Counseling Commons^™

In Search Of The Recognition Of Expatriate Complexity: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Psychotherapy Experience, Mojca Filipic Sterle, Lesley L. Verhofstadt, Pam Bell, Jan De Mol

The Qualitative Report

Expatriates experiencing emotional distress and a call for globally oriented psychotherapy receive an increased focus in the research agendas. That one may better understand how expatriates may be helped in times of distress, the insight in their actual psychotherapy experience may serve as a valuable avenue. The aim of this qualitative study was to illuminate the lived experience of psychotherapy and the meaning that expatriates attributed to these experiences within their expatriate context. Semi-structured interviews were utilized for the data collection and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed for data analysis. The following themes emerged from the expatriates’ narratives about …

A Heuristic Inquiry Into Female Student-Athletes' Experiences Of Identity Loss After Retirement From Sport, Catherine Cody Wooten

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of retired female athletes after they have retired from Division I athletics. The study sought to understand retired female athletes' subsequent transition out of athletics and their loss in identity, if any. With increased understanding of psychological and emotional facets of retired female athletes, counselors may be able to provide more appropriate and well-tailored interventions, support, and guidance required for adaptive transitions in identity. Six retired female athletes were recruited to describe their lived experiences of transition out of athletics in a single semi-structured audio interview. Data comprised participants' …

Mental Health Stigma And Help-Seeking In A College Sample: Barriers And Potential Motivators For Action, Christina H. Morris

Honors College Theses

Stigma surrounding mental health is one of many barriers impeding help-seeking behavior. This study had two aims: (1) to examine the relationships between mental wellbeing, internalized stigma, help-seeking attitudes, and demographic variables such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and marital status, and (2) to explore what hinders students in the help-seeking process and determine what would make students more likely to seek psychological help if they perceive a need for it. It was hypothesized that the relationship between internalized stigma and help-seeking attitudes would be moderated by gender, and the relationship between mental wellbeing and help-seeking attitudes would be mediated …

Breaking The Silence: Discussions About Disability, Sex, & Gender Identity, Janet Sauer, Kirsten Bond, Cassidy Donahue, Molly Wolber, Hannah Hunter, Elizabeth Bellin, Katherine Deluga

Violence Against Women conference

Silence often accompanies topics about disability, sexuality, and gender identity. This panel of Lesley students, alumni, and faculty discuss the issue of silence involving social stigma and ignorance that can often lead to violence against people with disabilities. The panelists participated in an interdisciplinary course, Disability Studies, in which students chose to research these topics for their social action projects and papers. Panelists who see themselves as allies and/or self-identify as disabled share their research, personal experiences, and interviews with the audience to provide insights into some of the systematic exclusion of people with disabilities in these discussions, particularly in …

Religiosity And Attitudes Toward Psychological Health, Distress, And Help-Seeking Among Coptic Orthodox Parishioners, Sandy Guergues Aziz

Dissertations

This study was undertaken to provide information and insights enabling mental health professionals to better understand and treat clients who follow the Coptic Orthodox religion. Using the heuristic phenomenological method dialogues with six members of the Coptic Orthodox church were conducted to learn how religious orientation influences attitudes toward psychological distress and psychological help-seeking in the Coptic Orthodox community. Qualitative analysis of responses revealed the following eight themes: culture informs religiosity, experiencing psychological distress, sources of psychological distress, attitudes toward psychological distress and help-seeking, devotion to the church, dealing with psychological distress religiously, carrying the cross, and priests as psychological …

Involuntary Termination From Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Unknown Phantoms, Red Flags, And Unexplained Medical Data, Izaak L. Williams

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

In the United States, all treatment programs receiving public funds are required by law to regularly submit admission and discharge data, inclusive of the forced/involuntary termination or administrative discharge of clients, to their local state authorities. In some states, this requirement even extends to programs not receiving public funds. The aim of collecting discharge data—collected under the auspices of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association [SAMHSA]—is to assist state and county authorities, funders, and accreditors to monitor recovery-focused program performance. However, investigation here undertaken shows that published discharge data from many state treatment settings are perennially and grossly …

Lifestyles, Income, Health Factors, And Life Satisfaction Of Older Hispanic Adults, Gina Fe G. Causin Ph.D., Hyunsook Kang Ph.D., Mary S. Olle Ph.D.

