Counseling Commons^™

The Efficacy Of The G.R.A.C.E Matrix® In Ptsd Treatment”, Maria Grace G. Wolk, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of the G.R.A.C.E Matrix®, a step-by-step technique of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study uses case studies that serve as portrayals of adults who struggle with PTSD. The three cases, referred to as "Jamal," "Isabel," and "Joel," are based on disguised aspects of real psychotherapy patients from a psychotherapy clinic. By detailing the treatment courses of these patients, the study highlights critical clinical issues in engaging patients with evidence-based therapy. The cases illustrate how the G.R.A.C.E Matrix® treatment, beginning with written assessments and culminating in trauma-informed interventions, has …

Strategies For Prevention And Management Of Non-Communicable Diseases Among Community Women In Nigeria: Insights For Family Social Welfare, Abiola Adiat Omokhabi Dr

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

In this study, modifiable risk factors, prevention and management plans for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among women were examined. This study examined published and grey literature that was gathered from a number of sources, such as open data portals on the five major illness categories that make up the NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes, malignancies, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health. Literature shows that the primary behavioural risk factors for NCDs, including CVDs, diabetes, and cancer(malignancies), can be largely avoided. Inactivity, tobacco use, alcohol use, and unhealthy eating habits (often high in processed sugar, fats, and salt) are a …

Training Counselors In Clinical Case Formulation: A Proof Of Concept Of The Thematic Mapping Method, Christina E. Jeffrey, Charles Ridley, Nina Quintana, Taylor Parks

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Case formulation, or the way in which clinicians synthesize client information and formulate appropriate treatment directions, is a crucial part of counseling and clinical training. Thematic mapping is a transtheoretical, transdiagnostic strategy of case conceptualization that provides a holistic, complex, multicultural formulation of clients. This proof of concept study evaluated the relationship of a training in the thematic mapping method and case conceptualization quality. Supervisors trained six second-year counselors in the method, along with application to clinical cases, during weekly group supervision. Case formulation complexity, evidence of a systematic approach, level of detail, and goodness-of-fit from client data to synthesized …

Gsep Research Symposium Proceedings - 2024

GSEP Research Symposium

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

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

The symposium aimed to bridge …

A Laboratory Evaluation Of The Effects Of Empathy Training On Racial Bias, Victoria D. Suarez, Adel C. Najdowski, Angela Persicke, Jonathan Tarbox

Psychology Division Scholarship

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efects of behavioral procedures, including relational training and multiple exemplar training on empathic responding of individuals who display racial bias. In particular, this study used a multielement design with fve adult participants to evaluate whether the presentation of relational frames of coordination and distinction between the participants’ values and the values of a person belonging to a group for which a bias existed altered empathic responses toward people belonging to such groups. The results showed empathic responding was higher when relational frames of coordination were presented and lower when relational …

Counseling In Virtual Spaces And Into The Metaverse: A Framework For Reflection, Conversation, And Future Scholarship, Staci Hayes, Yahyahan Aras, Kathy Caputo, James Hoag, Lindsay Ibos, Sania Khan, Kelly Smith

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Given the success of Virtual Reality (VR) in the gaming community and strides in mental health, both VR and the Metaverse provide limitless opportunities and possibilities in the field of counseling. This article aims to provide important definitions, an overview of the use of VR in clinical counseling, clinical supervision, counselor education and its potential emergence into the Metaverse. Implications are presented in hopes of prompting conversation on how we may accept technological and cultural shifts and remain true to our counseling roots. Specifically, how to maximize the potential benefits with counseling specific rationale and address the limitations and potential …

An Exploration Of Adult Children’S Attachment To Their Parents Across Two Cultural Groups: Indians In India And Indians Who Immigrated To The United States, Vilasini Meenakshi Arun

Doctoral Dissertations

Typically, attachment theory has been studied and explored with western populations. Individuals seeking mental health treatment within the United States include western and nonwestern cultural groups and research, theories and interventions that apply to diverse populations are necessary. Attachment relationships are often a part of, or reasons for clients to seek therapy either overtly or covertly, thus allowing research on attachment to better inform treatment plans and practice. An attachment relationship between a parent and child can be influenced by several factors and may change over the course of development, but little is known about this process among Indians …

Latinx Sleep Health Disparities In Primary Care: The Role Of Patient-Provider Communication, Amy L. Fraire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Poor sleep is linked to various adverse health outcomes, and Latinx often experience shorter and poorer sleep relative to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). Despite growing attention to racial/ethnic sleep health disparities, there is a notable dearth in the literature on patient-provider communication about sleep (Sleep Communication) during primary care visits, particularly among Latinx patients. To address this gap, this study provides initial insights into the incidence of Sleep Communication among Latinx and NHW primary care patients (N = 210), as well as if patient race/ethnicity and Sleep Communication collectively relate to patient satisfaction with their PCP or perceptions of culturally sensitive …

