Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons^™

Historical And Contemporary Explorations In Neurotheology, Kate Harper

Consensus

This paper explores the field of Neurotheology. Neurotheology is a discipline that was developed in the 1980s and is thriving today; studies on the brain and meditation and/or spiritual practices are on the rise (Newberg, 2018). This paper provides a cursory look at the field and considers some of the historical foundations that played an indirect role in its development.

Complex Thinking: The Science And Spiritual Nature Of Therapeutic, Pedagogical, And Supervisory Relationships, Daniel Rzondzinski

Consensus

This article explores the similarities and differences between the therapeutic, pedagogical and supervisory relationship in the context of complex thinking and emphasizes the importance of spirituality as a central dimension of human beings. It will explain why human beings are multidimensional, have many social locations and develop complex relationships such as therapeutic, pedagogical and supervisory relationships. It will pay close attention to their structural components (complex adaptive systems; power differential; assimilation-accommodation processes; transference-countertransference; therapeutic alliance-learning alliance; and spirituality). Finally, it will reflect on the importance of the spiritual dimension, which was rejected by classical science. It explains why we consider …

Attrition And Psychotherapy, Jesse Barrington Homan

Dissertations and Theses

Attrition in psychotherapy, also known as dropout, is a problem that affects clients who terminate, their families, therapists, mental health systems, and the overall community. Research on attrition is vast. However, the majority of this research has been done post hoc, relied on quantitative methods, and looked primarily at client demographic variables as the predictors of attrition. This has resulted in inconsistent findings, offers little to no useful information about attrition, and appears to blame clients for failed therapy. There has been little research on attrition from the perspective of clients who terminate. This study was designed to answer the …

Antidepressant Dosing In Major Depression: A Pharmacogenomic Approach, Morgan Homan, Haval Norman, Victoria Cho, Yousif Rojeab

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most predominant mental disorder in the United States, with serious and costly health risks if not successfully managed. Pharmacotherapy is a standard option for MDD treatment, but patients often require extensive therapy adjustments to find a suitable regimen. Pharmacogenomics may enable greater precision in antidepressant therapy. Genotypic variations in CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 metabolic enzymes are reliable predictors of serum drug concentration, but the complex dose-response relationship of antidepressants prevents such variations from predicting therapy success. Additionally, ABCBl has been examined for its role in P-glycoprotein efflux of antidepressants in the brain, yet it is …

Pharmacogenetics: Cyps, Nat2 And 5-Htt Related To Antidepressants, Molly Kulp, Armond Cosiano, Kevin Krivanek, Amanda Lanker, Taylor Roberson, David F. Kisor

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Pharmacogenetics (PGt), the study of a gene's influence on patient response to a drug, shows strong potential for explaining issues with efficacy related to antidepressant medications. Each year, antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed medications due to the millions of Americans affected by depression. Importantly, it is recognized that there is wide interpatient variability in drug response to antidepressants caused by genetic mutations, which can alter the pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of various drugs used to treat depression. Proteins that are mainly involved in how patients respond to medications include receptors, drug-targeted proteins, drug transport proteins …

A Review Of The Guidelines And Treatment Options For Major Depressive Disorder In Adolescents, Stacy Henthorne, Joy Hoffman, Albert Bui, Sarah Kradel, Suzanne M. Lifer, Mary Ellen Hethcox

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Major depressive disorder (MOD) is a disease often underdiagnosed in adolescents. For adolescents in particular, MOD can have far-reaching implications on developmental, social and emotional functioning. Unfortunately, few guidelines detail consistent means by which to evaluate and treat these patients; significantly more information exists that solely pertains to the adult population. Governing bodies such as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and Resource for Advancing Children's Health (REACH) recommend that primary care physicians be diligent in their psychiatric analyses and follow-ups with young patients who may be experiencing MOD. Both psychotherapy and medications, either as monotherapy or …

