Counseling Commons^™

Religion, Spirituality, And Sexual Minority Identity Development, Jake C. Kirschner

Counselor Education Capstones

The LGBTQIA+ relationship with religion is diverse and complex. Historically, many religions have marginalized LGBTQIA+ people. The historic marginalization of queer people has created a complex relationship with religion for many queer people, this can lead to difficulty integrating both religious and sexual affective identities into an integrated identity. It is important to note that not all religions have historically marginalized queer people and many queer individuals do not experience difficulty integrating their religious and sexual identities. Individuals who are able to integrate their varying religious and sexual affective identities experience better mental health outcomes than those who are unable …

Experiential-Based Research Depicting Humanistic Survival After Violent Victimization & Traumatization Exploring Human Resilience, Spirituality, Meditation & Expressive Writing, Sabrina Harris

Dissertations

Unattended trauma-induced stressors resulting from incidents of violent victimization can escalate into mental health challenges, including trauma-related and substance-abuse disorders, which most often co-occur in a debilitating manner. Therefore, it is essential to conduct ongoing exploratory research on cognitive-based approaches (e.g., spirituality), psychological adaptations (e.g., human resilience), and trauma-informed approaches (e.g., meditation, expressive writing), which serve to reduce or offset the adverse impact of trauma.

Twelve women who experienced victimization and traumatization but did not seek professional mental-health intervention were interviewed; six had been abused as children and eight as adults. Some did not contact or follow through with reports …

Recovery A Lifelong Journey: What It Means To Get Clean And Stay In Long-Term Recovery, Nicole E. Willis Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study will be to describe long-term recovery (LTR) from drug addiction for African American (AA) recovering addicts (RAs) who have ten or more years in recovery and are members of Narcotics Anonymous (NA). The theory guiding this study is the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) (Stages of Change) (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1977) as it describes the process of how individuals change their habitual behavior/s by transitioning through five stages of change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance,). TTM indicates that positive behavioral change is an ongoing process which is significant to understanding these factors in relation to …

Separated By Geographical Location And Lineage: A Case Study Design Using Qualitative Methodology In Research On Hope, Love, And Resilience During A Family Reunion, Cynthia Dee Reece

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Family reunions are extensive functions in the African American community. The family members look forward to seeing one another, year after year, to share on various topics such as births, marriages, weddings, educational accomplishments, employment advancements, as well as deaths that have occurred. Often, some family members cannot attend reunions due to the distance or financial and economic hardships. Geographical location is a major hurdle to overcome when there is a lack of finances. Additionally, a mindset of not being accepted or assured of love in the family due to the perceived lineage of a family member or absence from …

An Investigation Into Posttraumatic Growth And Resilience After Trauma In African American Women, Britney A. Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among posttraumatic growth, resilience, and trauma in African American women. Posttraumatic Growth Theory was used as the theoretical foundation for the study. A correlational survey design was used to investigate the relationships among the variables of posttraumatic growth, resilience, and trauma among African American women. Four instruments were used in this study, including a demographic survey developed by the researcher, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 (CD-RISC-10), and the Life Event Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). This study will investigate how spirituality is used as a coping skill …

An Examination Of Faith And Faith-Based Practices On Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Afro-Caribbean Immigrants In The United States, Shanta K. Pamphile

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This dissertation presents the findings of a qualitative study exploring the negotiation of faith among Afro-Caribbean immigrants regarding their decision to seek support with the stress of adjusting to the United States. The analysis revealed that Afro-Caribbean immigrants experience high-stress levels as they pursue economic, professional and social advancement in the United States. The persistence of these stressors, with long-lasting residual effects, warrants psychological support. Migrants, although relying heavily on their faith for support with this stress, are willing to seek support. However, they must work through worries of caution and trust and need to discern whether seeking support may …

The Role Of Military Chaplains And Effective Spiritual Care For Strengthening Military Marriages During Deployments, Carl Michael Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military chaplains provide spiritual support and counseling to the military populations alongside conducting religious services. As a military process, chaplaincy operates as a liaison between military personnel, mental health professionals, and clinical marriage counselors. In this context, the military population is extensive and consists of military personnel, military chaplains, and their civilian families. It must be acknowledged that various service-motivated challenges confront these individuals. For instance, military marriages are threatened by lengthy deployment and family separations. Therefore, it is significant to contextualize military marriages’ coping, survival, and strengthening as most contemporary researchers have focused on this subject. Most studies have …

