Counseling Commons^™

Existential Counseling For An Extraordinary Community, John Cox

Senior Honors Projects

Existential philosophy views the anticipation of death as an opportunity to live more authentically; in doing so Existentialism challenges us to take responsibility for our fundamental freedom and the creation of meaning in life. In addition, psychotherapeutic methods that consciously utilize core existential concepts appear to have beneficial effects on those experiencing grief or bereavement. In particular the psychotherapeutic method Logotherapy, which is grounded in existential analysis, appears to be especially conducive to grief therapy in practice. Logotherapy helps client find their ‘will to meaning,’ which has astounding implications for the bereaved individual’s meaning making process.

Such implications, however, have …

Lambert's "A Theology Of Biblical Counseling: The Doctrinal Foundations Of Counseling Ministry" (Book Review), Laura E. Walton

The Christian Librarian

A review of Lambert, H. (2016). A theology of biblical counseling: The doctrinal foundations of counseling ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. 344 pp. $24.99. ISBN 9780310518167

Blue The Bee Learns To Be Happy, Connie Reimers-Hild, Deborah J. Weitzenkamp, Connie Reimers-Hild, Kim Wellsandt

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

Do you sometimes feel sad or blue and don't know what to do? If so, this book was written just for you!

Join Blue the Bee as she travels through Happy Orchard meeting her friends (Flutter, Buzz, Bonita and Ernie) to learn the 7 Happiness Habits. When happiness is a habit, it comes without thinking. You can choose how to spend your day and use your time. You choose how to live your life and what is on your mind.

Each page was designed to enjoy at any age. People can become pollinators of happiness in any life stage!

This …

Ua12/9 Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Wku Counseling & Testing

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about WKU Counseling & Testing Center.

• Our Staff
• Star's Report - Service Dog
• Lunch & Learn Spring Series
• Support Group Spotlight
• QPR (Suicide Awareness & Prevention)
• Fridays with FRIENDS Continues
• A Date with Star
• Resources
• Testing Corner
• Laves, Karl. Just Another Day in the Big Picture - Valentine's Day
• Spitzer, Nina. Fun Facts About Valentine's Day
• Counseling Services

The First Life Journey Of Many: The Lived Experience Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning Individuals Who Were Raised Within The Catholic Church On Their Coming Out Process, Michelle Colarusso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) adults encounter societal challenges, pushback from religious organizations, and discrimination from lawmakers which interfere with their ability to come out as their true selves. This qualitative, phenomenologically oriented study explored the LGBTQ identity and practicing Catholic religious beliefs in an attempt to develop a rich description and understanding of the experience of LGBTQ individuals’ coming out process in relation to the practice of Catholic religious beliefs. The central research question that guided this inquiry was the following: What are the lived experiences of persons who identify as Catholic and who have come out as …

Analyzing Songs Used For Lyric Analysis With Mental Health Consumers Using Linguistic Inquiry And Word Count (Liwc) Software, Ashley M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Lyric analysis is one of the most commonly used music therapy interventions with the mental health population, yet there is a gap in the research literature regarding song selection. The primary purpose of this study was to determine distinguishing linguistic characteristics of song lyrics most commonly used for lyric analysis with mental health consumers, as measured by LIWC2015 software. A secondary purpose was to provide an updated song list resource for music therapists and music therapy students working with the mental health population. The researcher emailed a survey to 6,757 board-certified music therapists, 316 of whom completed the survey. Respondents …

The Process Of Resolving Spiritual Struggle Following Adulthood Trauma, Aimee L. Keith

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Spiritual struggle has been described as a disruption in religious practice and spirituality resulting in questioning beliefs, experiencing discord within religious communities, decreasing spiritual practices, and experiencing painful cognitions such as the belief that one is being punished by God. This study used constructivist grounded theory to explore how women identifying as Protestant Christians at the time of the traumatic event resolve their spiritual struggles. Eleven conceptual categories, which are presented in a stage model, emerged from the data. The stages were Experiencing an Event Discordant with Beliefs, Emotional Reaction (following the traumatic event), Questioning (of beliefs, suffering and identity), …

