Counseling Commons^™

Ce 690 Syllabus: Internship, Mitch Moore

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course provides a practical, field-based experience in a school or clinical mental health setting. This experience may be arranged with supervision coordinated through the course instructor and the CED Field Placement Coordinator.

Ce 695 Syllabus: Capstone Project, Anquinetta V. Calhoun

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course structures the completion of a major capstone paper in collaboration with the student’s academic advisor and serves as a transition from the role of student to that of professional.

Ce 660 Syllabus: Counseling Theory And Practice Winona, Anquinetta V. Calhoun

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course exposes students to theories of personality development and change, theories of counseling, and counseling techniques. Students practice application of counseling theories in a laboratory setting with simulated situations. Students are encouraged to identify and develop a tentative theory of personality as it relates to an effective counseling approach. A strong emphasis is placed on the ethical standards of the counseling profession and on multicultural issues.

Mental Health Effects Of Maternal Substance Abuse Policymaking: Finding A Solution, Sarah Foster

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

While each state has varying substance abuse laws and resources for those seeking treatment, many states have regulations that criminally charge expectant mothers seeking substance abuse treatment. Restrictive policies like these encourage these women to conceal their addiction to avoid criminal retaliation and stigmatization. These effects reverberate through communities plagued with poverty, forcing these women to choose between being clean and sober or protecting their children and freedom. Thus, this dissertation examined the adverse effects that strict substance abuse policies have on expectant mothers and suggest that more people in this position would seek treatment if these policies were less …

Predictors Of The Treatment Retention And Quality Of Recovery From Opioid Use Disorder Using Buprenorphine In Medication-Assisted Treatment: A Pilot Study Of The Effects Of Hope, Grit, And Readiness To Change, John S. Pulliam

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Opioid misuse remains at epidemic proportions in the United States and other countries. Buprenorphine has been found effective in treating opioid use disorder (OUD). Understanding the roles of personal characteristics and readiness to change in addiction treatment retention and quality of recovery could be beneficial in office-based medication-assisted treatment for OUD. Researchers have explored OUD treatment methods and outcomes and have examined various predictive factors in treatment results, including demographic, socioeconomic, and psychological variables. However, few characteristics have been found to be consistent indicators of treatment retention and recovery quality. The constructs of hope agency, hope pathways, grit, and readiness …

The Effects Of Humor When Coping With Stress, Rahmel Dixon

CMC Senior Theses

Although humor is often used in professional, social, and political settings, its empirical importance is usually laughed at. I argue that scholars should give more attention to the topic. Building on prior research, the present work will explore the relationship between stress relief and the use of humor. Specifically, it will reveal the usage of humor to cope among historically stressed groups of people. Lastly, as stress and marginalization are linked, the study will also look at the relationship between a racially marginalized group, Black people, and their use of humor to relieve stress or cope.

Factors Influencing Student Enrollment In Career Academy Programs, Whitney Ketchledge, Michael Kosloski, Philip Reed

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

There is considerable research demonstrating strong benefits of the career academy model to students and teachers, but there is little indicating why students enroll in academies and what methods of recruitment may work best. This study assessed factors influencing students' decisions to enroll in career academy programs by looking at factors that influence students to apply for academy programs and reasons students have for choosing not to enroll in academy programs. A survey was used to collect the necessary data with n = 401 responses from students enrolled in an academy and n = 2,421 responses from students not enrolled …

Trauma-Informed Clergy: An Investigation Of Factors Predicting The Trauma-Related Attitudes Of Christian Clergy In Florida, Elizabeth Pennock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Exposure to childhood trauma can have a lasting impact on the mental and emotional health of an individual (Ford & Courtois, 2009). Research on help-seeking behaviors indicate that 15% to 40% of individuals who experience mental health problems, including trauma-related concerns, initially contact a member of the clergy for help rather than contacting a medical or mental health professional (Nieuwsma et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2003); therefore, research into the trauma-related attitudes and beliefs of clergy is warranted. The purpose of this study was to understand the personal and professional factors that predict the trauma-related attitudes and beliefs of …

The Relationship Between Stress And Quality Of Life In People With Multiple Sclerosis: The Mediating Role Of Resilience, Byung Jin Kim

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system encompassing the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve, in which the patient’s immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues. Due to the unpredictable characteristics of the disease, MS can lead to an unusually high level of stress and may negatively impact the individual’s QoL. Resilience is a psychological structure that shows positive coping and adaptive ability from difficult or stressful situations. Resilience also indicates a buffering effect on the stressors of individuals with disabilities and serves to protect psychological health and function from disability. The purpose of this …

