Counseling Commons^™

Perceptions Of Grief Education In Accredited Counseling Programs: Recommendations For Counselor Education, Jane E. Hill, Richard J. Cicchetti, Shelley A. Jackson, Gary Szirony

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

As grief can be considered a critical life event, unresolved grief can interfere with quality of life, affecting lifestyle, behavior, emotional strength, and cognitive function. Unresolved grief can even result in suicidal ideation. Counselors can and often do work with grief issues in clients and can promote positive outcomes for grieving clients by addressing personal loss and helping clients process grief related issues. This study was based on an analysis of students within counseling programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs based on earlier research conducted by one of the authors. Self-perception of competency …

The Johari Wonderland: The Fusion Of Classic Literature And Film To Enhance Key Group Counseling Concepts And Counselor Reflexivity, Jan Parker

Online Theses and Dissertations

The Johari Window is a model of relational dynamics and key to understanding group counseling. Counselors-in-training must grasp the concept in order to flourish as group leaders in the field. Therefore, how might this concept be explained in a way that provides clarity and enhances students' reflexive skills? This narrative analysis explored in what ways, if any, an originally designed Johari Window experiential activity can help students obtain understanding of the topic. A summarization of Carroll's (1865/2014) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Other Classic Works as well as movie clips from Tim Burton's production of Disney's Alice in Wonderland (Lebenzon …

A Qualitative Examination Of Master's Level Counseling Students' Experiences Of The Supervisory Working Alliance And The Use Of Online Supervision, Ashley Nicole De La Torre-Brooks

Online Theses and Dissertations

Supervision is essential to counselor development and the selection of a supervision model, as well as appropriate uses of interventions, are critical to an effective supervisory relationship. As there may appear to be several factors and models that can play a significant role in outcomes of supervision, the relationship between supervisor and supervisee is critical to the effectiveness in the process of growth and change. Counselor educators and faculty supervisors are charged with the task of evaluation and facilitation of the knowledge acquired through learning and application in the field. Recent trends of supervised practice have included technology. Technology and …

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 …

Experiential Learning: Teaching Research Methods With Photovoice, Mazna Patka, Rieko Miyakuni, Candice Robbins

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Despite of the emphasis on scientist-practitioner model and evidence-based practice, limited research knowledge and experience among counselors continues to be a concern. In an advanced research methods course, PhotoVoice was utilized as an experiential learning tool to facilitate student engagement as participants and researchers. Processes, successes and challenges are discussed.

Voices From The Desks: Exploring Student Experiences In Counselor Education, Louisa L. Foss-Kelly, Jake J. Protivnak

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore the themes that counselor education master’s students perceived as impacting their experience within a counseling program. Counselor education master’s students provided their perceptions of what they attributed to helping or hindering their progress. Themes identified as impacting their experiences were academic environment, finances, job preparation, self-care, life role balance, support, mentoring and advising, and personal growth. Recommendations are provided for counselor educators to consider when structuring programs and interacting with master’s students.

Using Films To Increase Cultural Competence In Working With Lgbtq Clients, Melodie H. Frick, Heather Thompson, Russ Curtis

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

There is a dearth of research on effective strategies for teaching counselors-in-training how to work more effectively with LGBTQ clients. Experiential learning activities, such as watching films, can increase students’ knowledge of their attitudes and beliefs about themselves and culturally diverse clients. This qualitative study explored, in the context of a sexuality and counseling course, how 27 students’ awareness, knowledge, and skills were influenced by the use of two films, For the Bible Tells Me So and Normal, which illuminate the experiences of LGBTQ individuals and their families. Results and implications for counselor educators are provided.

Exploring Internship Experiences Of Counselors-In-Training Through Pinterest: A Consensual Analysis, Jeffrey M. Warren, Mark Schwarze

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Field placements are one component of essentially all counselor education programs. However, little is known about the lived experiences of counselors-in-training enrolled in internship. Over the course of a semester, students enrolled in internship submitted images and comment to an on-line pinboard (Pinterest) to describe their weekly field placement experiences. Consensual qualitative research was utilized in this study to analyze the submissions and to better understand counseling students’ experiences during internship. Findings are presented and implications for counselor educators are discussed.

