Counselor Education Commons^™

The Unequal Distribution Of Social Risk For Black Men Across The Life-Span. A Novel Framework., Waleed Y. Sami

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual overview offers a comprehensive overview of systemic pathways that negatively impact the mental health of Black Men throughout their lives. Our argument highlights the importance for counselors and mental health professionals to utilize a thorough social risk assessment that considers these pathways in order to effectively address the mental health needs of Black Men while fostering positive working relationships. This overview strongly advocates for the use of context and structural determinants when evaluating mental health symptoms. Without an appropriate understanding of social risk and determinants, counselors may inadvertently perpetuate disparities by decontextualizing symptomology, and reproducing racist discourse.

Black And African American Young Adult Male Experiences: Implications For Building Resilience And Survival Skills Within Educational Settings And Public Spaces, Akimma Wright-D'Abreau

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The aim of this study is to better understand, from the perspective of Critical Race Theory, the experiences of adolescent males who are Black and living in the United States and to examine how they build resilience and survival skills. Participants were between the ages of 18 and 26 and asked to recall adolescent experiences as part of a semi-structured interview with a Black Storytelling approach. There were six participants and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. According to the results, there were seven themes: (1) Policing In the United States of America Comes in Many Forms, (2) Recognizing Racism …

Experiences Of Counselors Working With Adolescents, Allison Bradford Chow

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study aimed to examine the lived experience of clinical mental health counselors working with adolescents. Participants included pre-licensed (associate) or licensed counselors who predominately work with and have a strong preference for working with adolescent clients. Data was collected through individual interviews and analyzed with a descriptive-interpretative approach. Ten domains were identified as part of data analysis: (a) Understanding Adolescent Culture and Building a Therapeutic Alliance, (b) The Intersection of Counselor and Adolescent Emotions, (c) Transference and Countertransference, (d) Clinical Challenges and Barriers, (e) The Multifaceted Role of Parents, (f) Nuances of Confidentiality, (g) Adolescent Development and Strengths, …

Efficacy Of Mental Health Interventions For Physicians: A Literature Review, Rebecca Rudolph

Counselor Education Capstones

Medical physicians at all points of their careers, including as medical students, interns, residents, and independent physicians, are more likely than their non-physician peers to experience depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, substance abuse, and other mental health issues. A variety of occupation-specific factors could contribute to these issues with no root cause known, and the efficacy of mental health care interventions for this group also remains ambiguous. There seem to be two approaches to the problem - implementing interventions at organizational levels and making individual interventions available. There is not one conclusive answer to systematically improve physician mental health, and different …

Her Story Told Her Way: A Narrative Inquiry Into Black Women’S Perception Of The Strong Black Woman., Chulyndria Chanee Laye

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The narrative surrounding the meaning of being a Black woman has historically been dominated by stereotypes such as the mammy, jezebel, sapphire, and angry Black woman. Black women have attempted to control their own narrative through the internalization of these stereotypes, leading to the creation of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) construct. While the SBW is comprised of a sense of caretaker, independence, and emotional restraint, Black women’s attempts at embodying this construct in the face of societal oppression and familial responsibilities can and often does have negative effects on their mental health. Although the behaviors associated with the SBW …

Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Program Evaluation Of One Substance Abuse Treatment Center, Erin Poore

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has the possibility of enhancing health outcomes for those living with substance abuse disorders. Previous research primarily focused on individuals with a diagnosis of dementia and other cognitive related disorders. Prior research that did look at individuals with substance abuse focused on the use of horses rather than canines and were limited to small sample sizes. We used an electronic medical record system to identify eligible patients to volunteer to participate in two weeks of animal-assisted therapy at one substance abuse treatment center in southeastern United States. Volunteers completed pre and post survey questions measuring overall satisfaction …

The Effects Of Hip-Hop And Rap Music Intervention To Improve The Wellbeing Of Black And African American Men, Lanita Michelle Jefferson

Theses and Dissertations

Wellbeing affects an individual’s functioning regarding personal, interpersonal, social, and overall wellbeing (Tennant et al., 2007). This study investigated the wellbeing of mental health among African American college-aged men by reading hip-hop and rap lyrics (Gonzalez & Hayes, 2009). The study explored the effects of reading hip-hop and rap lyrics on Black and African American college-aged men's wellbeing. Through peer review articles, this study investigated the effects of reading hip-hop and rap lyrics on the wellbeing of Black and African American college-aged men. The researcher identified the lack of research on wellbeing and marginalized communities, specifically Black and African American …