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The aim of this study was to explore to what extent life styles, income, and health factors contribute to the life satisfaction of Hispanic older adults. A secondary data analysis from a national survey of Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (HEPESE) (Markides, Ray, Angel, & Espino, 2012) was used. Subjects were Hispanic older adults (over 75 years, n = 1542). For this study, Hispanics and Latinos were considered as one and the same. A two-step hierarchical regression was conducted to address the research question. The results showed health status and income were unique predictors in …

Cognitive Complexity In Counseling And Counselor Education: A Systematic And Critical Review, Jaime H. Castillo

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Cognitive complexity has found a small yet established niche in the counseling and counselor education literature over the last 40 years. This body of research has highlighted how individuals with high cognitive complexity have greater consistency in empathy, show more varied responses to clients, demonstrate greater toleration of ambiguity, and show higher frequencies of unbiased clinical judgements towards clients. This article provides a systematic and critical review of the cognitive complexity literature and discusses future implications of cultivating cognitive complexity in emerging and professional counselors and supervisors.

The Relative Effects Of Religion, Empathy, Anger, And Apology On Forgiveness, Christine P. Lopez

Dissertations

Researchers have begun elucidating the complex relationship between religion and forgiveness. This study examined the effects of religious measures on forgiveness beyond the variance explained by empathy, anger, and apology. Utilizing hierarchical multiple regression, this study investigated the predictive power of religious coping and Catholic religiosity on state forgiveness after controlling for the effects of the strongest known predictor variables: state empathy, state anger, and received apology. A discriminant function analysis allowed this researcher to conceptualize the religious variables further by comparing religious coping with Catholic religiosity. Parishioners from local Catholic churches were invited to participate in an online survey …

Supporting Newcomer Students: A Chicago-Specific Exploration Of Social And Emotional Learning Initiatives, Lincoln Hill

Center for the Human Rights of Children

Due to the large number of immigrant children and families within its borders as well as its sanctuary jurisdiction, the city of Chicago serves as an ideal case study towards investigating specialized services for one of its most vulnerable subpopulations of children, primarily the development needs of its immigrant children. The desired outcome for this non-exhaustive research brief is to provide empirical evidence and best practices for Chicago community and school specialists seeking to support the social and emotional needs of their newcomer student population.

Wellness And Karate, Cristina Kumpf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The promotion of wellness is an integral part of the counseling field and is considered to be a central focus to the counseling process (Barden, Conley, & Young, 2015; Myers, 1992). The counseling profession adopted the concept of wellness because it harmonizes with many of the founding principles of the ACA and is seen as a process of questing toward optimal health and well-being in body, mind, and spirit (Barden, Conley, & Young, 2015; Myers, 1992; Myers, Sweeney, & Witmer, 2000). Additionally, ACA Code of Ethics (2014) state that counselors “engage in self-care activities to maintain and promote their own …

Understanding The Student Intern's Journey Through A Holistic Counseling Center: A Phenomenological Inquiry, John C. Harvey

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Eight Counselors in training (CITs) were followed through their professional counseling internships in a holistic outpatient counseling center. All participants were similarly exposed to mindfulness activities including yoga, qigong, meditation, and auricular acupuncture over the course of a semester, then asked to respond to the research question: How do student interns of the study site perceive and describe their lived experience of mindfulness phenomena? Phenomenological methodology was applied to the study and data was gathered through focus group discussion and face-to-face interviews. CITs registered descriptions of mindfulness phenomenon with insight, depth, and meaning. Their descriptions were recorded, transcribed, coded, themed, …

Examining The Clinical Prediction Of Cohesion In Group Psychotherapy And Potential Moderators, Ron Dolgin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Group cohesion, or the way in which group members relate and work toward the primary task of a therapy group, is a predictor for positive outcome in group psychotherapy and the building block for most group development models. Research has shown that interventions are most effective when tailored for the developmental stage of the group (Burlingame, Fuhriman, & Johnson, 2001). Logic follows that if best practice dictates that interventions be implemented based on developmental stage which, in turn, is largely informed by group cohesion, then group leaders should be competent in accurately assessing the cohesion of the group. To date, …

It's Not Just A Dog: The Role Of Companion Animals In The Family's Emotional System, Cassandra Leow