The Development Of Face Morphing Task To Assess Self Other Differentiation, Esen Karan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Self-Other Differentiation (SOD) refers to a developmental process of acquiring a consolidated, integrated, and individuated sense of self. SOD develops at a) perceptual (e.g., facial perception) and b) representational (e.g., traits, mental states, and beliefs) levels. Impairments in representational SOD (R-SOD) are associated with many forms of psychopathology, particularly borderline personality disorder (BPD) and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). Few studies to date have examined the perceptual aspects of SOD (P-SOD), which are hypothesized to develop from infancy onwards in tandem and in interaction with R-SOD. Given that the human face is one of the key characteristics that humans use to …

Recent Trends, Current Research In Cyberpsychology: A Literature Review, Amarjit Kumar Singh, Pawan Kumar Singh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Cyberpsychology refers to the study of the mind and behavior in the context of interactions with technology. It is an emerging branch, which has focused on the psychological aspects connected to the increasing presence and usages of technology in modern lives. This paper traces recent advancement and trends of Cyberpsychology is an emerging domain of knowledge and goes on the give a literature review of the same. An analysis of the recent research and literature covering 300 most relevant research papers from the period of 2012 to 15, August 2019 was conducted to determine and shape the research pattern based …

Spirituality And The Infant Brain: Implications For Attachment Theory And Therapeutic Process Across The Life Span, Caitlin Eliasson

Consensus

No abstract provided.

Faith, Loss And Meaning: Frameworks Of Meaning As A Practical Approach To Spirituality In The Therapy Room, Lauren Price

Consensus

No abstract provided.

Digital Music Making: Developing A Method For Using Technology In Music Psychotherapy, Sangeetha Kavety

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The use of technology, specifically digital songwriting and music making, in the context of psychotherapy is a subject that is not yet as well researched or practiced in the field of music therapy. The majority of the existing literature acknowledges the assistive function that technology such as tablets, smartphones, and computers can play in treatment of populations with cognitive and motor difficulties. However, there is little regarding the use of technology as the main means of creating music, and even less in the context of treatment of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents in family settings. For this capstone project, …

Efficacy Of Integrated Mental Health Care With Dual Diagnosis Patients And Their Utilization Of Psychiatric Emergency Services, Denton Scott

Doctoral Dissertations

Historically, patients with dual diagnosis have been subjected to ineffective treatment and negative attitudes from healthcare providers. Further, these patients are plagued with myriad afflictions that exist beyond substance abuse and mental illness. The treatments and collateral damage associated with the diagnosis impose excessive healthcare costs and can be of significant detriment to society. Largely, patients suffering from dual diagnosis do not receive adequate treatment. As such, psychiatric emergency services are frequently utilized as an alternate treatment, wherein the main focus of care is on the substance abuse alone. This study argues that solely treating the substance abuse is not …

Visual Art Therapy, Attachment, And The Adoption Constellation: A Literature Review, Caitlin Woodstock

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The following literary review is intended to synthesize existing data pertaining to art therapy and its application within adoption informed therapy. The adoption experience will be explored, and the basic tenants of trauma and attachment will be outlined. Current modes of trauma-informed therapy will be introduced and their compatibility with art therapy will be explored. The author will introduce a variety of art therapy interventions as presented through an assortment of theoretical lenses. These applications will be subdivided into their application with individual constellation members, families, groups, and will extend to immigrants and displaced individuals likely to enter into the …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Counseling Students In A Co-Facilitated Experiential Group, Alexandra Meyers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research in the fields of experiential learning, group psychotherapy, and neuroscience has supported the inclusion of the experiential group in counseling training programs due to the potential for positive impact on students’ personal and professional development (Badenoch & Cox, 2010; Denninger, 2010). Investigations exploring counseling students’ experiences of the experiential group have been primarily limited to quantitative studies, while in-depth qualitative inquiry has been minimal. Additionally, an extensive review of the literature has found there have been no qualitative studies examining experiential groups co-facilitated by a course instructor and a doctoral student. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to …

Meeting Point: Partner Dancing As Couple's Therapy, Rami Eckhaus

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This dissertation research explored the experience of partner dancing as a therapeutic process that reflects upon the dynamics and interactions of couples who are in the process of couple's therapy. The research also aimed to gain insight on the ways in which the experience of partner dancing can support these couples' therapeutic processes. Partner dancing is a dance-form that is based on the interaction between two individuals. Such interaction requires the dancing couples to communicate on many levels that may uncover layers of their relational dynamics. In this research, five couples who were undergoing couple's therapy were asked to participate …

