Counseling Commons^™

Let’S Practice: Shaping Crisis Management Of Preservice Counseling Professionals, Yuleinys A. Castillo Lpcc, Crc, Jason Cartwright M.A., Mandy Greaves Phd, Lmft, Suzanne Maniss

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors frequently encounter crises in practice with various factors shaping crisis management. However, limited preparation and training combined with personal and situational characteristics affect a counselors’ ability to properly handle a crisis. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors that could potentially affect the ability to handle a crisis in session among counselors-in-training and add to the understanding of self-efficacy in crisis counseling. The study consisted of participants enrolled in a practicum pre-service course in a CACREP accredited program. Results were analyzed through a narrative research approach, specifically a categorical-content narrative analysis, theory-driven thematic analysis and cross-case …

A Grounded Theory Of Counselors’ Post-Graduation Development Of Disability Counseling Effectiveness, Michele Rivas, Nicole R. Hill

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Many persons with disabilities engage in counseling services in a variety of settings. However, the development trajectories of counselors who seek to compensate for the lack of training and advance their post-graduation skillset to work effectively with clients with disabilities has not been explored. This grounded theory study illuminated several dimensions involved in twenty-one Licensed Professional Counselors’ post-graduation development of disability counseling effectiveness. In this study, counseling effectiveness refers to self-perceived improved skillset rather than a benchmark (i.e., competence). The core category, Evolving Commitments, was common to all participants’ trajectories when developing disability counseling effectiveness. The other categories (causal conditions, …

Recommendations For Counselor Education And Supervision Programs To Improve Gatekeeping Processes Developed From Doctoral Student Experiences, Evan C. Smarinsky, Cian L. Brown, Erin Popejoy

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of eleven doctoral students at three CACREP accredited programs to address issues in counselor education and supervision programs and faculty face regarding gatekeeping. The information was used to develop and provide recommendations for gatekeeping procedures that can be implemented at the departmental and classroom levels. Ways programs can improve the training of doctoral students for gatekeeping roles and responsibilities, steps faculty can take to create an environment which supports gatekeeping at their institution, as well as support doctoral students as they grow into future gatekeepers of the profession are …

An Exploration Of Authors’ Circle: A Scholarly Writing Peer Feedback Process, Jacqueline M. Swank

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Doctoral students need to develop scholarly writing skills if they plan to work in academia. This study focused on the lived experiences of five counselor education doctoral students engaging in a peer feedback activity throughout a course designed to help them develop writing skills. The researcher identified five main themes from the data: (a) hesitancy and normalizing the experience; (b) development as a writer; (c) learning about, developing relationships with, and collaborating with peers; (d) self-confidence; and (e) areas to consider. The author discusses implications for teaching and research.

From Exploration Of Classism To Anticlassist Counseling: Implications For Counselors And Counselor Educators, Lucy Parker-Barnes, Suzanne Degges-White, David A. Walker, Scott Wickman, Bellamy Linneman, Courtney Rowley, Robert Giansante, Noel Mckillip

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Classism is a recently studied, but historically present, form of oppression. Despite much attention to inclusion of underrepresented clients in counseling literature, there has been little focus on the presence of classism in academic settings. In an effort to close this gap, a study of 202 individuals, aged 18 to 38, was conducted to explore the relationships among perceived classism, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Only 4.5% of the participants had never experienced any incidents of classism. African American individuals were more likely to experience interpersonal classism and working class/poor individuals were more likely to experience interpersonal and systemic classism. Recommendations …

Exploring Clinician Attitudes Towards Treating Eating Disorders: Bridging Counselor Training Gaps, Adriana C. Labarta, Taylor Irvine, Paul R. Peluso