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Past studies have looked into the role of companion animals in families. This study intended to explore the role of companion animals in the family’s emotional system through the lens of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Data from a study on companion animal loss and grief were used. A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted to analyze the data from interviews. Three primary themes emerged from the data: balanced family emotional system, response to relational anxiety and role of the absence companion animal. The first theme suggested that human family members and companion animals developed a balanced family emotional system through companion …

The Tragedy Zone: Ableism In Entertainment, Linnea Sumner

Honors College Theses

Ableism, or discrimination towards individuals with disabilities, is pervasive in our society. The entertainment world and the media are largely responsible for shaping the way the general public views minority groups. The topic of disability is incredibly popular on screen and stage, but very few actors and writers with disabilities are being hired in comparison to the amount of work that is being produced on the topic. A startling percentage of best actor/actress Oscar winners have won for portraying a character with a disability of some kind, but only two actors with the same disabilities as their characters have been …

Exploring The Variant Experiences Through Which Racial/Ethnic Minorities Select Art Therapy As A Career, Mary Ritchie Roberts

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This study implemented a phenomenological approach to the inquiry of the career decisions of racial/ethnic minorities leading to selection of art therapy as a career. Gottfredson’s Career Theory was used to design interview questions to elicit the perspectives of ten racial/ethnic minority members about their career choice of art therapy. This study used post-intentional phenomenological qualitative coding of data to understand the decisions and contributing factors to racial/ethnic minorities selecting a career in art therapy. The findings suggest factors including: personal characteristics, interests, personal and professional beliefs, cultural beliefs, influential people, social contexts, experiences, and encounters contributed to racial/ethnic minority …

Estimating Wasi Iq Scores To Assist In Identifying Elementary School Gifted Students, Debra Garrett Pregler

Dissertations

Identifying gifted students early is important so they may receive adaptations in their learning environment including admittance into gifted programs (Subotnik, Olszweski-Kubilius, & Worrell, 2012). An effective method to increase the likelihood of identifying gifted students is needed (Pfeiffer, 2003). Admission at the elementary level primarily uses the individually-administered intelligence test; yet, the test is only administered to students nominated to the gifted program. The purpose of this study was to determine if individually-administered IQ test scores were related to specific information available to the elementary school counselor to aid in the determination of unidentified gifted elementary school students who …

Posttraumatic Growth Moderates The Effect Of Posttraumatic Stress On Quality Of Life In U.S. Military Veterans With Life-Threatening Illness Or Injury, Erin Martz, Hanoch Livneh, Steven M. Southwick, Robert H. Pietrzak

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

• Facilitating PTG among U.S. Veterans who experienced life-threatening illness or injury can help to bolster quality of life of those individuals.

• It is particularly important to facilitate PTG for those Veterans who, in addition to experiencing life-threatening illness or injury, have experienced PTSD during their service.

• It should not be expected that PTG will eliminate co-occurring distress, such as posttraumatic symptoms.

• This study indicated that across the five interactions that were studied, the participants who reported higher levels of PTG actually experienced higher QoL under increased levels of PTSD.

In Covenant: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of What Helps Evangelical Marriages Recover After Sexual Infidelity By The Husband, Theresa C. Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Infidelity is a commonly identified reason for the dissolution of marriages, including Christian evangelical marriages. Although there is empirical research investigating factors that contribute to infidelity, there is little research on how couples recover from such a breach to the marriage commitment. This study sought to answer the question: What helps evangelical marriages recover after sexual infidelity by the husband? The qualitative research was built on a semi-structured interview framework that collected the personal narratives of three couples that were a minimum of two years post disclosure of an infidelity in the marriage relationship. Infidelity, for the purposes of this …

The Impact Of Mental Health Issues On Academic Achievement In High School Students, Patricia Lea Sutherland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

An adolescent’s time in school is not merely academic; they are developing socially, physically, and emotionally. Prior research has demonstrated a correlation between a student’s poor academic performance and his/her need for emotional and mental health support. This research project sought to answer the following research questions: 1) Do mental health services in a high school setting help facilitate students’ academic achievement? and 2) Does a focus on mental health issues improve overall health and well-being in high school students? Participants for this study are 10 staff members (including teachers, administrators, counselors, and others) of a high school in San …

Perceptions Of Self-Disclosure Impacting The Supervisory Relationship And Recognizing Countertransference, Melissa Alvarez Torres, Jessica Elizabeth Wilinski

