Counseling Commons^™

Female Medical Students’ Lived Experiences Of Financial Stress And Coping, Untara Shaikh, Dr. Kimberlee Bonura

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Financial stress is a pervasive concern among medical students, with documented associations with adverse physical health, psychological morbidity, and ineffective coping. This study focuses on understanding the financial stressors female medical students face and the coping strategies they employ. While financial stress and coping mechanisms have been explored in the literature, a notable gap exists in understanding these dynamics among female students.

The study employed a phenomenological research approach to obtain data from the respondents, where data collection involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The Adaptation Model of Nursing, complemented by Lazarus and Folkman's Coping Theory, was a comprehensive framework for analyzing …

Proposal & Plan For A Dialectical Behavior Therapy Teen Self-Esteem And Body Image Group, Emily Flaherty

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This document serves as a proposal and plan for a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Teen Self-Esteem and Body Image Group. Negative body image, disordered eating and low self-esteem are some common struggles of adolescence, this is largely attributed to societal standards of thinness and weight stigma (Levinson et al., 2024). Although it is common, it is not often spoken about which leaves teens feeling isolated with their negative thoughts and limiting self-beliefs. This group will serve as intervention to help teens build self-esteem, prevent or intervene with disordered eating habits, and improve their body satisfaction. The document will begin with …

Assessing Multiracial Experiences In Counseling: The Multiracial Life Story Interview, Kylie Mirabella

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Multiracial individuals face unique challenges, including denial or invalidation of racial identity, sensitized perception of discriminatory experiences, and monoracial cultural biases. These challenges may lead to race-related adverse mental health outcomes, prompting need for culturally responsive clinical mental health counseling. This paper introduces a tool called the Multiracial Life Story Interview, adapted from Dr. Dan P. McAdams’ Life Story Interview, based on findings from current multiracial counseling literature. This interview is aimed to promote multiracial client exploration of racial identity, counselor evaluation of racist incidents and/or discriminatory experiences, and overall multicultural competency.

Counselor Educator Attitudes And Beliefs Toward Psychedelics And Pat, Kimberly Hughes

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The psychedelic renaissance of the past two decades has introduced a new era of acceptability of and curiosity in historically maligned psychedelic compounds. With increasing positive evidence-based support, psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapies (PAT) are being embraced as legitimate psychotherapeutic mechanisms. The uptick in interest, acceptability, and use means that encountering psychedelics in the counseling room is not a question of if but when. As leaders within the field and educators of future generations of clinicians, counselor educators are uniquely poised to influence the field’s relationship with psychedelics. While no current studies have explicitly examined the attitudes and beliefs of counselor …

Losing It: Anti-Fat Bias And Implications For Counselors, Kate Bailey

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Anti-fat bias and stigma can be pervasive in the United States and can impact almost every aspect of culture in the U.S. Counselors are likely not exempt from holding anti-fat bias. Yet, anti-fat bias is often overlooked as an issue worthy of attention in a profession dedicated to advocacy. Anti-fat bias can negatively affect larger-bodied clients in the counselor/client relationship when counselors are unaware of the anti-fat bias that they hold. Using a framework of liberatory consciousness (awareness, analysis, action, and accountability) counselors may reduce the harm caused in the counselor/client relationship regarding anti-fat bias.

Let’S Get Creative: Using Creative Arts Interventions To Address Trauma Experiences, Ashley Oginz-Wilson

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Trauma as a theme in counseling work is something that mental health clinicians are commonly exposed to. While there are standard practices and therapeutic modalities to address trauma in counseling, it is important to maintain flexibility as a clinician to best meet the individual needs of the client. This literature review explores ways to embrace creative counseling interventions in support of clients with trauma experiences. Creative counseling interventions could include art, music, dance and movement, nature, humor, drama, and play. The premise of such interventions is that they offer clients a new way to express their feelings, memories, stories, etc. …

Wellbeing In The Caribbean: Exploring Wellness In Afro-Caribbean Populations, Lynnquell S. Gardiner

Dissertations, 2020-current

Research on Caribbean individuals’ mental health and wellness is scarce in the literature, especially for those residing in Caribbean regions. The purpose of these studies was to examine local definitions of wellness and explore the role of nature for Afro-Caribbean (AC) individuals who make up most of the Caribbean’s population. Using two popular wellness models, relevance of application was explored for use with AC women participants. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was further used to explore participants definitions of wellness, existing strengths, and challenges in maintaining balance as it relates to wellness. Family connection, rest, and being in nature were significant …

The Complexities Of The Counselor Identity Amid Mental Health Crisis Response In Higher Education: An Examination Of Ethical And Moral Challenges, Burnout And Support, Shayna Finn

