Counseling Commons^™

Clinical Mediation: Advocating For A New Role, Dominique S. Hammonds, Nickolas A. Jordan, Jessica L. Block

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Mediation training standards are inconsistent and fail to focus on the pivotal skill set of addressing, understanding, and working with underlying emotions that shape conflict and may prevent mutual goal attainment. The purpose of this article is to explore skills essential to counseling and mediation and advocate for the potential benefits of formally training counselors to facilitate the process of mediation and conflict resolution.

Authorship Decision-Making: A National Survey Of Counselor Educators, Jacqueline M. Swank, Alisa Houseknecht, Ana Puig

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor educators are often expected to write for publication and, although encouraged, collaboration creates authorship dilemmas. Using survey methodology, the present study focused on examining authorship practices of counselor educators regarding conceptual and research manuscripts (N = 246) and conference presentations (N = 121). Participants reported their experiences in three areas: (a) doctoral training related to authorship, (b) participation as an author while a doctoral student, and (c) current authorship practices as a faculty member. Detailed outcomes, implications, and recommendations for future research and training are discussed.

Game-Based Learning In Counselor Education: Strategies For Counselor Training, Zachary Pietrantoni, Julia Hennig, Johnna Totten, Leigh Shindelar, Brandon Keene-Orton

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors value equity, diversity, and inclusion (American Counseling Association, 2018). Counselor educators are tasked with ensuring counselor trainees are competent in empathetic understanding, cultural awareness, and advocacy. Game-based learning is a teaching strategy that promotes the process of acquiring empathy, cultural awareness, and advocacy (Cheng & Su, 2012; Qian & Clark, 2016). Game-based learning has many documented benefits over the last two decades (Hwang & Wu, 2012; Tsai et al., 2011) yet counselor education has not incorporated it into counselor training. The authors addressed this gap by providing a conceptual framework for incorporating GBL into training with implications for counselor …

Exploring The Experiences Of Supervisors And Supervisees Who Engaged In Bilingual Supervision, Anna Lopez, Ivelisse Torres-Fernandez

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the experiences of clinical supervisors and supervisees who engaged in bilingual supervision. Five supervisors and five supervisees were recruited utilizing purposive and snowball sampling strategies and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. Findings of this study focused primarily on the challenges and benefits associated with engaging in bilingual supervision. Main findings included the lack of formal training in bilingual counseling and supervision. Implications for training programs highlighted the need for continuous support of bilingual training programs, in particular, the development of both multicultural and linguistic competencies.

Using Service-Learning To Promote Social Justice Advocacy And Cognitive Development During Internship, Kristi A. Lee, Charles R. Mcadams Iii

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Little empirical research has examined how to effectively prepare counseling students as social justice advocates. In a quasi-experimental design, a service-learning intervention was used in community counseling internship to promote students’ social justice advocacy competency as well as cognitive development, including moral and intellectual development. Findings demonstrated a significant increase in social justice advocacy competency in both the experimental and control groups at the end of one quarter of community counseling internship. In addition, the experimental group had significantly higher scores on the Public Information advocacy domain sub-scale of the Advocacy Competency Self-Assessment Survey. Teaching strategies such as service-learning may …

The Happy Professor: Optimizing Faculty Fit In Counselor Education, Susannah C. Coaston

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor education can be rewarding and challenging, and as such finding a complementary fit with a university is crucial to personal success and satisfaction. New faculty entering academia often experience reality shock when faced with the unexpected personal and professional demands of the job. This article is intended for those considering doctoral work in counselor education, as well as individuals pursuing academic positions following graduation from a counselor education doctoral program. The author reviews the faculty responsibilities within higher education and the importance of person-environment fit in the workplace, and offers suggestions for applicants seeking positions as counselor educators.

Counselor Professional Identity Development: Narratives From A Professional Event, Jenny L. Cureton, Hannah Davis, Victoria Giegerich

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The goal of a one-day professional event was to enhance counselor professional identity (CPI) development through a panel discussion on CPI, professional and career information in sessions and booths, and networking breaks to connect Master’s students, doctoral students, and counseling professionals. Narrative analysis of eight interviews with event attendees, event leaders, and event speakers (i.e., practicing counselors) revealed themes of commitment, community, defining my professional self, and ambiguity and affirmation. Implications for best practices in CPI development and future research are discussed.

