Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons^™

Utilizing Music Therapy To Enhance Competency Restoration Treatment, Cory Linder

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

In Dusky v. the United States (1960), the Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution requires all defendants to be competent to proceed before the judge issues a verdict. Specifically, to stand trial, defendants must have a factual and rational understanding of court proceedings and the capacity to work with their attorneys. Those who are found incompetent to proceed frequently have severe and persistent mental illness and often exhibit cognitive deficits (Mossman et al., 2007). Competency restoration utilizes therapeutic services to treat symptoms that inhibit defendants from being opined competent to proceed. Existing research suggests music therapy can be used …

Becoming A Better Therapist: Eight Lessons From Running, Kelsey Hyde

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper seeks to identify lessons that can be taken from the sport of running to serve as a map for learning skills needed to become a better therapist. The practice of running mirrors the practice of learning therapy skills. This paper takes the lens of how to practice to become a better runner and applies it as a new approach to skill development for therapists. Additionally, this paper incorporates self-reflection and disclosure as I myself identify as a female runner and therapist. I will use personal examples to highlight the ways that lessons from running have served as a …

Examining Motivational Interviewing's Effect On Confidence And Commitment Using Daily Data, Alexis Kuerbis, Kevin Lynch, Sijing Shao, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Mechanisms of behavior change (MOBC) within Motivational Interviewing (MI) are thought to operate via both relational and technical elements. These elements are hypothesized to increase client motivation and self-efficacy for change and subsequently decrease drinking. Only partial support for this causal chain exists, particularly when using within-session change talk as the primary intervening variable. This study explored whether commitment to moderate or abstain from drinking and confidence to moderate drinking in the next day measured via ecological momentary assessment (EMA) provided alternative support for the theory. Data were from a pilot randomized controlled trial testing active ingredients of MI. Problem …

Psychologists' Use Of Dogs In Psychotherapy: A Therapeutic Exploration, Christine A. Treece

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The current fund of literature documents the many benefits of using dogs as adjunct healing agents for both physical and psychological ailments. Despite the ever-growing body of research about dogs as adjunct interventions, there is a meager amount of information available about clinician’s experience of bringing their dogs to work with them. This dissertation is an in-depth exploration of six psychologists licensed in the state of Washington who brought their dogs with them to work. Each participant’s interview was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. From their interviews, nine primary themes were identified: Reason for the Acquisition of Dog, Nature of …

Aces Wild: Making Meaning Out Of Trauma Through Altruism Born Of Suffering, Jessica Gibson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Childhood exposure to early adverse experiences is prevalent—affecting almost one-half of children from birth to 17 years old—and brings with it the potential for the long-lasting detrimental effects of traumatization. At the same time, a growing body of compelling evidence also suggests that many survivors of trauma exhibit more resilience and prosocial behaviors than individuals who have never experienced a traumatic event. This phenomenon has been coined altruism born of suffering (ABS); it is a relatively new concept in trauma research that seeks to better understand the possible positive outcomes of trauma. Building further beyond the concepts of resilience and …

Ethical Implications Of Treatment For Gender Dysphoria In Youth, Kelsey Hayes

Journal of Health Ethics

This manuscript explores ethical implications on treatment for youth with diagnosed gender dysphoria. The ethical considerations outlined and analyzed in this essay involve illuminating an understanding of whether the administration of pubertal suppression with GnRH agonists, and cross-sex hormones to children with gender dysphoria is morally justified as treatment to manage their psychological distress, or if safer more understood alternatives exist. This essay emphasizes that as health care professionals we must ensure youth with gender dysphoria receive adequate medical treatment and care however, this essay concludes through extensive literature review, that the use of inconclusive and under researched methods to …

Spatio-Temporal Distribution Of Negative Emotions In New York City After A Natural Disaster As Seen In Social Media, Oliver Gruebner, Sarah R. Lowe, Martin Sykora, Ketan Shankardass, Sv Subramanian, Sandro Galea

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Disasters have substantial consequences for population mental health. We used Twitter to (1) extract negative emotions indicating discomfort in New York City (NYC) before, during, and after Superstorm Sandy in 2012. We further aimed to (2) identify whether pre- or peri-disaster discomfort were associated with peri- or post-disaster discomfort, respectively, and to (3) assess geographic variation in discomfort across NYC census tracts over time. Our sample consisted of 1,018,140 geo-located tweets that were analyzed with an advanced sentiment analysis called ”Extracting the Meaning Of Terse Information in a Visualization of Emotion” (EMOTIVE). We calculated discomfort rates for 2137 NYC census …

Why Should We Care? Psychodynamic Theory And Practice In Counselor Preparation, Elyssa Smith

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

This constructivist grounded theory investigation explored the experiences and perceptions of seven counselors-in-training regarding psychodynamic theory and practice. Two categories, five themes including three subthemes, and a tentative theory which spoke to the experiences, perceptions, and attitudes of students regarding contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy emerged. Implications for counselor education and the training of counselors are discussed.