Dissertations, 2020-current

Supporting faculty and students in crisis response on higher education campuses is of growing importance in light of the rising mental health issues that students are experiencing. The focus of this dissertation is to gain an understanding of the experiences of counselor educators due to their unique identities: those of a counselor and educator. The format is a 3-style article dissertation with the first 2 articles being data driven (1 quantitative and 1 qualitative study) and the third article is a conceptual piece. Manuscript 1 focuses on moral injury and burnout for those who identify as a counselor in higher …

Addressing Youth Mental Health Through School Counseling, Advocacy, And Student Voice, Elizabeth Dinwiddie

Dissertations, 2020-current

Youth mental health concerns, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, are a global public health concern. These concerns inevitably manifest in school settings, where K-12 youth are spending significant portions of their time. While schools, districts, and state and federal policies are working to expand mental health support in school settings, school counselors are still the most consistently/universally present mental health professionals in school settings across the United States. The combination of school counselor placement in school settings and training to identify and support youth mental health make them incredible assets in this work. Despite this, school counselors have historically managed inconsistent …

Revolutionizing Counselor Education Through Cultural Humility: A Critical Examination Of Pedagogical Practices, Educators’ Experiences, And Determining Factors, Renee L. Haskins

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation addresses the need for counselor educators and supervisors to cultivate cultural humility to adequately prepare their students and supervisees for the complexities of working with diverse client populations. Emphasizing the ongoing need for self-reflection and the evaluation of biases within multicultural contexts, this series highlights the dynamic nature of competency development in counseling. Through an exploration of personal experiences and perspectives, counselors at all career stages are encouraged to engage in continuous growth, thereby enhancing their capacity to navigate diverse cultural landscapes and serve clients effectively. The first manuscript provides a conceptual exploration, focusing on the pedagogical approach …

Exploring The Intersection Of Mental Health, Self-Advocacy, And Sense Of Belonging Among Rural, First-Generation College Students, Sarah Johnson

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation delves into the intersections of social and cultural capital, self-advocacy, sense of belonging, and the experiences of mental health help-seeking among rural, first-generation college students. Rural, first-generation college students face unique challenges throughout their academic journey, this dissertation aims to contribute to the literature by examining the experiences and support mechanisms that are crucial for this population to be successful in higher education. This dissertation follows a triple-manuscript style, including a conceptual manuscript, quantitative manuscript, and a qualitative manuscript. The conceptual manuscript examined how college counselors can build contextual social and cultural capital among rural, first-generation college students …

Lived Experiences Of Korean Immigrant Women In The U.S., Jinok Lim

Dissertations, 2020-current

Korean immigrant women encounter distinct challenges during and after the immigration process, yet there is a noticeable scarcity of research focusing on this demographic. Immigration, often perceived as a traumatic experience, exerts a profound impact on various facets of immigrants' lives. Despite trauma's potential to yield diverse negative consequences, there exists acknowledgment of positive transformations following such experiences, commonly referred to as posttraumatic growth. This research endeavors to scrutinize the phenomenon of posttraumatic growth in Korean immigrant women. The initial investigation employs a quantitative approach to explore the correlation between immigration-related factors—such as age at immigration, English proficiency, acculturation level, …

Emotion Regulation Strategies And Perceived Emotional Intelligence: The Effect Of Age., Iwanna Sepiadou

Adultspan Journal

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. We also investigated the possible effects of age on the aforementioned variables. The total sample consisted of 379 people (158 men, 220 women, 1 unreported). Across participants, 273 were young (20-39 years old) and 106 were middle-aged (40-65 years old). We found statistically significant positive correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and negative primarily correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of …

Trust Judgements Of Facial Stimuli, Linsey Culkins

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Professional counselors and clients who meet in healthcare facilities may be required to wear masks if COVID community transmission levels are high ([CDC], 2022). The current 4-part study examines how masking may affect therapeutic alliances via judgements of trust formed during first impressions. A 2(trustworthiness) x 5(facial feature visibility) within-subjects factorial design was used to assess one implicit measure of pleasantness using an Affect Misattribution Procedure as well as explicit facial judgements of valence, dominance, and trustworthiness (Payne & Lundberg, 2014). Using E-prime, undergraduate psychology students responded to faces previously rated as high or low in trustworthiness in all parts …

The Long-Term Effects Of The Negative Stereotypes On Black Women, Ashley L. Mock

Counselor Education Capstones

Black women have historically faced unique experiences in the United States since the era of slavery. The capstone paper is focused on understanding the long-term effects of negative stereotypes when it comes to Black women. The research explores the complex elements surrounding the experiences of Black women, mainly focusing on historical contexts, prevalent stereotypes such as the strong Black woman schema, and the intersecting challenges of gendered racial discrimination. The research delves into the influence of family dynamics in shaping these stereotypes and examines how intersectionality influences Black women’s identity. Furthermore, the research investigates the complicated relationship between negative stereotypes …

Creative Writing And Reading For Groups: Creating With Words, Responding Without Them. A Community Intervention., Marcela Morgheinstern

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis explores creative writing and reading groups for therapeutic purposes from historical, research, and neuroscience perspectives. The purpose was to differentiate creative writing and reading from other writing techniques and to incorporate its resources in a community Expressive Arts Therapy intervention. The benefits of reading, writing, and groups for well-being are described. A creative writing experience as a center of an Expressive Arts Therapy intervention was planned and executed, and its description and results are included. The author advocates for the therapeutic possibilities of language when used as a creative tool.

