Counseling Commons^™

Mind The Gap: Intergenerational Perspectives On Mental Illness Within Ghanaian American Communities, Ama Danso-Ayesu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explores attitudes toward mental illness among Ghanaian immigrants and

first-generation Ghanaian Americans, with particular focus on factors that influence

stigma. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model, the study utilized the

Community Attitudes Toward Mental Illness (CAMI) Scale to measure four dimensions

of stigma, including authoritarianism, benevolence, social restrictiveness, and community

mental health ideology. A comparative, cross-sectional design was employed to examine

differences between immigrant and American-born participants. The findings revealed

generational differences where Ghanaian immigrants reported higher levels of

authoritarian and socially restrictive beliefs, while first-generation Ghanaian Americans

demonstrated more benevolent and inclusive attitudes. Interpreted through the ecological

systems …

Likes For Love: Examining The Relationship Of Sociocultural Factors On Social Media Influences Of Instagram Use For Young Black Women, Cheria S. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there has been a push toward studying ethnic minority women related to the psychological implications of image and beauty, as historically the focus has been on the experiences of European women (Awad et al., 2015). Black women must process sexual development, attitudes, and behaviors through the lens of the sexual scripts and stereotypes of their ethnic group and must negotiate between mainstream and culture specific norms of sexuality (Daniels and Zurbriggen, 2016; Jerald et al., 2017). The presence of these scripts signifies a difference between Black women and other races about how they may internalize and react …

Charter School Counselor's Perceived Barriers To Implementing A Recognized Asca Model Program, Nadene P. Pomerico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2003, the American School Counselor Association published its first edition of the ASCA National Model—a framework for school counselors to develop and implement comprehensive school counseling programming. This streamlined guidance supports school counselors in developing and implementing comprehensive school counseling programming that prioritizes services to students with systematic intentionality. In addition, the American School Counselor Association released the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) award. This distinction is awarded to school counseling programs that demonstrate the implementation of the ASCA National Model with fidelity, which includes using data to evaluate the impact of school counseling programming. Through the years, a …

The Experience Of African American Male Counselor Educators Navigating Racial Battle Fatigue, Quincy J. Stephenson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological approach was used in this research to explore the lived experiences of African American male counselor educators (AAMCEs) in historically or predominantly White universities who have obtained tenure and promotion. The need for equitable support, recruitment, and retention of faculty of color in counselor education has received more attention from universities in recent years. Although some advancement has occurred, AAMCEs continue to be underrepresented in academia, especially counselor education. There has been research concerning the impact of racism on and resilience of AAMCEs; however, there is a lack of research concerning how this specific population navigates racial …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy: A Treatment Option For Substance Use Disorders, Miriam N. Mukasa, Ashley Yaugher, Ty Aller

All Current Publications

There are many evidence-based treatments for individuals experiencing substance use disorders (SUDs) that support both individuals and families. Psychological treatments are effective for a wide range of SUDs, making them a key approach for helping people with differing needs. This fact sheet provides information on treatments and provides more detail about acceptance and commitment therapy as a SUD treatment support.

The Impact Of Absent Fathers In Forensic And Criminal Justice Settings, Sara J. Bradley

Master of Arts in Human Services

This capstone examines the interplay between father absence, marginalization through economics, and larger structural factors in shaping youth crime and intergenerational patterns of risk. This review synthesizes studies in family instability, neighborhood disadvantage, and barriers to paternal involvement in demonstrating the interplay between larger forces in shaping developmental outcomes. Father absence correlates with diminished protective factors, increased exposure to stressful contexts, and elevated dangers of system contact. Larger structural factors of concentrated poverty levels, resource scarcity in neighborhoods, and inconsistent levels of support upon return from incarceration exacerbate dangerous outcomes and intergenerational patterns. The applications analysis in this capstone evaluates …

Trauma-Informed Training And Practices For Elementary School Lunchroom Supervisors, Heather C. Kostohryz

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

School lunchrooms often see behavior disruptions at a higher rate than other areas within a school. Of the numerous reasons as to why, the inadequate training of those who supervise the lunchroom can be remedied easier than other factors (Wheatley et al., 2009). Over the past ten years a growing recommendation is for all staff to be included in school-wide behavior management and training, and that the training be focused on trauma-informed practices as a way to aid all students (Nealy-Oparah & Scruggs-Hussein, 2018). As 68% of children will experience some form of trauma during childhood, it stands to reason …

