Counseling Commons^™

Canine-Assisted Therapy: Incorporating Canines Into The Therapeutic Experience, Melissa H. Kee

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Canine-Assisted Therapy (CAT) is a therapeutic practice that has been growing in popularity in recent years but unfortunately has little research to show evidence of effectiveness. This article focuses specifically on the use of canines in therapeutic environments. Use of canines in a therapy setting may be a source of confusion due to the many assistance role that canines can provide, including hearing dogs, mobility assistance dogs, and service dogs. This article provides clarity regarding CAT and includes recommendations for counselors considering the use of dogs in their therapeutic practice.

Safe To Fight: Lessons From Counseling For Grappling Coaches, Rachel Wilson

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The following is a series of articles designed to help coaches respond empathically and effectively to the emotional needs of their athletes and to safety concerns in their club. The three articles discuss students who shut down when they train; students who become overly aggressive; and students or coaches who groom and prey on others. A review of the counseling literature is offered to explain the behaviors each type of student is likely to engage in. Counseling principles and technique are offered to provide a framework for coaches to use as they teach these kinds of students and address safety …

Informing Consent: A Grounded Theory Study Of Parents Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Youth Seeking Gender Confirming Endocrinological Interventions, Charles F. Shepard

Dissertations, 2020-current

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) identity during the Twenty-first Century in the United States has been associated with pervasive patterns of mistreatment and discrimination across social, educational, occupational, legal, and healthcare experiences (Drescher, 2010; James et al., 2016; Stryker, 2008). Despite these trends, affirming stances toward TGD identity has been developing almost simultaneously tracing its roots to Christine Jorgensen’s transition in the 1950s. About a decade later, endocrinological interventions were pioneered that aimed to medically support TGD patients who wished to feminize or masculinize their bodies to be more congruent with their gender identity without surgery. These gender-confirming endocrinological interventions (GCEI) …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Self-Reported Emotional Well-Being For Well-Functioning Young Adults: The Case Of Burundian College Students, Peace N. Ningabire

Dissertations, 2020-current

As the body of research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has grown over the last few decades, a gap between how individuals and families experience and cope with such adversities in Western societies versus in non-Western communities has also widened. Moreover, many studies conducted in low/middle-income countries on ACEs have looked at marginalized populations, such as children-soldiers, homeless children, refugee camps, etc. The present study, on the other hand, sought to explore childhood adversities, as well as current emotional well-being and coping strategies for Burundian well-educated, high-functioning young adults. A survey of 100 Burundian college students documented many adverse childhood …

Homelessness And Mental Health: A Participatory Action Research Approach, John D. Rogers

Dissertations, 2020-current

The co-occurring problems of homelessness and mental illness is addressed through Participatory Action Research. A group of five people who have experienced homelessness and mental illness collaborated with the principal researcher through interviews and a working group in order to generate responses to the challenges they encounter. The study sought to examine several research questions which included exploring the lived experiences of individuals who are homeless and are diagnosed with a mental illness, the barriers that they experience, their practical recommendations to support individuals dealing with these challenges. Four key themes emerged: The trauma of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness, …

Posttraumatic Growth During Covid-19: A Quantitative Analysis Of Individualist And Collectivist Values, Stephanie Chalk

Dissertations, 2020-current

The 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has spurred a major global crisis. Collective trauma is inevitable. Compared to posttraumatic stress, relatively little research has been conducted on posttraumatic growth. This study examined the associations between individualism-collectivism, coping behaviors, and posttraumatic growth in the context of COVID-19. A total of 314 adult participants were recruited to complete a questionnaire on COVID-19 experiences, individualism-collectivism, coping, and posttraumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth was measured globally and across five factors: relating to others, personal strength, new possibilities, appreciation of life, and spirituality. A t-test found no difference in global posttraumatic growth in participants who were …

Concluding Remarks: Responsibility And Therapeutic Freedom, Fred Redekop, Chad Luke

International Journal on Responsibility

No abstract provided.