Highly Sensitive Child Scale For Preschool Age Children: Development, Initial Validation Of A New Instrument, Bethany Russell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The health of the caregiver-child relationship is imperative for positive long-term mental health outcomes in children and is dependent on caregivers' understanding of their child's behaviors. Misunderstanding a child's behaviors prevents caregivers from responding to their child in a nurturing manner, which creates disconnection in the caregiver-child relationship. Unfortunately, children with sensory processing sensitivity are particularly likely to experience such misunderstanding in their relationships with caregivers. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a temperament trait manifesting in stronger neurological and emotional responses to stimuli. To increase understanding of children's needs through proper discovery of SPS, the researcher developed the Highly Sensitive …

Reflections On The Bgj Anti-Racism Seminar, Michelle Billies

Publications and Research

In this Letter to the Editor, Billies (2021) responds to critical and supportive opinion pieces in the British Gestalt Journal (BGJ) following their plenary presentation at BGJ’s 2018 annual seminar (see Asherson Bartram, 2019; O’Malley, 2019). As author of the companion article "How/ Can Gestalt Therapy Promote Liberation from Anti-Black Racism?” (Billies, 2021), Billies, who identifies as white, discusses the intent at the seminar to support white people to increase accountability and reduce harm in dialogue with people of color, while supporting the work and needs of people of color on their terms from a Gestalt perspective. Describing a fishbowl …

Trauma-Informed Career Counselling To Address Work Traumas Resulting From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer J. Linnekaste

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Background: Sudden work traumas as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have left thousands displaced from their current jobs and occupations. Traditional career counselling approaches that overlook the role of emotion are not adequate to address the numerous emotional difficulties that arise after a sudden unexpected job loss.

Objectives: The objective of this research is to examine to what extent career counselling theories and interventions incorporate a trauma-informed career counselling approach and are prepared to address the emotional, psychological, and career counselling concerns that arise from work traumas as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A …

Book Review: How To Be An Antiracist By Ibram X. Kendi, Shuntay Tarver

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Examination Of The Preparedness Of African American Pastors To Address Issues Of Addiction, Shuntay Tarver, Chaniece Winfield, Judith Preston, Alexis Wilkerson, Pastor Isaac Shorter

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

This study qualitatively explored the preparedness of African American pastors to meet the needs of parishioners with addictions. Findings indicated that African American pastors do not always perceive themselves to be prepared to address issues of addiction, and existing cultural barriers challenge collaboration between human services practitioners and African American pastors. Findings also revealed that despite existing cultural barriers, African American pastors are willing to collaborate with professionals who offer educational opportunities in culturally relevant ways. Human services professionals’ ability to understand cultural nuances of African American pastors is of paramount concern to effectively enhance the quality of life for …

Empowerment Pathways: A Mitigation Approach To Adolescent And Youth Racial Stress In Marginalized Populations, Lauren B. Robins, Megan Cannedy, Rachel Kerrigan, Brittany G. Suggs

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Racial unrest recently has been incessant. In response, this conceptual contribution explores a prevention-based program for African American adolescents and youth to aid in their navigation through ubiquitous racial unrest and persistent mental health adversities. This article provides a comprehensive literature review on racial injustice and presents information regarding race-based traumatic stressors and adverse mental health outcomes. The prevention-based program that was created in response to the apparent racial unrest among African American youth and adolescents is presented and explored. The goal of this conceptual article is to raise awareness of this issue, provide practical steps to combat racial injustice, …

A Proposal To Develop And Pilot-Test The Effects Of A Culturally Adapted Stigma Intervention For Latinos, Sandy Ahumada

CMC Senior Theses

The bulk of research examining barriers to mental health services (MHS) for Latinos focuses on financial obstacles such as socioeconomic status and insurance coverage. Unfortunately, less work has been done on cultural barriers such as stigma. The purpose of this proposed study is to develop and pilot-test a culturally adapted contact intervention for Latinos that reduces stigma and increases help-seeking intentions. This study will test the differential efficacy of utilizing psychoeducation with the newly developed interpersonal contact intervention (PIC) as opposed to psychoeducation (P) only. Participants (n=324) will fill out pre- (T1), post- (T2), and 1-week follow-up (T3) …

Playing To Heal: The Impact Of Bereavement Camp For Children With Grief., Clarissa L. Salinas

Counseling Faculty Publications

Child bereavement is a difficult topic to explore and study because of stigmas in discussing death, and because of restrictions in doing research with young children. Thus, research in childhood bereavement is limited. This study focused on children who attended a bereavement camp after the traumatic loss of a loved one. The purpose was to understand the participants’ grief experiences. This research study used phenomenological inquiry and analysis methodology. Five female participants were interviewed for this study. In addition, participants created a sandtray world to convey their experiences at bereavement camp. The essence of participants’ experiences as revealed through verbal …

Read My Hands: Evaluating The Deaf Community's Perception Of Survivor Access To Mental Health Services, Liz Sandlin

