Counseling Commons^™

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.

The Predictability Of Grit On Counselor Educators’ Competencies And Publications, Mary K. Depue, Jacqueline M. Swank, Jo Lauren Weaver, Ren Liu

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Counselor educators are expected to engage in research and mentor doctoral students, highlighting the importance of competency in both areas. Grit predicts positive work outcomes, and we found no studies on grit in relation to counselor educator success measures. We wanted to understand the role of grit in counselor education productivity levels and necessary competencies. We recruited counselor educators at CACREP-accredited institutions with doctoral programs. We hypothesized that grit would predict both mentoring competencies and publication rates, mediated by research competencies. We tested a model with counselor educators (N = 110) and found that the relationship between grit, as measured …

Bilingual Counseling Students Developing Cultural And Language Competence In Mexico, Claudia G. Interiano-Shiverdecker, Derek Robertson, Sofia Santillan, Mica Stumpf

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Scholars have recently called for a greater research focus on bilingual counselor education and training. This study aims to explore the impact and development of study abroad immersion experiences on Latine bilingual counseling students. This study used transcendental phenomenological research to explore the lived experiences of bilingual counselors (N = 7) during a two-week study abroad program in Oaxaca. Participants comprised master’s and doctoral level students at a CACREP-accredited program who identified as Latine, Spanish-speakers. Through individual interviews, we discovered three themes from the data: (a) personal and professional connection to the study abroad program, (b) developing cultural competence through …

The Intentional Andragogy Model: A Teaching Framework For Counselor Educators, Phillip L. Waalkes, Paul H. Smith, Daniel Hall

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Counselor education programs can help support doctoral students in developing teaching philosophies. Yet, limited guidance exists about how counselor educators can help doctoral students integrate andragogies into their teaching philosophy statements. Overlooking andragogy may impede educators from deepening their philosophical beliefs and teaching with authenticity and intentionality. Therefore, we offer the Intentional Andragogy Model (IAM), a process-oriented reimagining of Halbur and Halbur’s Intentional Theory Selection model (ITSM). Counselor educators-in-training can follow this scaffolded step-by-step process to write teaching philosophy statements rooted in their life philosophies and their unique contexts. This model can help counselor educators-in-training root their teaching philosophy statements …

Anti-Racist Considerations For Teaching Cacrep Assessment And Diagnosis Courses, Haley R. Ault, Henrietta S. Gantt, Casey A. Barrio Minton

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Professional counselors must act as anti-racist social justice advocates throughout the counseling relationship, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning. Due to internalized racism and inappropriate instruments, assessment and diagnosis are two critical areas where marginalized populations have historically experienced misdiagnosis and pathologizing impacting overall client care and wellbeing. Inappropriate instruments, inadequate training, and counselor bias have profound impacts on access to treatment and resources for individuals holding marginalized racial identities. Although the call for anti-racist counseling is clear, the profession is still unclear on how to teach these concepts to counselor trainees. Counselor educators must be intentional about incorporating anti-racist …

Practicum & Internship Coordinators’ Experiences Amid Covid-19 Emergency Remote Teaching, Alexander T. Becnel, Sarah Irvin, Theodore Remley

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Although recent literature addresses online pedagogy and online counselor education, few articles address the challenges faced by counselor educators during emergency remote teaching, an unplanned and unanticipated switch from in-person education to online education. To address this gap, we conducted a phenomenological study of the lived experiences of practicum and internship coordinators (N = 8) during the emergency remote teaching phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Five themes emerged: (a) uncertainty, (b) adaptation to leadership, (c) changes to student experience, (d) personal support, and (e) readiness. Implications for counselor educators and supervisors are addressed.

Basic Needs Adversities Among Counselors In Training: A Cluster Analysis, Jamie E. Crockett, Nathaniel N. Ivers

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

During the intersection of COVID-19 with ongoing identity-based injustices in the US, Counselors-in-Training (CITs) experience unprecedented challenges including new or exacerbated basic needs insecurity. In this descriptive study, the authors examined Basic Needs Adversities (BNA) in a national sample of CITs (n = 233) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors used cluster analysis to investigate CITs reported BNAs and identified four subgroups of participants based on similarities and dissimilarities in the number and type of BNAs endorsed. The authors discuss implications for training and supervision with a focus on social justice in counselor education.