Feedback-Informed-Treatment: A Deliberate Approach To Responsible Practice, Zach Budesa

International Journal on Responsibility

As research continues to proliferate about the effectiveness of psychotherapy, mental health clinicians appear to be limited in their effectiveness and growth. If clinicians hope to meet their ethical responsibilities of beneficence and accountability, new methods to ensure client success are needed. Within the framework of deliberate practice, clinicians can use the methods of Feedback-informed treatment (FIT) to effectively modify treatment and improve their own performance, resulting in improved client outcomes. This manuscript will provide the evidence supporting the use of deliberate practice and FIT, the major aspects of each, and the potential that these approaches offer to mental health …

The Development Of Professional Responsibility In Counselor Training, Ryan Bowers, Helen Hamlet

International Journal on Responsibility

Responsibility in the field of counseling is a complex, multi-faceted concept which includes responsibility to the client, responsibility to the profession, and responsibility to the self. These responsibilities encompass the profession’s global role, the call to establish consistent professional requirements, the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics, the developmental process of student skill acquisition and professional identity development, and the curriculum and training requirements of counselor education programs. Following a general exploration of responsibility in counselor education, this article focuses on when and how counselors-in-training (CITs), as they grow in counseling skills and professional identity through coursework and mentoring and …

Gatekeeping: A Counselor Educator’S Responsibility To The Counseling Profession And Community, Patricia L. Kimball, Lucy C. Phillips, Krista E. Kirka, John J.S. Harrichand

International Journal on Responsibility

Counseling is one of the few professions practiced in private with vulnerable individuals. Because of this, counselors must be held to high training standards and be deemed competent prior to being allowed to practice independently. The responsibility for ensuring future counselors’ competence rests with counselor educators and clinical supervisors via a process known as gatekeeping. This paper highlights the importance of gatekeeping in the counseling profession and describes models of remediation for supervisors and educators navigating this complex process. Utilizing a case study, the authors demonstrate the protective function gatekeeping serves society by applying a gatekeeping decision-making model. Finally, recommendations …

Therapeutic Termination: Translating Clinical Responsibility Into Ethically-Informed Practice, Christina M. Schnyders, Kristin Bruns

International Journal on Responsibility

Clinical termination is an important aspect of the therapeutic process, yet one that is largely underrepresented in literature across various helping professions. In this article, termination is defined, distinct types of clinical termination are outlined (e.g., clinician-initiated, client-initiated, and forced), and differences in the impact of termination based upon the termination source (unilateral versus mutual agreement) are explored. Further, various reasons for clinical termination are outlined, and the impact of termination on both clients and clinicians are discussed. A case study is presented to illustrate potential ethical considerations associated with the termination process. Finally, clinical responsibility is discussed in order …

Allyship: The Responsibility Of White Counselor Education. Allies In Addressing Racism And Discrimination, Amanda M. Evans, Brittany Williams, A. Renée Staton, Darius Green, Charles Shepard

International Journal on Responsibility

Counselor educators have a responsibility to ensure client welfare in counselor training and this extends to increasing the cultural competence of counseling students when working with clients representing diverse populations. Due to the persistence of inequality and absence of cultural competence in the health and behavioral health settings, People of Color (POC) experience health disparities at alarming rates. This begs the questions about who is responsible for these health disparities and how inequities can be addressed. This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study examined the narratives of eleven self-reported White Allies who are working to dismantle oppression through their advocacy efforts. …

Introductory Remarks On The Ijr Special Issue, Responsibility In Counselor Training And Practice, Chad Luke, Fred Redekop

International Journal on Responsibility

No abstract provided.

When People Lose Autonomy: The Case For Coercion And The Moral Responsibility Crisis Clinicians Have To Society, Nathan Strickland, Chad Luke, Fred Redekop

International Journal on Responsibility

The present article explores the responsibility of mental health crisis management clinicians around the world in the context of ethical practice. Concepts of suicide, autonomy, coercion, and civil commitment are defined through the lens of crisis intervention. Historical background and development of community-based crisis management in the United States, mental health crisis assessments, interdisciplinary crisis ethics, and a continuum of coercion in crisis intervention are discussed. The authors then lay out three clinical crisis case vignettes to demonstrate three levels of risk to safety and the appropriate implementation of the three levels of the continuum of coercion. Finally, a discussion …

Ijr Issue 3.2 - Responsibility In Counselor Training And Practice

International Journal on Responsibility

No abstract provided.