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The limited research done on the Deaf community depicts inflated rates of mental illness and trauma compared to the general population. However, overall, members of the Deaf community are less likely to seek help due to perceived barriers in obtaining adequate mental healthcare. This study aimed to investigate the modern-day American Deaf community’s rates of mental illness and traumatic events and experiences with behavioral and mental healthcare systems. Barriers related to seeking treatment as well as receiving adequate care are explored as well. It was hypothesized that the Deaf community still faces an increased likelihood of trauma and mental illness …

Investigating The Lived Experiences Of Community College Students Who Have Practiced Meditation, Robert S. Withrow-Clark

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the lived experiences of community college students who have engaged in meditation practice during their time as community college students. Utilizing semi-structured interviews and a qualitative, transcendental phenomenological approach, the researcher investigated the phenomenon of meditation practice among community college meditators, while attempting to better understand the shared meaning respondents ascribed to the phenomenon, in this case meditation practice. Data was collected from eight respondents, generating four overarching themes, and several subthemes. All respondents who participated in the study reported perceived psychological benefits that they attributed to their meditation practice. Psychological stress was the motivating factor, a …

Promoting Success For First-Generation Students Of Color: The Importance Of Academic, Transitional Adjustment, And Mental Health Supports, Sophie W. Schuyler, Jonique R. Childs, Timothy A. Poynton

Journal of College Access

Nearly 1 in 3 college students (30%) are first-generation students of color (FGSOC), possessing the intersectional identity of being both a first-generation college student and a racial minority. FGSOC face increased psychological and social difficulties in college when compared to students in other groups, resulting from cultural differences, lack of academic preparedness, stigma surrounding socioeconomic status, racial discrimination, and marginalization. This article summarizes peer-reviewed literature related to three types of supports that can improve the college experience and promote the academic success of FGSOC: academic supports, transitional adjustment supports, and mental health supports. The reviewed literature is framed by a …

Bibliometric Analysis Of Research Trends On Role Of Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Family Law Conflicts, Himanshi Parekh, Yogesh Dharangutti

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper is a bibliometric analysis of research publications in the field of dispute resolution of family matters. The paper analyses the frequency of publications in this arena and identifying the research gaps. The paper utilizes literature published on this subject available at the Scopus database from 2011 to 2020. A total of 59 documents varying from books, chapters, articles, and journals have been extracted and analyzed for the purpose of this study. This data is further analyzed and presented in the forms of tables, maps, graphs, etc using VOSviewer and IMAPBuilder software. The study shows that even though there …

Elementary School Counselors' Experiences Working With Children Who Self-Harm, Maegan Tatum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elementary-aged children struggle with low self-esteem, are often impulsive, and struggle to develop appropriate coping skills. As such, many children have begun to experiment with self-harm. Because children spend a great deal of time in school, school counselors are often the first to know that a student has self-harmed. Although school counselors have extensive experience working with students who self-harm, most school counselors indicate a need for more training and implementation of school district policies regarding self-harm. Additionally, current literature focuses on the experiences of middle and high school counselors because self-harm and NSSI are primarily noted in adolescents. In …

Opinions, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy Of Secondary School Counselors In Ramp And Non-Ramp Designated Schools And Their Work With Students With Disabilities, Christine Denise Lewis Pugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) implemented standards that aid the professional school counselor via a comprehensive program to serve all students (ASCA, 2019). This study examines secondary school counselors working in RAMP and non-RAMP designated schools. The designation of recognized ASCA model programs (RAMP), which awards schools when they successfully implement comprehensive programs, leads one to believe that RAMP programs exhibit effectiveness, while understanding that lacking RAMP certification does not mean a comprehensive school counseling program does not exist. The current study surveyed secondary school counselors’ attitude, self-efficacy, and opinions toward work with students with disabilities. An independent samples …

Mediating Effects Of Mental Health Literacy And Stigma On The Relationship Between Mental Health Status And Psychological Help Seeking Behavior Among Collegiate Student Athletes, Brent Wade Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student athletes experience unique demands that create specific mental health challenges, yet they tend to utilize mental health services at lower rates when compared to the general student population. Participants were 282 (174 males, 108 females) current NCAA student athletes. A mediated regression was used to determine the mediating effects of Mental Health Stigma (MHS) and Mental Health Literacy (MHL) on the relationship between Mental Health Status and Psychological Help Seeking Behavior (PHS). Results indicated a statistically significant relationship between mental health status and psychological help seeking behavior, R2 = .05, F(1, 280) = 13.74, p < .001. Mental health status predicted PHS (? = -.22, 95% CI [-.11, -.04]). A multiple regression analysis was conducted on PHS based on MHS and MHL, F(2,279) = 9.49, p < .001. MHS was a statistically significant predictor of PHS uniquely accounting for approximately 4.2% of the variance. MHL was not significant and uniquely accounted for .1% of the variance. Analysis of a supported mediation model was conducted using MHS as the single mediator. Controlling for the mediator, the direct effect indicated by the relationship between mental health status and PHS, (? = -.046, 95% CI [-.094, .007], z = -2.04, p = .04), denoting a partial mediation and small effect. The total indirect effects with the mediator was statistically significant, (? = -.028, 95% CI ([-06, -.003]), z = -2.327, p = .02, indicating a moderate effect and accounting for 61% of the model effect. Results from this study can be used to inform program development, institutional supports, and inform further research into reduction of MHS and increasing MHL. Keywords: student athletes, mental health status, mental health stigma, mental health literacy, psychological help seeking behavior