Lgbt Microaggressions In Counselor Education Programs, Sarah Bryan

Dissertations

Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people report they experience microaggressions, small daily insults and indignities that affect their well-being. For LGBT students, microaggressions have been shown to affect well-being and academic engagement. In order to serve LGBT students and model affirming behaviors, counselor educators must be able to recognize and address LGBT microaggressions when they occur; however, there is currently a paucity of research on LGBT microaggressions in counselor education programs. Most studies on attitudes toward LGBT people in such programs neglect the experiences of LGBT students. Moreover, the few existing studies of the experiences of LGBT …

Teaching Online Group Counseling Skills In An On-Campus Group Counseling Course, Kelly Anne Kozlowski, Courtney M. Holmes

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors are increasingly incorporating digital modalities into their practices. As such, counseling students must be trained to provide such types of counseling within their degree programs. This article outlines an example curriculum for an on-campus group counseling class wherein students receive training and participate in an online, videoconferencing process group.

A Pedagogical Framework For Counselor Educators Working With Millennial Students, Rebecca L. Koltz, Adina Smith, Dawn S. Tarabochia, Cristen C. Wathen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

While literature has concluded that millennial students are dedicated and highly motivated, students may be less patient with the process given that they have grown up in a digital world with information available in seconds (Smith & Koltz, 2012). Therefore, it seems important to consider how millennial generational characteristics fit within the context of a counseling program’s educational environment. The authors situate characteristics of the millennial generation in four theoretical domains to provide pedagogical framework for counselor educators to consider when working with students from the millennial generation. Understanding shifts in generational groups and similarities within each group may provide …

A Survey Of Students’ Knowledge About Child Sexual Abuse And Perceived Readiness To Provide Counseling Services, Jennifer Marie Foster

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Master's level students in counselor education and counseling psychology (N = 304) were surveyed to explore their knowledge about child sexual abuse (CSA) and perceived readiness to provide related counseling services. While students demonstrated general knowledge about sexual abuse, preparedness to counsel was rated much lower with 69% of students indicating low levels of competency. Data was analyzed to explore demographic characteristics that led to increased readiness scores. Indicators of statistically significant higher readiness scores included: prior work or volunteer experience with victims of sexual abuse, participation in CSA trainings, and supervised field experience. Implications for student training and recommendations …

Gatekeeping Practices Of Counselor Educators In Master's Level Counseling Programs, Vanessa B. Teixeira

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counseling students often present with problems of professional competence (PPC) in counselor education programs. The purpose of this study is to determine differences in the gatekeeping practices of counselor educators with students identified with PPC in CACREP-accredited and non-CACREP accredited counselor education programs in the United States. A survey instrument with scenarios related to students presenting with PPC was given to counselor educators. Results found no significant differences in gatekeeping practices between CACREP-accredited and non-CACREP accredited programs.

Novice School Counselors' Experience In Classroom Management, Deborah K. Buchanan, Blair Sumner Mynatt, Marianne Woodside

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A school counseling core curriculum is typically delivered in a classroom setting. Therefore, school counselors need to be prepared to manage a classroom during the delivery of classroom core curriculum lessons. Phenomenological research methodology was used to understand the classroom management experiences of seven school counselors in their first year of employment. Findings indicated that participants’ experiences were influenced by: a) prior knowledge and experience, b) relationships with teachers and students, c) the classroom teacher’s management style, and d) the ability to plan, organize, and deliver engaging, developmentally appropriate core curriculum lessons. Implications for school counselors, and counselor educators in …

Multicultural Curriculum Designs In Counselor Education Programs: Enhancing Counselors-In-Training Openness To Diversity, Dorota Celinska, Roberto Swazo

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Multicultural competencies are critical elements in both counselor preparation and practice. In accordance with the standards of the Council of Accredited Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), counselor education programs must implement multicultural competencies as one of core curriculum areas. Although research evidences the positive impact of multicultural training, it remains a challenge to establish which curriculum designs and pedagogical approaches are most effective. This study compares self-reported openness and comfort in interactions with diverse populations of 87 counselors-in-training across two distinct multicultural curriculum designs (i.e., single multicultural course vs. infusion through the curriculum) in a CACREP accredited counselor education …

Grant Writing For The Counseling Professional, Megan E. Delaney

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article provides an overview of grant writing for the counseling professional. The information presented is a combination of several sources including recent literature; current government regulations, policies and submission guidelines; information from foundations and non-profit funding agencies; and the author’s own ten years in grants administration. The aim of this article is to provide counselors and counselor educators new to grant writing a better understanding of the typical processes and procedures in proposal preparation. Concepts discussed include identifying a strong need, working with a team, finding the right funder and the fundamentals of writing a successful proposal.