Cv: Lindsay Fredrick (School Counseling Psychology), Lindsay Fredrick

Psychology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Lived Experiences Of Adoptive Mothers Who Dissolved Their Adoption Of A Child: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Aimee Moore Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis research study was to understand the lived experiences of adoptive mothers in the United States who had relinquished their parental rights and legally dissolved their adoption of a child. The theory guiding this study was the theory of being and time. Through the theory of being and time, each adoptive mother was viewed holistically, as inseparable from her personal history, her current state of being, and her interpretations of space and time. This interpretative phenomenological analysis utilized Internet-based, in-depth, individual interviews of adoptive mothers to answer the question: How do adoptive mothers in …

Military Quality Of Life And Its Impact On Spouses’ Perceived Stress And Marital Satisfaction, Jazmin L. Frett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation research discusses the challenges of military life that can impact the overall quality of life for spouses and how their perspective on the military quality of life can influence depression amongst spouses and their overall marital satisfaction. Military couples endure many military-imposed challenges that affect the quality of life due the demands and nature of military life. The military as a culture can create stress and anxiety for military spouses. Although there may be some resources that the Armed Forces can provide to assist with enriching marriages, it is not apparent of those sources aide in how spouses …

Exploring Long-Term Trauma In Children Following Early Nicu Hospitalization: A Qualitative Study Of Maternal Perspectives, Genee Leniece Francis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are hardships that occur in the life of a child before the age of 18. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of mothers whose child was hospitalized in a NICU during the first 2 months of life, focusing on traumatic injury or long-term trauma symptoms, as evidenced by intellectual delays, emotional regulation issues, or behavioral challenges in children. Purposeful, criterion, and snowball sampling were used to identify English-speaking participants over the age of 22 who served as a primary caretaker of a child currently between the ages of 4 and 11. …

Effects Of Deployments On Military Families: A Phenomenological Study, Joseph E. Hensley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

An emerging area of focus in the military sub-culture is the phenomenon of secondary stress experienced by military spouses and children due to high-tempo operational rates of the military member. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain a greater understanding of what factors are at play and possibly influencing military members and their families in avoiding deployment resources that could assist them in preventing secondary stress. The central research questions were designed to assess whether connections between the secondary stress that military families experience (due to the deployment cycle) were instigated by a lack of awareness or a …

Domestic Violence Survivors And Resiliency: An Investigation Of Belief In God And Faith Factors Impacting Survivors’ Ability To Leave And Thrive Post-Violence, Sherry A. Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose [KC1.1]of this phenomenological study is to describe the role of faith in the process of leaving an abusive relationship for IPV survivors who believe in God from MA. The theories guiding the study include the survival theory of DV created by Gondolf and Fisher (1988), which believes victims of DV as survivors who most times do desire and seek help and should not be viewed as passive victims. Further, resilience theory builds on survival theory, which will guide the inquiry regarding resiliency. Survival theory and resilience theory both view survivors of DV not as helpless victims but as …

Church Hurt: A Phenomenology Of The Lived Experience Of African American Christians, Danny Streeter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of African American Christians in the Mississippi Delta who have experienced church hurt in the Black Church. The theory guiding this study was Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which consists of five levels of needs: physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. This study addressed the following research questions: How do African American Christians in the Mississippi Delta describe their experience with church hurt in the Black Church? How do African American Christians in the Mississippi Delta describe their relationship with the church after their church-hurt experience? How do …

Covid-19 Event Impact: Religious/Spiritual Coping And Posttraumatic Growth In Adult Female Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Mindy Barrett Perlman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique collective trauma that has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, including adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). This quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study examined the relationship between spiritual/religious coping and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among this population, while also exploring the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the mediating role of religious/spiritual coping. Grounded in Tedeschi and Calhoun’s Posttraumatic Growth Theory and Pargament’s Religious Coping Theory, this study utilized the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE), and the Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R) adapted for COVID-19 to assess trauma exposure, …

