Counseling Commons^™

Secondary Traumatic Stress In Emergency Department Nurses: A Comparative Study, Diana Elaine Flory

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study seeks to determine if Emergency Department nurses experience more secondary traumatic stress than other nurses in different units of the hospital. This study is important because it is the first of its kind to compare Emergency Department to a medical intensive care unit, labor and delivery, and a medical floor in the same hospital. This was accomplished through the use of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), with the addition of seven demographic questions used at the end. The STSS was administered to 110 nurses in a suburban, level-II trauma center in northeast Indiana during January and February …

A Phenomenological Study Of Church Leader's Experiences With Vicarious Trauma In Oviedo, Florida, Judy Rivera-Melendez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand and explore the need to help church leaders who are experiencing stress. Christian clergies are classified as priests, pastors, ministers, chaplains, and deacons who interact with the congregation by identifying the Bible Scriptures. Church leaders follow the teachings of the divine and are pulled from many angles. It is up to the congregation to help themselves and church leaders to relieve this stress to avoid vicarious trauma. This study digs deep to decipher if church leaders in Catholicism and Baptist teaching are aware of the stress they acquire from their …

Messianic Dance For Self-Reported Relief From Symptoms Of Depression: A Phenomenological Study, Mindy Marie Seta

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study aimed to describe participants’ experiences in a Messianic dance workshop. The findings showed that stakeholders such as Christian therapists could find Messianic dance useful as a Scriptural physical activity, or complementary therapies for improvements in mood well-being. The theories guiding this study included foundations of dance movement therapy (DMT) by Chace (Robyn, 2018), Bowlby’s attachment theory in the form of Jewish (Pirutinsky et al., 2019), and Christian studies on God attachment (Wilder et al., 2020), religious encounters that decreased symptoms of depression (Bosco-Ruggiero, 2020; Granqvist, 2021; Topalian, 2016), physical activity related to happiness and mood betterment (Killingback …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Experiences Of Active-Duty Servicemembers Seeking Mental Health Treatment: How Mental Health Stigma In The Military Can Affect Help-Seeking Behavior, Philip Clinton Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of active-duty servicemembers regarding mental health stigma and help-seeking behavior. Due to the trauma of intense combat, military servicemembers experience mental health problems at an alarming rate, and despite increased awareness and access to mental health resources, they are still reluctant to seek treatment. This study explored the lived experiences of military servicemembers with an aim to address the following research question: “How do military service members experience overcoming mental health stigma and decide to seek treatment while still on active duty?” Thirteen participants from the United States Army, …

Self-Care For Counselors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Penney Siddiqui

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

COVID-19 took the world by surprise early in 2020, and rapidly became a global threat. While not the first global pandemic declared by the World Health Organization, COVID-19 was different from past pandemics both in the speed of transmission and in the psychosocial impact. Not only did COVID-19 impact the physical health of those who contracted the virus, it also impacted the mental health of the general population. Mental health counselors held a dual role in this pandemic, facing the psychosocial impact themselves while simultaneously providing care for others. Recent studies explored the psychosocial impact on health care professionals and …

Giving Voices To Jamaican Canadian Immigrant Women: A Heuristic Inquiry Study, Sandra P. Dixon, Dania Amin, Nancy M. Arthur

The Qualitative Report

The Heuristic Inquiry (HI) qualitative method applied in this study explored the role of Pentecostal faith in the post-migration lived experiences of Jamaican Canadian immigrant women (JCIW). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven JCIW whose Pentecostal faith helped them to reconstruct their cultural identity post-migration. The creative flexibility of HI allowed for the integration of the primary researcher’s (i.e., first author's) voice into the study alongside those of the co-researchers. Positioning the study within a postmodern social constructionism theoretical framework created space for multiple realities to emerge that were constructed through social interaction and language. These realities were evident in …

Latent Profiles Of Counselor Burnout: Associations With Self-Discrepancy, Isak Kim, Donghun Lee, Janghee Lee, Sang Min Lee

Counseling Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research study was to identify heterogeneous counselor burnout profiles using a latent profile analysis (LPA) and examine the profiles in association with counselors’ personal and professional self-discrepancies in counselor qualities. Data from 360 practicing professional counselors were used for analysis. LPA identified four distinct profiles: Well-Adjusted Counselors (n = 167, 46.4%), Disconnected Counselors (n = 68, 18.9%), Impaired Counselors (n = 22, 6.1%), and Persevering Counselors (n = 103, 28.6%). A series of Chi-square tests indicated there were significant associations between the burnout profiles and self-discrepancies in some counselor qualities, such as …

Having Fun While Enhancing Student Engagement: Creative Approaches In Online Learning, Rachel P. Jacoby, Shreya Vaishnav, Cristen Wathen

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

This article explores various creative approaches to integrate into online counselor education classrooms. Creative approaches to learning help encourage students to be involved in classroom discussions or activities; while enhancing their critical thinking skills, professional development, and inclusivity within the classroom. This article explores the intention behind integrating creative approaches into online learning and offers several resources that instructors can use in their online classrooms.

