Addressing Anxiety In College: A Mindfulness Group For Use In College Counseling Centers, Sarah Deprey-Severance

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This project proposes a mindfulness group to address anxiety in college counseling settings. As will be discussed, anxiety is often cited as the most common presenting concern in college counseling centers, and as the need for mental health services in college is increasing, the necessity for cost effective and timely interventions (i.e., groups) becomes apparent. Research on the efficacy of mindfulness as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder is reviewed, as is the potential for self-compassion to be used as a complement to learning mindfulness skills to address anxiety. Finally, an eight-session group protocol that incorporates …

Parental Acceptance Project: Affirming Gender Variant Youth, Shelley Faulkner

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The number of gender expansive and gender variant youth has risen dramatically, leading to a mental health and education service gap that must be addressed. The author reviews relevant literature supporting the importance of the parent-child relationship via the lens of attachment theory, affirming that parental support for gender variant children is critical to their well-being and overall positive life outcomes. A curriculum for parents of gender variant children is proposed, in an effort to educate and support parents of gender variant children, so that they may in turn develop affirmative and supportive practices toward their children. The ultimate goal …

Expanding Instruction Of Human Sexuality In Counselor Education, Rachel Willard

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Though counselors are expected to be familiar with human sexuality and its impact on clients’ mental health, as well as sensitive to diverse identities and expressions, training in these topics is often overlooked in counselor education. This project advocates for the inclusion of a human sexuality course in the curriculum of graduate counseling programs and provides an overview of the relevant literature. It then offers a sample training curriculum for a three-credit graduate level course in human sexuality aimed at counseling students and provides additional resources for the instructor. Special considerations for the potential instructor and classroom environment are also …

Sojourners In This Place: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study Examining Foreign-Born And Immigrant Experiences Of Acculturation And Professional Identity Development In Counseling, Mina Attia

Dissertations, 2014-2019

There are 42 million foreign-born individuals residing in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013), making up a total of 13% of the population. Within the counseling profession, the latest demographic information (Data USA, 2017) reports that Caucasians make up 70.4% of counselors in the United States while African Americans make up 19.5%, Asians 3.4%, and shared ethnicity is 3 %. American Indians make up 0.6%, Hawaiian 0.1%, and the remainder (2.8%) are identified as “other.” The immigration experience is marked by a sense of loss and a process of acculturation. However, there is scant literature that discusses the adjustment …

Attachment In Middle Childhood Among Foster And Adopted Children: Preliminary Validation Of A Behavioral Observation System, Somer George

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Abstract

The study of attachment in middle childhood, especially among foster and adoptive children, is a critical and timely one. An assessment that helps us understand the behavioral manifestations of attachment for these children, while considering the link with caregiving behavior and parental reflective functioning (PRF) can help to provide effective and efficient intervention leading to security and relational healing. This study examines the attachment patterns of 39 foster and adopted children (ages six to twelve) in the Modified Strange Situation Procedure (MSSP), with their caregivers. Association with caregiving patterns, PRF, and caregiver reported child behavior are analyzed using Pearson’s …

Let The Church Say Amen! A Qualitative Study Exploring The Experiences Of African American Pastors Providing Mental Health Support, Tiffanie D. Sutherlin

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how African American Pastors experience their role as mental health supporters. Researchers are continuing to conduct research to better understand some of the challenges and barriers African Americans may experience that impacts their attitudes towards mental health services. Many African Americans identify as spiritual or religious and implement coping skills based on their spiritual or religious connection to a High Power. This researcher focused on four male and four female Pastors who identified as African American and were located in the Eastern Region of the United States. The participants engaged in …

Understanding The Help-Seeking Behaviors Of Student-Athletes: Effect Of A Multidisciplinary Healthcare Team And The Perception Of Barriers And Facilitators For Seeking Help, Lauren M. Sander

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This study was aimed at identifying barriers and facilitators that influence help-seeking as well as the effect of implementing an integrated healthcare approach based on current recommendations. A total of 411 student-athletes from 18 intercollegiate teams at a mid-major Division I institution in the mid-Atlantic region completed a 12–item instrument comprised of ten quantitative items and two open-ended questions. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS software, and a constant comparative method was used to code responses from the open-ended questions. Findings suggested a prevalence of mental health challenges among student-athletes, especially overwhelming stress, struggles with time management, and anxiety. …