Keywords: counselor preparation, psychodynamic, reflective practice

Qualitative Analogue Study On Student Therapist’S Reactions To Client Suicidality, Cynthia A. Beevers

Dissertations

Suicidal clients are a reality for both professional and student therapists providing counseling (Chemtob et al., 1988; Dexter-Mazza & Freeman, 2003; Goodman, 1995; Howard, 2000; Jacobson, Ting, Sanders, & Harrington, 2004; Kleespies, Penk, & Forsyth, 1993; Kleespies, Smith, & Becker, 1990; Mackelprang, Karle, & Cash, 2014; McAdams & Foster, 2000). Previous research has investigated the experiences of professional therapists working with suicidal clients, but little is known about student therapists’ experiences with suicidal clients. Only two studies were found investigating the experiences of student therapists working with suicidal clients (Kleespies et al., 1993; Kleespies et al., 1990). However, in the …

Demonstrating Functional Analytic Psychotherapy As An Independent Variable In Efficacy Research: A New Measure Of Treatment Fidelity, Lindsey E. Knott

Dissertations

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is a contextual behavior therapy that takes an in session, in vivo focus to improve client outcomes. This in vivo (IV) focus is distinctive of FAP and involves the therapist utilization of contingencies in session to decrease problematic response classes and increase more adaptive response classes (i.e., a differential reinforcement procedure). This contingent responding is proposed to be FAP’s mechanism of action leading to client change. FAP efficacy research mainly consists of small n single-case studies or group designs combing FAP with another CBT intervention. Maitland & Gaynor (2012) offered recommendations for increasing FAP efficacy research, …

An Examination Of The Impact Traumatic Events Has On Psychosocial Impairment In Eating Disorder Patients, Jennifer Parker Hackett

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research suggests that trauma has an impact on eating disorders. While prior research has demonstrated that the trauma from abuse has a significant impact on eating disorders, research has failed to explore other types of trauma. In addition, previous studies have stopped short of examining the impact trauma has on functioning among individuals with an eating disorder. This study aimed to address that gap in the literature. The purpose of this study is to examine whether traumatic life events impact psychosocial functioning among individuals living with an eating disorder. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify which traumas are shown to …

Music As A Catalyst For Altered States Of Consciousness And Peak Experiences In The Treatment Of Depression, Anxiety, And Ptsd, Paul Battles

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract This paper investigates the therapeutic uses of altered states of consciousness (ASC) and peak experiences (PE) for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the ways in which music can be used to facilitate or enhance these experiences. ASC’s and PE’s can help uncover hidden or repressed unconscious material and potentially change the way an individual views and interacts with his or her world. In cases of people suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), these emotional, cognitive, and perceptual changes have been shown to have sometimes profound and long- lasting therapeutic effects, …

Inaugural Issue Of The Scholarship Review, H. Luis Vargas , Ph.D.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

H. Luis Vargas, Editor of the Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review, introduces the journal's editors and mission.

Social Work Trauma Interventions: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Kassie Baumann

Senior Honors Theses

According to Lynne Weilart (2013), in her article on the reasons why people seek out therapy, trauma is the number one reason people attend counseling. Many different trauma-informed approaches are designed specifically to address the consequences of trauma and to facilitate healing. Some of these approaches are as follows: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT);Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT); Trauma Systems Therapy (TST); Trauma Assessment Pathway (TAP); and Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC) (de Arellano, Danielson, Ko, & Sprauge, 2008). The effectiveness of each trauma intervention will be examined. DBT is one of these trauma interventions that is growing …

Pornography As A Public Health Issue: Promoting Violence And Exploitation Of Children, Youth, And Adults, Elisabeth Taylor

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The pornography industry is expanding exponentially as a result of ongoing technological advances. The ability to stream videos over the internet and the ubiquity of the smart phone have meant that pornography producers are able to use algorithms to target potential consumers, to cultivate new sexual tastes and to deliver content to a more diverse audience over mobile devices. The advent of virtual reality pornography with interactive sex toys and sex robots imbued with artificial intelligence promises to unleash a further step-change in the extent to which pornography influences ‘real-world’ sexual culture. The critical analysis of pornography undertaken over decades …

Dancing, Mindfulness, And Our Emotions: Embracing The Mind, Body, And Sole, Alisha M. Collins

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone project examines dance, as an intervention and mindfulness practice that assists with managing our emotions. There is a need for dance therapy in social institutions such as, healthcare facilities, schools, and community centers. Dance therapy has the potential to reduce negative emotions, create mindfulness, improve self-expression, and promote a healthy well-being. I am proposing that dance therapy is applied as a regular practice in social institutions to develop mindfulness and promote emotional stability.