Archetypal Energies And Global Mental Health, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

As a keynote speaker at the Global Mental Health Conference 2024, held at Sophia University, Costa Mesa, CA, in-person and virtually, August 16-18, 2024, my topic was "Archetypal Energies As A Framework for Self-Empowerment and Well Being". The theme of this 2024 global conference was: Enlightened Minds, Compassionate Hearts, and Embodied Wisdom. To supplement my keynote address, I wrote this blog article titled "Archetypal Energies and Global Mental Health".

An Exploration Of China’S Low Fertility From A Feminist Lens: Chinese Women’S Feminist Identity Development, Perceived Gender Inequality, And Attitudes Toward Marriage, Yuan Hao

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Inspired by China’s current low fertility rate issues, this dissertation explored how Chinese women’s perceptions on gender inequality might shape their attitudes towards marriage and intent to marry, through the influences of different dimensions of feminist identity development. Through an online survey, 251 Chinese women who met the inclusion criteria were participants in this study. Hypotheses were tested through mediation analysis using the PROCESS Macro Model 4.

The following hypotheses were supported: 1) Chinese women’s perception of gender inequality is associated with their attitudes toward marriage. The greater they perceive gender inequality, the more negative their attitudes toward marriage will …

Policy, Practice, And Perceptions Of K-12 Social-Emotional Learning, Janice Filer, Ebony C. Cain, Della Thompson-Bell

Education Division Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of K-12 school staff who participate in social-emotional learning (SEL). Since the global pandemic, several school districts have included SEL as part of the school curriculum. Teachers, counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and school administrators participate in SEL instruction and/or practices. Classroom teachers instruct students in SEL instruction and other school staff practice the SEL components of self-awareness, self-management, decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills through their daily interactions with students. This study was conducted in various schools throughout the Los Angeles area using open-ended interview questions that utilized focus …

Understanding The Barriers And Contributions To Success Among African American Graduate Students Pursuing Doctorate Degrees In Clinical Or Counseling Psychology: A Comparative Analysis Of Predominantly White Institutions And Historically Black Colleges And Universities In The U.S., Chelle' Thomas

Dissertations

This study investigated the barriers encountered by African American students in earning doctorate degrees in clinical or counseling psychology at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) compared to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This study aims to elucidate the challenges encountered by African American graduate students in their pursuit of doctoral degrees in clinical or counseling psychology. The study focused on analyzing the obstacles and positive impacts experienced by African American graduate students as they strive to obtain doctorates in clinical or counseling psychology. Multiple challenges and contributions have been identified in this a phenomenological qualitative study. The qualitative results indicate …

Play Therapists Attitudes, Knowledge, And Skills In Identifying Disordered Eating In Children And Adolescents., Hailey Thomas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of disordered eating among children and adolescents has been steadily increasing, posing an increase in the need for treatment. Recognizing and addressing disordered eating in childhood and adolescence is critical to fostering a healthy relationship with food and body image and ensuring the overall well-being of youth. Play has long been considered an important factor in understanding children's lives and experiences and is the recommended counseling approach for children and adolescents (Landreth, 2012). Play therapy is grounded in the fundamental understanding that play is children's and adolescents' natural mode of expression, where toys are their words, and play …

Online Self-Presentation And Its Relationship To The Level Of Exposure To Cyber-Harassment Among A Sample Of The University Of Jordan Students, Randah Odeh Barakat, Islam F. Alzu'bi

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

The study aimed to identify the level of online self-presentation and its relationship to the level of exposure to cyber-harassment among a sample of the University of Jordan students consisting of (385) male and female bachelor's students from the Faculty of Arts. The questionnaires that are built for the level of online self-presentation and level of exposure to cyber-harassment were constructed and evaluated for their validity and reliability. The results indicated that the level of online self-presentation and the level of exposure to cyber-harassment among students were moderate, the level of online self-presentation was positively correlated with the level of …

Training In Trauma-Responsive And Anti-Racist Telehealth: A Model For Behavioral Health Clinicians And Providers, Ritchie Rubio