From Injustice To Social Justice Education: The Journey Of Formerly Incarcerated Women Of Color In Community College, Hossna Sadat Ahadi

Dissertations

There is a growing rate of women of color in the U.S. prison system—their intersectional identities are hypercriminalized surrounding the nexus of oppressive barriers they experience (Annamma, 2017). The lack of awareness, understanding, and advocacy for carceral-impacted women of color in higher education has engendered an erasure. This qualitative research study explored and elevated the lived experiences and intersectional identities of formerly incarcerated women of color in postsecondary education. Through the lens of Latino critical race theory (LatCrit) and Chicana feminism, four methods of data collection took place—surveys, cajitas, testimonios, and reflective journaling. Formerly incarcerated women of color experienced the …

Supporting Students With Chronic Pain: A Group Manual For School Counselors, Victoria Shinners

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this literature review was to examine the current literature on evidence-based interventions for working with youth who have a chronic pain condition. Interventions and other relevant information found were then used to formulate a school counseling group manual utilizing evidence-based interventions for school counselors to deliver to a group of students who live with chronic pain. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported intervention for use with people with chronic pain, adolescents, and group work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a newer modality that has promising research on efficacy for adolescents with chronic pain and …

Expressive Therapies And Resiliency – Resistance In Mental Health: A Literature Review, Gabrielle Lopez

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This review evaluates the current literature on psychological resistance amongst human service professionals experiencing burnout and the effect of Expressive Arts interventions on resiliency. Concepts include identifying the main symptoms, risk factors, causes, and treatments for burnout in education faculty, medical staff, and clinicians. Qualitative, quantitative, and meta-analysis studies are included to identify the most prevalent intervention frameworks for reducing stress including Arts-Based and Mindfulness-compassion based techniques. The effectiveness of Arts-based tools on strengthening identity, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and meaning-making in combating burnout is presented. Based on analysis of the literature, the author proposes a three-step intervention framework for utilizing …

A Literature Review Examining Current And Future Directions Of Dyadic Expressive Therapies Work With Persons With Dementia And Their Informal Caregivers, Olivia Griffin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The onset of dementia and resulting adjustment of the relationship between the person with dementia (PWD) and their family caregiver can result in stress and strain for both individuals. This relational adjustment, and the stressors caused by the symptoms of dementia can also lead to relational strain. Although research on the use of the arts with PWD and the use of the arts with caregivers exists, as well as research on various interventions with the caregiving dyad, research on the use of the arts specifically with the caregiving dyad is minimal. This paper reviewed the current state of the literature …

Culture Matching And Its Impact On The Therapeutic Relationship: A Literature Review, Taylor Marsyla

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

As cultural competency and cultural humility move to the forefront of therapeutic treatment so does a need for understanding the effects of culture on the therapeutic relationship. Often individuals who belong to minority groups are less likely to seek mental health care and more commonly receive subpar treatment. This project attempts to examine the effects of matching patients and therapists based on a shared identity and/or culture as a form of culturally responsive treatment – also known as culture matching. In this literature review, the selected peer reviewed articles considered the perspectives of both therapists and patients. Research was divided …

I Just Want To Be A Normal Teenager: A Literature Review Of Impacts Of Adolescent-Onset Chronic Illness On Identity Development And Proposed Benefits Of Drama Therapy, Margaret Young

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Adolescence is a crucial moment in life for establishing our personal identity, internal values, and social autonomy (Christie & Viner, 2005); however, this already-tumultuous time can be further complicated by the addition of a chronic illness diagnosis which can lead to feelings of isolation, uncertainty, and an inconsistent sense of self (Chisholm, 2018; Wicks et al., 2019). This literature review investigates the current research regarding the impacts of chronic illness on identity development as well as the landscape of available expressive therapies interventions. Based on personal experience and available literature, I argue that drama therapy can provide much needed support …

Does Medical School Prepare Doctors To Treat Sexual Health?, Sonjia Kenya, Breanne Young, Fabiola Joseph, Olveen Carrasquillo

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Does Medical School Prepare Doctors to Treat Sexual Health?