Grief Counseling Skills: Supporting Students In A Virtual Residency, Susan F. Branco, Rebecca G. Scherer

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Grief counseling is an important skillset for professional counselors. Two counselor educators in an online counseling program describe how they incorporated grief counseling coursework within a virtual residency. They followed grief counseling instruction best practices to facilitate skills training with students. The virtual residency also included skills practices, grief counseling role plays, and guest speakers with grief expertise. Wellness considerations to support students throughout the course and residency are also described.

Teaching Anti-Oppressive Lifespan Development Online Through A Cultural And Contextual Lens, Karen M. Roller, Kelly Coker

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Lifespan Development is a required content area for both CACREP accreditation and licensure boards. Historically centered theories of development are born out of work and research conducted by Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) theorists, so therefore are presented to students through a very narrow and biased cultural lens, often with oppressive implications. Implementing innovative, interactive, culture- and context-promoting inclusive strategies in synchronous and asynchronous learning environments is both relevant and necessary for future counselors to consider how their integration of updated lifespan development theories informs their clinical practice. This article presents inclusive applications that leverage online relational strategies …

Increasing Access And Success In Online Education For Students With Disabilities, William H. Snow, Karen M. Roller, Wendy Wade, Jared W. Snow

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Counselor educators are legally and ethically required to support individuals with disabilities in their courses. While this presentation focuses on visual and auditory impairments, all students benefit when accommodations and adaptations support a wide range of learning styles. The authors provide web accessibility principles and guidelines and operationalize practical suggestions for coursework. Off-the-shelf assistive technologies are readily available to support learners. Educators are encouraged to test course materials using assistive technologies to better understand how students with disabilities experience their courses.

Fostering A Sense Of Social Connectedness For Minoritized Students And Faculty In Online Learning, Shreya Vaishnav, Angélica Galván, Taewon Kim

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Faculty and students with minoritized identities face additional systemic and social barriers such as disconnection from colleagues, inability to discern body language, and gap in communication. This paper addresses some of these barriers as well as provides practical strategies and resources for faculty and students to develop social connectedness in online learning environments. Strategies are provided for allies to support and foster change in online academic environments to build social connections and belongingness.

Development And Assessment Of Counselor Dispositions In Online Counselor Education, Jill Brue, Cayla Bland

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Counselor education programs are charged with the development and assessment of counselor dispositions and values. However, there are challenges in promoting and assessing counselor dispositions in an online platform. This article reviews the counselor dispositions and values that are typically promoted in counselor education to produce a healthy and productive personal and professional identity. Strategies will be considered for instructor/student engagement, development of counselor dispositions through intentional assignments, and dispositional assessment in distance learning, as well as the identification and remediation of disposition deficits.

Counseling Womxn: Teaching Intersectional Issues In Women's Mental Health, Megan Speciale, Margaret Lamar

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

This paper was presented at the 2023 Counselor Education and Distance Learning Conference. In this paper, the authors describe the use of intersectional feminist pedagogy (IFP) in teaching an online, synchronous course on intersectional women's mental health, entitled Counseling Womxn, which addresses issues pertinent to the mental and emotional health of women across diverse cultural and demographic backgrounds. The authors describe the key tenets of IFP and its application to teaching women’s issues in counseling, detail the planning and development of the course, and discuss their use of collaborative teaching. The authors also discuss the unique considerations of using IFP …

Supervision 2.0: Culturally Competent And Creative Online Supervision Practices, Lucy C. Parker-Barnes, Suzy Wise, Shoon Lio, Courtney Rowley, Jessica Mcdannel, Sabrina Starts, Matthew Sprong

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

The below documentation is an analysis of online integrative based supervision ideas with multicultural considerations. Various interventions with supervisees, which are aimed for supervisee reflective growth and client beneficence, are also discussed. Following Integrated Supervision Framework (ISF) description, a case vignette introducing reflective and inclusive online strategies is described. Future issues potentially affecting consideration of online supervision will also be described.