The Art Of Couple Satisfaction, Kristy Koser

Dissertations, 2014-2019

ABSTRACT

It is estimated 10-15% of women aged 20-45 or 1 in 4 to 6 couples are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying to conceive. This failure to conceive within 12 months without contraception meets the requirements for a diagnosis of infertility (Association for Reproductive Medicine [ASRM], 2014). With such a large percent of the United States population navigating the world of fertility treatment, the field of mental health must also evolve, offering new areas of specialty to address this specific client population. Couples face significant concerns while undergoing fertility treatment as they cope with complex decision-making, …

The Cost Of Caring: Emergency Department Nurses, Compassion Fatigue, And The Need For Resilience Training, Amelia Walton

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Emergency Departments (EDs) are notoriously unpredictable and high stress environments. ED nurses are regularly exposed to stressful events such as sudden death, trauma, death and resuscitation of children, aggression and violence from patients, and systemic environmental stressors. For some ED nurses, prolonged exposure to these stressors leads to the development of compassion fatigue and burnout, but stigma around seeking support for mental health issues can impede a nurse’s desire to seek treatment. The counseling profession has seen an increased interest in the role that resilience-building strategies can have in negating the deleterious effects of compassion fatigue and burnout in nurses. …

Seminar In Paraphilic Disorders, Kim E. Hall

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This project provides curriculum materials for a graduate level seminar in paraphilic disorders as an Ed.S. research project. The rationale for developing such a curriculum is introduced and a review of supporting literature is included, detailing the definition, prevalence, and controversy surrounding paraphilic disorders. Literature regarding counselor education in paraphilic disorders and evidence for a gap in current counselor education in paraphilias are reviewed. The curriculum materials designed to meet this need are presented and discussed, as are the benefits and limitations of this curriculum.

Mental Health Care For The Homeless, John D. Rogers

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This paper includes a thorough survey of peer-reviewed journal articles regarding the delivery of mental health care services to homeless people, a gap analysis based on the literature, experiential observations from a mid-Atlantic agency for the homeless, and interviews with people experiencing homelessness. From this research, I propose a model of service delivery. I conclude that while deinstitutionalization in the 1980s led to community-based models of service delivery, the patchwork of approaches available now does not serve the needs of homeless persons with mental health problems. A best practice approach combines the concept of housing first with peer navigated, integrated …

Hell On Earth: An Exploration Into What Drives Evil, Samuel Taylor Hogan

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Evil abounds. Even the most cursory glance at the news yields harsh headlines about bombings, school shootings, acid attacks, murder, rape, sex slavery, torture, and the occasional mass genocide. The 20th century alone featured roughly 135 million military and civilian deaths due to war and democide (White & Pinker, 2013). Recently, a cultural narrative has emerged proselytizing that evil is an aberrant, caustic mutation of the otherwise unsullied human soul. Philosophers and sociologists, among others, contend that “civilization needs to believe that it does not have an inhumane or barbaric side, leading members of the mainstream to constantly project unacceptable …

Neuro-Cognitive Factors In Adolescent Psychotherapy, Jean F. Ndzana

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Cognitive and developmental differences between teenagers and adults must be overcome to ensure a level playing field in the process of counseling. Exploring the developmental factors involved, and discussing associated treatment interventions can help the counselor close this gap by improving client adherence to treatment and outcomes. This paper consists of a review of the current literature in neuropsychology, neuroscience, cognitive linguistics and counseling, as it relates to brain and cognitive developments in adolescence. These findings are referenced to show the many developmental changes that occur in adolescence, and how those changes can be a hindrance to successful participation in …

Constant Connection: College Students’ Smartphones Attachment And Close Relationship Attachments Across Domains, Angela M. Pezzella

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This study aims to conceptualize the way individuals, more notably college students and emerging adults, use their smartphones, applying an attachment framework. Recently, research has shifted from using vocabulary akin to addiction, and researchers are beginning to see similarities and consistencies in how individuals relate to their phones and how attachment was originally conceptualized in the infant-mother relationship. Moreover, research is moving away from considering attachment as categorical, and is instead considering it continuous, and as varying in domains from individual to individual. This research used a new assessment tool (the YAPS) to assess college students’ attachment to phones, their …

Envisioning A Future For Professional Counseling: A Qualitative Study Of Counselor Educator Perspectives On Professional Distinction, Michael Horst