Outcomes Of Incorporating Motivational Interviewing Into Basic Counselor Skills Training, Melanie M. Iarussi, Jesssica M. Tyler, Sherrionda H. Crawford, Claudia V. Crawford

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor skill training involves learning to execute techniques and principles that facilitate client change. Incorporating motivational interviewing can provide a framework that emphasizes humanism in addition to preparing students to assist clients who are ambivalent about change or “resistant.” In this study, we investigated the degree of MI competency achieved by students when MI was integrated into a counseling skills course. We then examined how MI competency was maintained over time. Findings showed that students achieved competency in executing the MI spirit, and this was largely maintained following subsequent coursework and clinical experiences. Implications include the value of incorporating MI …

Suicide Response Preparedness In Counseling Students: A Study Of Knowledge, Attitudes, And Simulated Behavior, Breanna P. Banks, Joel F. Diambra

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors-in-training are likely to encounter a suicidal client even before completing their education. Student counselors not trained in these practices are at risk for not identifying and adequately managing suicide risk. This study explores and describes counseling students’ knowledge about suicide, attitudes about suicide and suicide response, and simulated suicide response behavior; and to identify to what extent counseling students’ knowledge and attitudes about suicide and suicide response relate to and predict simulated suicide response behavior. Outcomes from this study suggest that these three constructs are related to one another; however, these relationships should be interpreted with caution. Only declarative …

Community Uprising: Counseling Interventions, Educational Strategies, And Advocacy Tools, Katherine M. Hermann-Turner, Karena J. Heyward, Carrie Lynn Bailey

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Ferguson riots, Baltimore uprising, marches on the White House… how can counselor educators incorporate crisis intervention training into curriculums, implement measures to prevent public unrest, and increase community resilience to avoid the violent repercussions of racial tensions? This article explores common precursors to racially charged unrest and provides a model for innovative counseling interventions, curriculum development, and advocacy based on the American Counseling Association (ACA) Disaster Impact and Recovery Model (2009). In addition, the authors provide specific course-based discussion questions to use as tools to foster perspective taking and increased understanding among student and practitioners.

Supervision Development And Working Alliance: A Survey Of Counseling Supervisors, Serey Bright, Amanda M. Evans

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study explored the relationship between supervisor development and supervisor working alliance. Participants included counseling supervisors from professional counseling organizations. Data analysis showed positive correlations between working alliance and supervisor development. Regression results supported a significant relationship between the working alliance subscale of Client Focus and increased supervisor development. Recommendations for counselor supervisors and researchers are provided.

Developing A Pre-Practicum Environment For Beginning Counselors: Growing My Counselor Educator Self, Logan M. Lamprecht, Sneha Pitre

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This paper is a narrative of the challenges experienced as a faculty member in an attempt to transform the existing educational model for how school and clinical mental health counselors are trained to enter field-based clinical experiences with students and clients. The author shares the pre-practicum laboratory training as an important step towards the growth of a counselor both personally and professionally. The laboratory training addresses aspects of student anxiety and self-efficacy with relation to live supervision with use of technology, nature of feedback, reflective journaling, reflective teams, and process group experiences as pedagogical adjuncts to enhance the training and …

Collaborative Gatekeeping Between Site Supervisors And Mental Health Counseling Faculty, Christian Dean, Sarah E. Stewart-Spencer, Anne Cabanilla, Dale V. Wayman, Mindy Heher

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study examined collaborative gatekeeping practices of CACREP-accredited (2001 and 2009 standards) mental health counseling programs and fieldwork site supervisors. A total of 28 programs participated in the study exploring site supervisor collaboration with fieldwork faculty when a problematic trainee is terminated, dismissed, or fired from a fieldwork site. Results indicate that a lack of clear policies for managing problem fieldwork trainees may leave counselor educators uncertain about appropriate follow-up actions. Recommendations for future studies include replicating this study using a larger sample size, studying this topic and population using qualitative methods, and surveying the perspective of site supervisors.