Humanistic Pedagogy In Online Counselor Education, Donna Sheperis, Caroline Perjessy

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

This article explores the integration of humanistic pedagogy in online counselor education. Humanistic pedagogy, based on the affirmation of the dignity of every human being, allows the educational experience to be student-centered and focused on crafting dignity and autonomy of the adult learner. The article presents specific class activities to showcase humanistic opportunities within online counselor education, aiming to increase presence, encourage students to bring real-life experiences into the online classroom, and promote the wellness of the whole person. The integration of humanistic pedagogy in online counselor education is a promising approach that can benefit both students and instructors alike

Teaching Group Counseling In An Online Intensive Format, Alexander T. Becnel, Gerald Corey

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Abstract

Online education continues to grow in popularity each year. Although more counselor education programs offer online coursework, few articles discuss teaching strategies for online group work courses. We proposed, developed, and piloted a model for teaching group work in an online intensive format. In this article, we discuss the structure, components, and rationale of this model as well as the perceived benefits and challenges. We also provide recommendations for those who want to teach group work online.

Training Counselors Using Virtual Reality, Courtney M. Holmes, Fatima Tariq, Karena Heyward, Denise Hall

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to expand experiential learning opportunities in counselor education. This article discusses how semi- and immersive VR can provide students a diverse range of experiences to increase both counseling skill and empathy development for clients with a myriad of identities, diagnoses, and presenting counseling issues. Suggestions and implications for counselor education are discussed.

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Philly Goat Project’S All Abilities Ramble: A Qualitative Study Of Animal-Assisted Intervention For Intellectual And Developmental Disorders, Patricia Flaherty-Fischette, Jenée Lee, Yvonne D'Uva-Howard, Elizabeth P. Cramer, Karen Krivit, Sarah Meehan

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are a growing population. Considering the wide diversity in IDD and the financial burden of traditional treatment modalities, Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) has emerged as an innovative and non-traditional treatment for individuals with a range of disabilities, including individuals with IDD. To the authors’ knowledge, the present study was one of the first to explore a goat-assisted therapy experience for children with IDD. This study explored the experiences of 23 children with the All Abilities RAMble – a goat-assisted therapeutic activity offered by the Philly Goat Project (PGP). Key themes in our study included …

Management Of Virtual Students' Anxiety With Virtual Counseling, Amy E. Teske

Masters Projects

Research has shown managing anxiety can be a significant challenge for virtual high school students, but virtual counseling can help them cope and heal in an effective way. A rising number of high school students are enrolling in virtual schools and struggling with various forms of anxiety. Only with virtual school counselors, who are uniquely trained to help students manage their emotions and improve their well-being, can these students' anxiety be helped. As virtual school counselors move into a virtual position, they still need to honor the same standards and adhere to the same ethics as school counselors working in …

Exploring Dimensions Of Bias-Based Bullying Victimization, School Fairness, And School Belonging Through Mediation Analysis, Deanna L. Burgess, Isak Kim, Youngwoon Seon, Seriashia J. Chatters

Counseling Faculty Publications

Bias-based bullying (BBB) is a serious problem for school-aged adolescents. However, limited attention has been paid to the mechanism of how BBB may affect youths' sense of belonging to the school. The purpose of the current study was to understand the associations between BBB victimization, school belonging, and school fairness among school-aged adolescents. The present study also examined whether school fairness mediated the link between BBB victimization and school belonging. Data were drawn from the “No Place For Hate” project, which examined bias-based incidents, school equity, and school belonging of a school district. The analytic study sample consisted of 2600 …

Infusing Military Culture In Multicultural Counseling Frameworks: A Phenomenological Study, Katherine M. Atkins, Toni R. Tollerud, Tilottama Roy-White, Lauren E. Brdecka, Deanna Chrones

The Qualitative Report

This descriptive phenomenological study focused on counselor educators’ (CESs) experiences infusing military culture into counseling curriculum. Specifically, this study sought to learn what counseling programs can do to best prepare counselors-in-training to work with military families. The researchers used the McCracken (1988) method to interview ten participants who had terminal degrees in counselor education or a highly related field, experience providing services to military-connected clients, and were aware of military cultural facets (e.g., implicit and explicit expectations, rules, and ways of being). The findings support the need to redefine multiculturalism and intentional infusion of military culture in counseling curriculum to …

Marital Quality And Marital Satisfaction In Protestant Haitian Americans Vs. Non-Christian Haitian Americans, Frantz Lamour

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current study examined perceptions regarding marital satisfaction as described by Protestants Haitians Americans and non-Christian Haitian Americans. Participants were selected from married Christian and non-Christian couples that have been married for over five years within the age range of 25-53. The study used the Religion-Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy theory (R-CBT) framework. R-CBT is a well-known theoretical framework that integrates religious interventions in the therapeutic relationship to educate clients about the triangular relationship between thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and cognitive restructuring (de Abreu Costa & Moreira-Almeida, 2022). Religion-Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (R-CBT) incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy methods from the perspective of …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Dominican Baseball Players Transitioning From The Dominican Minor League Camps To A Successful Major League Career, Samuel Lima

