Digital Commons Network^™

Recommendations For Telesupervision: Promoting Ethical, Legal, And Effective University And Clinical Supervision Using Technology, Madeleine M. Stevens, Yegan Pillay, Edisa Music, Elena Shahen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The expansion of the use of technology in counseling has implicated counseling professionals in considering how to legally and ethically incorporate it into all facets of practice, including university and clinical supervision settings. In this article, we provide scholarship-backed recommendations for doing so as well as provide suggestions for incorporating psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral (CBT) supervision models into telesupervision.

Graduate Counseling Students’ Preparedness To Practice Tele-Mental Health, Clarissa L. Salinas, Eunice Lerma, Valerie Leija, Javier Cavazos Vela, Elizabeth Zamora

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This qualitative study explored counseling graduate students’ preparedness to provide telemental health during their internship experience. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 11 Latine counseling graduate students’ who attended a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The following themes emerged following data analysis: (1) Challenges with Establishing Personal Relationships and Telepresence with Culturally Diverse Clients; (2) Lack of Preparation to Use Evidence-based Practices to Handle Ethical Dilemmas and Crisis Interventions; (3) Cultural Competency and Diversity; (4) Engaging Activities in a Telemental Health Counseling Environment; (5) Additional Training and Practice with Technology; and (6) Lack of Preparation to Use Telemental Health Counseling. Implications for …

Integrating Addiction Counseling Competencies Into Cacrep’S Foundational Curriculum: Addressing Gaps In Pedagogy, Stephanie Robinson, Whitney P. Akers, Jeffrey M. Warren

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Professional counselors frequently provide direct and indirect addiction counseling services with relatively little addiction-specific education and training. This lack of training results in counselors delivering services for which they are not adequately prepared. This article explores the current state of training and credentialing of addiction counselors, the addiction-specific gaps that currently exist in CACREP’s foundational curriculum, and the duty accredited programs have to ensure counseling students are trained to provide care to all who seek treatment. A conceptual model for integrating culturally responsive addiction-specific education into CACREP’s foundational curriculum and a hypothetical timeline for implementation are provided. We discuss the …

Exploring Race In Addiction Treatment And The Need For An Anti-Racist Approach, Jackie D. Dell, Mei Tang

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Extensive literature documents that Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color (BIPOC) have been historically and systematically discriminated in addiction and substance use disorder treatment and services. This systemic oppression is the result of the creation and intersection of multiple systems that are rooted in White supremacy, which continue to fail to recognize racism as a critical factor in health disparities. The complexities of the structural factors that contribute to these racial health disparities, and opportunities to better address these disparities were reviewed to discuss their impact on BIPOC clients and the necessity for anti-racist approaches to addressing addiction …

Perceived Preparedness And Self-Efficacy Of Counselors In Training In Online Programs, Monique Starling, Richard L. Green, Robyn T. Simmons

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to describe master’s-level Counselors-in-Training (CITs) perceived preparedness to treat real clients before transitioning to their practicum or internship experience. Adult learning theory and self-efficacy development theory guided this study. The research questions included a) How do master-level CITs describe their experience of perceived preparedness to real clients before transitioning to their practicum or internship experience? b) How do study participants describe the influence that the counseling program curriculum, including structure and practicum timing, had on their readiness to transition to practicum or internship? c) How do study participants describe the influence that …

Development And Implementation Of A Counseling Professional Identity Development Exercise, Alexander M. Fields, Ashley F. Waddington, Rachel Gilreath, Madeline Castle, Kara M. Schneider, Lucas M. Perez

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The professional identity of counselors is critical for distinguishing the counseling profession from related helping professionals. This paper presents the development and implementation of a novel counseling professional identity (CPI) development exercise, Weekly CPI Statements. The intervention was integrated into a 5-week CACREP introduction to counseling course to facilitate counselor trainees' (CTs) understanding and articulation of the CPI. Through thematic analysis, we examined themes of 29 CTs (school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and marriage, couples, and family therapy graduate students) experiences after completing the Weekly CPI Statements. The final themes were (a) Encouraged Critical Thinking, (b) Supported Professional Development …

Applying Supervision To Animal Assisted Therapy: Using The Integrative Development Model, Rachel W. Rachlinski, Kelli A. Mcfarland

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A study conducted by Hartwig and Smelser (2018) reported 91.7% of clinicians being aware of animal assisted therapy (AAT) who agree it is a legitimate treatment model. However, 57% of respondents expressed interest in receiving AAT training. Although published standards and competencies published by ACA and IAHAIO indicate the requirement for clinical supervision when implementing AAT, research does not address supervision protocols for AAT. This manuscript suggests a protocol for supervising the implementation of AAT. The consequence of untrained supervisors is the potential harm to the well-being of the client as well as the clinician and the animal. As such, …

Counseling Program Advisory Committees: A Structural Recommendation, Allison K. Arnekrans, Ellen Armbruster, Leslie Neyland-Brown, Robin Dufresne

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The 2024 CACREP accreditation standards now require counseling programs to assemble a program advisory committee to solicit feedback from stakeholders. While many programs have opted to establish advisory committees despite the lack of a requirement in the past, the inclusion of this new standard challenges programs to become more intentional and structured. The history and purpose of advisory committees will be reviewed, and a proposed structure is offered as a recommendation for programs.

