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A Phenomenological Study Of Pastors' Experiences Counseling Combat Veterans, Yvette M. Rolle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When combat veterans make the transition to civilian life, whether permanently or between deployments, they face mental, physical, and spiritual adjustment (Grimell, 2019; Zogas, 2017). Although the Veterans Administration and local health providers offer services, some combat veterans prefer to seek their pastor’s advice instead or in addition (Bonner et al., 2013). Pastors, even those with little or no formal training in counseling or therapy, are uniquely equipped to guide combat veterans in the spiritual aspect of healing, or at least to accompany them with empathy and the consolation of faith. Yet a gap exists in the literature regarding clergy’s …

Enhancing Spousal Abuse Awareness Among Church Leaders Of The Haitian Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Peggy Filossaint

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a critical need for Christian church leaders to actively combat spousal abuse, emphasizing that churches must break their silence on this issue, protect victims, and join the fight against domestic violence. The study specifically focused on enhancing awareness and knowledge of spousal abuse among leaders of the Maranatha Haitian Seventh-day Adventist Church. The primary purpose of this research was to equip church leaders with the necessary tools and understanding to effectively address spousal abuse within their congregation. The project aimed to develop a comprehensive protocol for annual training, ensuring that church leaders are well-prepared to navigate the complexities …

Acpe’S Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (Sip) Training Program: Clinical Competencies For Integrating Religion And Spirituality In Counseling, Carol Za Mcginnis, Maya Georgieva, Mary Elizabeth Toler

Journal of Faith Integration Counseling (JFIC)

Clients frequently seek psychotherapy that will incorporate their unique religious or spiritual values into the therapeutic process, yet they are discouraged by practitioners who are not equipped to provide those services. Licensed mental health practitioners can receive this training and certification from the ACPE Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy Training Program. Spiritual competencies exclusive to this integrative process have been designed to guide and support SIP-certified practitioners in alignment with other professional ethical codes. It is our hope that students, educators, and licensed practitioners from all mental health fields will find this information helpful in understanding the ethical integration of spirituality into …

Moral Injury In Military Corrections, Jeremy Ryder Meyers

Masters Theses

Over the past thirty years moral injury has been a topic of concern regarding the behavioral and spiritual health of military members. Part of that work has given a voice to Vietnam veterans and the events they faced while in combat. Some of these events were acts of betrayal at the hands of another military member or their own. This act led to an injury to their moral code. Military chaplains may have morally injured soldiers in need of pastoral care as they serve. This includes soldiers working the military prisons like the United States Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth. …

Conforming To The Image Of Christ: Addressing Spiritual Immaturity Utilizing Strategic Bible-Based Pastoral Counseling In A Rural Church Context, Leonard Carpenter Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Strong and healthy churches are made up of strong and healthy disciples. The ministry context for this qualitative action research project was the Saint Mark Missionary Baptist Church, a predominately Black congregation located in the Pea Ridge community of Brewton, Alabama. The problem was some members at Saint Mark engaged in spiritually immature actions that evoked immature reactions which yielded unhealthy relationships. To address the problem, the researcher developed and implemented the “Strategic Bible-Based Pastoral Counseling Program” (SBPCP), a strategic Christian ministry that provided participants one-on-one pastoral counseling opportunities for the purpose of building up spiritually healthier Christians. SBPCP consisted …

A Phenomenological Study Of Challenges Faced By Pastors’ Kids; Effects On The Children And The Pastor, Comfort Kanco-Ackep

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of this phenomenological study is to identify the challenges faced by pastors' children and understand their repercussions. The phenomenon of pastor's children deviating from the faith and straying from religious beliefs is a prevalent issue. The Bible shows that priests like Eli and Samuel had children who disobeyed the Lord, in the Old Testament. God's children have had their children wander from moral or religious ways many times. This is due to the many obstacles they face. The pastor's children have numerous expectations and challenges. This study examines how these problems affect pastors' children and pastors. Felitti and …

The Qualitative Study Of The African American Pastors' Perceptions Of Marriage And Family Therapists, De Angela Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study investigates African American pastors' perceptions regarding mental health practitioners' roles. The research aims to comprehend the perspectives and experiences of ten participants, allowing them to select the location for data collection. This study investigates the relationship between interpretive phenomenon analysis and the perceptions of African American pastors using the hermeneutic phenomenology framework established by influential thinkers such as Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Sartre (Smith et al., 2022). As a philosophical discipline, phenomenology emphasizes the importance of an individual's lived experiences and worldview. Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Sartre have contributed to this discipline by emphasizing the inseparable relationship …