A Phenomenological Exploration: The Black Bile Of Depression, Charles L. Dunlap Ii, M.A.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

The phenomenon of depression manifests itself in many different forms, haunting us with its simultaneously inescapable, diffuse and pervasive presence. The rich thickness of depression is often severely drained and confined within the overall field of psychology, in which this phenomenon is regularly expressed as an all-encompassing, diagnostic label, to limitedly describe an almost endless number of symptomatic permutations. We shall attempt to distill something of depression’s essence in returning to its ancient, etymological, spiritual and metaphysical roots, in order to begin transcending the traditional clinical notion of depression as simply a disease to be cured and suppressed. The relatively …

The Phenomenal Space Of Soulful Silence, Ellen Wimmer

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Where has silence gone? What does this mean for the spiritual soul? This analysis utilizes a phenomenological and qualitative lens to assess the way silence and the soul interact. The author posits that the relationship between silence and the soul, or soulful silence, creates a space to learn about the powerful phenomena that shape us. Through imagery, metaphor, and personal reflection the author embarks on a descriptive journey to explore what we learn by sitting in soulful silence, the phenomenological and spiritual implications of soulful silence, and how one must first become intimately familiar with their own soulful silence …

Religious Couples Re-Storying After Infidelity: Using Narrative Therapy Interventions With A Focus On Attachment, Mark Karris , M.A., M.Div., Katarena Arger , M.A

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Attachment-focused narrative interventions used with religious couples of the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) dealing with the effects of infidelity is discussed in this article. With religious couples, the couple attachment bond is commonly harmed after infidelity. The attachment bond with God can also be affected with one or both partners. Partners who once felt close and connected with God can feel angry and distant because of infidelity. Since the Abrahamic faiths are narrative-based religions, and an attachment bond with God is essential, attachment-focused narrative interventions can help couples re-story their relationship with each other and with God. Attachment-based …

Learning About Roger: A Supervision Case, Joanna Sturhahn Stratton , Ph.D., Randy D. Gallamore , M.A.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

A behavioral health internship provides an unparalleled training experience for a Master’s level clinical trainee. This narrative essay highlights how one behavioral health intern was pushed to the next developmental stage of learning as he encountered a patient with a complex medical condition and a new mental health diagnosis. This article also shares the learner’s perspective on how both the patient and intentional systemic supervision fostered his professional growth.

To Be Known: A Supervisee Experience, Alexa R. Ashworth

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Presented before you are a collective of raw, untamed poetic thoughts from my experiences as a Youth Treatment Counselor. In writing this personal narrative I have been able to let the inner turmoil of my soul soar with peace once more. You will discover how invalidation from supervisors and staff can quickly leave you at a standstill, being left to feel alone. My goal for writing this piece has been to create mental metaphors for others in the field who built up walls as a form of self-preservation, to feel comfort when there is no end. I hope my honesty …

Death And Life By A Thousand Cuts: Lessons Learned From The Deconstructive/Reconstructive Journey, Mark Karris , M.A., M.Div.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Questioning one’s faith and beliefs about God, church, and their religion can be an excruciating experience. Since we all have an innate need to belong, feel safe, and be loved, we can be reticent to question and doubt our faith due to fear of rejection and isolation from two major figures: God and the church. For many people, it is not easy to separate the two. For some, the fear of losing God’s love, even momentarily, is terrifying. For others, the thought of leaving their beliefs behind may also feel like they have to leave their religious tribe behind, which …

The Mystery And Wonder Of Exploration, H. Luis Vargas , Ph.D.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

The Editor provides an Editorial for the new issue.

"The Tyrant Father": Leslie Stephen And Masculine Influences On Virginia Woolf And Her Novel, To The Lighthouse, Anya Graubard

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This paper examines the volatile yet nurturing relationship between Virginia Woolf and her father, Leslie Stephen. It specifically considers the effects of three male “tyrants” in Woolf’s childhood, including not only her father but also her two half-brothers, who abused her sexually. Analysis of the dynamics of these relationships provides insight into Woolf’s lifelong battle with mental illness and helps us to understand the complicated relationships she had as an adult with men and women.