Spirituality In Supervision, Laurie A. Bloomquist

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

Spirituality and religion are emerging in the literature as important areas of counselor competency. Not enough is known about the personal experiences of clinical supervisors with this topic. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between the personal spiritual and religious practices of counselor supervisors and their professional quality of life and ability to demonstrate the spiritual competencies described by the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC). A demographic questionnaire about spiritual and religious practices was created and two existing assessment tools were used to complete a cross sectional survey design to explore …

Papers Of Dr. V. James Mannoia Arc2001-013- Finding Aid, Ats Special Collections And Archives

Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

Correlates Of Sexual-Risk Behaviors Among Young Black Msm: Implications For Clinic-Based Counseling Programs, Richard A. Crosby, Leandro Mena, Janelle M. Ricks

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

This study applied an 8-item index of recent sexual-risk behaviors to young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) and evaluated the distribution for normality. The distribution was tested for associations with possible antecedents of sexual risk. YBMSM (N = 600), aged 16–29 years, were recruited from a sexually transmitted infection clinic, located in the southern US. Men completed an extensive audio computer-assisted self-interview. Thirteen possible antecedents of sexual risk, as assessed by the index, were selected for analyses. The 8-item index formed a normal distribution with a mean of 4.77 (SD = 1.77). In adjusted analyses, not …

The Shifting Wholeness Of Our Beings: Intersections Of Faith In Education: An Introduction, Anita L. Bright

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

This is the introduction to a special edition of the Journal of Faith, Education, and Community which examines the ways membership in faith communities and spiritual belief systems play into our professional practices as educators and illuminates how the shifting wholeness of our beings can intersect with our work.

Ptsd In The 20th Century American Military: Its Diagnosis, Effects, Treatment, And Management, With A Focus On The Vietnam War, Christy L. Connell

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Soldiers have been affected by PTSD for as long as war has existed. The American Military in the twentieth century is no exception. PTSD did not become a diagnosable disease until 1980, and before then it was misdiagnosed as different anxiety disorders and neuroses. Symptoms, treatment options, and long-term affects of PTSD are also discussed. Though other other wars in which America was involved are mentioned, those that receive a more thorough analysis are World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Although PTSD is an increasing problem in modern times for those involved in military conflicts, there …

Sexual Attraction In The Therapy Room: An Exploration Of Licensed Marriage And Family Therapists’ Experiences And Training, Rafiah Prince

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The client-therapist relationship is an essential part of therapy and is central in helping clients achieve therapeutic goals as the joining process facilitates the change process. However, in an effort to create a space for change, there is a possibility that professional boundaries may become blurred wherein a client may express a sexual attraction toward their therapist. To explore this phenomenon, the researcher employed convergent parallel mixed method design to explore the experiences of Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) who have experienced sexual attraction from their clients. The study was conducted online through a secure forum. Implications for clients, …

Beyond Mindfulness: Expanding Integration Of Spirituality And Religion Into Psychotherapy, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

Since the publication of Bergin’s classic 1980 paper “Psychotherapy and Religious Values” in the Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, an enormous amount of quality research has been conducted on the integration of religious and spiritual values and perspectives into the psychotherapy endeavor. Numerous empirical studies, chapters, books, blogs, and specialty organizations have emerged in the past 35 years that have helped researchers and clinicians alike come to appreciate the value of religion and spirituality in the psychotherapeutic process. While so much has been accomplished in this area of integration, so much more needs to occur in order for the …

Effects Of Child-Parent Attachment And God Attachment On Depression In Adolescent Christians, Soloman Aifuwa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis contains a description of a study that examined the relationships between parent attachment, God attachment, and depression in adolescent Christians. It was predicted that secure parent and God attachment are related, and that they will have positive effects on depression and that God attachment will mediate the effects of parent attachments on depression. The study was a cross-sectional correlation study that employed 75 adolescents in youth ministries in North-east Jersey. Depression and attachment measures were administered and the results were analyzed using hierarchical and simultaneous multiple regression, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. The study findings demonstrated that parent …

Career Experiences Of Women With Major Financial Barriers, Madeline E. Clark, Jaime D. Bower

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The career experiences of women facing major financial barriers are unique and varied. To better understand and assist such women, the authors interviewed 10 women twice to explore their lived career experiences, using photographs in one interview as stimuli to increase participants' voice and triangulate data. Participants' responses were grouped into 20 themes across 4 domains: career as privilege, reasons for engaging in work, supports, and barriers. Women with major financial barriers appear to understand career as a privilege while experiencing significant obstacles to successfully obtaining work. Participants expressed resiliency and self-motivation to transcend and mitigate these obstacles. This study …

Reflections On Black Lives Matter In The Context Of Human Rights And Family Science, Shuntay Z. Mccoy, Anthony James

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

- While all lives do matter, the humanity of all lives is not collectively recognized.