Practicum Student Counselor Identity Development Through The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joy Teles Oliveira, Sarah A. Silveus

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

The process of developing a counselor identity is a complex task, and it starts as early as when a student first enrolls in a Master’s program. Within the events surrounding COVID-19, limited information is known about how that experience might have affected counseling students' professional identity development. Through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, we explored the counselor identity development process of Master’s-level counseling practicum students (n=6) during the events of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging themes indicated that students' experiences throughout the pandemic had a unique influence on their conceptualization of the practicum experience. Findings illustrated that these events slowed some aspects of …

The Impact Of Supervisor Servant Leadership On Counselor Supervisee Burnout And Secondary Traumatic Stress, Colleen M. Grunhaus, Thomas J. Ward, Victor E. Tuazon, Kristal James

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

This study investigates the prediction of supervisee burnout and secondary traumatic stress by perceived supervisor servant leadership. Authors hypothesized that the servant leadership of supervisors would predict diminished burnout and secondary traumatic stress of supervisees. A sample of 241 counseling supervisees participated in the cross-sectional study and completed instruments measuring burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and perceived servant leadership of their direct supervisors. Data were analyzed with two simple linear regressions, and a one-way MANOVA was performed to determine if supervisee burnout, supervisee secondary traumatic stress, and perceived servant leadership of supervisors differed significantly according to supervisor type (i.e., clinical, administrative, …

Photography As A Wellness Tool For Counselors-In-Training, Charaya C. Upton, Joel F. Diambra, Pamelia E. Brott, Zach Budesa

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The academic journey to become a professional counselor can be challenging for counselors-in-training (CIT), adversely affecting their physical health, mental health, and wellness. Counselor educators (CE) have recognized a need for wellness training and interventions to assist CIT during graduate school and to prepare them for their careers. Photography is considered a tool in art therapy within the realm of expressive therapies that can be used for wellness purposes. We review wellness, CIT struggles with wellness, expressive therapies, and photography techniques to promote CIT professional development and wellness practices. We identify the history of photography tools, describe each tool more …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Change On Child And Parent Outcomes In Response To A Disability Responsive Adaptation Of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, Elizabeth Francoise Parr-Comeaux

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently exhibit behavioral problems such as tantrums or aggression, and parents of children with ASD experience disempowerment and anxiety relating to their children. Child–parent relationship therapy (CPRT) is a parent-mediated, attachment-based, and parent-involved parent training program with demonstrated efficacy as a treatment for children with externalizing problems (e.g., defiance and aggression). Adaptations to CPRT have demonstrated effectiveness in decreasing children’s problem behaviors and decreasing parenting stress in the parent–child dyad with toddlers, preadolescents, and adoptive families. However, no disability responsive adaptation (DRA) of CPRT has been implemented involving parents of young children with ASD …

Implementation And Outcomes Of The Trauma Ambassadors Program: A Case Study Of Trauma-Informed Youth Leadership Development, Jeanne Felter, Phd, Lpc, He Len Chung, Amanda Guth, Stephen Didonato, Phd, Lpc, Ncc

Counseling and Behavioral Health Faculty Papers

Community-based programs serve a critical need for vulnerable youth and families. In recent years, researchers and practitioners have urged programs to adopt a trauma-informed care (TIC) approach to address adversity in young people's lives. The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation and outcomes of the Trauma Ambassador (TA) Program, a pilot youth leadership program guided by a community-university partnership that utilized a TIC approach in an underserved East North Philadelphia neighborhood. Fourteen youth engaged in interactive trainings to build their understanding of trauma and develop practical tools to support encounters with individuals with trauma histories. Focus groups …

2023, Camp Research Forum Book Of Abstracts, American Camp Association

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

This book includes 19 abstracts that will be presented at the 2023 American Camp Association (ACA) Research Forum to be held during the ACA annual conference from February 21-24, 2023 in Orlando, FL. Abstracts have been grouped into similar areas and will be verbally presented in four sessions.

2023-06-03 Pca Policy Manual, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Policy Manual

No abstract provided.

The Often‑Circuitous Path To Affirming Mental Health Care For Transgender And Gender‑Diverse Adults, Natalie Holt, Debra Hope, Richard Mocarski, Nathan Woodruff

Trans Collaborations Academic Papers

Purpose of Review We describe recent research regarding access to affirming mental health services for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adults and explore new resources available for therapists to inform evidence-based practice with TGD clients.

