Counseling Commons^™

Evaluating Competencies In Counseling Students: Comparing Adjunct And Core Faculty Ratings, Mark D. Newmeyer, Kaitlyn C. Stafford, Peter J. Buckingham, Karen E. Fischer, Meredith D. Mcdaniel, Rhys P. Wilson

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study examines the differences in how adjunct and core faculty evaluate counseling students using a brief version of the Counselor Competencies Scale-Revised (CCS-R). Data from 647 evaluations of 433 students were analyzed. The results show that adjunct faculty, particularly those with master's degrees, tend to rate students significantly higher on professional counseling dispositions than core faculty, raising concerns about the consistency of gatekeeping in counselor training programs. These findings suggest a need for the standardization of counseling disposition evaluation practices to maintain high training standards. Implications for student-to-faculty ratio requirements are discussed.

Counselor Education: Digital Delivery With Confidence, Nicole Marie Arcuri-Sanders, Alisha Davis

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor education programs are required to demonstrate a clear framework, effective implementation, and overall program effectiveness. The pandemic’s surge in online instruction influenced CACREP’s (2024) digital delivery (DD) standards, addressing ethical and legal implications alongside student outcomes. Guidance from digital health initiatives, telemental health ethics and legal practices can be invaluable in clarifying DD protocols for counselor education programs. Understanding the parallels between DD and digital health regulations (e.g., HIPAA, ACA [2014], and NBCC [2023] ethical codes) provides a solid foundation for protecting both students and programs. Integrating technology and modeling digital health practices can enhance counselor education, benefiting both …

Training School Counselors In Anti-Racist Practices, Yenitza Z. Guzman, Tj Schoonover, Christy Tran

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study examines the lived experiences of school counselors-in-training and their development as anti-racist school counselors. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 17 school counselors-in-training with a focus on their development and training as anti-racist practitioners. The findings of the study included four themes: (a) education, (b) experiential learning, (c) suggestions for improvement, and (d) cultural competency. This article indicates implications for school counselor educators and school counselors-in-training.

A Holographic Approach: Counseling Skill Development At The Doctoral Level, Kelly Coker, Kristi Cannon, Robyn T. Simmons, Anjuli Corzine

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study examines the perceptions and attitudes of a six-person focus group of counselor educators about teaching advanced counseling skills in CACREP accredited Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral programs. Results of the framework analysis indicate that while counseling skills are valued at the doctoral level, there is a need for individualized and collaborative construction of both assessments for and activities within doctoral internships in counseling. A Holographic Model of Doctoral Skills Training is introduced, providing a comprehensive framework for enhancing doctoral-level counseling skills training in counselor education and supervision programs.

Practicing With Avatars: Exploring Mixed Reality Simulation To Develop Msjccs, Amy L. Cook, Lillian Day, Kristin M. Murphy, Taylor Healy, Julia Kausel, Lindsay M. Fallon, Christopher B. Denning

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study used qualitative content analysis (QCA) to explore perceptions of engaging in Mixed Reality Simulation (MRS) with avatars on the development of Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCCs) for school counselors in training. Results suggested that MRS contributed to improving participants’ confidence in MSJCCs, and they would have valued additional practice with MRS to address implicit bias with clients. Results indicate the need for additional MRS research to advance the development of MSJCCs in school counselor training.

Mental Health Concerns Counselors Should Be Aware Of When Working With Women Experiencing Infertility, Corrina Harris, Kellie Forziat-Pytel

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Women experiencing infertility (WEI) are a unique group that rarely receives acknowledgment in the literature as such. These women encounter physical, emotional, and financial burdens throughout their infertility journey. Counseling research is limited on information addressing the experiences of WEI. This article highlights this unique group by providing an overview of the infertility journey for women. Counselors will learn the common mental health concerns to be aware of when working with WEI and examine a case example of infertility with a counselor’s approach. In addition, the article will identify the research gaps related to this population. Implications are made for …

Life Balance For Counselors-In-Training: An Interpretative Phenomenological Investigation, Corey Olver

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Life balance is an important yet understudied construct for counselors-in-training (CITs). Pursuing a graduate degree in counseling involves an investment of time and resources that may increase stress and adversely affect CIT wellbeing. This study explores the experience of ten CITs as they navigated life balance during their education. Analysis revealed that life balance was challenging as CITs managed their educational, personal, and work demands. Key findings reveal that satisfaction with life balance is related to alignment between real and ideal activity engagement, that students made important sacrifices to maintain balance, and their educational experience contributed to life balance perception. …