Lack Of Counseling Services Among Adults Aged 50 And Greater, Madalyn Olson

Counselor Education Capstones

The geriatric population is increasing every year which may indicate a rising need for retirement and mental health counseling. It is essential for individuals aging out of the workforce to prepare for a life after work and know how to create a new identity. Counselors need to be aware of the different scales and assessments that are available to help determine one’s attitude towards retirement and willingness to seek counseling to prepare for retirement. Additionally, it is important to be aware that although there are counseling services available for mental health disorders and substance use disorders, these services are limited …

Addressing Anti-Fat Bias: A Crash Course For Counselors And Counselors-In-Training, Stella B. Kerl-Mcclain, Cort M. Dorn-Medeiros, Kelsey Mcmurray

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

People with larger body sizes are often the target of harmful stereotypes such as being lazy, unattractive, and unintelligent. Such stereotypes are part of an extensive system of oppression often intersecting with racism, classism, and ableism. When counselors and counselors-in-training are unaware of their own biases related to body size, larger bodied clients are at risk for further harm within the very place they are seeking support. This article provides professional counselors and counselors-in-training with the historical knowledge needed to examine their own biases and prejudices around body size and fatness to become better counselors and advocates for all clients. …

Effective Treatment Modalities, Recommendations, And Desired Outcomes For Adolescents With Co-Occurring Disorders, Madelynn J. Revord

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone Project analyzes and assesses recent research of different modalities of treatment for adolescents with co-occurring disorders. While conducting research on this topic, the common goal of effective treatment for adolescents with co-occurring disorders includes eliminating continued substance abuse, resolving conduct concerns, developing appropriate coping skills, correcting negative thoughts and/or behaviors, decreasing delinquency, and addressing reoccurring mental health symptoms. Multidimensional family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, group therapy, and individual therapy are compared to formulate effective clinical approaches for adolescents with co-occurring disorders. Adverse childhood experiences, risk and protective factors, suicidality, community involvement, parental education and early intervention, …

The Spirit Empowering Counselors To Be Culturally Competent In A Racially And Ethnically Changing Society, Sandra K. Richardson, Yasmine A. Godinez, Lemuel J. Godinez

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

Significant change in the counseling field begins in counselor education programs. Concerns of biased, incompetent, and ineffective counseling services for culturally diverse clients plague the mental health profession (ACA, 2021; Sue & Sue, 2016). Rapid shifts in the racial and ethnic demographic composition of American society and the overt expression of hate and violence on the lives of People of Color place a greater demand on mental health professionals to pursue and acquire multicultural competencies (Brown, 2020; Embrick, 2015). Cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills are needed to establish meaningful therapeutic relationships, to provide effective treatment, and to effectively advocate for …

The Relationship Between Sexual Abuse And Disordered Eating: Applications Of Narrative Therapy, Taylor Heilman, David Bright

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

While research has demonstrated a significant relationship between sexual abuse and the development of disordered eating behaviors, research on techniques to address disordered eating formed in this manner remains limited. Posttraumatic stress as well as internalized feelings of guilt, shame, and blame all contribute to the development of disordered eating in those who have experienced sexual violence. Narrative Therapy focuses on restorying an individual’s experienced and lived themes to make the creation of a new, healthy interpretation of trauma. Limited research has explored the potential application of restorying to populations experiencing disordered eating and sexual abuse trauma, independently. This conceptual …

Addressing Systemic Inequities: A Psychoeducational Group For Advocating For African Americans, Jaree' Barnwell

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This paper will discuss and describe the development of an open psychoeducational group that will empower people of the community through education to advocate for African American/Black people within institutions that may perpetuate barriers. Acknowledging that one in four people struggle with mental health issues, it is imperative to consider an appropriate treatment modality that destigmatizes mental health and equips participants with information. This group is especially relevant as one in three African Americans, who struggle with mental health concerns, will never receive the appropriate care comparatively afforded to white populations. This thesis will concisely discuss the education system, the …