- Violent contexts place an extraordinary amount of stress on Black youth, families, and communities.

- Systematic violence causes multiple transitions in families and threatens families' psychosocial adjustment.

- The collectivistic approach served as an adaptive response to varying levels of oppression faced by Black people since arriving in the Americas.

- Black Lives Matter has significant implications for the work of family life educators, researchers, and practitioners.

Slam Poetry: An Online Intervention For Treating Depression, Spencer J. Ruchti, Mercedes Becker, Cara Mckee, Austin Herron, Alex Swalling

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Given that depression is the “leading cause of disability worldwide,” and that less than 50% of people suffering from depression receive treatment, this study aims to provide support for a globally accessible depression treatment (WHO, 2012). The study conducted implemented an internet-based treatment for depression in which users were provided an opportunity to watch slam poetry videos related to mental health issues and write free responses regarding the content of the videos and their subjective experience of depression. Numerous studies provide support for the effectiveness of expressive writing, online mental health interventions, and slam poetry in particular for reducing symptoms …

A How-To Guide To Single-Parent Ministry: An Inside Look To The Single Parent World In The Christian Community, John E. Walker Ii

Senior Honors Theses

The status of the family dynamic in the church has changed significantly, but the cultural understanding of ministers regarding the dynamic has changed little to none. As a result, the church’s ministry has become ineffective to the single-parent community because of ignorance. The goal of this thesis is to help educate Christian ministers and lay staff on the single-parent family condition and ministry opportunities to serve this demographic. This proposition includes information gained from interviews of single-parents, and ministers with experience regarding single-parents by someone with a single-parent upbringing. Overall, the single-parents interviewed stated that the Christian church is missing …

Exploring The Relationship Between Attachment Style, Stress Perception, And Religious Coping In The Evangelical Missionary Population, Laurie Tone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This cross-sectional survey design study examined the relationships between attachment style, stress perception and religious coping in a sample of 267 cross-cultural, evangelical missionaries. No significance for effect for attachment style on perceived stress was found. However, both age and gender demonstrated significant effects on perceived stress. There was also a significant association between perception of stress and religious coping, independent of attachment style. Religious coping accounted for a small amount of the variance in perception of stress. The vast majority of the sample reported patterns of positive religious coping, which was not influenced by attachment style. A new tool …

Vicarious Trauma As Applied To The Professional Sign Language Interpreter, Jami L. Macdonald

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

This collected research and analysis will focus on vicarious trauma as applied to the experience of the professional Sign Language interpreter. Sign Language interpreters work in a vast scope of different settings where there can be a high risk of exposure to traumatic events or content and where the staffed professionals are equipped with training and support services. Sign Language interpreters do not have access to training or support services for managing vicarious trauma, though they are widely impacted by it. The extent of impact depends on the nature of the assignment as well as the susceptibility of the interpreter. …

Perceived Parental Factors As Predictors Of Spiritual Maturity In Emerging Adults, Lizabeth L. Matthews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Scant research has focused on possible parental factors behind increasing rates of disengagement by millennial emerging adults (18- to 25-years-old) in church attendance and other traditional Christian practices. Cluster, quota, and convenience samples of emerging adults (N = 266) who had identified with Christian practices in high school were recruited from social media, Web sites for religious doubt, and various universities and churches across America. Independent sample t tests and regression analyses were performed to explore the effect of selected parent variables (as perceived by the emerging adult child) on the child’s self-reported spiritual maturity (measured by a spiritual assessment …

The Experience Of Recalling Christian Spiritual Songs On Affect Dysregulation In The Mood And Anxiety Disorders, Nancy J. Cochran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although existing treatment methods for the mood and anxiety disorders have improved the lives of many who suffer from these conditions, there remains a significant portion of the population for whom these methods are only partially effective or are ineffective entirely. The purpose of the present study was to explore the experiences of a spiritually-integrated music therapy intervention with a nonclinical population during times of affect dysregulation. Ten participants used this intervention over the course of a two-week period and were interviewed regarding their experiences. The results indicated that the participants were impacted in their biological, spiritual, social and psychological …