African American Women Employed In The Education Sector Who Have Biological Children With Mental Health Or Behavioral Problems: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Cynthia Henderson Porter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study is purposed to identify and describe the lived experiences of African American mothers employed in a pre-K-12 public school district in Virginia who have biological children with mental health or behavioral problems. The study was qualitative, as this method allowed challenges to be explored personally and humanistically. The theory guiding this study is social constructivism, as it relates to African American mothers’ views of their experiences in the work setting; the assumed perception of colleagues, administrators, and others; and challenges at work pertaining to limitations in functioning, performance, and interpersonal stressors that mothers may encounter. The central …

Black Men’S Experiences Of Intergenerational Trauma And Identity Development: A Phenomenological Study, Richard N. Tabb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how Black men exposed to intergenerational trauma describe their experiences of identity development. Grounded in Vivian Rakoff’s Intergenerational Trauma Theory and William Cross’s Nigrescence Theory, the study employed a transcendental phenomenological design to examine how trauma is transmitted across generations and its implications for Black male identity. This research addresses a critical gap in the mental health field, particularly regarding the historical roots of trauma and their impact on contemporary counseling practices. Findings revealed that the enduring legacy of historical trauma rooted in slavery, systemic racism, and ongoing forms of oppression continues to profoundly shape …

The Pressure To Endure: How Black Women Over 50 Navigate The Dichotomy Of Human Resilience And Supernatural Strength, Debra Ann Garner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover how Black women over 50 interpret their life experiences in the face of pressure to be strong and faith filled. It explored the intersection of race, gender, age, and faith, specifically concerning older Black women and their interpretations of the impact of cultural and societal expectations. With data from ten interviews, this study examined how the women view the dichotomy of life as Strong Black faith-filled women who are inwardly self-silencing, suppressing, and who use other coping mechanisms through decades of lingering emotional trauma. From prior studies, the Strong Black …

Mental Illness And The Role Of The Church, Shelle Mathis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental illness remains a growing concern in society, prompting increased focus on the church’s role in offering support. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of pastors and congregants regarding mental illness and the stigmas associated with it. Sixteen adult participants, ages 31 to 65, from churches in Elyria and Lorain, Ohio, were interviewed through semi-structured questions. Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: stigma, overspiritualization, education and training, collaboration with mental health professionals, and resource accessibility and advocacy needs. Pastors with lived experience of mental illness expressed greater empathy and recognized the …

A Phenomenological And Transcendental Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Mental Health Practitioners Acquiring The Competencies To Become A Sandtray Therapy Practitioner, Deborah Kay Webb-Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological, transcendental study was to describe the lived experiences of 16 mental health practitioners in North America who acquired competencies through various training programs or certification courses to proficiently integrate sandtray therapy as a cross-theoretical approach. Through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, participants described how they developed the competencies and standards to integrate sandtray therapy as a cross-theoretical approach with diverse populations, while also engaging in dialogue about the need for greater governance and regulation of training programs. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Husserl’s theory of transcendental phenomenology and the …

A Qualitative Intrinsic Case Study For A Christian Marriage Mentorship Program In Kentucky, Victoria Barbour

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this intrinsic qualitative case study was to explore the marriage mentorship program of Glory Carriers Church (pseudonym) a non-denominational Christian ministry in central Kentucky to be a larger model for other churches that may also have or want to build their marriage mentorship program. The theories guiding this study are social constructivism therapy, the wraparound model, solution focused therapy, emotion focused therapy and last, the Gottman Method: Sound relationship house. The central research question asked, “What programs does Glory Carriers Church provide for married couples?” with Sub-question 1 that asked, “How does this program provide wraparound support …

Ministerial Perspectives On Approaches To Caring For A Traumatized Congregant To Enhance Spiritual Development, Tonya B. Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe experienced Christian Ministers’ experiences caring for a traumatized congregant from various countries worldwide. The criterion for participation was an experienced minister with 15 years of experience, at least 40 years old, and who ministered to three types of traumas. The two main theories guiding this study were Bowlby’s (1969, 1982) attachment theory and Fowler’s (1981) development of faith with references to Erickson’s (1958/1962) psychosocial development, Maslow’s (1954) Hierarchy, and cognitive behavior theory (Beck, 1952; Ellis, 1962). The three main research questions were: How does an experienced Christian minister describe their experiences …