Recent Findings Barriers and facilitators at all socioecological levels impact TGD adults’ mental health help-seeking. TGD adults often interface with mental health providers while accessing gender-affirming medical care, though new standards of care are likely to alter this typically common path to mental health services. Efforts to improve therapist education, such as therapy manuals, are increasingly available and a necessary step to increase the number of …

Best Practices For Counselors Working With Victims And Survivors Of Human Trafficking, Kyra Watkins

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters

The purpose of this study was to explore current understanding of the complexity of human trafficking and how that contributes to a gap in effective and adequate care for victims and survivors. This study also proposes therapeutic application of this knowledge.

Developing A Lay Ministry Of Caregiving Skills To Parents And Families Who Grieve The Death Of A Child At Zion Hill Baptist Church, Cherryville, N.C., Roger Fuller

Doctor of Ministry Projects

This project aims to educate those who minister to people who may experience the difficult misfortune of the grief and loss of a child. The concentration and intent of this work are to cultivate a ministry of caregiving skills for the members at Zion Hill Baptist Church of Cherryville, North Carolina. This caring ministry of the church will serve all who grieve, but the general focus of this project is to offer specialized care in aiding those who grieve the death of a child. This training is of great necessity because most church members, having not experienced losing a child, …

Working With Students From Low Socioeconomic Families: What Can School Counselors Do?, Rachel S. Bluhm

Counselor Education Capstones

Poverty and low socioeconomic status (SES) in America negatively affect students in elementary, middle, and high school as they are still developing. It is crucial that school counselors and other helping professionals are aware of how to best support these students so they can achieve their highest as social support has been shown to be a protective factor for low SES in school. It is essential that school counselors and other staff in schools have effective training surrounding poverty and that they recognize how their social class affects their views and beliefs surrounding poverty and analyze those beliefs and practices. …

Internal Family Systems (Ifs) Therapy: Non-Pathologizing Healing For Inner Peace, Sylvia Hill

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a new approach to healing of the wounds and burdens caused by trauma, neglect and other relational injuries. The history of the development of IFS is outlined. The basic assumptions of IFS are shared. The roles parts take on in response to trauma are explained. The process of working with parts to bring about healing are described. Research on IFS is listed followed by a brief discussion of how IFS can fit within a Christian framework. Two case studies are provided to illustrate IFS being used in conjunction with Christian beliefs.

Ce 615 Syllabus: Group Therapy And Practice, Dawnette Cigrand

Counselor Education Syllabi

In this course students are introduced to the theory and practice of group counseling. The course will provide students with an academic/theoretical overview of groups and group work as well as the opportunity to develop group leadership skills through experiential learning activities.

Utilization Of The Social Determinants Of Mental Health Framework With Older Adults For Assessment, Case Conceptualization, And Treatment Planning, Janelle L. Jones, Julia Lancaster, Lauren Robins, Wendy K. Killam, Matthew L. Nice, Bisola Duyile

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

This conceptual paper will aid counselors and mental health professionals in obtaining insight to utilizing a Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework with older adult clients. Further, the article incorporates the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies to further contextualize the therapeutic alliance. The authors utilize the Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework to frame counseling assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning to improve the mental health outcomes of older adults. The article utilizes a specific case example to assess, conceptualize, and plan treatment for an older adult client contextualized in their environment.

2023-08-12 Board Meeting Agenda, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Whiteness In Access Disparities In College Counseling Services, Jeff Klug, Sharon K. Anderson

Faculty Works

As an antiracist problematic, Whiteness was used to better understand the persistence of access disparities to college counseling centers for students of color. This study explored the question, “How do experiences of Whiteness impact access to mental health care for domestic, undergraduate White students and students of color at their respective college counseling centers?” Semi-structured interviews were completed with 6 undergraduates (three White students and three students of color). Data analysis was completed through three successive, iterative cycles of coding: value systems, color-blind ideologies, and Whiteness. The first two cycles of coding informed the last cycle. Five themes of Whiteness …

Ce 432 Syllabus: Stress Management, Karen Cathey

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course will provide an introduction to important concepts, issues, skills, and interventions related to the identification and management of personal stress.

Ce 660 Syllabus: Counseling Theory And Practice, Karen Cathey

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.

Ce 611 Syllabus: Development Over The Lifespan, Anquinetta V. Calhoun

Counselor Education Syllabi

The purpose of this course is to promote students’ thinking and learning about human growth, adaptation, and change throughout the lifespan. Major theories, issues, eras, and trends in human development will be addressed.