In God’S Time: Pastoral Care And Migrant Faith In Mexico And The Borderlands Of The United States Of America, Katherine Rocky Marshall

Mexico: Migration, Borders, and Transnational Communities

Katherine Marshall, a student of Religious Studies, responds to the following question by recounting a series of interviews with professors and pastoral care practitioners from Mexico and the United States of America: “With a focus on the Catholic Church, what is the importance of pastoral care for people migrating through Mexico to the United States of America?” Pastoral care is a part of many religious traditions, but, in a Christian context, it is a practice that involves becoming a physical reminder of God’s constant presence. Pastoral care practitioners make deep listening the core of their work, responding to various needs …

The Operation Of The Holy Spirit In Pastoral Counseling And Chaplaincy, Elizabeth Canfield

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The operation of the Holy Spirit in pastoral counseling and chaplaincy is a topic that is difficult to quantify. How and where the Holy Spirit moves is often a mystery. This dissertation seeks to understand the movement of the Holy Spirit in pastoral counseling and chaplaincy in the form of a theological and literature review looking into the history of soul care/pastoral counseling and the development of chaplaincy. It also looks at who the Holy Spirit is, how the Spirit operates, and develops a theology of the Holy Spirit within pastoral counseling and chaplaincy with a focus on spiritual gifts. …

Silent Holy Spirit, July-September, 2024

Silent Holy Spirit

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in St. Louis, MO

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Biblical Counseling Curriculum: Building A Counseling Curriculum To Train Ministry Students To Counsel Advanced Topics, Nicholas A. Piervicenti

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project was dedicated to the creation of a higher education curriculum that would support the needs of ministry students who study at West Coast Baptist College. Counseling is at the heart of what Christ committed himself to during His earthly ministry. (Mark 2:16–17, King James Version). The skills to counsel advanced topics in the local church arena should be an essential element of instruction that takes place in colleges that train ministry leaders. In order to effectively transfer these truths to students, a qualitative research project was implemented which utilized thirty-six interviews of alumni in order to assess areas …

Pastoral Care For Intimate Partner Violence: An Examination Of Attitudes And Behaviors, Francine P. Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Domestic violence or intimate partner violence (IPV) is willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and other abusive behaviors. They are utilized as a part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. Domestic violence can affect anyone, regardless of social status, how they identify themselves, or how others identify them. Religious affiliation is no exception to these abusive exploits; however, your spiritual practices may aid in the recovery and escaping IPV. This dissertation addressed the ministerial process of counseling congregants victimized by intimate partner violence. At the same time, examining the attitudes …

Pastoral Counseling In African American Churches, Allen Tyrone Smith Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African Americans, as a people group, are generally reluctant to pursue clinical support related to emotional or mental health issues. Black people underutilize professional services that address emotional and mental health-related problems (Hankerson & Weissman, 2012). According to Neighbors et al. (1998), regardless of problem type or severity, individuals less likely to secure assistance from professionals are those who contact pastors first. Avent et al. (2015) noted that African American Christians who seek religious support tied to a variety of circumstances choose to access their pastor in order to be supported in opposition to a professional counselor. A perception exists …

Aiding A Reformed Church Into A Multiethnic And Economically Diverse Congregation, Leroy E. Childress Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Ethnic and economic diversity can be experienced in the local church. There is a biblical undertone in the Scriptures that shows Jesus, the apostles, and Old Testament themes that point to Revelation 7 for the reality of it. This reality can be lived on earth while Christians practice for heaven. While 95 percent of the churches around America remain homogeneous, with intentionality, adequate training, and a willingness to engage in difficult conversations, historically Reformed churches can also experience ethnic and economic diversity within their congregations. Although many churches do not feel the capabilities to become multiethnic and economically diverse, by …

Gsep Research Symposium Proceedings - 2024

GSEP Research Symposium

The 8th Annual GSEP Research Symposium, was themed "Dismantling Barriers between Research and Practice: Shining a Light on Global Interdisciplinary Solutions," took place on July 18-19, 2024, at the picturesque Château d'Hauteville in Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz, Switzerland.

The annual symposium is hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). The symposium served as a dynamic platform for students, faculty, alums, and staff to come together and explore innovative ideas across multiple disciplines. Featuring 69 selected presentations under five distinct tracks, the proceedings showcase groundbreaking research, foster meaningful discussions, and promote professional development.