In this study, I argue that dance therapy can contribute to our well-being long term. In addition to this written thesis, a visual component of …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Rhythmic Movements And Feeling States, Melanie Johnson

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study was conducted to test the validity of a theoretical framework in developmental psychology of body movement analysis, the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP). Motor patterns associated with needs and foundations for affect expression, the tension flow rhythms (TFRs), were examined. Recent research examined the validity of the TFRs in nonclinical adults and found preliminary support for some of the KMP’s assumptions associating smooth (indulging) rhythms with indulgent affects and sharp (fighting) movements with assertive or aggressive affects. This study aimed to test the TFRs associated with the first two years of development—the sucking, biting, twisting, and strain/release rhythms. The …

Depression And Breast Cancer; Postoperative Short-Term Implications, Razvan V. Scaunasu, Ștefan Voiculescu, Bogdan Popescu, Roxana Popa, Denisa Bălălău, Laura Răducu, Cristina N. Cozma, Cristian R. Jecan

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Introduction. Pre and postoperative psychological status is an important aspect in patients diagnosed with breast cancer, having a great impact on their quality of life. Considering the high incidence, mortality rate, and the added effect on self-image, breast cancer is considered a major stressor for women worldwide, almost 50% of these experiencing psychological distress. Methods. Our study retrospectively analysed the relationship between preoperative diagnosed depression and the number of medical care days, on patients diagnosed with breast cancer and admitted for surgical treatment in Colțea Clinical Hospital between 2017 and 2018. Results. We had 62 patients scheduled for breast cancer …

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Young Children: Clinical Considerations, Elisabeth Pollio, Esther Deblinger

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) has been utilized with children of a wide age range and with diverse trauma experiences. This article will focus on the application of TF-CBT to young children. After presenting an overview of the model, challenges and developmentally-sensitive and creative strategies for engaging young children and their caregivers in TF-CBT PRACTICE components will be highlighted. A brief review of the strong empirical support for TF-CBT will then be provided.

Courtesy: The Space Between Souls, Erica Vaiser

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

This paper presents an illustrative dissection of the virtuous power of courtesy. The content, herein, examines the mutual space between individual souls created through courtesy, utilizing Robert Sardello’s (2003) definition of “courtesy” as a virtue. True acts of courtesy surpass commonly understood actions and niceties, in which the purpose is to invite one’s soul into a mutual space of acknowledgment with the soul of another. It is only out of this recognition that the soul remembers its common and worldly origin. Ego processing dictates so much of our daily interactions that the presence of soul connection is most certainly never …

Wounded Healer: A Spiritual Autobiography, Soo M. Pak

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

The underworld of human life is undeniably painful, messy, dark, and overwhelming. The sight of it can be disfigured and horrendous; thus, extreme measures are taken to deny, ignore, cover up, and run away from it. However, the darkness of human life is an important ingredient that gives birth to understanding, humility, compassion, and beauty. The key is to look at our wounds with compassion, honesty, and vulnerability. There is great worth in being vulnerable with our wounds. It takes courage to sit with, feel, and examine our wound because it pains us in the most sacred place of our …

Unplugged, Lea Powell

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

This article serves as an explorative piece attempting to investigate social networking norms and their contribution towards increased levels of disengagement and disconnection. After recognizing superficial online trends of interaction within her own social network, the author discloses experiencing feelings of hopelessness. In attempt to explore these feelings and unmask the factors underlying these trends, elements of motivation, privacy, and an individual’s relationship with control are discussed. Themes of expectant accessibility and communication within the realm of technology are explored and compared to real life interactions and experiences, with emphasis on an observed dissonance occurring between them. Notions of social …

Transgender Resiliency: A Comparison Of Transgender And Cisgender Therapy Clients’ Family Functioning And Psychological Symptomology, Deborah Coolhart , Ph.D., Lmft, Anibal Torres Bernal , Ph.D., Kimdy Le , Ph.D.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