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Eating disorder (ED) clinicians may face various challenges in practice, including burnout and feelings of incompetence. Several deficits may contribute to these challenges, such as graduate education and treatment gaps. In this study, 109 interdisciplinary clinicians were surveyed regarding their personal attitudes, experiences, and challenges in treating EDs. Among the various results, quantitative and qualitative findings highlighted the lack of graduate education as the primary challenge to effectively treating EDs, as well as the need for more ED research and culturally responsive care. Recommendations to enhance ED education and counselor training are provided, including managing countertransference and advocating for specialized …

Counselor Trainees’ Development Of Self-Efficacy In An Online Skills Course, Kristin Vincenzes, Ashley Pechek, Matt Sprong

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

COVID-19 significantly changed the parameters and imaginations of those in higher education. Face-to-face courses swiftly transitioned to completely remote learning; though, that came with many anxieties in relation to students’ competency levels in practicing counseling skills. The results of this study found that students’ self-efficacy significantly increased after participating in an online skills course. A total of 39 graduate-level clinical mental health counseling students completed both the pre and post-test questionnaires, and findings showed that completing the online skills-based course was important in improving self-perception of increasing one’s skills, t(38) = -5.088, p < .000.

School Counseling Site Supervision: Training Recommendations To Benefit School Counselor Interns And Site Supervisors, Chris R. Wilder, Atiya R. Smith, Jennifer Money-Brady, Denise B. Ebersole, Abraham Cazares-Cervantes, Teshaunda L. Hannor-Walker, Judith Justice

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The importance of supervision is supported in the research literature. Site supervision in school counseling does not require formal training. The absence of formal training has potential implications for the novice school counselor, the P-12 students they serve, and future school counseling supervisees. The authors compare current training models and explore best practices to improve site supervision for school counseling interns. accreditation, ethics, and current needs in school counseling for the school counselor intern and the site supervisor. Finally, the authors review supervision training and models, accreditation, ethics, and current needs for the school counselor intern and the site supervisor, …

Supervision In Schools: A Developmental Approach, Jessica Miserentino, Michael D. Hannon

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

School counselor supervision has been identified as both integral to effective school counseling practice and significantly underrepresented in counseling research. We provide a critical review of school counseling supervision literature and provide a rationale for using the Integrated Developmental Model for supervising school counselors through a case study. We conclude with recommendations for counselor preparation programs to integrate sustainable practices to help advocate for more frequent supervision support for school counselors.

Counseling Children And Adolescents: A Call To Action, Rebekah Byrd, Chad Luke, Sonya Lorelle, Emily Donald, Jillian Blueford, Charmayne Adams, Edward (Franc) Hudspeth

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The ACA 2014 Code of Ethics clearly states the mandate for counselor competence in C.2.a. It is noted that “Counselor practice only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, state and national credentials, and appropriate professional experience” (p. 8). Given the importance of competencies, ethical standards, and the emphasis on best practice, the paucity of these factors in regard to training and supervision for counselors working with child and adolescent populations is concerning. This article offers a conceptualization of the culture of childhood leading to the need for cultural competency. It outlines information specific …

Using Student Roles During Group Supervision To Assess Counselor Dispositions, Anna M. Johnson, Joan Lawrence

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The purpose of this article is to present the use of student roles during group supervision in an online master's program to assess counselor dispositions and CACREP Standards. Counselor dispositions are considered an aspect of counselor competence and will be explored through a model of dispositional values and the application of student roles in group supervision. The possibility of future qualitative and quantitative studies regarding student roles in group supervision will provide a wealth of information for consideration in group supervision.