Teaching Counselors To Work With Infants And Young Children: Why It Matters, Tricia Woodliff, Rachel Jacoby

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) is a culturally informed, relationally focused area of clinical expertise which addresses the social-emotional needs of very young children and their families. At this time, although counselors are often providers of this type of clinical work, very little training exists in counselor education programs. This brief explores the integration of this work into counselor education by describing a seamless integration of the IECMH concepts into already existing course work.

A Pilot Study Of A Manualized Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention For Opioid Use Disorder Delivered In A Community-Based Public Health Organization, Michelle R. Lent, Denise Botcheos, Chad Gurdgiel, Hannah R. Callahan, Liam Gilroy

The Journal of Integrated Primary Care

This pilot study evaluated a previously untested cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention designed specifically to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Adults (N = 20) taking medication for OUD were recruited from a public health organization providing harm reduction and treatment services to people who use drugs in Philadelphia. Outcomes collected at baseline and 12 weeks included urinalysis-confirmed use of illicit drugs and surveys of mood (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), recovery capital (Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital-10), and cravings (Brief Substance Craving Scale). Feasibility and acceptability were assessed via retention rates, the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8, and the number of …

Not All Superheroes Wear Capes: Understanding The Lives Of Asian American Student Caregivers, Angela Ji

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

There exists an invisible army of children who sacrifice their childhoods and shoulder responsibilities expected of adults; these children are called young caregivers. Young caregivers provide significant assistance for their family on a regular basis. The existing literature shows that youth caregiving is associated with negative physical and mental health impacts that vary depending on the cultural background associated with families. It is also clear that the complexities and nuances of different ethnic groups influence the lived experiences of young caregivers. Unfortunately, there is limited information exploring racial and cultural implications of caregiving for children. This study sought to address …

There’S A Crisis Brewing In Higher Education, Caroline M. Graham

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation addresses the increasing need to enhance crisis preparedness among student affairs practitioners in higher education. With the growing frequency and complexity of campus crises—ranging from mental health emergencies to incidents of violence, the preparedness and self-efficacy of those in student support roles are paramount. This three-manuscript dissertation explores crisis intervention training, crisis self-efficacy, and the lived experiences of student affairs practitioners navigating campus crises. The first manuscript provides a conceptual overview of the gaps in current crisis intervention training within graduate programs, advocating for the integration of core competencies informed by accreditation standards and professional associations. The second …

Exploring Trauma Education And The Intersection Of Self-Efficacy, Ashlea Yearwood

Dissertations, 2020-current

Trauma education in counselor training programs is not only required for those accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), but a critical component in preparing counselors-in-training to work with clients who have been directly or indirectly impacted by a traumatic event. This three-article dissertation includes a conceptual manuscript, qualitative manuscript, and a quantitative manuscript regarding trauma education for counselors. The conceptual manuscript offers an approach to mitigating compassion fatigue through the utilization of attachment-based supervision when working with counselors-in-training. The qualitative manuscript aimed to utilize an interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore and understand what …

Lgbtqia+ Competency In Counseling: Understanding Current Trends, Educational Experiences, And Counselor Identity Implications, Tyler Puryear

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation presents is made up of three manuscripts. The first is a systematized review that synthesizes current literature to better understand the definition, development, and gaps in LGBTQIA+ competency. Eleven major themes were identified: competency frameworks, cultural humility over competence, competence in practice, barriers, intersectionality, subgroups, advocacy, allyship, pedagogy, language, and counselor attitudes. Findings suggest the field must move beyond static competency models toward a cultural humility framework. The qualitative study used constructivist grounded theory (CGT) to explore how recent graduates from counseling programs experienced learning about LGBTQIA+ counseling topics. Five themes emerged: faculty influence on learning, experiential learning …

Burnout And Self-Efficacy: Exploring The Rewards And Challenges Faced By Crisis Counselors Working In Emergency Department Settings, Ellen Dotas

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation explores burnout and self-efficacy in counselors who work with clients in crisis in emergency department settings. Mental health and emergency departments are two areas that tend to report higher levels of burnout than are reported in other occupational fields. While much research has been done on the topics of burnout and self-efficacy, limited information is available about counselors who work in these crisis roles. This dissertation follows a three-manuscript format and includes a conceptual, qualitative, and quantitative manuscript. The conceptual manuscript explores the nature of the crisis assessment itself, focusing on the area of risk assessment. The qualitative …

