Counseling Commons^™

Mental Health Implications Of Isolation During Hospitalization For Covid-19: Self-Perceived Variations In Emotion, Rebekah Ruth Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Forced isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous mental health consequences. Individuals who have required hospitalization due to contracting the illness are at an increased risk of developing potentially harmful mental health concerns resulting from the emotional distress of forced isolation. Families separated from one another experience anxiety and fear due to helplessness fostered by the separation. Furthermore, medical caretakers are placed in the position to make life-altering decisions for their patients, increasing their stress and anxiety levels. Therefore, it is imperative that hospitals provide adequate mental health support for patients and their family members. Furthermore, communities …

Vicarious Healing: Integration Of Faith And Practice, Yolanda R. Montgomery

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Several studies have evaluated the emotional burden added to therapists who are treating traumatized individuals. However, little research has been done to determine how to mitigate the secondary trauma in clinicians within the therapeutic environment during counseling sessions. An exploration of change theory can be applied to understand why secular therapists experience resilience and growth at different times or not at all. However, this intersection lacks a spiritual component that is present for Christian therapists to heal from this trauma during in-person sessions. The present study aims to explore this intersection of change theory with posttraumatic growth and vicarious resilience. …

A Phenomenological Study And Investigation Of Moral Injury With Veterans, Corey V. Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Moral injury is not a new concept but there are present concerns surrounding the shortage of noted experiences of Veterans having dealt with moral injury. In addition, challenges in agreeing to a general definition and diagnostic criteria for moral injury are acknowledged. The lack of consensus on what is moral injury, diagnosis requirements, and treatment options are likely to complicate matters further in the future. The inability of the mental health industry and providers to determine a concrete foundation encompassing moral injury led to challenges to the delivery of care to individuals dealing with a moral injury such as Veterans …

Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A More Severe Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? A Training For Mental Health Professionals, Sadie K. Baxter

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) remains elusive to many practitioners due to its lack of recognition in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Accordingly, this severe psychiatric disorder may become misdiagnosed, underdiagnosed, mistreated, or untreated. Another common misinterpretation is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a substitute diagnosis out of misinformation or lack of knowledge. Provided is a conceptualization of CPTSD for clarity on this unique, distinct disorder. Moreover, a further discussion among variables differentiating PTSD and CPTSD is presented, implicating the need for awareness, familiarity and comfort among clinicians, and advocation for the diagnosis …

An Investigation Of The Impacts Of Locus Of Control On Marital Satisfaction Among Wives Of Combat Veterans With Ptsd In The U.S., Rachel Sims

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant cause of marital instability and divorce among PTSD veterans, which researchers have cited in the field of psychological disorders. The current study investigated the psychological structure of how marital satisfaction was related to the locus of control among wives of veterans with PTSD diagnosis. No prior studies have explored this relationship, as shown from an extensive search in current literature. The study compared the reported marital satisfaction of women with the locus of control to fill this gap. The family systems theory was applied to guide this research study. In addition, the study …

The Negative Impact Of Service Member And Veteran Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) Rating Or Specter Of Ptsd On Child Custody Arrangements, Erhan Bedestani

Catholic University Journal of Law and Technology

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of Faith-Based Group Life Coaching On Stress And Anxiety Levels In Spouses Of Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Esperanza Pilar Guerra Lugo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Veterans who courageously served in the military are often diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and their spouses are at high risk of suffering in silence from stress and anxiety. Many spouses are also their Veteran’s caregiver which leaves little time for their own self-care needs. Being a Veteran’s 24-hour caregiver can lead to poor physical and mental health, aggravating spouses stress and anxiety levels which is often only treated with medication or goes untreated due to lack of mental health care access and the stigma that comes with it. The literature review explores the research gap of how online faith-based …

Enhancing U.S. Navy Chaplain Care For Sufferers Of Post-Traumatic Stress, Moral Injury, And Loss Of Purpose, Jonathan Michael Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Currently, there is no standardized screening and counseling model that enables Navy Chaplains to counsel those with post-traumatic stress injury, moral injury, and loss of purpose. The shame associated with these three conditions is a significant contributor to Service Member suicide, mental health problems, and substance abuse. Chaplains are often the first line of care Service Member’s access because of the chaplain’s accessibility and legally protected complete confidentiality. U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army veterans that completed at least one deployment were solicited to participate in this research thesis. Data was collected through participants’ completion of the Modified Military Moral …

Invisible Wounds: Assessing The Awareness Of Moral Injury Among Toronto Police, Daniel Saugh

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Moral injury is believed to exist within the Canadian Police Services though it is difficult to recognize and is usually ignored. The research data emerging from military and first responders (i.e., police, firefighters, and EMS personnel) reveal the effects of moral injury and its implications for mental and spiritual health as it persists throughout the life and career of those affected.