Counseling Students’ Cognitive Complexity In A Group Dynamics Course: A Thematic Analysis, John Davison, Joel F. Diambra, Marianne Woodside, William Daniel Shirley, Rebecca Gaylor

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor education researchers maintain that cognitive complexity is an important ability for counselors-in-training (CIT) and professional counselors providing individual and group counseling (Duys & Hedstom, 2000; Granello, 2010; Welfare & Borders, 2010 Wilkinson, 2011). Cognitive complexity, simply defined as it relates to counseling, represents how CIT or professional counselors assemble multiple facets of a client’s situation for use in counseling (Granello, 2010). Research has linked the ability to construct a more or less complete picture from a client’s present circumstances to counseling effectiveness (Welfare & Borders, 2010). According to Bernard and Goodyear (2019) and Granello and Underfer-Babalis (2004), cognitive complexity …

Supervision In Nature: Integrating The Natural World In Supervision, Kimberly L. A. Walker, Jacqueline M. Swank

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counseling supervision is a crucial component to the development of a counselor. Supervisors may integrate a variety of supervision techniques within the supervision process to facilitate the growth of the supervisee. This manuscript focuses on the integration of nature within the supervision process. We discuss the benefits of nature for humans, present nature-based supervision activities within the eight domains of professional functioning within the Integrated Developmental Model (IDM) of supervisee development, and discuss considerations for integrating nature within the supervision process.

Evaluation Of A Three-Hour Cross Disciplinary Internship Site Supervisor Training Session, Leigh Ann Tipton Fisler, Emily Jo Hernandez, Elina Saeki, Deborah Ribera, Roxanna N. Pebdani

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Given the importance of supervision in the counseling fields for facilitating trainee growth, the frequency, type, and delivery of supervision varies widely and can be limited or nonexistent (Pearson, 2004). Thus, a supervisor in any counseling profession must have strong supervisory skills that match the needs of the trainee, even if their professional skills and background differ (Davies et al., 2004). This study examined the effectiveness of a professional development training for school counseling, rehabilitation counseling and school psychology site supervisors. Results demonstrated significant improvements in participant confidence in Managing Supervision as well as general improvements in self-reported self-efficacy. Future …

Gatekeeping And Psychological Safety: Qualitative Analysis Of Early-Career Counselor Educators, John J. S. Harrichand, Patricia L. Kimball, Krista E. Kirk, Lucy C. Phillips, Mike S. Takacs

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Using transcendental phenomenology, researchers investigated the gatekeeping experiences of 17 early-career counselor educators working in CACREP programs. Guided by the research question: How do early-career counselor education faculty members perceive their role as a gatekeeper and balance this role, while creating a supportive learning environment for their graduate students? Three primary themes emerged: gatekeeping is challenging, psychological safety is created through intentionality, and gatekeeping and psychological safety interact

Addressing Anti-Fat Bias: A Crash Course For Counselors And Counselors-In-Training, Stella B. Kerl-Mcclain, Cort M. Dorn-Medeiros, Kelsey Mcmurray

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

People with larger body sizes are often the target of harmful stereotypes such as being lazy, unattractive, and unintelligent. Such stereotypes are part of an extensive system of oppression often intersecting with racism, classism, and ableism. When counselors and counselors-in-training are unaware of their own biases related to body size, larger bodied clients are at risk for further harm within the very place they are seeking support. This article provides professional counselors and counselors-in-training with the historical knowledge needed to examine their own biases and prejudices around body size and fatness to become better counselors and advocates for all clients. …

Occupational Experiences Of Associate And Full Professors Of Counselor Education, Gregory Hatchett, Kathleen Fuegen, Dana Ripley

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The purpose of this study was to investigate the worktime distributions, occupational satisfaction, and scholarly productivity of associate and full professors of counselor education (N = 230). Worktime distributions varied based on academic rank and the presence of a doctoral degree program in the academic unit. Occupational satisfaction was lower among associate professors, faculty caring for dependent children, and faculty with greater mismatch between typical and preferred worktime distributions. Among associate professors, occupational satisfaction was also associated with having a mentor. Years of experience, teaching load, and a doctoral program in the academic unit predicted scholarly productivity, whereas academic …

Using An Experiential Group To Promote Engagement In A Career Counseling Course, Chad Luke, Zach Budesa, Joel Diambra