Attitudes Toward Participation In Organized Religion: Its Impact On Mental Health And Life Satisfaction, Kayla M. Riley, Jonathan Riley

Journal of Graduate Education Research

This is a non-experimental study which is designed to discover potential relationships between an individual’s attitude towards participation in organized religion and their mental health, as well as their life satisfaction. The study contained 203 young adults taken from a convenience sample using social media, e-mail, and SMS messages. The research was conducted using a survey form composed of three instruments intended to measure attitude towards religion, general well-being, and life satisfaction. The results from the study indicated that there is a weak positive relationship between one’s attitude towards organized religion and mental health. Additionally, the results also indicated that …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Tobacco Use In A Mexican Spanish Speaking Sample In The United States, Lauren Hales

Master's Theses

To address disparities in minority mental health access and treatment, this study examined the relationship between tobacco use and religiosity, focusing on a Mexican Spanish speaking sample. Based on past research, it was hypothesized that religiosity would act as a protective factor against tobacco use characteristics. Participants were recruited through Amazon’s M*Turk survey platform. The sample included 144 adults aged 18+, currently residing in the US, who speak Mexican Spanish, have had an interaction with a medical provider in the last six months, and have used tobacco daily at some point in the last six months. Along with demographic information, …

Pentecostal Spirituality And Counseling, Edward E. Decker Jr., Haley R. French, Stephen Parker

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

The relationship between pentecostal spirituality and counseling remains underdeveloped. This article applies various aspects of pentecostal theology and spirituality to counseling. After briefly orienting readers to pentecostalism and defining pentecostal spirituality, the authors identify five elements of pentecostal spirituality that illumine the way pentecostal clinicians think about and practice counseling and therapy: a pneumatological imagination, narrative structures, counselor affections (dispositions), Spirit empowerment, and Spirit-directed change.

Faith-Based Counseling Versus Traditional Psychotherapy: A Phenomenological Evaluation Of African American Protestant Experiences, Shannon Gray

Dissertations

This phenomenological study was designed to evaluate the experiences of African American Christian adult clients within traditional psychotherapy and faith-based counseling settings. Research has shown various therapist/counselor identities affect Christian African American clients, and that Christians as well as African Americans have historically been less likely to pursue traditional psychotherapy for a variety of reasons. Participants were six African American Christian adult participants (three traditional psychotherapy participants and three faith-based counseling participants). All participants were asked open-ended questions about their experiences in traditional psychotherapy or faith-based counseling. In addition, they were asked to evaluate several aspects of their therapy/counseling experience …

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. …

Heart, Soul, Mind, And Strength: Understanding Spirituality's Transformative Impact As Assisted By Intradisciplinary Integration, Christopher Taylor Stokes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Spirituality is an essential and deeply embedded part of Black Americans’ psyche. The counseling field has largely overlooked the roles of spirituality and religious beliefs in the development of the consciousness of this demographic. In the treatment of Black Americans, particularly Black churchgoers, this can be a serious oversight. The purpose of this DMin action research thesis is to provide sufficient intradisciplinary integrative spiritual teaching to effect holistic coping strategies for Lake Providence’s Mid-Week Bible Study Service members. The goal is to bring healing through an intradisciplinary integrative teaching approach utilizing psychology, theology, and spirituality. If the members of Lake …

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 …

Integrating Prayer And Faith In Complementary Alternative Medicine Into Treating Breast Cancer: Lived Experiences, Barbara Orticelli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcended phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of women who have survived breast cancer and how complementary alternative medicine (CAM), such as prayer and spirituality, were incorporated into their treatments. The research questions used to frame this study include: 1) How do women describe their experiences in seeking to engage faith and prayer praxis as a form of complementary alternative medicine in breast cancer treatment? 2) How do women describe their decision process in choosing faith and prayer as a form of complementary alternative medicine in their breast cancer treatment? The theory guiding this …