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual function is a normative process warranting the equal attention of preventive and treatment services throughout the lifespan. Despite growing recognition of the value of human sexuality in clinical settings, there is no standardized sexual wellness curriculum universally administered in medical schools. Accordingly, many current and future physicians feel underprepared when taking care of patients’ sexual health needs.

Methods: To strengthen sexual health knowledge among medical students in Miami, we conducted a brief workshop in February 2020 and March 2021. The workshop provided an introductory overview of the physiology …

Sexuality, Sex Education, And Intellectual Disability: Guidance For Counselors, Julie C. Hill, Jill M. Meyer, Lindsay E. Stokes, J.C. Ausmus, Brandon Worthey, Jamie Carney

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexual health and sexuality can be an important component of an individual’s identity. Sexual health and sexuality are a vital part of an individual’s quality of life and overall health and well-being. Individuals with intellectual disabilities have been viewed as asexual, lacking sexual interest, or have an inability to engage in sexual activity. These views have led to individuals with intellectual disabilities to be excluded from sexual education programs or lack appropriate knowledge of sexuality, sexual health, and healthy relationships. It is important for parents, medical providers, mental health professionals, and caregivers to have the knowledge needs to have conversations …

We Are Family: Queer And Transgender Family Building, Jennifer M. Gess, Nattalie Wolff-Tseng, Kaitlin J. Phelps, Madison Morley

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

LGBTQ+ people experience resiliency and discrimination when attempting to build families. There are massive systemic barriers and oppressive walls LGBTQ+ people face when forming either a blended family, trying at-home insemination, using assisted reproductive technology, working with a gestational carrier, or attempting to become a foster parent or adopt a child. Queer reproductive justice provides a foundation for counselors to support clients by using affirmative counseling, providing positive mandatory interactions clients are ordered to during family building, and advocating with and on behalf of their LGBTQ+ clients building families.

Can A Course On Sexuality Counseling Increase Empathy When Working With Sex- And Gender-Minoritized Individuals?, Betty Cardona, Robinder P. Bedi

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This study examined whether a sexuality counseling course could increase self-perceived empathy for working with Sex and Gender minoritized (SGM)individuals. Forty-two students enrolled in a sexuality counseling course completed empathy assessments prior to starting the course and after completing it. Statistically significant increases in empathy towards gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals were found (moderate to a large effect sizes). Results indicate that, at least under some circumstances, empathy levels for SGM individuals in counselors-in-training (CITs) could be increased through coursework. Increases in practitioner empathy for SGM individuals can translate into lower uniliteral termination rates and better counseling and psychotherapy outcomes.

Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment: A Systems Approach To Understanding Sexual Issues In Individuals And Couples, Stephanie Buehler

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexuality is a complex construct made up of the influence of systems upon the individual and counterinfluence of the individual upon systems, which can make sexual history taking problematic. The adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological systems model has been employed to create a Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment. The Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment is described as a means of gathering and organizing information about an individual’s sexual development and current sexual expression across five subsystems that range from the microsystem, wherein interactions take place among and between family members and close caregivers, to the chronosystem, which is the effect of time across the …

Power Of Circle: A Literature Review, Mindy Thacker

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review includes research on the history of and cultural roots of circles; role of belonging and our social engagement system in circle and group processes; and healing and witnessing in circle. This literature review highlights supportive research exploring reasons we are drawn to the circle formation, how circle spaces are powerful, and why this structure may help to bring ease and safety to our nervous systems. The research reviewed includes an exploration of the history of circles in dance/movement therapy (DMT); how circles facilitate healing of the social engagement system; and how circles can contribute to healing on …

Addressing Burnout, Stress And Self-Care In Graduate Students At Arcadia’S University Counseling Program, Lorraynne Moura De Amorim

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Burnout is a threat to both graduate and licensed level clinicians (Warlick et al., 2021). Burnout and stress can lead to professional impairment and result in unethical practice (Daly & Gardner, 2020; Warlick et al., 2021). Self-care is described in the literature as a protective factor to cope with burnout and stress (Butler et al., 2017; Callan et al., 2021; Daly & Gardner, 2020; Warlick et al., 2021). The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics reinforces professional’s ethical duties of monitoring sign and symptoms of impairment, which could interfere with their practice (ACA, 2014). The purpose of this study was …

The Role Of Acculturation In The Professional Identity Of Art Therapy And Counseling International Students, Ana Marcela Tobar Chavez

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

In a country of immigrants, the concept of acculturation needs to be familiar to almost any professional in the mental health field and it is a reality for immigrants and international students. As international and immigrant students continue to join the Art Therapy Counseling profession, it is important to understand how acculturation plays a role in the development of their counseling professional identity. Unlike most master’s students in the art therapy counseling profession, international and immigrant students go through unique experiences such as being born and raised in a different country with difference in cultures, languages, and immigration statuses that …