The Emotional Residue Of Elementary: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Elementary School Counselors With Students Exhibiting High-Risk Suicidal Thoughts Or Behaviors, Katlyn Greene Kegley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the prevalence of high-risk suicidal thoughts and behaviors in elementary school children in Virginia, and how these incidents impacted their elementary school counselor. It examined the professional and personal impact that high-risk suicide events with elementary school students have on their elementary school counselor. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. After data analysis, four themes emerged: the counselor’s role and identity (advocacy, compartmentalization, risk assessment and safety planning, and focus on relationships); confidentiality (protecting student’s information and pressure to maintain); transformative experiences (clinical versus school counseling backgrounds, vigilance, mental health impact, and changes to school counseling …

Cv: Martha Jarmuz (Clinical Mental Health Counseling), Martha Jarmuz

Psychology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Prevention Of Suicide As Perceived By Educated Adults In Ondo Metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria, Margaret Kehinde Soetan

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study investigated prevention of suicide as perceived by educated adults in Ondo metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. Population of the study consisted of all educated adults in Ondo metropolis, Ondo State. The sample comprised two hundred (200) educated adults randomly selected from the metropolis. Structured questionnaire was used as instrument to collect data for the study. Data collected was analysed using mean, ranking, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed the perception of prevention of suicide as giving people hope for a better life after current problems are resolved, …

Becoming A Social Worker: A Journey Through Community, Justice, And Recovery, Willow Coefield

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio is the culminating project for the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana and demonstrates advanced integrated practice through coursework, practicum, and professional experience. It is organized into an introduction, theoretical orientation, and focused sections on trauma‑informed care and rural and Indigenous contexts of practice, followed by a mapping of portfolio artifacts to core elements and competencies, a conclusion, references, and appendices of key graduate assignments. Drawing on artifacts such as positionality work, case studies, diagnostic assessment, group design, program evaluation, policy analysis, and leadership projects, the portfolio illustrates growth in ethical and professional behavior, …

Journey Through, Cathan B. Tautfest

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Journey Through is the Master's Portfolio for the University of Montana for Author Cathan Tautfest. This paper serves as the capstone graduation requirement for students of the School of Social Work. Over the final semester of the Master's program, this Portfolio was created, reviewed by committee, and defended before its publication. This Portfolio is a culmination of three years and thousands of hours to demonstrate mastery of the ten Social Work competencies, the elements of Social Work Practice, and critically reflect on time spent in the School of Social Work's Master's of Social Work (MSW) program. This Portfolio reflects on …

Internalized Racial Oppression In Aapi Communities, William Ritter, Haley O'Nan, Rachel Hard

The Bear Counseling Collective

Cultural migration can be a difficult experience for anyone. Such change can be met with various feelings, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. Coupled with the added stressor of racism that is so prevalent in our society these feelings can persist, becoming maladaptive leading to psychological distress. Yet systemic racism has become so normalized for groups like Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) that their oppression has even transformed into internalized ideology. Such oppression leads to adverse health effects and causes severe distress in all aspects of life withing the AAPI community. In this literature review we will …

Help-Seeking Experiences Of South Asian American Men: A Phenomenological Exploration, Pranali Haribhakti, Stephen Bryson

The Bear Counseling Collective

South Asian Americans are defined as individuals residing in the U.S. with heritage from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and/or Sri Lanka. Despite the rapid growth of the U.S. South Asian community in recent years, with their population increasing by 40% in 7 years (SAALT, 2019), they are severely underrepresented in the research literature. In fact, this community is often subsumed under the larger umbrella identity of Asian-American despite the uniqueness of South Asian culture from the broader Asian American culture (Farver, Narang, & Bhadha, 2002; Rao, 2006; Das & Kemp, 1997). Drawing from research on the broad Asian …

Family Rituals To Help Families Mourn And Grieve: Implications For Counseling, Luke Riley

The Bear Counseling Collective

Family rituals are an important part of every family. They facilitate transitions in a meaningful and in some cases, spiritual way. Using and collaborating with a therapist to create family rituals can e helpful in giving families meaning during tough times (Imber-Black, 2019). One of the toughest times a family can go through is to cope with the death of a loved one through the grieving and morning process. Many families, especially in these times of the pandemic and social distancing, are in need of rituals which help them facilitate the process of healing and moving forward in life when …