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

Career development and graduate counseling courses provide an opportunity to engage counselors-in-training in their own career development in order to evoke a parallel experience in their future clients. One approach to engaging students in these courses is through experiential education. The authors describe a pilot project using an experiential group technique embedded in a graduate-level career development and counseling course. The first author implemented a six-session group experience using peer facilitators to explore students’ own career-related attitudes and behaviors and then transfer that experience to work with future clients. The inclusion of an experiential group in a career development …

“A Big Part Is To Address The Elephant": International Counseling Trainees’ Experiences In Clinical Supervision In The United States, Bellah N. Kiteki, Ahmet Can, Gulsah Kemer, Judith Preston

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Enrollment of international counseling trainees in graduate counseling programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) in the United States is considerably high. Researchers previously revealed that international counseling trainees’ supervision challenges related to language barriers, relationship-building processes, supportive and unsupportive experiences, and limited supervisor attention to diversity issues. In this qualitative study, the authors used reflective thematic analysis to explore the experiences of international counseling trainees (n = 14) in clinical supervision. Four key findings were: (a) the need to address the “elephant”: supervisor failure to address cultural aspects; (b) acculturative challenges and …

How An Rct Lens Can Enhance Skovholt's Cycle Of Caring For Counselor Educator Self-Care, Ann Friesema, Nicole Bradley

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor educators engage in a variety of professional roles which prioritize supporting counselors-in-training's personal and professional development. In addition to their responsibilities to student development, counselor educators balance numerous responsibilities and roles as faculty members. These responsibilities can lead to stress and burnout amongst counselor educators if not prevented by using self-care. A model to support counselor educator self-care and their unique roles and responsibilities is needed. In order to center relationships in self-care and educational practice, the authors apply Relational Cultural theory to Skovholt’s Cycle of Caring as a framework for traditional, in-person counselor education programs. The authors propose …

The Relationship Between Sexual Abuse And Disordered Eating: Applications Of Narrative Therapy, Taylor Heilman, David Bright

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

While research has demonstrated a significant relationship between sexual abuse and the development of disordered eating behaviors, research on techniques to address disordered eating formed in this manner remains limited. Posttraumatic stress as well as internalized feelings of guilt, shame, and blame all contribute to the development of disordered eating in those who have experienced sexual violence. Narrative Therapy focuses on restorying an individual’s experienced and lived themes to make the creation of a new, healthy interpretation of trauma. Limited research has explored the potential application of restorying to populations experiencing disordered eating and sexual abuse trauma, independently. This conceptual …

Educating Counselors About Offenders With Mental Illness: An Exploratory Study, Frances I. Ellmo, Leigh F. Holman, Richard James, Lacy Kemker

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Racially and economically disenfranchised offenders with mental illness (OMI) are incarcerated at disproportionately high rates but experience less access to and utilization of mental healthcare. There is a need for trained counselors to work in forensic environments who are competent to provide multiculturally sensitive social justice-oriented interventions. However, there is little research exploring the extent counseling students are offered didactic or experiential training for working with OMI. Utilizing concurrent embedded mixed methods to explore relationships between opportunities and obstacles to counseling programs offering this training, this study finds interest in training exists but potential concerns about bias, safety, and other …

Using Community-Engagement To Teach Mental Health Stigma Reduction, Tamba-Kuii M. Bailey, Christine J. Yeh, Lou Collette S. Felipe

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article proposes a conceptual model of community-engaged learning as a teaching strategy and recommendations designed to teach mental health stigma reduction for master’s level students in counselor education programs. The community-engaged learning teaching content and training methodology description in this article highlight the purpose, use, and intended impact of this teaching method on counselor training of mental health stigma reduction. The mental health stigma reduction training components, goals, benefits, and resource materials are discussed.