Navigating The Labyrinth: Transition Planning Process For Reintegration Of Inmates With Chronic Illnesses And Disabilities, Courtney Ashley Dean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most offenders face challenges with successfully reintegrating, especially those living with chronic illness and/or disabilities. Transition interventions employed by mental health professionals are not universal and vary from facility to facility. While recidivism, community stigmatization, reoffending, and reconviction are explored in extant literature, little has been done to examine the difficulties faced by the professionals who work with this population as they get ready to plan for transitioning this disenfranchised group back into society. This study is an exploration of the role of professional counselors in facilitating successful transition planning for inmates living with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities. Guided by …

Grief As Slip: (How Little I Show) An Exploration In Clay, When Words Are Not Enough, Michelle A. Smith

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Grief as Slip (how little I show) implies that even as we acknowledge our mortality and the fleeting nature of life, we still only reveal a fraction of our true selves or our deeper realities. The ceramic artwork in this exhibition carries and conveys a journey through the present and remembered emotions of the artists’ personal narrative. By juxtaposing the tactile nature of clay with the ethereal quality of human experience, Smith contemplates the profound interplay between material transformation and emotional resilience. The exhibition’s intent is to translate the essence of complex emotional states into abstracted forms so they can …

Qualitative Analysis Of The Influence Of Military Culture On The Resocialization Of Combat Veterans, Kyle N. Rodgers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 25 combat-experienced Veterans of the Global War on Terror who fit an operational definition of successful resocialization. How do successfully resocialized combat Veterans compare with combat Veterans who became involved with the criminal justice system? Utilizing a snowball method to identify each participant, the most significant finding from these interviews was that two factors seem to differentiate the civilian and military group styles the most, which were the overwhelming importance of purpose and tribe in the lives of combat Veterans. This confirmed the hypothesis that the most significant difference between the civilian and military …

The Mindful Officer: Enhancing Officer Mental, Physical, And Social Wellness Through Resilience Training, Tanya Dudinskaya

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The issue of mental health among the U.S. population has gained national attention, with numerous wide-scale initiatives aimed at providing resources for the public. However, certain professional populations encounter unique challenges in their occupation and often lack specific support for their mental and physical health needs that stem from long-term exposure to unpredictable stressors. One population facing these issues is law enforcement. Police officers regularly experience chronic stress related to their job demands, as they manage high-pressure situations and exposure to significant trauma, all while being under increased public scrutiny in recent years. Previous research has highlighted the effects of …

Planning And Facilitating Hybrid Meetings To Support Relationality During Coalition Building, Luettamae Lawrence, Maureen Boyle, Moira Ross

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

Hybrid events where communities are connected through both in person and online spaces have simultaneously grown in popularity and gotten a bad reputation. While hybrid events have been around for decades, they gained significant traction with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to increase accessibility for attendees to accommodate diverse needs. Although hybrid events can be beneficial to many, they are not simple to execute. With the increase in hybrid events has come frustration with the low quality interactions between in person and online attendees leading to isolation, technology challenges, and low productivity. We argue the positive affordances of hybrid …

Serving Minority Women Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence, Consuelo Valentina Riso

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread public health concern that disproportionately affects women, particularly those belonging to minorities. In the United States, the prevalence of IPV among Latina women is influenced by intersecting factors such as immigration status, socioeconomic stressors, cultural values, and systemic barriers. Research and community initiatives addressing IPV among Latina women have included crisis hotlines, domestic violence shelters, advocacy programs, and bilingual services within community health centers. Research also highlights that culturally tailored services yield better outcomes than trauma-informed approaches alone.

Additionally, online interventions are emerging as promising tools to expand safe, accessible, and bilingual support, …

The Moderating Effect Of Political Ideology On The Relationship Between Locus Of Control And Covid-19-Related Anxiety And Stress, Sarah Boomhower

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic created a mental health crisis within the United States. Previous research examining locus of control and mental health issues during the pandemic revealed that individuals with an external locus of control exhibited increased mental health symptoms. Research also found that political attitudes played a role regarding COVID-19 with liberal-leaning individuals and Democrats reporting higher levels of emotional distress during the pandemic. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational study was to determine the extent to which political ideology moderates the relationship between locus of control and COVID-19-related anxiety and stress. Locus of control was the theoretical foundation …

"Bridging Research, Outreach, And Care: Advancing Community-Driven Cancer Solutions", Rachel M. Ceballos Phd​, Angie Fausett Agnp-C, Dnp​, Allison Foust Mha, Mches​