This study investigates how moral injury may emerge from a potentially traumatic event(s) and/or psychological trauma and/or independent from such trauma and how moral injury may come to exist in members of the Toronto Police Service, as well as …

Improving Veterans’ Psychological Well-Being With A Positive Psychology Gratitude Exercise, Clara Im Adkins

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The demand for therapeutic services and effective counseling interventions aimed at rehabilitating veterans has increased exponentially over the past thirty years. Veterans with PTSD symptoms experience several problems including, relationship issues, lower life satisfaction, suicidal ideation, isolation, and comorbid diagnoses. Current research on veterans diagnosed with PTSD suggests integrating wellness and strength-based approaches aimed at developing positive psychology characteristics into clinical services for veterans. Gratitude is a core construct in positive psychology and has been practiced in cultures all over the world. Gratitude journal interventions have been proven to increase well-being, positive affect, social relationships, optimism, life satisfaction, and lower …

The Silent Disease Of Law Enforcement Officers: The Stigma Of Mental Health In Law Enforcement Identity And Mental Health Outcomes, Timothy Lavelle Myles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the organizational and personal factors affecting law enforcement officers' willingness to seek mental health assistance following a stressful/traumatic experience from the perspective of the law enforcement officer. The effect of stigmas associated with mental health-seeking behaviors and its impact on the reluctance of law enforcement officers' willingness to seek assistance is the central phenomenon of this study. Study participants included twelve active and retired law enforcement officers from the northern part of the state of Minnesota in an effort to elicit rich narratives and lived experience from this target population. …

Development Of A Method For Utilizing Oriental Belly Dance Rhythms To Deepen A Client’S Understanding Of Their Emotions After Experiencing Trauma, And Move Towards Healing, Jenny Nehir Eish-Baltaoglu

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

A workshop was offered to local women in North Eastern Ohio who have experienced trauma and are facing uncomfortable emotions or unpleasant memories as a result. A guided body scan, Focusing Oriented Art directives, and improvisational movement explorations were employed to deepen awareness and understanding of the emotions and memories participants wished to have better control over. Three movement rhythms, which are central to the ancient feminine dance form popularly known as belly dance, were explored through improvisational movement both as a group and independently. These movement rhythms included staccato pops and locks, fluid figure eights, and vibratory shimmies. Participants …

Exploring The Experience Of Psychological Distress For Young Adults With Cancer: Implications For A New Diagnosis Of Medical Traumatic Stress, Audrey Ryan

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how a serious medical diagnosis, such as cancer, can act as an acute or prolonged trauma. This was explored through the lived experiences of psychological distress of young cancer survivors. Participants were 12 men and women who had been diagnosed with cancer within the past seven years when they were between the ages of 18 and 39. From these interviews several themes emerged that describe the phenomenon of what I have termed medical traumatic stress.

Trauma from a medical event does not currently meet criteria for PTSD in the DSM-5 …

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Healing Mindfully, Taylor Kay West

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health disorder that has had some pretty significant changes over history. Affected populations, symptomatology, among other things have changed with the disorder as more has become known. Although not every individual who experiences a traumatic event will develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, it is imperative to be aware of the effects of trauma. Trauma affects a fairly significant (5%) amount of the general population of children and adolescents ages 13-18. However, when one looks into the youth that are incarcerated in juvenile detention centers, the amount of youth who meet the criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress …

Police Officer Trauma In Rural Minnesota: A Narrative Study, John J. Littlewolf

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

We call on police officers to respond to all of society’s tragedies. Whether in our metropolitan areas or our rural communities, law enforcement will respond when called upon. The culture of law enforcement is laden with traits of masculinity. These cultural traits can inhibit the processing of traumatic experiences in the individual. While the nature of law enforcement has remained the same, our scientific knowledge regarding trauma has grown. Trauma has a biological impact which can manifest as stress symptomology or PTSD. Our systematic response to trauma in law enforcement has not kept pace with the body of knowledge on …

A Commentary On Trauma’S Different Layers, Mike Kaufman , M.A., L.M.F.T.

Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review

This article highlights how trauma may be caused by factors aside from catastrophic events, physical violence or accidents resulting in physical injury. Examples of trauma beyond the more commonly known causes are detailed. This article also emphasizes how individuals engaging in psychotherapy may at times lack awareness that their self-reported dilemma, or symptoms, may stem from early relational trauma. The following commentary originated with first-hand clinical experience and was reinforced by literature. It is important to recognize that individuals reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety are most effectively treated in psychotherapy when past trauma is accurately identified as the root …

Beyond Words: Expressive Arts Therapy In Individual And Group Process In Recovery From Trauma, Agnes Carbrey

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This paper describes expressive arts therapies that are interventions for the treatment of trauma. A literature review of this broad topic is narrowed to define art therapy used in conjunction with talk therapy, and provides brief examples from dance movement therapy, visual arts therapy, poetry-journaling-storytelling therapy, and sound-music therapy. Recent innovations in the field include the use of body-oriented interventions and group processes. When thinking about trauma, the body is a positive and negative reservoir of memory, and trauma may be trapped in the body. The author reviews the overlap between contemporary art, contemporary dance movement analysis, and forms of …

When A Stone Is Not A Stone: Memories Of Clerical Abuse, Charles V. Sords

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

From the fourth to the sixth grades, Charles V. Sords suffered traumatic sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. He suppressed these memories, yet the pain of what happened impacted every aspect of his life. As an adult, several strong, sensory experiences brought the truth of his childhood into focus. He confronted the Church—and the system that protected clerical criminals. This memoir is an account of childhood sexual abuse, the particularly shameful nature of being raped by priests, and how the Catholic Church’s method of handling this and similarly horrifying revelations has re-traumatized survivors.

A Therapeutic Pastoral Counseling Program Designed To Reveal And Treat Combat Events Of Homeless Veterans In Wake County, North Carolina, Earnest Lee Shannon Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project researched homelessness among male veterans in Wake County, North Carolina to determine if they experienced a combat event that caused spiritual injury caused by moral injury and shame, which contributed to their homelessness. Joshua’s Conquest, the spiritual formation treatment program is used to treat the spiritual injury. The need for this program is explicated, along with the development of Joshua’s Conquest, and how it will treat this odious event, so the homeless male veteran will be able to obtain housing normalcy. Personally, this thesis project was fueled by experiences with homelessness and limited service in the military. …

An Evaluation Of Implementing Trauma-Informed Care Training In Healthcare Settings, Amanda Kis

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Trauma-informed care (TIC) has recently become a popular topic in medical science. Many patients’ health conditions have been diagnosed and treated purely as medical issues, yet emerging research indicates that trauma is sometimes the source of many physical and mental conditions. Implementing TIC education in healthcare systems may lead to preventing the onset of symptomology related to undiagnosed, chronic trauma experience.

Objectives: The primary goal of this Capstone project was to implement TIC training developed by Trauma Matters Omaha Coalition and assess preliminary evidence for changes in participants’ confidence, clinical knowledge, professional knowledge, self-awareness, and assumptions and biases regarding …

Social Work Trauma Interventions: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Kassie Baumann

Senior Honors Theses

According to Lynne Weilart (2013), in her article on the reasons why people seek out therapy, trauma is the number one reason people attend counseling. Many different trauma-informed approaches are designed specifically to address the consequences of trauma and to facilitate healing. Some of these approaches are as follows: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT);Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT); Trauma Systems Therapy (TST); Trauma Assessment Pathway (TAP); and Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC) (de Arellano, Danielson, Ko, & Sprauge, 2008). The effectiveness of each trauma intervention will be examined. DBT is one of these trauma interventions that is growing …

Spiritually Oriented Cognitive Processing Therapy For Spiritual Struggle In Christian Sexual Assault Survivors With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Deborah Driggs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A Single Case Research Design (SCRD) with a multiple-baseline across participants was used to investigate the effects Spiritually Oriented Cognitive Processing Therapy-Cognitive (SOCPT-C) had on spiritual struggle, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scores and depression in four Christian sexual assault survivors with PTSD reporting spiritual struggle. A complex reciprocal relationship between spiritual struggle and PTSD is suggested in the literature as influencing posttraumatic adjustment and treatment for Christian trauma survivors. Many empirically supported treatments (EST) for PTSD lack spiritual interventions to directly target effects from this relationship. Individuals completed an online pre-screening evaluation and an assessment was scheduled with those meeting …

Ptsd, Complex Ptsd, And Childhood Abuse: Gender Differences Among A Homeless Sample, Sabina De Vries, Gerald A. Juhnke, Cherie Trahan Keene

Counseling and Guidance Faculty Publications (Archived)

The current study examined the potential relationship between homelessness, gender, and occurrence of Post-Traumatic Distress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD. Participants were 90 homeless persons from shelters located in a large, South Central Texas, metropolitan city of approximately 1.9 million persons. The study found that homeless participants reported high levels of childhood emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Homeless women reported higher rates of childhood abuse and were affected by PTSD at a higher frequency than homeless males. PTSD, Complex PTSD, and traumatic experiences such as childhood abuse appear to be contributing factors to homelessness. Results suggest the need for increased …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of The Crisis Care & Counseling Course Within The Special Operations Forces At The Joint Special Operations University, Mary Ann Quartetti