Couples With Infertility: The Influence Of Quality Of Life, Relationship Satisfaction, Resilience, Depression, And Shame, Nikole Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the directional relationship between fertility related quality of life, relationship satisfaction, resilience, depression, and shame amongst individuals and couples with infertility. This study tested the hypothesized directional relationship that individuals and couples with infertility (N = 556) with a greater level of fertility related quality of life (FertiQol) would have (a) increased relationship satisfaction (CSI), (b) increased resilience (CD-RISC), (c) decreased depression (PROMIS), and (d) decreased shame (FSCRS), through structural equation modeling (SEM) and the actor partner interdependence model (APIM). Also, the researcher tested the dyadic influence of fertility related quality of …

Less Talking, More Empathy: How To Use Emojis To Help People Feel Good, Farhana Nusrat, Yanliu Huang

AMTP Proceedings 2021

Text therapy is an affordable and convenient form of counselling that allows clients to text with a Therapist. It is quite common for therapists to use emojis while talking to their clients via texts. In this study, we examine how use of emojis in the context of text therapy impacts clients’ overall counselling experience. In two studies, we show that using emojis with concise messages (vs. long messages) lead to greater clients’ overall satisfaction, higher willingness to pay, and increased positive word of mouth.

“That’S The Beauty Of It”: Practitioners Describe The Affordances Of Direct To Consumer Tele-Mental Health, Lauri Goldkind, Lea Wolf

Social Service Faculty Publications

Abstract Tele-mental health, or the provision of remote counseling services, has been available for decades. This qualitative study uses the framework of affordances, derived from Gibson, to examine what social work practitioners working on direct to consumer tele-mental health (DTCTMH) platforms are discovering about the features, benefits, and constraints of virtual therapy. An interpretive phenomenological approach was employed to document the lived experiences of social workers who practice in this manner. According to the practitioners interviewed, for a subset of individuals seeking treatment, DTCTMH can offer meaningful interpersonal interaction that confers benefit. Key affordances include accessibility, anonymity, meaningful work, autonomy, …

Examining The Relationship Between Acculturative Stress And Religion/Spirituality Among International Students, Ly'jerrick Ward

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between acculturative stress and religion/spirituality of international students. This study utilized Sandhu and Asrabadi’s (1994) Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS) as well as the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSORF) created by Plante and Boccaccini (1997). Much research exists on how international students adapt and acculturate to a host country. This research will add to the body of literature that exists regarding how international students use their religion/spirituality to deal with acculturative stress. Students in this study were asked a number of questions from the ASSIS …

Predicting Mental Health Counseling Professionals’ Willingness To Discuss Sexuality Issues With Clients, Becca L. Thompson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Sexuality is fundamental to the human experience and sexuality issues will affect every individual across the lifespan. Mental health counseling professionals (MHCPs) will likely encounter a client in their practice that presents with some facet of sexuality concern. MHCPs may be challenged by these disclosures or neglect to inquire about these needs due to underlying factors that contribute to decreased willingness to discuss sexuality with clients. This study explored the relationships of some of these factors, including sexual intervention self-efficacy, state anxiety, and trait anxiety, and further examined the extent to which these factors predict willingness to discuss sexuality with …

Navigating Integration: A Grounded Theory Of Practicing Clinicians' Experiences Integrating Neuroscience In Their Mental Health Clinical Practice, Barbara K. Skodje-Mack

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to generate a grounded theory from practicing clinicians’ experiences integrating neuroscience in their mental health clinical practice. The research consisted of interviews with eight practicing clinicians across Minnesota. The qualitative study design relied upon the Corbin and Strauss (2015) Grounded Theory and theoretical sampling. Participants in this study described taking complex neuroscience information and translating it into user-friendly concepts and applying clinical interventions that affect the mind-body symbiotic relationship, providing a holistic way to address mental and physical health. The participants integrated neuroscience knowledge alongside other psychotherapy theories and utilized psychoeducation approaches to further …