Book Review: "Take Your Own Advice" By Jeffrey Marsh, Kristy Carlisle

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

This review examines Take Your Own Advice by Jeffrey Marsh as a teaching tool for cultivating ethical presence, mindfulness, and professional identity in human services and counseling education. Grounded in compassion-based, trauma-informed principles, Marsh’s eight guiding rules invite readers to shift from control and perfectionism toward authenticity, acceptance, and values-based living. These concepts directly reflect mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) practices and expound upon self-compassion, boundary awareness, and cultural humility. Through workbook activities, students find ways to practice emotional regulation and ethical reflection. Drawing connections to the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE) and Council for …

Cv: Kimberly Duris (Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Counselor Education And Supervision), Kimberly Duris

Psychology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

“Home.”: A Trauma-Informed Children’S Book Exploring Secure Attachment For Children In Foster Care, Keeli Langford

Undergraduate Theses

Estimates suggest 6% of U.S. children (nearly half a million) will be placed in foster care at any point between their birth and eighteenth birthday (Turney & Wildeman, 2017). This population of children is subject to multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; Turney & Wildeman, 2017). Such ACEs include parental divorce, parental incarceration, parental abuse, a household member with a psychological disorder, violence exposure, or a household member grappling with substance use. Exposure to childhood ACEs can negatively affect children behaviorally, emotionally, socially, and academically (Lawrence et al., 2006; McGuire et al., 2021). Research indicates youth in foster care are more …

Mitigating Screen Addiction In Early Childhood Using Value-Based Family Counseling In Ancient Javanese Texts, Fifi Khoirul Fitriyah, M. Ramli, Nanda Alfan Kurniawan, Baraka Manjale Ngussa, Nordin Bin Mamat

Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling

Gadget addiction is often associated with poor social interaction skills, anxiety, and physical health. However, few studies have addressed the issue of gadget addiction in early childhood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a family counseling model that internalizes values from ancient Javanese texts to reduce gadget addiction in early childhood. The ancient Javanese text used was Kakawin Sutasoma, which describes the meaningful journey of Prince Sutasoma. This study was an experiment with a single-subject ABA design. The results showed positive developments in all three cases. In Case 1, reducing gadget time resulted in improved social skills in …

Conflict Clarity: How To Teach Students To Turn Disputes Into Growth Opportunities, Eileen Paige Petzold-Bradley

Learning and Educational Center Virtual Teaching and Learning Conference

Conflict is an unavoidable part of learning and working in today’s fast-changing industries. Faculty often observe students struggling with teamwork, communication breakdowns, and emotional self-management during group projects or internships. This session equips educators with practical strategies to help students build durable skills—conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness—that translate directly into professional success.

Drawing on research in conflict management, leadership, and organizational psychology, participants will explore the “Conflict Clarity” framework: a set of teaching tools, reflection prompts, and case scenarios designed for classroom use across disciplines. Faculty will learn how to integrate conflict styles, the CLEAR conversation framework, and role-play …

Religion's Role In Shaping Psychopathological Narratives, Andrea Gonzalez Mendoza

The Graduate Review

Understanding the interplay between religion and psychopathology is essential for clinicians navigating the complexities of mental health diagnosis and treatment. This paper explores the nuanced relationship between belief systems and diagnostic frameworks, shedding light on how religious beliefs influence the perception, assessment, and treatment of mental disorders. Drawing upon historical and current-day research, this paper examines how religious interpretations shape the presentation and understanding of psychopathological symptoms. In doing so, this paper argues that psychopathology cannot be understood without considering the influence of religion on its conceptualization. The latter is illustrated by looking at historical diagnostic patterns and how they …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

The Historical Shift On Depression: Psychoanalysis To Neuroscience, Melina Kehtar-Navaz

The Bear Counseling Collective

Depression, a condition that affects millions of people worldwide, has been an important subject for the collaboration between psychologists, medical doctors, and beyond. Over the past century, our understanding of depression has undergone a transformation from theory-driven insights of psychoanalysis to the biological and brain-based medical and cognitive models that currently dominate research in the field. In the early 20th century, psychoanalysts like Sigmund Freud proposed an original definition and cause for depression, including components of unconscious conflicts. Today, with advancements in neuroscience and biological psychiatry, depression is a disorder of the brain that is affected by multiple components of …