Surviving The Affair: A Qualitative Phenomenological Case Study Of The Strategies Couples Utilize To Repair Their Marriage Successfully After The Occurrence Of Infidelity, Kimberly J. Youngblood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research explores couples' strategies in reconstructing their marriage after infidelity, thereby avoiding divorce. The research questions provide a clear focus on the discovery process through a phenomenological design and the use of semi-structured interviews. The literature review illustrates the history of marriage, fidelity, infidelity, predictors, general reasons for infidelity, the impact on the marriage, and tools utilized by couples who successfully repair their marriage after infidelity. The methods section provides a framework for implementing the study and includes details about the process of recruiting participants, interviewing participants, transcript review, codes, and theme development. The presentation of the findings illuminates …

Time For A Change? The Lived Experiences Of Abortion Workers Who Left The Industry, Susan Marie Cole

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain insight and understanding into the lived experiences of those who have worked in a medical facility or freestanding clinic providing abortion services and eventually chose to leave the industry due to moral distress. Two research questions are addressed in this study: What is the lived experience of former abortion workers who left the field due to moral distress both before and after their transition from the industry? And, What were (and are) the perceived bio-psycho-social-spiritual impacts of abortion work for those who ultimately left the field due to moral distress? A …

From Whence Cometh Her Strength, Janis E. Roberson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

On May 29, 1851, Isabella Baumfree, a 54-year-old former slave, delivered the keynote address at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio. Baumfree, better known as Sojourner Truth, could have focused her speech on the lashes grooved in her back, or her children she watched sold off into slavery. Yet her rallying cry came in the form of a simple question: “Ain’t I a woman?” Before gendered racial microaggressions had been defined, Sojourner Truth recognized that although she was a woman, she was not treated the same as non-Black women. There is no shortage of data on the deleterious effects of …

Analysis Of Zero Balancing Case Studies Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Deanna Waggy Otr, Msa, Czb, Csla

Journal of Transformative Touch

Does Zero Balancing positively impact occupational performance? This is a question many Occupational Therapists (OTs) ask when discerning if Zero Balancing (ZB) is an evidence-based treatment modality. Case studies from the book Experiencing the Power of Zero Balancing: Case Studies of Journeys to Health and Wholeness (Quarry & King, 2016) were reviewed and compared to the Occupational Therapy domain of practice to show clear evidence that each case study had a positive impact on occupational performance. A comparison chart shows a direct link between the occupational categories and documented evidence of improved occupational performance through practitioner observation and client feedback …

The Experiences Of Religiously And Spiritually Diverse Counselors And Psychotherapists Who Work With Survivors Of Sexual Violence, John M. Waters

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of religiously and spiritually diverse counselors and psychotherapists who work with survivors of sexual violence. The researcher used a transcendental phenomenological approach to understand how the participants engaged their religious and/or spiritual identity to cope with the traumatic stress that accompanies continuous exposure to their clients’ trauma narratives over time. As the only study that has examined these phenomena qualitatively, the present study aimed to enhance counselors and counselor educators’ understanding of the ways that religiously and spiritually diverse counselors make meaning of their experiences. The researcher collected …

Nature And Its Place In Professional Counseling: A Qualitative Study Of Expert Views, Experiences, And Future Plans, Matthew V. Bukowski

Dissertations, 2020-current

Recent publications and initiatives within professional counseling indicate a growing interest in the connections between human wellness and the natural world. Despite consistent growth of this trend between the years 2000 and 2021, there has been little dialogue within the profession about the ethical, ideological, and social justice implications of integrating nature therapy with professional counseling and counselor education. This study investigated the views, experiences, and future plans of 10 counselor educators who integrate nature therapy into their professional roles and developed two major themes and 12 subthemes that encapsulate their responses. Participants in the study overall shared a desire …

An Exploration Of Military Spouse Mental Health: Religion/Spirituality, Resilience, Social Support, Deployment, And Rank, Sharita Gwen Knobloch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military spouses (MLSPs) are a vital component of military readiness and resilience, yet they are highly understudied, particularly within the realm of mental health. This study was grounded in resilience theory, investigating relationship interactions between religion/spirituality (R/S) on mental health through resilience (mediator) conditioned at levels of social support, deployment, and rank (moderators). An online survey was distributed via social media, open to MLSPs of all branches and all components (N = 1079). This quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional correlational research design utilized PROCESS Model 58, which found that two R/S subscales, Daily Spiritual Experiences and Religious Coping, exerted indirect effects on …