In her letters, diaries, and memoir essays, Woolf reveals how she drew from her own experiences of childhood to write her most famous novel, To …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Systematic Patient Feedback In An Integrated Mental Health And Primary Care Setting, Alex Lengerich

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, 2010) has resulted in efforts to make healthcare more affordable and effective. One strategy for making healthcare more affordable and effective is the integration of behavioral health and primary care. In today’s healthcare system, it is estimated that approximately one in three patients seen in a primary care setting meet the criteria for a mental health disorder and another third – while not meeting those criteria – are experiencing psychological symptoms that impair their functioning (Kessler, 2005). Despite the evidence supporting behavioral health services in a primary care setting, treatments tend to …

The Metaphysics Of The Collective Unconscious, Oscar B. Jablon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis shows how the metaphysical features of the Jungian collective unconscious can be demystified by viewing the collective unconscious through the lens of functionalism. The features of the collective unconscious that will be investigated in this thesis are the possibility of the collective unconscious being present in every person, the archetypes as being the formal feature of some of our modes of perception, psychic energy, and synchronicity. By admitting functionalism, Jung doesn't need to posit synchronicity to explain how it is possible for the archetypes to interact with the body. This is because functionalism can view mental states as …

Discovering Themes: Disability Identity Development As It Pertains To People Born With Spina Bifida, Elizabeth H. Scriven

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

To date, disability identity development is a highly understudied construct. There are many models of disability, each interpret disability through a specific lens, but do not address the influence of disability on identity development. The few theories of disability identity that do exist have not been widely adopted. In addition, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support them. Another difficulty is that these theories do not separate different disability groups. Rather, the theories are applied to a broad heterogenous group of disability types. This is a problem because each disability type is quite distinct from the others and …

Is It Who Am I Or Who Do You Think I Am? Identity Development Of Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders, Danielle N. Treiber

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to unearth how adolescents with substance use disorders achieve the task of identity formation and the construction of self-concept in the midst of the drug culture and society that exists. It sought to uncover the social constructs designed to ignore and/or remove human complexities and allow an intersectional approach to be brought to a study on this population. Historically, there has been a failure to investigate the underlying social attitudes and behaviors that impact the very delicate and vulnerable process of finding self. Psychosocial and relational adjustment are strongly influenced by the extent to …

Telebehavioral Health Program Needs Assessment Conducted At Aurora Mental Health Center, Iwei Wang

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs assessment for a Telebehavioral Health Program at Aurora Mental Health Center (AuMHC) to determine how telebehavioral health aligns with the organization’s interests, needs, services, target population, and readiness for telebehavioral health services. This investigator used survey and content analysis methods to conduct this investigation. Findings of this assessment showed that both literature and existing programs at AuMHC were supportive of moving forward with telebehavioral health services. Considerations of AuMHC’s contextual conditions and recommendations for successful implementation are provided.

“We’Re Together”: An Exploration Of Interracial Couples’ Perceptions Of Support And Relational Therapy, Maxine Notice

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Interracial couples in the United States experience disproportionate amounts of adversity throughout their relationships. Backlash for loving interracially results in denied access to supportive systems, which literature indicates occurs commonly between micro and macro systems. Using ecological systems and narrative theories, a mixed methodological study was conducted using the Fragile Families Child and Wellbeing study to explore participant’s use of relational therapy and perceptions of access support systems. Subsequently, sixty interracial couple members completed a survey expressing perceptions of relational therapy, and the influence of support systems on their usage. Results indicate interracial and same-race couples attend relational therapy at …

A Behavior Analytic Translation Of Erving Goffman's Frame Analysis, Tim Chi

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The sociologist Erving Goffman's 1974 work, "Frame Analysis," is an attempt to account for how people construct and organize meaning in their experiences. The central principle in this approach is that of the frame: An abstractive concept that refers to the totality of environmental events and stimuli exerting some influence on how people behave in a particular setting and time, with respect to the expectations, roles, and norms to be observed.

Though Frame Analysis was developed within the discipline of sociology, it converges in apparently useful ways with the work of clinical psychology, both in its content and epistemology. Goffman's …