Exploring The Career Satisfaction Of Counselor Educators, Regina R. Moro, Rebecca Scherer

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In this article, the authors report counselor educators’ career satisfaction through a descriptive analysis. Seventy-five counselor educators from all across the United States completed an online demographic questionnaire and four self-report instruments related to career satisfaction in general, work environment, and mentorship experiences. The results indicate that counselor educators report satisfaction with most aspects of the job, but report dissatisfaction with pay/promotion and mentorship. This is important for consideration for current and future counselor educators, due to the amount of time and cost associated with obtaining a doctoral degree. The researchers discuss and suggest future research recommendations.

Ethical Concerns When Supervising Spanish-English Bilingual Counselors: Suggestions For Practice, Vanessa M. Perry, Shari M. Sias

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

To best serve Latino clients, counselor educators and supervisors must ensure counselors receives adequate training and practice in cultural competence. 5is article presents an overview of the needs of Spanish English bilingual (SEB) counselors, a case study that illustrates SEB counselors common concerns, and addressed three fundamental ethical questions: (a) Should supervisors be pro6cient in the language their supervisees are serving clients? (b) What constitutes su4cient cultural competence when supervisors oversee service to clients who are culturally diverse and do not speak English? (c) How can supervisors and counselor educators best support supervisees linguistically and culturally nuanced practice?

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Doctoral Counselor Education Students' Experience Of Receiving Cybersupervision, Sara Bender, Deborah J. Rubel, Cass Dykeman

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Cybersupervision with counselor education doctoral students is an understudied practice. This phenomenological study explored five doctoral-level counselor education supervisees’ lived experiences engaging in cybersupervision, Their experiences, which were embedded in their converging professional roles, included skepticism and anxiety, learning and growth in their relationship with supervisors, and unique context-dependent meaning making. Limitations and implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Language & Online Learning: Inform, Inspire And Engage Virtual Learning Communities, Linda Foster, Anita Neuer Colburn, Cynthia Briggs

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Standards for technology-assisted teaching/learning have existed for nearly 20 years (ACES, 1999), and trends show that counselor education programs increasingly integrate technology into the delivery of instruction for students either through hybrid classes, fully online classes, or fully online programs. While many researchers have investigated various aspects of student engagement in online formats, counselor educators still lack consensus for best practices in the online classroom. Maximizing the effectiveness of online pedagogy will help improve overall learning, retention of students, and growth of online programs. We suggest the intentional use of appropriate, warm, inviting and supportive language to inform, inspire and …

Research Mentoring: A Study Of Doctoral Student Experiences And Research Productivity, Alyse M. Anekstein, Linwood G. Vereen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article explored the research mentoring experiences of doctoral students’ (N = 131) in counselor education. Descriptive statistics and a factorial Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were utilized to ascertain the mentor roles utilized and the classification of productivity of doctoral students. Recommendations and limitations and implications for the counseling profession are offered to further the development of research regarding the research mentoring experiences of doctoral students.

Why Should We Care? Psychodynamic Theory And Practice In Counselor Preparation, Elyssa Smith

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

This constructivist grounded theory investigation explored the experiences and perceptions of seven counselors-in-training regarding psychodynamic theory and practice. Two categories, five themes including three subthemes, and a tentative theory which spoke to the experiences, perceptions, and attitudes of students regarding contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy emerged. Implications for counselor education and the training of counselors are discussed.

Keywords: counselor preparation, psychodynamic, reflective practice

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.