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study, informed by Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, was to understand the lived experiences of native-born Dominican baseball players entering the Major League Baseball (MLB) Dominican Republic (DR) academies, transitioning through MLB’s developmental system, and exiting the developmental system into a successful major-league career. This study sought to answer the following research questions: RQ1: What social, cultural, and language challenges are experienced by Dominican players during their transition through the major league developmental system; RQ2: What learning and cognitive challenges are experienced by Dominican players during their transition through the MLB’s developmental system; and RQ3: What psychological …

Spiritual Abuse In Augusta, Georgia: Reconciling The Spiritually Abused To The Local Church, James A. Getts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this action-based research project was to address the absence of a therapeutic process wherein pastoral counselors at Life Management Group (LMG) can responsibly attempt to reconcile spiritually abused Christians to a local church in Augusta, Georgia. One hundred percent of clients citing spiritual abuse in LMG’s pastoral counseling department were abstaining from any religious activity within a community of faith at the outset of this project. Data was researched at the international, national, state, and local levels. The researcher concluded that published research related to the topic of spiritual abuse is theoretical in nature only and not …

Gender Differences In Defending Behavior Among Elementary School Students Trained In A Bullying Bystander Program: Is Self-Esteem A Moderator?, Diana M. Doumas, Aida Midgett, Matt Peck

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study evaluated the relationship among use defending behaviors, gender, and self-esteem among students trained in a brief, bystander bullying intervention (N = 93). Students were taught four specific strategies to use to defend targets of bullying. We used hierarchical regression analyses to test a moderator model in which we hypothesized females would report using defending behaviors more frequently than males post-training and that baseline self-esteem would moderate this relationship. Findings partially supported our hypotheses. Specifically, for “Turning it Over” (i.e., reporting bullying to an adult) and “Coaching Compassion” (i.e., gently confronting the perpetrator to communicate their behavior is not …

On-Campus Mental Health Service Use Among College Students With Autism: A Case Study Applying The Andersen Behavioral Model Of Health Services Use, Estella C. Lilyquist

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unique set of impairments and limitations presented by students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make the accessing of campus-based nonacademic resources more difficult and complicated than their typically developed peers. Each year, the rate of students entering college with disabilities continues to grow, but their mental well-being is relatively poor. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to apply the conceptual framework of the Andersen behavioral model of health services use (ABMHSU) to the experiences of college students with ASD to understand and predict their utilization of campus-provided mental health resources. The participants were seven college students with …

Mindfulness Misconceptions In Counselor Education And Supervision: Mitigating Vicarious Trauma Among Counselors-In-Training, Elise Angelos, Adrienne Baggs

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

As counselors-in-training (CITs) continue to address a larger client base with pandemic induced mental health stressors, they may experience increased levels of vicarious trauma (VT) that can jeopardize the quality of treatment, as well as their own well-being. Thus, VT among CITs should be recognized as a priority problem among counselor educators. Despite well-documented personal and professional benefits of mindfulness, most CITs will not receive mindfulness education or training. Recognizing the relatively low rate of integration of mindfulness within CES, it is necessary to address several misconceptions about mindfulness that may be hindering the effective inclusion of mindfulness resources and …

Effective Writing Strategies And Feedback In Counselor Education, Lindsay Corinne Webster, Tessa M. Hastings, Kelseigh Garrett

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Emerging counselors often are expected to demonstrate mastery of learning objectives through the written word. In this article, we address how counselor educators can implement simple and effective strategies for developing proficient, reflective, and self-regulated student writers. We propose three frameworks from academic literature to shape a pedagogical writing approach germaine to the principles of counselor education: growth mindset, sociocultural theory of cognitive development, and constructive feedback typology. In addition to highlighting strategies to design developmental writing assignments with intentionality, we illustrate how to harness counseling skills to provide writing feedback that promotes insight and personal growth beneficial for counseling …

Experience Of Underrepresented Students In Master’S-Level Counselor Education Programs, Deborah L. Duenyas, Andre Sumiel, Jill Krahwinkel

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The purpose of this phenomenological investigation was to understand the racial and ethnic experiences of underrepresented Master’s-level counseling graduate students in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs. The second author conducted semi-structured interviews with six masters-level counseling graduate students. Data analysis revealed four composite themes that comprised students’ experience. The themes were: Perceived Cultural Competence, Individual Characteristics, Connection and Advocacy, and Bringing “It” Up. Implications on how counselor education programming and curriculum can provide support for underrepresented students are provided.