Existing literature often suggests transgender people face increased vulnerabilities in comparison to cisgender people and poorer mental and physical health outcomes. However, studies are increasingly exploring resilience of transgender people and factors contributing to positive coping. The current study compared transgender to cisgender clients at a University-based couple and family therapy center on self-reported psychological symptomology and family functioning. Transgender individuals did not differ significantly from cisgender individuals on family functioning, however transgender individuals reported significantly fewer symptoms on all twelve subscales of psychological symptomology, despite lower income and lower levels of education. Results suggest transgender individuals may develop unique …

The Phenomenon Of Belonging, Martin R. Baker

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

A central problem facing humanity is that we have forgotten our sense of belonging. We no longer feel like we belong to ourselves, each other, and the world in deep and meaningful ways. Modern culture has uprooted the heart felt bonds of authentic connection and replaced them with false experiences of belonging through the addictive qualities of materialism, narcissism, and rationalism. As a result we suffer from our lost experiences of soul, spirit, and the aliveness of the world. In this article, we will explore belonging as the process of growth, forever pushing away the old and pulling towards new …

An Exploratory Study Of Session Limited Models Of Therapy Outcomes In An Employee Assistance Program, Ivy C. Donaldson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have grown increasingly popular over recent years. The prevalence of organizations utilizing and investing in EAP services for their employees has grown; however, companies that purchase EAPs are not well-informed as to which session-models are most effective for various diagnoses. The current study is the first to explore treatment outcomes of session-limited models (measured by Therapist Perception of Change, TPC) for diagnoses (anxiety and depression) in an EAP delivery system. Outcomes were measured by TPC ratings including: a) Regressed, b) remained at Baseline, c) Improved, and d) issue was Resolved. Analyses (Chi-Square and =t-test) were used …

The Impact Of Sudden Gains And Deteriorations On The Psychotherapy Process, Joanna Mary Drinane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within the field of psychotherapy research, there has been significant evidence to suggest that people change and improve because of treatment (Lambert & Ogles, 2004). One common phenomenon that has been observed when looking more closely at outcome trajectories has been termed sudden gains/deteriorations. These are defined as sudden changes in outcome (either positive or negative) of 25% or more from the pre-change level of symptoms that are in turn sustained over time (Tang & DeRubeis, 1999). Although there are data regarding how people who experience sudden gains end up after treatment, no studies have examined the impact that sudden …

The Relationship Between In-Session Commitment Language And Daily Self-Reported Commitment To Reduce Or Abstain From Drinking, Alexis Kuerbis, Jessica Houser, Paul Amrhein, Hayley Treloar Padovano, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Background: Motivational interviewing is hypothesized to operate by enhancing a client’s internal motivation to change. Past research operationalizes this process by measuring in-session statements for change (i.e., change talk), yet relationships between change talk and other measures of motivation have yet to be substantiated. This study tested whether in-session change talk predicted subsequent reports of commitment to abstain or moderate drinking assessed via ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and explored each of their contributions to drinking outcomes. Method: Secondary data analysis was performed on data from 48 study participants who received therapy within a randomized controlled trial testing mechanisms of actions …

Comparing Daily Drivers Of Problem Drinking Among Older And Younger Adults: An Electronic Daily Diary Study Using Smartphones, Alexis Kuerbis, Hayley Treloar Padovano, Sijing Shao, Jessica Houser, Frederick Muench, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Background—By 2030, numbers and proportions of older adults with substance-use problems are expected to increase. While risk factors for problem drinking in late life have been identified, it remains unknown whether these factors drive daily drinking among older problem drinkers. This study examined the daily drivers of drinking among problem drinkers, moderated by age, utilizing ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Method—Participants (N=139), ages 20–73, received daily EMA online surveys completed via a smartphone prior to initiation of treatment. Multilevel modeling tested the moderating impact of age on within- and between-person relationships between drinking and focal predictors (mood, loneliness, boredom, stress, poor …

Exploration Of Treatment Matching To Problem Drinker Characteristics With Motivational Interviewing And Non-Directive Client-Centered Psychotherapy For Problem Drinkers, Alexis Kuerbis, Jessica Houser, Svetlana Levak, Sijing Shao, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a known effective intervention for alcohol use disorder (AUD). MI's mechanisms of action remain inconsistently substantiated, and research in this area has been reliant on identifying relationships through strength of association rather than experimental manipulation of active ingredients. In two previous studies, a pilot and a larger replication study, we disaggregated MI into its hypothesized active ingredients by creating three conditions: MI, Spirit Only MI (SOMI, in which evocation of change talk was proscribed), and a non-therapy condition (NTC). Results from both studies yielded equivalent findings across all three conditions. In the current analyses, data from …