Interview With Current Professional Counseling Student: Luke Riley, Chalan Carpenter

The Bear Counseling Collective

Obtaining a master's degree in counseling at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) is no easy feat. Like all master’s programs, it demands a great deal of time and commitment. Additionally, with the esteemed Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation, UNC's counseling program requires students to complete no less than 60 credit hours and 600 clinical internship hours beyond the practicum experience. Such a rigorous curriculum ensures that students receive extensive training, preparing them for the challenges of professional counseling. Beyond the classroom, this program requires tremendous introspection and reflection to further the professional and …

Theoretical Exploration: Feederism And Precarious Manhood, Schneebeck

The Bear Counseling Collective

The internet provides a peek into the lives of niche communities that one might not otherwise encounter in daily life. Stumbling into a unique subculture can intrigue, befuddle, or even disturb the outside viewer. The traditional physical barriers between sexual fetishes and the outside world are diminished with a few clicks of the keyboard. One sexual fetish gaining internet traction, even outside of the explicitly adult online spaces, is that of feederism. Feederism’s growing infamy comes from its odd and extreme departure from what is considered “normal” – an overt sexualization of force feeding a partner with intent of weight …

Breaking The Cycle: Addressing The Stigma Of Non-Offending Individuals To Reduce The Risk Of Child Sexual Abuse, Olinda Moro López

The Bear Counseling Collective

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a significant public health issue worldwide. Estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 25% of girls and 5% of boys have experienced sexual abuse (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). However, the CDC’s statistics only reflect criminal convictions of CSA cases. Notably, a 2011 meta-analysis comparing official CSA data from 217 studies with approximately 10 million self-reported samples revealed that prevalence rates could be as much as 30 times higher than official statistics suggest (Beier et al., 2024; Stoltenborgh et al., 2011). This discrepancy highlights significant under-detection and …

Theoretical Review: Finding The Light In Logotherapy, Lexi Lucas Moore

The Bear Counseling Collective

As humans, we face many forms of fire: the singe of a broken relationship, the smolder of death, and even the blaze of abuse. However, we endure the burn, and eventually, our resilience illuminates into hope. Viktor E. Frankl (1946) once said, “What is to give light must endure burning.” This tumultuous journey of rising from the ashes was familiar to Viktor, as it was a matter of his survival during his experience of the Holocaust. While imprisoned in concentration camps, Viktor developed logotherapy as a theoretical lens to promote freedom. With four universal tenants, the theory is an act …

Psychological Service Clinic: An Interview With Dr. Johnson, Leah K. Skelton

The Bear Counseling Collective

With the long wait list and high demand for mental health services, many people may have trouble finding affordable mental health services in the northern Colorado area. As director of the psychological services clinic, Dr. Johnson helped shed light on a service available in the Greeley community that many may not be aware of through the University of Northern Colorado’s Psychological Services Clinic (PSC). In an effort to help highlight this service, I sat down with Dr. Johnson to talk with him about what the PSC has to offer people in the community and the process of obtaining services.

Loneliness And The Experience Of Addiction And Recovery In Older Adults, Chalan Carpenter

The Bear Counseling Collective

Physical, emotional, and cognitive age-related changes are challenging processes for an individual to manage as they age. The aging population has higher rates of social isolation and feelings of loneliness (Haroutunian, 2016). While loneliness can be seen as an emotional experience, it also can be viewed as an age-related change. As individuals age, they will typically experience a decrease in relationships and social interaction. The experience of loneliness or isolation is a negative emotional experience which can affect a person’s ability to cope with stress and age-related changes, and to achieve developmental milestones. Through interviews with participants recovering from alcohol …

Advancing Children's Mental Health In Nevada, Kelliann Beavers, Christopher Kearney

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada ranks 51st nationally in youth mental health access and services, underscoring persistent shortages and disparities across the state. Nearly one in four youths aged 12–17 (23.5%) experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, and 73% did not receive treatment. Approximately 34,000 Nevada youths have reported suicidal thoughts—an urgent call for prevention and coordinated support.

During the 2024–2025 school year, 31.3% of Clark County School District students were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), a challenge closely linked to mental health struggles and socioeconomic barriers.

This community forum provided an opportunity to generate dialogue and …

Cv: Lisa M. Brown (School Counseling/Clinical Mental Health Counseling), Lisa M. Brown

Psychology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.