Helping The Doubly Vulnerable: A Trauma And Emotion Regulation Group For Juvenile Offenders, Sarah Kline

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This paper explores literature published about juvenile offenders including demographics, offenses and trauma experiences. It explores the high rates of trauma within juvenile facilities and how these rates of trauma impact mental health issues seen in juvenile facilities. It focuses on the mental health of juvenile offenders and the high prevalence of mental illness, specifically Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among juvenile offenders. It provides an overview of evidenced based programs used with juveniles and juvenile offenders including Emotional Intelligence training and the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET) intervention. The paper provides a detailed program procedure to …

The Effects Of Community On Wellness: An Exploration Of Utilizing Community To Address Loneliness, Carter G. Bagnall

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The subjective experience of loneliness is a growing public health concern that is deserving of the attention of mental health professionals. This project offers a review of current literature necessary for conceptualizing and understanding loneliness, and provides evidence for the positive impact of finding community in fostering acceptance and sense of belonging for lonely individuals. Research on possible responses to loneliness are explored, as are cultural influences and the implications of connection through the use of technology. Finally, the responsibility of mental health practitioners in addressing loneliness is examined, and suggestions for prevention, advocacy, and treatment are discussed.

So, Your Favorite Therapist Is........A Horse?, Elizabeth M. Armstrong

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The field of Equine Assisted Mental Health (EAMH) is both new and broad. The purpose of this paper is to explore justifications and methods for incorporating EAMH into practice; identify core concepts of an equine assisted therapy program for counselors; and describe the experience of learning within one of those programs. The method to accomplish this goal was a phenomenological account of finding, comparing and taking part in an EAMH training program. This account looks at the many ways EAMH can be applied within a counseling practice and describes the core concepts of a program that teaches counselors the EAMH …

Counselors As Advocates For Change In Local Homelessness Discourse: A Content Analysis Of Harrisonburg, Virginia Media, Sarah E. Brown

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Data on homelessness does not reflect the vast numbers of people living without stable housing. Research shows that while the public may feel compassionate towards those without homes, they may also blame and stereotype people experiencing homelessness. Stigmatization can impair public support of policies that would provide the structural change needed to address the housing crisis. Studies have found when media use non-stereotypical examples of people without homes, stigmatization decreases and public support for systemic change increases. Using person-first language and the concept of housing as a moral human right further increase public support. This content analysis examines media in …

Mindfulness Based Approaches With Obese Clients: A Structured Literature Review On The Role Of Mindfulness, Obesity And Weight Management, Cannie G. Campbell

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Mindfulness has been used to improve physical and psychological health in a variety of treatment modalities across the globe. Specifically, the use of mindfulness and mindful-based interventions relevant to those living with obesity has increased dramatically over the past decade, and substantial research is now being conducted in this arena. This paper includes a review of the literature on mindfulness-based interventions and implications for therapeutic use for counselors working with this population.

Counseling Needs Of First Responders, Donna V. Garber

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Abstract

This paper examines the counseling and psychological needs of first responders, as a special population with special needs. It also proposes how counselors can address these needs. Included is a review of relevant literature and concludes with strategies counselors could implement to respond effectively to direct and vicarious trauma experienced by first responders. There is also information related to pre-incident and post-incident care and addresses issues that impact this population’s response to care, ability to seek care, and the overall understanding of what mental health care really means to this group.

Returning To My Trees: Connection To Nature, Wellness And Clinical Practice, Laurel E. Brubaker

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Abstract

The human-nature connection is one that has been undeniably relevant since the earliest conception of the Anthropocene. Early on, this connection was unceasingly tangible and pervasive, confirmed through every aspect of life, but as time has progressed through the process of globalization, technological advancement and urban growth, we have undoubtedly distanced and fragmented this relationship. Numerous studies, across multiple populations and settings, have demonstrated a strong relationship between well-being of individuals and their exposure to nature and nature connectedness/relatedness, with impressive consensus displayed across findings. Connection with nature has been associated with improved holistic wellness, including cognitive, emotional, psychological …

The Impact Of Trauma On The Brain And Body: Alternative Approaches To Treatment, Ashley L. Ahlers