The symposium aimed to bridge …

Hand In Hand, September-October 2024

Hand in Hand

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Milwaukee, WI

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Healing A Broken Spirit: A Look Into Institutional Trauma And Spiritual Resilience, Christian Cederstrom

Master of Arts in Human Services

This paper focused on the relationship between spirituality, therapy, and those who are affected and traumatized by religious institutions. It sought to cover the hypothesis that exposure to positive spirituality can help those who have been affected by religious institutional trauma to recover. Studies have shown a positive correlation between religiosity and recovery from traumatic experiences and that therapy can also increase one spirituality and relationship with God or other higher powers. This article sought to highlight that this strength of a spiritual coping mechanism may be increased by a person’s education in the field of theology and spirituality meaning …

Ghanaian Christian Leadership Model: A Biblically Informed, Ghanaian, And Effective Leadership Model In A Western Cultural Setting, Moses Antwi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a need for effective Christian leadership among Ghanaian immigrant churches (GIC) in Maryland. This qualitative grounded theory study aimed to discover what Christian leadership models the GIC are experiencing and generate an effective leadership model that is biblical and Ghanaian for the GIC in Maryland. This study used purposive sampling to include five Ghanaian churches in Maryland. A variety of denominations of GIC were included. Study participants were pastors, church leaders, and members from participating GIC. Three qualitative research instruments that were used for this study were interviews, observation, and focus groups. Pastors, church leaders, and church members …

“Koláče In The Blogosphere: Cultivating Food Expertise Through Domesticity, Femininity, And Ethnicity”, Cathryn Janka

Institute for the Humanities Master's Papers, Projects, and Capstones

Koláče in the Blogosphere is an analysis of food blogs to determine how female food bloggers cultivate food expertise through domesticity, femininity, and ethnicity. Their readership are predominately the adult children and grandchildren of immigrants seeking rediscovery of lost recipes or the completion of partial recipes of loved ones that have passed on. The bloggers are typically recent immigrants themselves or native writers in their home countries sharing recipes with those seeking rediscovery. Gender and food studies scholars have studied women as guardians of domesticity, ethnicity, the world of ethnic cuisine, and food authenticity along with the matrilineal transmission of …

Predicting Loyalty & Leadership: Personalities Prone To Leadership, Length Of Service, & How Religiosity Plays A Part, Michael Joseph Camire

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study was designed to examine whether relationships exist between personality type and religiosity, with leadership and organizational commitment. The connection between these variables has not been previously explored. The purpose of researching these variables was to enhance the field's knowledge surrounding the employee selection process as well as human resources development practices for organizations of all types and in all cultures. Study participants provided information on personality, religiosity, and employment and the data was evaluated to see if a statistically significant relationship existed. The study found statistically significant evidence to support that individuals with religion in their lives …

Hand In Hand, July-August, 2024

Hand in Hand

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Milwaukee, WI

Hand in Hand Finding Aid

The Blessed Assembly: Irreplaceable Physical Co-Presence In Worship And Healthy Hybridity Reimagined After The Pandemic In The Digital Age, Yvette, Ying Wai Lau

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Because of the unprecedented and unexpected force of the pandemic since 2020, most churches around the world have experienced some online worship during the lockdown of their cities or the mandated closure of the church buildings. For many people, online worship seems to be an equivalent, if not better, alternative for gathering together—a physical co-presence in worship—even after the pandemic has ended. As necessary and vital as online worship experiences have been for Christians during the pandemic, the witness of the church from Pentecost throughout Christian history indicates that gathered worship in physical spaces is irreplaceable for faith formation and …

Pastoral Prose And Civic Engagement: Crafting The Call To The Public Square, Christopher Ian Thoma

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis explores the relationship between creative writing techniques employed by pastors and congregational engagement in the public square. The central thesis posits that if pastors incorporate creative writing methods in extended weekly communications with congregants, then the necessary factors for engagement in the public square will be fostered, leading to attitudinal shifts demonstrated by increased congregational interest or participation in civil affairs. Through an extensive literature review, the thesis fairly examines historical and contemporary views of church and state, the Two Kingdoms doctrine, concepts relative to public square participation, Christianity’s waning cultural influence, communication science, developmental theory, literature familiarity, …