Psychology Division Scholarship

Telehealth's uptake in behavioral health services has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many clinicians continue to lack focused training in providing trauma-informed and culturally-responsive telehealth care. This article outlines a model curriculum that was created to instruct and coach behavioral health providers in California on how to integrate anti-racist and trauma-responsive techniques into telehealth. Topics like evidence-based trauma therapies, racial/ ethnic trauma, marginalized communities, digital divide, and provider selfcare were all covered in the nine-part curriculum. Every three-hour session included evidence-informed didactic content, telehealth skills practice, and concrete planning for implementation. Trauma-responsive frameworks such as the tri-phasic model …

Understanding The Relationship Between Perceived Childhood Experiences And Relationship With God, Remaz Bahaa

Theses and Dissertations

The present study explores the relationship between perceived childhood experiences and one’s current relationship with God in an Egyptian Muslim sample. While such relationship has been researched in Western contexts, there is a notable gap in understanding these dynamics within Muslim Middle Eastern cultures. In this study, 180 participants, brought up in Muslim households, were given the following questionnaires: both versions of the Parental Acceptance Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) referring to the father and mother, Attachment to God Inventory (AGI), and Images of God (LAMBI Scale). The results presented the internal consistency of both the AGI and LAMBI scales with the …

Navigating Cultural Transitions: A Drama Therapy Exploration Of Culture Shock Among International Students From South Asia And East Asia, Rithika Gopalakrishnan

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

South Asia and East Asia drive the recent surge in US global student enrollment, exceeding one million, collectively representing 60.141% of international students, with China and India contributing 53% alone. These figures underscore the need for focused research into the experiences of South Asian and East Asian international students in the United States, an area currently lacking comprehensive study. This thesis examines culture shock among South Asian and East Asian students at a university in the Northeast, exploring relevant theories, role of media portrayals, and drama therapy interventions. It investigates the effects of culture shock, such as strain, loss, rejection, …

A Trauma-Informed Socially Just Approach To Working With Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth Utilizing Expressive Arts Therapy, Ciara Carr

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Youth involved with the juvenile justice system often have a history of trauma and oppression resulting from their positionality and circumstances. Most juvenile justice-involved youth are boys, youth of color, low-income, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and traumatized. This literature review explores the history of the juvenile justice system, issues with the present-day model, and trauma-informed and transformative justice approaches to practice. The implementation of socially just, trauma-informed expressive arts therapy programs is proposed as a more equitable practice to replace commonly used punitive practices across the United States. More research is needed to understand the impact of such programs on this population …

Embodied Co-Regulation: A Neuroregulatory-Informed Dance/Movement Therapy Transition Intervention Method For Arousal Regulation For Adolescents In A Partial Hospitalization Program, Anamaria Guzman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis introduces a novel Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) approach, focusing on nervous system arousal regulation during transitions between therapy groups. The core of the method involves a brief 5-minute exercise designed to modulate arousal levels, encompassing alertness and energy, aiming to establish a baseline homeostasis. Rooted in Polyvagal Theory and Developmental Neurobiology, the approach assumes the co-regulation of nervous systems within a group therapeutic setting. Two primary outcomes are self-assessed: 1) somatic experiences documented through narratives and 2) nervous system biodata measured using the Flowtime headband monitoring of brainwaves, heart rate, and other biomarkers. Results indicated that all six sessions …

Music Therapy As A Support Model In Massachusetts Special Education: A Literature Review, Bonnie Diamond

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Mental health directly impacts student propensity for making academic progress in the public education system. For children with disabilities, it is especially vital to develop and implement techniques within special education that deliver personally tailored benefits. According to the United States Department of Education, music therapy offers highly effective support to a wide range of students within the school setting so that they may achieve academic success and be supported in their social/emotional development (U.S Department of Education, 2011; AMTA, 2021). In examining the multifaceted ways that music therapy can offer support within the structure of education and mental health, …

Feldenkrais And Music Informed Listening: A Neurophenomenological Perspective On Autism, Arona Primalani

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Phenomenologists identify the subjective body and its felt-senses as the basis for human development and consciousness, including mental health. Several mental health disorders, when viewed from a phenomenological perspective, share common symptomology related to varying extents of fractured selves, which in turn hinders dynamic interaction between individuals, their actions, and their relationships with their social and material worlds. Autism is one such condition. Hence, I created an intervention to investigate how listening, which foster subjective and intersubjective experiences, lies at the heart of somatic and arts-based interventions. This thesis, first, begins with a summary of the presenting symptoms observed in …