A Counselor's Perspective On Advocating For Lgbtqia+ Youth, Maya Turn

The Bear Counseling Collective

Jean Piaget's understanding of concrete operational thought reminds us that for healthy psychosocial behaviors, one must have a solid foundation in one's own identity among other concepts. Furthermore, a typical part of one's identity of self, individuals must explore likes, dislikes, comforts, and discomforts within sensual, sexual, and/or affectional self. This literature review will discuss the impacts of heteronormative counselors' support of adolescent LGBTQ+ identifying people who often experience marginalization for sexual identity exploration and expression. It is the group's goal to better understand what effective advocacy would mean for their quality of life.

Volume 1 (April 2024), The Bear Counseling Collective

The Bear Counseling Collective

A journal of student counselors' reflections on culturally attentive mental health care and advocacy.

Islamic Prophetic Counseling: An Intervention Strategy In Developing Students' Noble Character, Hardi Santosa, Ahmad Zaki Annafiri, Iin Inawati, Akhmad Fajar Prasetya, Muhammad Sabri Bin Sahrir

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study aims to test the effectiveness of Islamic prophetic counseling in developing students' noble morals. The research method uses a true experiment involving a control group. The selection of the control group uses the waiting-list control group model, with consideration of the ethical aspects of the study. The research sample involved 244 students captured the profile of noble morals and their spiritual activism. While the hypothesis test involved 50 students who were divided into control and experimental groups. The sample selection was carried out randomly with the random assignment technique. The research data were collected using a noble moral …

Trauma-Informed Leaders: Shifting The Paradigm Of Professional Suicide Prevention, Janina Cich

Forensic Scholars Today

Trauma-informed Leaders: Shifting the Paradigm of Professional Suicide Prevention highlights how trauma-informed leadership can transform suicide prevention in law enforcement and other high-stress helping professions. Reflecting on current suicide data and first-responder research, the article outlines early warning signs, intervention strategies, and organizational wellness practices that drive agencies from reactive crisis response to proactive, culturally responsive care. Practical recommendations include leader-supported peer teams, sleep and micro-break interventions, and resilience-focused supports that foster psychological safety, reduce stigma, and normalize help‑seeking across the organization.

Forensic Neuroscience: A Brief Introduction, Jerrod Brown

Forensic Scholars Today

Forensic neuroscience is an emerging, multidisciplinary field that applies brain science to forensic mental health, criminal justice, and legal decision-making. This article summarizes how neuroscience can inform assessments, evaluations of criminal responsibility, case planning, treatment, and prevention for justice-involved populations, highlighting complementary disciplines and the need for ethical guidance, replication of findings, and specialized education before broad adoption in legal settings.

Impact Of Test Conditions And Demographic Variables On Response Patterns In The Sdi-R 4.0, Cyrus R. Williams Iii, Kyle Lincoln, Robert D. Loper

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

This study investigates the impact of demographic variables and test conditions on response patterns within the Sexual Dependency Inventory-Revised (SDI-R 4.0), specifically focusing on their predictive value for high inconsistency, high exaggeration, and low underreporting scores. Employing logistic regression analyses on data from 2,212 participants, the findings reveal that pre-test delay time, age, and gender significantly influence these outcomes. These insights underscore the necessity for uniform testing conditions for the SDI-R 4.0 and the incorporation of demographic considerations in the interpretation of this and other sexual dependency assessments.

Keywords: Sexual Dependency Inventory, test conditions, demographic factors, test response patterns

The Connection Between Infidelity And Ptsd, Marissa Anderson

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

This literature review addresses infidelity and the current limitations of treatment approaches due to incongruences in definitions and clinical acknowledgment. Infidelity, as a phenomenon, is poorly understood due to varying morals, experiences, religious and cultural influences that alter personal and relational constructs and expectations specific to infidelity. One commonality among those who experience infidelity is the lingering traumatic impact due to the violation of personal and societal convictions observed by the betrayal of trust, loyalty, commitment, self-worth, power imbalances, and religious beliefs. However, current literature and approaches to infidelity fail to address the traumatic impact of discovering infidelity within a …