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The Special Operations Forces have experienced a surge in PTSD and suicides in the past several years, now surpassing conventional military branches. Due to the attached stigma for seeking help from mental health professions and potential negative career effects, military personnel are more likely to seek counseling from their unit chaplain. The U.S. military does not require chaplains to have a counseling degree or certification in counseling as a prerequisite to performing duties as a chaplain, although most Masters of Divinity programs do include some counseling courses. The military does provide limited training to its chaplains in counseling. Special Operations …

Military-Related Ptsd And Working With Couples In Private Practice: Emotion-Focused Therapy, Psychoeducation, And Evolutionary Perspective, Sabina De Vries

Counseling and Guidance Faculty Publications (Archived)

The aim of this article is to provide information and treatment suggestions to mental health services providers who work with couples with trauma-related problems. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment dropout rates, evolutionary perspective of PTSD, emotion-focused therapy (EFT), emotionally focused couples therapy, and psychoeducational strategies are discussed. A hypothetical case example is provided to illustrate how psychoeducation and information pertaining to trauma responses and evolution can be integrated with emotion-focused therapy to work with traumatized persons/couples in a private practice setting.

Ptsd From Childhood Trauma As A Precursor To Attachment Issues, Christy Owen

Fidei et Veritatis: The Liberty University Journal of Graduate Research

The past 20 years have been turbulent regarding Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), with conflicting research about its causes, effects, treatment, and prognosis. The current diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5 fails to adequately address this disorder. A number of deviant and maladaptive behaviors common amongst children with RAD are not even mentioned in the diagnostic criteria. As such, the diagnostic definition is almost unidentifiable or incompatible with real-life conduct manifestations of the disorder. Rather, this author contends that RAD is foundationally a unique and extreme form of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from Early Childhood Trauma. The child endured unspeakable neglect and/or …

Ptsd In The 20th Century American Military: Its Diagnosis, Effects, Treatment, And Management, With A Focus On The Vietnam War, Christy L. Connell

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Soldiers have been affected by PTSD for as long as war has existed. The American Military in the twentieth century is no exception. PTSD did not become a diagnosable disease until 1980, and before then it was misdiagnosed as different anxiety disorders and neuroses. Symptoms, treatment options, and long-term affects of PTSD are also discussed. Though other other wars in which America was involved are mentioned, those that receive a more thorough analysis are World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Although PTSD is an increasing problem in modern times for those involved in military conflicts, there …

How Therapists Use And Choose Mindfulness To Treat Trauma, Jessica M. King

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

This qualitative study used the phenomenological method to examine how therapists use mindfulness therapies and interventions to address trauma-salient issues with their clients. Specifically, it explored therapists’ use of and choices about mindfulness-based treatments when addressing post-traumatic stress symptoms, and trauma-relevant emotion dysregulation and attachment injury. Informants were associate and fully-licensed local therapists, recruited using convenience sampling and snowball sampling by word-of-mouth referrals. Data was collected by semi-structured interviewing. Interview data was analyzed with Moustakas’ (1994) recommended procedures for analysis of phenomenological data. Results, Discussion, Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research are described at the end.

Hiroshima And Mass Trauma Today: Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Individuals And Communities, Ashley Martinez

International ResearchScape Journal

At 8:15 am on August 6^th, 1945, the world and the way in which we fight wars changed forever. Immediately following the drop of the Little Boy atomic bomb, the city of Hiroshima was decimated, leaving the surviving citizens to deal with poverty, starvation, loss of loved ones, and utter destruction of their lives. After the bombing, survivors were left with burns, radiation poisoning, and physical scars. Unknown to the survivors of the atomic bombings, or Hibakusha, were the ensuing psychological and emotional damages. In 2014, we know more about traumatic experiences than in 1945. Studies from …

Prospective Effects Of Sexual Victimization On Ptsd And Problem Drinking, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Sarah E. Ullman

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problem drinking are common and often co-occurring sequelae experienced by women survivors of adult sexual assault, yet it remains unclear whether survivors drink to cope with PTSD symptoms or whether PTSD symptoms are exacerbated by drinking. Thus, we used a cross-lagged panel design with a large (N = 555), ethnically diverse sample of women assault survivors to determine whether PTSD prospectively led to problem drinking or vice versa. We also examined whether cumulative sexual victimization experiences related to greater PTSD and problem drinking. Structural equation modeling revealed that child sexual abuse was associated with …