Do Stress Levels Differ Between First Semester Nursing Student Early In The Semester Vs. The End Of The Semester?, Alissy Heisey

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study intends to determine how stress levels change over time in nursing students in the Baccalaureate program at East Tennessee State University. The instrument utilized for this survey was the Perceived Stress Scale by Mind Garden, Inc. This survey was passed at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester. There was no-significant difference found between the two time spots, leading us to conclude that the level of stress perceived by nursing students is a steady factor during their school semester.

The Unspoken Truth: A Practical Guide For Pastors, Helping Abusers Break The Cycle Of Sexual Abuse, Teresa Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For years, men, women and children have suffered silently as a result of sexual abuse. The abuser suffers and the cycle continues. Destroying the silence of sexual abuse is the beginning of breaking the cycle. Research has shown that the abuse goes far beyond the actual act and causes physical, emotional, and psychological damage. This project will investigate and encourage open discussion, address the abuse, and give valuable insight to the causes and consequences of sexual abuse. This project will offer prescriptive and preventative measures to all parties involved, in an effort to heal and stop sexual abuse. Through research …

Trauma Of The Heart: Augmenting The Family Paradigm To Stem The Spread Of Hiv/Aids And To Facilitate Healing And Recovery In The Wake Of Hiv/Aids, Gibson Danjuma

CTS Faculty Publications and Creative Activity

This article briefly reflects on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African American community. The article suggests an alternative paradigm that views the high-risk behaviors that contribute to the spread of the virus as a reaction to ‘trauma of the heart’ as opposed to viewing the epidemic solely in terms of a lack of HIV and sexually transmitted disease awareness. It further suggests a pastoral intervention of expanding the paradigm of family beyond the classical nuclear construct to family as a system of individuals committed to embracing and ‘adopting’ individuals who have experienced trauma of the heart. This augmented understanding of …

German Federal Employment Agency: A Summer Internship Experience, Jessica D. Raboin

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

The Federal Employment Agency is the largest provider of labor market services in Germany, with over 700 agencies, an institute for employment research, international placement services, a university, leadership academy, and family benefits office, among other subdivisions. The agency is publicly-funded and has several integral responsibilities that are outlined in my poster. My interest in career counseling, labor market management and social services spurred my interest in independently arranging an internship for summer 2014 with an agency near Munich, Germany.

African American Pastors And Their Perceptions Of Professional School Counseling, Krystal L. Freeman

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The Black Church and its pastors are important in the African American community, and influence many aspects of daily life including education. There is a gap in the literature concerning professional school counselors' specific interaction with African American pastors. This phenomenological study examined the experiences of ten African American pastors regarding professional school counseling, including referral, collaboration, and consultation. The results highlighted three emerging themes: school counseling experiences, barriers to collaboration, and clergy-school collaboration. School counseling experiences focused on personal and professional experiences. Barriers to collaboration included themes such as separation of church and state and lack of visibility. Finally, …

Unsilencing The Voice Within: Expressive Writing As A Therapeutic Tool, Karla L. Sapp

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Written words are a very powerful tool that is used to facilitate self-healing, awareness, and growth through the communication of one’s deepest thoughts, emotions, and desires. The purpose of this poster session is to provide mental health providers (community, school, criminal justice) with an overview of expressive writing, forms of expressive writing that can be utilized, and implications for professional practice with At-Risk Youth.

Mindfulness, Christian Devotion Meditation, Surrender, And Worry, Thomas Frederick, Kristen M. White

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

This article will present an approach for accommodating the benefits of mindfulness into therapy with Christians struggling with worry. Given the psychological benefits of mindfulness and its connection to spirituality, it is not surprising that both therapists and Christian clients are attempting to incorporate it into counselling. Centering prayer, which is a form of Christian Devotion Meditation, provides an accommodative approach to managing worry for Christian clients. The results of this study indicate that surrender, a key component of centering prayer, provides an empirical link for incorporating the benefits of mindfulness for Christians.