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This project will explore the impact of trauma on the body and mind of an individual, as well as offer alternative approaches to treatment that mental health professionals can integrate into their work with clients. The experience of one or multiple traumatic events can lead to devastating psychological and physiological impairment in a person, and the complexity of trauma can make the symptoms difficult to treat. Many clinicians have found that using traditional approaches as their sole method of treatment may not be enough to create long-lasting, sustainable change. Integrating treatment approaches that address mind, body, and spirit has proven …

Navigating "Technoference" In The Family System, Kathlynn Sergent

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This integrative literature review explores the increase of technology use in families, with a focus on how technology is disrupting in-person social interactions within the family system. Many studies have been conducted on how technology impacts a couple’s romantic relationship, and only a few have examined the relationship between the parent and child. This review is one of the first to examine how technology may affect the entire family unit from before children to raising adolescents. Each section of the family unit is examined, beginning with before children, followed by the early bonding and attachment associated with infant/childhood, and then …

The Space Between Black & White: Examining The Lived Experiences Of African American Supervisees In Cross-Racial Supervisory Relationships, Brittany A. Williams

Dissertations, 2020-current

There is a growing trend in the counseling research that addresses the importance of multicultural counseling and specifically the need for effective work with African American clients (Chang, Hays, & Shoffner, 2004). More specifically, attention should be given to African American supervisees in cross-racial supervisory relationships who experience complex forms of discrimination due to the differing cultural identities within the supervisory relationship. While also meeting the needs of the African American clients, increased representation in the field could also be beneficial for the counseling profession and support the growth and development of same race clinicians. This influx of African American …

Undue Police Violence Towards African Americans: A Quantitative Analysis Of Professional Counselors, Darius Green

Dissertations, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which counseling professionals identify and address undue police violence (UPV) in their professional roles. This study investigated circumstances associated with experiencing types of force that counselors identify as undue, the extent of advocacy efforts made by counselors related to UPV, and training received related to UPV. Lastly, this study investigated the relationships between counselors’ attitudes towards officer legitimacy, perceived racism, and beliefs related to UPV and addressing it. An exploratory research design that used descriptive analysis, simple linear regression, and thematic analysis was used to analyze data collected for …

Using The Reflective Functioning Scale To Predict Counseling Outcomes, Matthew Swartzentruber

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

It is my proposal to demonstrate the usefulness of the Reflective Functioning Scale within counselors-in-training populations to promote effective counseling clinicians and improve counseling competencies.

A Home For The Spirit: Mental Health Care Delivery And The Homeless, John D. Rogers

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

I propose to present a poster summarizing a needs analysis for delivery of mental health care services to homeless people in small cities. The poster will provide highlights of a review of the relevant literature, best practice from current shelters, a summary of needs, a proposed model agency.

Homelessness is a significant and persistent issue in the United States and around the world. With public policy support, integrated care modalities, and new conceptualizations of treatment, those without homes can find help for mental health issues, and those in the helping profession can find rewarding opportunities to contribute to improved prognosis …

Congruence And Therapy: The Real Relationship Inventory (Rri), Jean F. Ndzana

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

I am interested in looking at the process of psychotherapy, and how specific under-represented groups (that are already reluctant to entering therapy), experience this process and the genuineness of the therapist. I am interested in exploring concerns that are parallel to the initial concern that brought the person for counseling, and how such processes, if unexplored, that can damage therapeutic alliance, and result in poor therapy outcome. The ultimate goal is not to get people in therapy, but to deliver successful therapy.

Beyond Words: Expressive Arts Therapy In Individual And Group Process In Recovery From Trauma, Agnes Carbrey

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This paper describes expressive arts therapies that are interventions for the treatment of trauma. A literature review of this broad topic is narrowed to define art therapy used in conjunction with talk therapy, and provides brief examples from dance movement therapy, visual arts therapy, poetry-journaling-storytelling therapy, and sound-music therapy. Recent innovations in the field include the use of body-oriented interventions and group processes. When thinking about trauma, the body is a positive and negative reservoir of memory, and trauma may be trapped in the body. The author reviews the overlap between contemporary art, contemporary dance movement analysis, and forms of …