The Fetishization Of Asian American Women: Where We Are And Where To Go, Genevieve Askin

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Women of color in the United States suffer from hyper sexualization and fetishization, and Asian American (AA) women are no different. These racial microaggressions and normalized expressions of oppression based on both race/ethnicity and gender contribute to a distinct marginalization that women of color experience. This paper seeks to 1) explore the unique layers of oppression that AA women face, including combating the model minority myth, westernized beauty standards, and fetishization, as well as 2) address the difference in reception between the Stop Asian Hate movement and Black Lives Matter, while defining and critiquing the whitewashing of this field in …

Mental Health In Rural Communities: Barriers And Solutions To Access, Andrea Ducharme

Counselor Education Capstones

Rural communities encompass a unique culture and a way of life difficult to find anywhere else. Unfortunately, barriers to mental health services exist more frequently in rural than urban and suburban areas. These barriers include stigma, cultural factors, financial concerns, as well as lack of resources and providers. Solutions to these barriers exist in some part, but also present their own challenges. This literature review explores the problem, causes of the problem in the form of barriers, and solutions to accessing mental health resources in rural areas of the United States. A discussion with suggestions for further action and study …

Social And Cultural Considerations In Accessing Mental Health Treatment In The Gambia, West Africa, Safiya Njai

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the social and cultural considerations in accessing mental health treatment in The Gambia, West Africa. Participants were recruited from The Gambia for a qualitative study that included semistructured interviews (N = 17). A team of analysts identified five themes. The results highlighted social and cultural conceptualizations of mental health and mental illness, sociocultural determinants of health, interventions, barriers to care, and the legal framework to support mental health change. These findings are important for counselors to understand different perceptions of mental health and mental illness and the associated stigma. Furthermore, several opportunities for advocacy in The Gambia …

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

Dissertations, 2020-current

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

Commonalities Between Urban Mental Health And Rural Mental Health, Casey Bohlman

Counselor Education Capstones

During research into mental health, a common theme is the needs of urban and rural communities. There are entire journals dedicated to the mental health needs of these groups. Some common problems faced in both areas are access to mental health services as well as value systems that create barriers to accepting mental health services. The struggle to accept the help from very limited and often underfunded mental health services provides a perfect storm for rampant mental health and drug abuse problems. This is a review the current literature regarding the mental health services and barriers in these communities to …

Mental Health Concerns In Graduate Students: Implications And Effective Interventions, Brody Fanshaw

Counselor Education Capstones

Graduate school can be a stressful time for students. In addition to academic tasks, individuals in graduate programs frequently experience stress due to personal and professional obligations. The distressing nature of managing these priorities allows for an increase in mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality. The reviewed literature finds that programs that have positive factors within their department, such as a positive environment and supportive advisement, allow for an opportunity to curb these concerns. The literature also notes the importance of universities preparing their students for these stressors during their time in their graduate program, in addition …

Administrative Supervision And Counselor Burnout, Emily Belsito

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health counselors continue to experience burnout due to their roles and the nature of their work. The supervisory working alliance and clinical supervision have been shown to be one protective factor against burnout, however the research to date on administrative supervision’s relationship to burnout is scant. This quantitative study involved a sample (N =110) of mental health counselors, who met specific criteria, who completed a series of three inventories: the Counselor Burnout Inventory (CBI), the Brief Supervisory Working Alliance Trainee Form (BSWAT), and the Satisfaction of Administrative Supervision Scale (created by researcher). A multiple regression using the enter …

Treatment Access For Dual Diagnosis Substance Use And Mental Health Disorders, Pedro Banuelos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In 2018, of 1.3 million Latinx adults in the United States facing concurrent issues with substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health disorders (MHD) 93% remained untreated for either diagnosis. This is concerning since Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) data reveals that this population is at greater risk for suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts. They also face structural barriers such as employment, housing, legal involvement, and insurability that further impede access to treatment.