On The Cultivation Of Relational Leadership Mindsets Among Graduate Supervisees In The Mental Health Professions: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis, Cristina Bucur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In counseling supervision, leadership is often associated with supervisors’ skills, role, position, and responsibilities. However, supervisees need to learn and practice how to lead also: for example, how to promote others’ well-being, how to support, and advocate for others and self. Graduate supervisee relational leadership in the mental health professions is an intrinsic part of the purposive aspect of counseling supervision. Relational leadership in graduate counseling supervision is a purposive, interpersonal, facilitative, growth oriented, and process-based service in which leaders -expert facilitators and mentors- seek to cultivate leaders, not followers. Relational leadership is mutuality-affirming and mutuality-promoting (e.g., open dialogue, mutual …

Exploring The Intersection Of Mental Health, Self-Advocacy, And Sense Of Belonging Among Rural, First-Generation College Students, Sarah Johnson

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation delves into the intersections of social and cultural capital, self-advocacy, sense of belonging, and the experiences of mental health help-seeking among rural, first-generation college students. Rural, first-generation college students face unique challenges throughout their academic journey, this dissertation aims to contribute to the literature by examining the experiences and support mechanisms that are crucial for this population to be successful in higher education. This dissertation follows a triple-manuscript style, including a conceptual manuscript, quantitative manuscript, and a qualitative manuscript. The conceptual manuscript examined how college counselors can build contextual social and cultural capital among rural, first-generation college students …

Can A Course On Sexuality Counseling Increase Empathy When Working With Sex- And Gender-Minoritized Individuals?, Betty Cardona, Robinder P. Bedi

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This study examined whether a sexuality counseling course could increase self-perceived empathy for working with Sex and Gender minoritized (SGM)individuals. Forty-two students enrolled in a sexuality counseling course completed empathy assessments prior to starting the course and after completing it. Statistically significant increases in empathy towards gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals were found (moderate to a large effect sizes). Results indicate that, at least under some circumstances, empathy levels for SGM individuals in counselors-in-training (CITs) could be increased through coursework. Increases in practitioner empathy for SGM individuals can translate into lower uniliteral termination rates and better counseling and psychotherapy outcomes.

Addressing Burnout, Stress And Self-Care In Graduate Students At Arcadia’S University Counseling Program, Lorraynne Moura De Amorim

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Burnout is a threat to both graduate and licensed level clinicians (Warlick et al., 2021). Burnout and stress can lead to professional impairment and result in unethical practice (Daly & Gardner, 2020; Warlick et al., 2021). Self-care is described in the literature as a protective factor to cope with burnout and stress (Butler et al., 2017; Callan et al., 2021; Daly & Gardner, 2020; Warlick et al., 2021). The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics reinforces professional’s ethical duties of monitoring sign and symptoms of impairment, which could interfere with their practice (ACA, 2014). The purpose of this study was …

The Role Of Acculturation In The Professional Identity Of Art Therapy And Counseling International Students, Ana Marcela Tobar Chavez

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

In a country of immigrants, the concept of acculturation needs to be familiar to almost any professional in the mental health field and it is a reality for immigrants and international students. As international and immigrant students continue to join the Art Therapy Counseling profession, it is important to understand how acculturation plays a role in the development of their counseling professional identity. Unlike most master’s students in the art therapy counseling profession, international and immigrant students go through unique experiences such as being born and raised in a different country with difference in cultures, languages, and immigration statuses that …

Cultural And Structural Barriers Of Utilizing Mental Health Services In A School-Based Setting For Latinx Populations, Silvia Lozano, Bridgette Guadalupe Calderon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative research study aimed to reduce mental health service disparities in Latinx communities and helps fill in the gap by addressing cultural and structural barriers to utilizing MHS in a school-based setting for Latinx youth. There is limited research regarding Latinx parents’ perspectives and the reservations they have on utilizing school-based mental health services (MHS) for their children. This study identified six important themes: cultural factors, trust and rapport, reservations, access and awareness, parental involvement and challenges, and school-based resources. Implications for school districts are that they can use these findings to increase early intervention mental behavioral health programs …

Art Therapy For Bereaved Siblings After Pediatric Cancer Death, Daniela Ramirez-Ibarra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Children and adolescents whose siblings die due to pediatric cancer are at an increased risk for several mental health issues and high risky behavior engagement. There is currently very little literature on the topic of a sibling’s grief despite its potentially critical and persisting consequences. Through qualitative research in analyzing art projects made by bereaved siblings, this is an exploratory study of how an art program may help bereaved or grieving children access their feelings using a non verbal modality of expression. The research study was conducted at a community-based non-profit organization which focuses on supporting families of children with …

The Bible And Mental Health: Towards A Biblical Theology Of Mental Health, Robert D. Mcbain

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

The Soul Of Desire: Discovering The Neuroscience Of Beauty, Longing, And Community, Rebekah Bled

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.