Building A Consensus Of The Professional Dispositions Of Counseling Students, Jeffrey K. Christensen, Charles A. Dickerman, Cort Dorn-Medeiros

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Professional dispositions expected of counseling students has been a contested area within the counseling profession, and students challenging dismissal decisions have put counseling programs at risk of litigation. To better guide counseling programs’ evaluation and remediation efforts, the authors used a content analysis to investigate the most recurring professional dispositions of master’s level counseling students listed within student retention policies, evaluations and rubrics of CACREP accredited counseling programs (n=224). The most common dispositional themes included; Openness to Growth, Awareness of Self and Others, Emotional Stability, Integrity, Flexibility, Compassion, and Personal Style. Implications for how the disposition themes can assist in …

Undergraduate Minor In Counseling Program: Design, Implementation, And Reflection, Christopher D. Schmidt, Stacey Havlik, Krista Malott

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article argues the benefits for having an undergraduate counseling program and offers suggestions for successful implementation. The presence of an undergraduate counseling program could be an additional method for growing the field of counseling. Specifically, the development of a Minor in Counseling for the undergraduate population is described and reflections from students and faculty are included to help elucidate how other counseling programs might follow suit.

A Phenomenological Study Of Counseling Students’ Experiences With Ambiguity, Stephani A. B. Jahn, Sondra Smith-Adcock

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Six master’s-level counseling students were interviewed about their phenomenological experiences of ambiguity in counselor preparation. Analysis revealed five themes: students’ preparation for ambiguous experiences, ambiguities of counselor preparation, accompanying overwhelming feelings, coping approaches, and self-assurance gained from facing ambiguity. These findings have implications for counselor education and supervision.

Burnout In Counselor Education: The Role Of Cynicism And Fit In Predicting Turnover Intention, Susannah C. Coaston, Ellen P. Cook

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study explored the experience of burnout in counselor education faculty, and how it relates to perceived worklife fit and turnover intention. Participants experienced a moderate level of burnout in the areas of exhaustion, cynicism, and professional inefficacy. The results of a MANOVA revealed that male and female participants differed on a composite measure of burnout, fit, and turnover intention, but there were no significant multivariate differences based on race or tenure status. Both cynicism and perceived worklife fit uniquely contributed to the prediction of turnover intention, together explaining 29% of the total variance in turnover intention. Further directions for …

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.

Clinical Supervisors' Knowledge Of Supervisees With Problems Of Professional Competency, Maribeth Jorgensen, Kathleen Brown-Rice, Seth D. Olson

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In this exploratory study, the authors surveyed clinical supervisors (n = 138) regarding their knowledge of their supervisees’ problems of professional competency (PPC). Findings suggest the majority have observed a supervisee with PPC working towards licensure. Further, those that have supervised a supervisee with PPC have been negatively impacted by these interactions (e.g., increased their workload, increased their stress).

A Problem-Based Learning Case Study In Rehabilitation Counselor Education, Stacia Carone

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A Problem-Based Learning (PBL) strategy utilized in Career Counseling and Selective Placement courses is described. Support for using PBL in rehabilitation counseling and counselor education courses is provided and encouragement for instructors sharing case studies and processes relevant to PBL is emphasized.

Using Fidelity Measures To Support The Training Of Graduate Students Working In School Settings, Nadia L. Ward, Lakeesha N. Woods, Patricia Simon, Jennifer Greif Green, Michael J. Strambler

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This paper presents a case example of a school-based social development program supported by counselors, yet implemented by graduate student facilitators in a mid-sized urban public school in New England. The authors describe a process for developing and validating fidelity instruments and the use of these assessments to train lay facilitators or graduate students enrolled in counseling or counselor education programs. Guidelines are presented for school counselors interested in using customized fidelity instruments to formatively assess training needs of graduate students.

Fall 2017 Complete Issue, Journal Of Counselor Preparation And Supervision

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Dual Roles In Mentoring Relationships: A Mixed Research Study, Jennifer Boswell, Marcella D. Stark, Angie D. Wilson, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In the field of counselor education, mentors often are involved in varying roles with mentees, such as being mentor, dissertation chair, and or chair to the mentee. Due to the various roles, both the mentor and mentee need to recognize how each of these roles impacts the development of the mentee and the overall mentoring relationship. The purpose of our study was to examine the relationship between perceived dual roles of the mentor and the impact on the mentoring relationship. We found that counseling students and faculty who had experienced dual roles in their mentoring relationships had high career-related functions …