Infusing Social Justice Advocacy Into Counselor Education: Strategies And Recommendations, Karen M. Decker, Amie A. Manis, Matthew J. Paylo

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

As the counseling profession calls counselors to act as social justice advocates, it is imperative that they are prepared for this role. This places responsibility on counselor education programs to incorporate the necessary training into existing programs. There are strategies for infusing social justice advocacy instruction throughout the existing curricula with reasonable investments of time, energy, and funds. The purpose of this article is to offer practical strategies and recommendations, grounded in critical pedagogy and supported by a growing evidence base, that can be implemented in existing counselor education programs in order to provide a strong foundation for social justice …

Meaning-Making In Early Adolescence: Practices And Perspectives Of School Counselors, Jill E. Schwarz

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Adolescence is a crucial life stage involving aspects of identity development and decision-making that have potential life-long consequences. A sense of meaning is related to many beneficial factors during adolescence, including psychological health, academic engagement, and overall well-being. This qualitative interview study was designed to investigate middle school counselors’ perspectives and practices regarding exploring meaning with their early adolescent students. Analysis of ten individual interviews and a focus group revealed that the school counselor participants did engage in work with middle school students around meaning-making. They primarily helped students to find meaning through identity exploration, specifically focusing on navigating challenging …

Dimensions Of The Doctoral Dissertation Advising Relationship In Counselor Education: Mentoring Expectations, Satisfaction, And Time-To-Degree, Lasonda Wells

Dissertations

High attrition rates among doctoral students are of great concern. Based on national statistics in the United States, at least 50% of students who start a doctoral program do not complete their degree (Council of Graduate Schools, 2008; Lovitts, 2000). Although factors leading to attrition can vary given the individual student and the discipline, the faculty-student relationship is the most commonly noted problematic factor across disciplines (Fedynich & Bain, 2011; Lovitts, 2001). However, the research on doctoral advisor-advisee relationships remains sparse, particularly in counselor education (Protivnak & Foss, 2009).

The purpose of this study was to explore the demographic profile …

Student Perspectives Of The Integration Of Faith And Learning In An Online Counselor Education Program: A Program Evaluation, Kevin Van Wynsberg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The integration of faith and learning is a valued aspect of Christian education and holds particular importance in training professional counselors. Currently, literature related to integration learning has been limited to residential environments, and students’ expectations and most valued aspects of learning integration have received little attention even in this more traditional learning format. Additionally, online counselor education programs are growing, making the need for exploration in this area increasingly important. The following quantitative study explored student perceptions of integration learning in counselor education in an online environment. Building off of previous survey design collected in a resident environment, student …

Infusing Postmodernism Into Counseling Supervision: Challenges And Recommendations, W. Matthew Shurts

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In this manuscript, two postmodern approaches to counseling supervision are examined: Narrative supervision and solution-focused supervision. Postmodernism is defined, key themes within the postmodern supervision literature are identified, a brief review and critique of the literature on both supervision approaches is provided, and implications for the practice of supervision and future research/scholarship areas are discussed.

Integrating Television Media Into Group Counseling Course Work, Juneau Mahan Gary, John Patrick Grady

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

We explore the feasibility of supplementing traditional group work pedagogic tools with watching group-themed reality and scripted television programs in order to convey group dynamics and concepts. Students view television programs through a group leader’s lens and analyze the group dynamics. Advantages and limitations of this resource are reviewed and implications for counselor educators are discussed.

Making Career Counseling Relevant: Enhancing Experiential Learning Using A “Flipped” Course Design, Cheryl Fulton, Laura Gonzalez

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Because work is important to mental health, faculty who teach career development courses need strategies to engage master’s counseling students who may have low motivation for the topic. Findings from this exploratory study suggest that enhanced focus on experiential learning strategies, achieved by using a flipped classroom, may improve students’ attitudes toward career development counseling and generate confidence in performing career counseling tasks (N=58). The experiential class activities and assignments, and technology utilized for flipping the course are described. Student feedback regarding changes in their attitudes and values toward career development, and confidence in performing career counseling, is …

Virtually Connecting Across Geographical Boundaries Through Facebook, Kyoung Choi, Natasha Moletta

Faculty Publications

This article reviews using closed group Facebook pages as a social network to create a pedagogical space where counseling students communicate, share resources, and develop cultural sensitivity. The Facebook pages were incorporated into the counseling core course (16 weeks) and the class consisted of four phases: (1) preparation and development of rapport; (2) sharing resources and reviewing key concepts; (3) increasing self-awareness and developing reflective skills; and (4) interfacing of two cultures crossing geographical boundaries. The main goals of the authors were to examine the possibility to build a virtual community through the closed group Facebook pages to interact with …