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how counselor educators in Virginia define and describe Counseling as a distinct profession in light of the ACA’s 20/20 consensus definition. This research focused on directors and core faculty members (n=8) of eight separate counseling programs in Virginia. Participants engaged one 60-minute semistructured interview with the researcher. Member checking and bracketing were used to bolster the study’s trustworthiness. A priori coding using codes from the ACA’s 20/20 project (Kaplan, Tarvydas, & Gladding, 2014) and emergent coding processes were used separately to see if the data that emerged from the interviews mirrored …

Mentalization In Counseling Processes, Matthew J. Swartzentruber

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The purpose of this literature review is to demonstrate the profound influences and numerous applications the concept of mentalization has within counseling processes. The skill of mentalizing extends across theoretical orientations within existing counseling frameworks and has been suggested to be a core factor within the counseling process (Allen, Fonagy, & Bateman, 2008). Mentalizing capacities have been linked to positive therapeutic alliances (Markowitz & Milrod, 2011), positive client outcomes (Bernbach, 2002; Bouchard et al., 2008; Fonagy & Target, 1996; Karlsson & Kermott, 2006; Levy et. al., 2006; Meehan, Levy, Reynoso, Hill, & Clarkin, 2009), and counselor effectiveness (Cologon, 2013); and …

Building Social Support: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring How College Students Self-Disclose Emotions With Others In Order To Build Social Support, Aimee Brickner

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the process by which college students self-disclose feelings of sadness or depression to create social support. This mixed methods study, which focused primarily on qualitative data, explored the lived experience of participants through an online survey and face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that college students who are experiencing negative feelings grapple with challenges such as identifying someone to share their emotions with and choosing what information to share with others. Findings also demonstrated the importance of social support to college students who are dealing with feelings of sadness and depression in order …

A Novel Approach: Fictional Prose As Imagined Contact For Counselors-In-Training Working With Cultural Others, Bryant Logan Satterlee

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Meeting with clients for the first time provokes anxiety in many counselors-in-training, which can be exacerbated when working with clients from differing cultural backgrounds. This heightened anxiety can limit the capacity of beginning counselors to empathize with cultural others, which decreases the chance of powerful, therapeutic relationships being established. In addition, many counseling programs offer limited multicultural experiences that might actually prompt intergroup anxiety. It is suggested within this article that fictional prose be used as an additional resource in the classroom that acts as an imagined contact experience to aid in the cultivation of cultural empathy while potentially assuaging …

Being And Beholding: Comparative Analysis Of Joy And Awe In Four Cultures, Daria B. White

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The emotions of joy and awe have received some attention in the psychological literature with few studies comparing the two phenomena across cultures. A phenomenological study of joy and awe in four countries – Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and the USA, examined both emotions. The inquiry was conducted through semi-structured interviews. The phenomenological methodology was supplemented with grounded theory procedures to ensure research rigor. Four categories were identified that contribute to the experience of joy and awe: unity of souls, nature, spirituality, and the original self. Freedom, humor, face-to-face communication, innocence, time, and space were facets of the joy and awe …

Primer On Perspectives And Practices Of Trauma, Trevor P. Haase

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

A large majority of the general population has endured at least one traumatic event in their lifetime and many will seek counseling services to process and resolve the impact from the traumatic experience. Counselors and mental health providers will likely encounter trauma survivors in a high frequency in the majority of therapeutic settings. Practicum and internship level counselors are often not prepared for navigating the complexities that arise working with trauma survivors. This paper outlines the various perspectives and practices of the works of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Narrative Therapy, and Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These orientations were designed …

Case Study: Provider For Program To Prevent The Revictimization Of Persons Trafficked For Sex, Janis G. Arlow

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This case study seeks to identify behavior, skills, and attitudes of a professional providing an effective reintegration program for persons trafficked for sex. New demands on medical and social services were created over the past two decades by legislative changes. Initial research focuses on rescue and unmet primary needs. The service program selected for this study has stepped beyond awareness and rescue efforts to the rehabilitation and prevention of revictimization of trafficked persons. A literature review covers the history of sex trafficking in the United States; the recovery environment; materials, trainings and programs available for professionals seeking knowledge to serve …

High Risk Drinking Concerns Across College Campuses And A Look At Jmu Programming, Rachel C. Tysinger

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The purpose of this project is to take a deeper look at excessive alcohol use in the college setting and to review prevention and support programs and services available for this population in reducing the likelihood of ongoing high risk drinking. This project contains a literature review of emerging adulthood and their developmental tasks, the impact of alcohol on an emerging adult’s brain and gender differences that may impact attitudes and decisions about alcohol. In conclusion, this project includes implications for counselors who may want to work in a college setting and provide substance abuse counseling.

