirituality And Embodiment In Medical Education, Katie Bellamy

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze the experience of spirituality for students of Western medicine as reflected in writing assignments for an elective course on embodiment and empathy building skills. Questions included: What is the relationship between embodiment and spirituality for students of Western medicine? How does (re-)embodiment lead to reflections on spirituality? Does mind-body awareness lead to mind-body-spirit awareness? How can incorporation of embodiment techniques into physician training foster spirituality as it relates to physicians’ professional healing roles? Based in a constructivist paradigm, this study used a qualitative grounded theory methodology to generate theory about …

Six Principles To Consider When Working With Roman Catholic Clients, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

Although the majority of Americans consider themselves to be Christian and affiliated with various Protestant denominations, a quarter of the American population identify themselves as Roman Catholics who are the largest single religious denomination in the country. Yet, surprisingly, fairly little research has been published in the professional psychology literature about working with this very large and diverse group. Psychologists have an ethical responsibility to be aware of and respectful to diversity including diversity based on religious background, affiliation, and perspectives. The purpose of this brief reflection is to offer 6 important principles to keep in mind for professional psychologists …

Retaining Behavioral Healthcare Employees Of The Millennial Generation, David W. Gomel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a result of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the behavioral healthcare field is experiencing an increased demand for services. This increase is based on the availability of healthcare coverage to an estimated 13.4 million previously uninsured individuals. To meet this demand for treatment, the workforce of behavioral health therapists must grow. The largest generation entering the workforce, the Millennial Generation - those born after 1980 - is believed to lack commitment to their employers, frequently vacating their positions for the next best offer. The purpose of this case study was to determine factors that both affect retention …