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Clinical supervision is an essential component in a social work student’s education and development in the field. Social work students should feel comfortable with their clinical supervisors in order to appropriately self-disclose during supervision and gain the ability to recognize countertransference when working with clients. The significance of this is that students should be aware of their feelings and learn how to process these reactions during supervision. A mixed methods approach was utilized, surveying and interviewing students and clinical supervisors affiliated with California State University, San Bernardino. A Pearson correlation coefficient was conducted to determine the relationship between the strength …

Cross-Lateral Movement To Promote Motor Functioning And Executive Functioning In Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Courtney Chow

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone project sought to explore the relationship between dance/movement therapy and autism spectrum disorder by designing and implementing a cross-lateral movement method. Cross-lateral movement is oppositional locomotion that activates a diagonal pattern of connectivity (ex: top left to bottom right). Participants (n = 41) consisted of students aged 18-22, in a college-based transition program, who presented with a variety of intellectual and developmental disabilities including ASD. Participants were divided into three groups; the first two groups performed the method twice and the third group performed the method once. Outcomes observed included positive changes in participants’ self-report of affect, motor …

Life Satisfaction Typologies Among Roman Catholic Secular Clergy: A Q Methodological Investigation, Raju Antony

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Life satisfaction typologies among Roman Catholic secular clergy were studied using a Q methodological design. Using Q-Assessor, a web-based tool for Q methodological studies, 33 priests sorted and ranked 34 predetermined statements about their life satisfaction. By-person factor analysis and varimax rotation extracted three predominant category prototypes – pro-spirituals, professionals, and pro-relationals– representing three different views regarding the life satisfaction of clergy. The findings led to the creation of an explanatory model recognizing a multi-factorial pathway to understanding clergy life satisfaction.

Counseling The Military Population: The Factor Of Prior Military Exposure For Counselors-In-Training, Kellie E. Forziat, Nicole M. Arcuri, Chelsea Erb

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors must learn to ethically work with all cultures. This article explores how both counselors-in-training with prior military culture exposure and those with none can be trained to effectively counsel individuals from this culture. Additionally, the article highlights strategies for counselor educators on how to meet both groups’ learning needs.

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 …

What Does A Diagnosis Of Asperger’S Syndrome Mean To A School-Aged Japanese Client? A Case Study Illustrating The Use Of Positioning Theory, Hatsuho Ayashiro

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Many researchers and practitioners refer to diagnoses of mental disorders in their work. While possibly suggesting helpful perspectives, this practice has also been criticized. A previous study suggests that such references produce a deficit discourse that enfeebles clients. However, some Japanese who are diagnosed with developmental disorders state that their diagnoses help them to assert themselves. What, then, does the diagnosis mean to the client? To examine this question, I studied from a discursive perspective the case of a Japanese client diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, using Rom Harré’s positioning theory. In analyzing the data, four positions (deficit, competent, abnormal, and …

Restorative Justice And Social Justice, John M. Winslade

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This paper explains the connections between restorative justice and social justice. Specifically it argues that restorative practices in schools fit with a social justice agenda. It defines both terms and then outlines how restorative practices work to address the pipeline to prison and against retributive justice and zero tolerance policies. It also outlines the use of narrative questions designed to enhance restorative practices.

Fear Of Missing Out, Social Media Abuse, And Parenting Styles, Kylie Richter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing rise in technology use, particularly engagement in social media, it is important for researchers to gain a better understanding of the usage patterns along with the antecedents and consequences of heavy social media usage. In addition to the rise in social media usage, a new anxiety driven phenomenon is storming the research world, FoMO (Fear of Missing Out). To date, there has been little empirical research on the relationship between social media usage and psychological adjustment. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between FoMO, social media abuse, and parenting styles. It is theorized that because FoMO …

An Overview Of Suicide And The Impact Of Interacting Factors On Current Suicide Trends, Shawna Burrow

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Approximately 44,965 people committed suicide in 2016 in the United States, and the rate has been rising for a decade and a half. Suicide has far-reaching consequences which affect not only the victim, but those close to the person as well. For every suicide, an estimated six people are futher traumatized, bringing the current loss survivor estimate to over 5 million. Additionally, suicide costs tax payers about 70 billion dollars annually. Despite outranking homicide as a leading cause of death, the long-standing stigma associated with suicide creates a barrier for open and effective communication about the issue. This paper investigates …

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 …