Healing Body, Healing Mind, Hayley O'Brien

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Relapse is a common phenomenon amongst clients in eating disorder recovery. Although we expect the road to recovery to be challenging, the high rates of relapse are a cause to reevaluate traditional eating disorder treatment. Teaching clients to ignore levels of hunger and satiation during treatment leaves individuals with a disconnect between mind and body. Healing this disconnect is a critical element in long-term recovery. My purpose is to review the literature and link the therapeutic benefit of yoga to eating disorder treatment and recovery. To help develop my Ed.S project, I completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training in the …

Protecting The Protectors: Enhancing Emotional Well-Being In Law Enforcement, Olivia Gillies

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Law enforcement officers face a myriad of stressors, both personally and professionally, and regularly suffer serious outcomes that affect their physical health and psychological well-being. Fortunately, counselors have important skills that can be used to assist officers in building resilience, coping with stress, and managing negative outcomes, such as posttraumatic stress syndrome and interpersonal troubles. This project outlines the various difficulties that law enforcement officers may experience, explores current practices to manage these concerns, and provides a discussion of useful approaches counselors and law enforcement agencies can take in supporting their most valuable assets.

Creative Counseling Techniques For Elementary-Aged Children, Brian C. Caperton

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Research suggests widespread decline of creative ability in elementary-aged children, particularly kindergarten through 3^rd grade (Kim, 2012). The increase of mental health disorders in children, the exponential rise of technology use, and the surge of psychotropic medication use indicate the need for nuanced, divergent clinical interventions. Creative counseling fills this demand by offering children opportunities to engage in open-ended, reflective abstraction and other therapeutic processes. The author opens with an overview of creativity and psychology, conceptualizes the target population, and discusses theories, models, and interventions of creative counseling with elementary-aged children. The paper will provide clinicians with an understanding …

Counseling Refugees Of Middle Eastern Descent In The United States, Jennifer Semaan

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Refugees of Middle Eastern descent in the United States face a countless number of challenges throughout their journey. Many of these obstacles are overlooked or unaccounted for. This research paper serves to help mental health counselors identify the unique challenges of each phase during the refugees’ migration process, as well as provide information on evidence-based practices that can be useful when working with this population. This project also speaks to the different roles that counselors play in a therapeutic relationship, including direct therapy, advocating on behalf of refugee clients, and educating other counselors and the public on the specific needs …

A Change Of Heart: Understanding Spirituality Following A Shift In Values Or Beliefs In Young Adults, Aaron Boggs

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

As a counselor, how does one sit with others who have experienced a dramatic change in their belief system and values? This paper seeks to identify the effects of a significant change in values or beliefs on young adults and the recovery of the spiritual dimension of their lives. Spirituality, defined as an individual's inner process to define their purpose, meaning, and values through a connection to others (which may include God) and themselves, is an increasingly important component to consider in assessment and therapy. The case study of Angela and the personal journey of the author illustrate the psychological …

Nature Connection: Theory, Evidence And Practice, Matt V. Bukowski

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

This presentation explores scholarly work at the intersection of mental health and the natural world in a variety of disciplines. My intent is to provide an overview of theoretical perspectives, research-based evidence, and clinical practices that support the idea that experiencing the natural world can improve human mental health outcomes.

Advocacy In Action: A Framework For Implementation Of The American Counselors Association Advocacy Competencies On A Local Level, Jeffrey M. Lown

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Despite calls from within the professional field and external forces, counselors have faced ongoing challenges in their efforts to be effective advocates for their clients and themselves. A review of the literature reveals that throughout the history of the profession, prominent figures have called on counselors to assume advocacy roles, and that some initiatives have been successful in fostering lasting change. However, as counselors and their clients’ needs continue to evolve, so too must strategies to address these needs be reevaluated and new initiatives put into place.

In this paper, I have outlined a committee structure and agenda that seeks …

Prescription For Critical Thinking: A Discussion Of Psychotropic Medication And Counseling, Barton W. Biggs

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This paper examines questions about the safety and efficacy of psychotropic medication, and looks at how these questions should impact the field of counseling. The paper first looks at increasing rates of use of psychotropic medication, and establishes that nearly every clinical mental health counselor will work with clients who are taking or considering taking such medication. The paper next examines the scientific literature and establishes that there is a legitimate basis for questions to be raised about the safety and efficacy of these medications. The paper goes on to establish that there is a foundation in ethical codes and …