All God's Children: An Exploratory Study Of Factors To Promote Inclusion Of Autistic Children Within Local Church Congregations, David John Scott Quel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the gap that exists within the literature concerning the parent’s perspective for incorporating Autistic individuals into the life of the church. The theory guiding this study is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In Maslow’s hierarchy, there are five level of needs. These areas are physical needs, security needs, love and belonging, esteem needs and self-actualization. These are the most basic needs whether someone is disabled, has special needs, or has no problems at all. The problem remains, far too often, those individuals who are on the Autistic spectrum are looked at as …

The Value Of Adapting Counseling To Client’S Spirituality And Religion: Evidence-Based Relationship Factors, Amelia L. Evans, Jennifer Koenig Nelson

Graduate School Faculty Publications

There is a strong tradition of attention to relationship factors in the field of counseling. The research on the importance of the relationship and adapting to client factors continues to grow, supporting the importance of professional multicultural competence. The field of counseling, specifically within the United States context, has focused on Multicultural Counseling Competencies with more recent emphasis on social justice through the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies. Within these competencies, spirituality and religion are mentioned as multicultural components to consider as potentially salient to clients. Yet, there has been less emphasis on ways to adapt counseling to a …

Predicting Students' Spiritual And Religious Competence Based On Supervisor Practices And Institutional Attendance, Andrew P. Secor, Corinne W. Bridges

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Counseling students report a lack of competence in spiritual and religious integration (SRI). As such, counselor educators and supervisors (CES) and students want to understand how to develop SRI competence. Although past research highlights SRI dialogue in training, there exists no clear understanding about the role of faculty supervisor SRI on perceived student competence. The supervision models used to inform the study included (a) the integrated developmental model, (b) the discrimination model, and (c) the spirituality in supervision model (SACRED). The purpose of this study is to determine if master’s-level graduate counseling student perceptions of faculty supervisor SRI practices predicts …

Confidence Or Control: Using Theory Of Planned Behavior To Explore Medical Residents' Intentions To Address Religion And Spirituality In Patient Care, Vanessa I. Saylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore whether subjective norms moderate the relationship between perceived control and behavioral intention and between self-efficacy and behavioral intention to address religion and spirituality (r/s) in patient care among first- through fifth-year medical residents. The study used a non-experimental design and included a sample of medical residents working in a hospital system in southeastern Pennsylvania during the summer of the 2021 were gathered to respond to the survey questionnaire measuring subjective norms, perceived control and behavioral control and behavioral intention, and self-efficacy variables. The instrument used for this study, Assessing Residents' Intentions to …

Grace, Legalism, And Life Outlook In Lds Students, Justin Brent Top

Theses and Dissertations

Intrinsic Spirituality has been linked to lower rates of depression and anxiety and higher positive mental functioning (Pargament, Exline & Jones, 2013). This may be due in part to beliefs which foster values that are important to positive outlook, such as faith, forgiveness, humility, love and community. It is also possible for strongly religious individuals to have maladaptive beliefs that may be problematic for their happiness and adjustment. Understanding how beliefs influence mental health can be helpful to therapists; particularly to those who deal with religious clients who are heavily influenced by their spiritual beliefs. This study looks at the …

The Impact Of Spirituality On Counseling Students’ Self-Perceived Professional Competencies, Lindsay Cobb

Journal of Graduate Education Research

The purpose of this non-experimental study was to explore the relationship between professional counseling students’ self-reported levels of spirituality with their perceived levels of professional competencies. The competencies referenced in this study are the eight core national standards competencies established by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The participants for this study were a convenience sample of 55 professional counseling students from a church-affiliated university in the southeastern United States. The participants completed surveys to indicate self-perceptions of both their spirituality and professional competencies. An analysis of the results revealed a weak positive correlation between …

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 …

The Implementation Of Spirituality In School Counseling, Molly Attoe

Counselor Education Capstones

Spirituality has been identified in empirical literature as a developmental asset for adolescence and a protective factor for areas including mental health, life satisfaction, purpose and behavior. These benefits emphasize the importance of spirituality exploration and development in this stage of life. School counselors, given their professional duties to support academics and social-emotional development, are in a prime position to achieve positive impact. Hesitations and limitations do exist for this practice, however. Lack of consensus and understanding surrounding the difference between religion and spirituality, as well as laws and policies complicating the incorporation of these areas in school have caused …