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

"This panel will provide an overview of Huntsman Cancer Institute’s (HCI) collaborative efforts to enhance cancer care through innovative community outreach and local treatment programs, with a specific focus on rural outreach and care. Panelists will discuss HCI’s approach to fostering partnerships with community champions, integrating regional outreach through initiatives like the Mountain West Cancer Collaborative (MWCC), and expanding local treatment options to increase accessibility and equity in care, especially in rural areas. By highlighting how these initiatives align with HCI’s mission to reduce cancer disparities, the panel will emphasize strategies for improving cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship in underserved …

Experiential Learning Through Service Learning -- Integrating The Social Inequality Classroom, Mehmet Soyer, Mike Spence, Zach Johnson

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

This session explores the role of service-learning in social inequality education, highlighting an experiential learning assignment that engages students with local non-profits. Participants will learn how structured reflections and community engagement deepen students' understanding of inequality and civic responsibility. The session will provide practical insights into implementing service-learning to foster critical thinking and social change.

From Paywalls To Practice: Accessing And Using Evidence For Community Impact, Jayme Walters, Becky Thoms, Kacy Lundstrom, Rachel Blume

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

Leaders and practitioners have a responsibility to utilize reputable, up-to-date research to inform their work in communities. However, peer-reviewed literature is often hidden behind paywalls, with an average cost of $30-$50 per article. An increase in predatory publishing has also made it difficult for readers to decipher reliable articles from those that are of poor quality. Additionally, even when openly accessible to readers, peer-reviewed articles are generally written by academic researchers for other academic researchers, resulting in articles that are too dense both in length and readability. This workshop will equip participants with practical strategies for locating and identifying quality, …

Degrees In Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise To Expand The Reach Of Oer, Taylor "Lainie" Allen, Shelley Wigley

UTA Libraries Staff Publications - Archive

Students' expertise plays a crucial role in promoting Open Educational Resources (OER). The “Degrees in Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise to Expand the Reach of OER” poser presentation highlights a collaboration between a Public Relations (PR) Campaigns Course and OER and Digital Scholarship Department. PR students were empowered to apply their skills in developing and executing a public awareness campaign that highlighted the benefits and availability of OER on the University of Texas in Arlington campus.

Through strategic planning, creative messaging, event coordination, and student/faculty surveys, the PR students gained hands-on experience in communication and advocacy while addressing the …

Federal And State Governments Can Help Solve The Employment Problems Of People In Distressed Places To Spur Equitable Growth, Timothy J. Bartik

Upjohn Institute Policy Papers

Places in the United States differ greatly in their residents’ access to jobs, especially good jobs. Although the federal and state governments provide about $80 billion annually to create jobs through multiple programs, these job-creation initiatives are rarely targeted to economically distressed places, where the job-creation benefits for local residents are greatest. Moreover, many of these programs take the form of business tax incentives, which are less effective at job creation than customized services for businesses and workers. I argue that the prime-age employment rate of places should be used to target job-creation programs and review which such programs are …

Examining The Effects Of Mental Health And Parent–Youth Relationship On The Associations Between Childhood Violence Exposure And Adolescent Dating Violence Perpetration, Laura A. Voith

Faculty Scholarship

Background/objectives: Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a serious public health concern affecting youth worldwide. Potential risk factors of ADV include child maltreatment (CM) and intimate partner violence exposure (eIPV), though existing research on ADV perpetration specifically is inconsistent. There is limited research on co-occurring eIPV and CM, despite co-occurrence in 30–60% of homes where there is one. This study aims to address these gaps by testing the impact of childhood violence exposure on ADV perpetration and assessing two potential, theory-informed mitigating factors—mental health and parent–youth relationship. Methods: This study utilizes moderated-mediation structural equation modeling with longitudinal data from a sample …

Strategies For Intimate Partner And Domestic Violence Survivorship, Kimberly Renee Best

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence victims suffer not only physical abuse but also emotional, psychological, and economic violence, leading to long-term trauma, poverty, and recovery barriers. At least 40% of victims of abuse and their children have experienced some form of violence. The lack of shelters, counseling, and legal support deepens the sense of hopelessness victims often feel. In this study, the gap in literature was addressed by exploring coping strategies of survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence in rural North Carolina. The social and economic effects of survivorship were explored in this study, especially the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, …

How School Professionals Perceive They Can Engage Parents In Helping Children In Fifth Grade Cope Adaptively With Stress, Hector Alejandro Soto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

National education statistics indicate issues of aggressive behaviors in middle schools, such as bullying and disrespecting teachers. This suggests that fifth-grade students could benefit from parental intervention to manage stress and reduce such behaviors. However, there is limited information on effectively engaging parents in this process. The study involved a purposive sample of 20 school professionals from four schools in a large southwestern U.S. school district who were invited to address this gap. Nine professionals completed the online survey of six qualitative, open-ended questions regarding engaging parents in helping fifth graders cope with stress. The questions focused on establishing meaningful …