The Impact Of Religion And Spirituality On Continental African Immigrant Health, Samuel A. Ekong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This research study explores the impact of religious affiliation and spirituality on the acculturation and health outcomes of continental African immigrants in the USA. These immigrants, distinct from the broader African American or Black population, bring unique religious, spiritual, and cultural norms, profoundly influencing their health behaviors and acculturation processes. Unlike the descendants of Africans living outside the continent, referred to as the African diaspora, continental Africans are specifically those born in Africa. This research operationalizes the term 'continental African' to focus on this unique group residing in the USA, aiming to deepen understanding of their specific health needs and …

Moral Injury In Active Service And Veteran Female Military Combatants, William Curtis Neal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A topic of concern and discussion in the mental health community, and maybe a special concern from both governmental and civilian practitioners, is the subject of moral injury. Moral Injury has been widely researched over the last 10 years and is a known and discussed condition that is linked to military personnel and veterans who have experienced events while deployed or operating in adverse conditions such as combat. The following descriptive study focuses on one group from which they have been excluded or overlooked in past studies. This creates a gap in the published literature: female servicewomen and veterans. Both …

The Experiences Of Christian Males' Attachment Style And Attachment Figure To God, Irene G. Insunza

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the present study was to describe the lived experience of attachment to God in Christian men, how men obtained a secure attachment, and what it means to their life. Attachment Theory explains the importance of attachment bonds formed in infancy between the parent and child. Surrogate attachment figures have gained support in studies, indicating mental representation in attachment to God can assist in developing secure attachment style. The participants consisted of 12 Christian males, ages 21 to 57, active in their faith, and experienced an attachment to God. Using a qualitative, phenomenological design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were …

Proactive Pastoral Counseling: A Christlike Integrative Therapeutic For Creating Christian Intrapersonal Formation In Believers At First Baptist Church Of Harmony, Me, Yaron I. Kohen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project introduces Proactive Pastoral Counseling (PPC) as a Christian Integrative Therapeutic (CIT). PPC, combined with its counterpart, Christian Intrapersonal Formation (CIF), offers a proactive pastoral counseling approach to assist others in coping with intrapersonal conflict while guiding them toward Christian intrapersonal formation. The impetus behind the study addresses the need for pastoral counseling with members of First Baptist Church (FBC) in Harmony, ME. Chapter One lays out the history, background, and beliefs of FBC and the Maine culture dating back to the late 1700s. Chapter Two addresses the nature of pastoral counseling, its tenets, and applications described …

The African American Mental Health Dilemma: A Phenomenological Case Study On How Christian Clergy Are Bridging The Gap, Penelope Evans

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The history of African Americans is composed of ongoing inhumane and normalized mistreatment that continues to generate widespread issues and challenges. African Americans’ current higher likelihood of exposure to one or more traumatic life events increases the possibility their emotional and mental well-being will be negatively impacted. The ethnic group’s development in historical trauma and abuse is being acknowledged as an underlying factor in the alarming increase in serious mental health conditions in African Americans. Continued racial and discriminative dynamics further increase African Americans’ susceptibility and risk for severe psychological illnesses in the United States. African Americans’ higher tendency not …

A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Hindrances To Seeking Help And Implementing Self-Care, Kerri S. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study aimed to identify and understand clergy members’ described hindrances to seeking help and implementing self-care for overcoming burnout. The theory guiding this study was transcendentalism from Husserl’s ontological approach to phenomenology. The United Pentecostal Church, International (UPCI) organization was chosen as the site for this study because the participants were clergy members licensed by the UPCI religious organization who had experienced burnout and hindrances to seeking help and implementing self-care. Participants included twelve UPCI clergy members. Data collection involved one-on-one initial interviews with each clergy member and follow-up interviews for clarification where needed. Data analysis …

Bridging Faith And Restoration: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Evangelical Pastors’ Experiences Ministering To Congregants With Trauma In The Greater Toronto Area, Lindsay Knox Mcvety

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how evangelical pastors in the Greater Toronto Area describe their experiences with discussing trauma with congregants and their experiences with trauma-informed care in the church. The theory guiding this research is Transformative Learning Theory (TLT). As discussed by Mezirow (1991), TLT explains transformation occurs by increasing knowledge by learning about topics where outdated or misinformed concepts previously existed. The main research question is, how do evangelical pastors in the Greater Toronto Area describe their experiences ministering to congregants who have experienced trauma? Further sub-questions ask, how do evangelical pastors in …