Dissertation Completion Experience In Online Cacrep-Accredited Counselor Education Programs: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Lisa A. Splinter, Anita M. Pool, Laura M. Schmuldt, Jason S. Bluemlein

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In this qualitative phenomenological study, the purpose was to explore the experiences of recent online Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited counselor education and supervision (CES) graduates concerning their dissertation completion process. Past research had shown a dissertation noncompletion rate 10%–20% higher in distance education programs compared to traditional institutions. Participant recruitment was facilitated by criterion sampling and snowball sampling and included seven recent graduates of online CACREP-accredited CES programs. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data analysis conducted using Smith et al.’s six-step data analysis process yielded three significant themes: dissertation task engagement, …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Counseling Interns’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Moonlight, Joshua Elliott

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The purpose of this article is to present the findings produced from a basic qualitative study designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of mental health counseling interns exposed to the popular film, Moonlight. Data collection included a focus group interview, completed written reflections, and member checking activities. Implications for counselor education, suggestions for integrating Moonlight into curriculum, limitations, and directions for future research are examined.

The Professional Identity Development Of Counseling Students During Extreme Stressors: Lessons Learned In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Edward Ewe, Kok-Mun Ng

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Based on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological framework and current literature, we discussed the impact of the COVID-19 crisis may have shaped the professional identity development (PID) of counseling students and the ecosystems of counselor education. While the discipline recognizes the importance of paying attention to counseling students’ PID, the discourse on the topic in the context of extreme environmental stressors such a pandemic appears to be lacking. We discussed in this paper the opportunity the COVID-19 pandemic has presented to counselor educators and supervisors (CES) to frame extreme challenging moments like theses as times to facilitate the strengthening and internalizing of counselor …

An Evaluation Of Findings From A Sbirt Training Program In Counselor Education, Tiffany Lee, Andrew Clay, Karis Callaway, Stephen E. Craig, Georgiana Fisher

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The effective implementation of empirically supported interventions is critical for the mitigation of problematic substance use. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) has been identified as an efficacious approach for initial response to individuals who have, or are at risk of developing, a substance use disorder. For SBIRT to be delivered appropriately, helping professionals must be adequately trained in its implementation. As a part of a three-year grant project, counselor educators at a large Midwestern university provided intensive training on SBIRT to students in a counselor education program. The outcomes of this training, specifically related to satisfaction, opinion, …

Teaching Case Conceptualization Skills To Clinical Mental Health Students To Enhance Clinical Competency And Cognitive Complexity, Jennifer L. Cline, Debbie C. Sturm, A. Renee Staton

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A primary purpose of counselor education is the development of competency in diagnosis, case conceptualization, treatment formulation, and intervention. This paper describes a series of experiential case-based workshops designed to directly target and enhance students’ understanding of these specific clinical mental health counseling competencies in order to promote student involvement in constructivist learning, develop students’ cognitive complexity, and elucidate the thinking of an experienced clinician. This paper provides an overview of the workshop design and implementation, discussion of workshop efficacy with examples, and suggestions for curricular implementation.

The Draw Of The Wild: How To Easily Integrate Nature Into Clinical Practice, Jason T. Duffy

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

For thousands of years many societies and people have intuitively recognized the wellness-enhancing power of the natural world as well as its ability to assist people in the construction of a sense of purpose and meaning. More recently, research emanating from the field of ecotherapy as well as other fields has begun to build empirical support for the efficacy of the natural world in promoting mental and physical health. This conceptual manuscript provides the rationale for integrating nature into clinical practice and describes flexible, concise, and easy ways for counselors to utilize ecotherapy in their work with clients, including, ironically, …

Advocating For Holistic Admissions Review: Implications For Master’S Level Counselor Education Programs, Dominique S. Hammonds, Lucy L. Purgason

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Positioning diversity at the forefront of counselor education has been an ongoing movement for well over the last decade. Attention has been given to considering recruitment and retention practices, with CACREP requiring counselor education programs to show evidence of ways this is enacted. Building on this work, counselor educators have brought needed attention to questioning how structural inequity permeates policies and procedures within counselor education programs. A critical consideration of counselor education admissions practices through an equity lens has been lacking in the literature. In this article, the authors make the case for the use of holistic admissions review as …