This study’s purpose was to examine barriers to accessing treatment for Latinx populations confronting co-occurring SUDs and MHDs. This study used a qualitative design …

Effectiveness Of An Online Intervention Combating Mental Health Stigma On Adolescent Help-Seeking Behaviors, Chelsea Krayecki

Counselor Education Capstones

Mental health stigma has been shown to be a barrier to seeking help for mental health concerns. This is especially true for adolescents due to important developmental characteristics. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2021), depression is one of the major causes of mental health concerns and disability among adolescents. In addition, the WHO (2021) also states that mental health conditions account for 16% of global burden of illness in people ages 10-19-years-old. The current pandemic has only increased these concerns, as social, emotional, and mental well-being has been impacted by the pandemic (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, …

Elementary School Counselors Experiences Working With Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: A Qualitative Dissertation, Esther Diane Mccartney

Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional/behavioral disorders have identified disruptive behaviors that negatively impact their academic performance. The US Department of Education and the American School Counselor Association have supported the use of school-wide Multitiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to reinforce pro-social behaviors for all students, but to also ensure the development of targeted and intensive interventions for students who need more support. As stakeholders, school counselors are often involved in the development and implementation of MTSS’s tiered interventions to provide support to all students, especially those with disabilities. Using consensual qualitative research study, the research team aimed to examine elementary school counselor’s …

[2020 Honorable Mention] The Stress And Mental And Emotional Health Of Undocumented Students, Sarahi Mariaca Diaz

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This paper discusses the stress and mental and emotional health of undocumented students, including DACA students (referred to as DACAmented), DREAMERS, and AB 540 students, during their college application process and their college journey. Also, this paper focuses on how immigration status and stress factors impact undocumented students’ academic and personal life, how those factors impact the mental and emotional health of undocumented students, and how undocumented students overcome or address the stress factors they experience. Finally, this paper discusses how educational institutions in higher education need to improve to make an undocu-friendly and supportive environment for undocumented students.

Mental Health And Discipline In California Community Schools, Damien Phillips

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if there is a difference in achievement, absenteeism, graduation rates and suspension for students enrolled in community schools that do and don’t have access to school-based mental health services. In addition, it was the purpose to identify and describe the practices most effective in improving attendance, reduction of suspension, achievement and graduation as perceived by community school employees.

Methodology: This mixed-method dissertation attempted to determine the difference between California county community schools for expelled students who have had access to school-based mental health and those who do not as …

A Review Of Mixed Methods Community-Based Participatory Research Applications In Mental Health, David E. Jones, Robin Lindquist-Grantz, Melissa Dejonckheere

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The aim of the paper was to methodologically review the intersection of mixed methods research (MMR) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) in the field of mental health research. We classify this intersecting approach as MMCBPR. The methodological review of empirical literature was conducted between October 2017 and March 2020 of full-text articles in Scopus, Pubmed, ProQuest Central, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost search engine databases in the English language. Twenty-nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. We found some evidence of MMCBPR but it was limited by factors such as a lack of explicit rationales …

Critically And Creatively Engaging With Trauma-Informed Mental Health Research And Treatment Of Lgbtqia+ Communities As Expressive Arts Therapists: A Literature Review, Kelli Lavallee

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Expressive Arts Therapists are uniquely situated as both artists and mental health counselors working in psychological pedagogy rooted in systems of oppression. Given the arts-based approaches to the therapeutic relationship, it can be unethical to offer these approaches without acknowledgement of the ways in which the arts intersect with social justice, and justice is only viable if practitioners critically review the clinical mental health education they are consuming from the institutions they learn in, specifically trauma-informed mental health research assimilation and treatment approaches for Expressive Arts Therapists in training, practice, and education. A review of the literature in this paper …

Exploring School Counseling Students’ Unpaid Internship Experiences In Their Personal Lives, Tatiana Eggum

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Research by Foss and Kelly, that graduate students face specific challenges in their lives due to multiple roles that they partake in as a student, professional, and family member (2017). The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the impact of unpaid internships on school counseling students’ personal lives by asking about their financial, social, and emotional experiences. The research focuses on school counseling students that are in an accredited program by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and are currently participating in an unpaid internship. After seven days the survey was deactivated and …

The Effectiveness Of Implementing A Collaborative Mental Health Approach On Quality Of Life For Individuals Of Low Socioeconomic Status, Tyler Z. Tooley

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The ultimate purpose of this study is to provide insight and education to mental health clinicians, politicians and the general public of the numerous effects poverty has on mental health, in addition to the most beneficial ways to combat those insidious effects. The specific barriers met by individuals of low socioeconomic status severely affect psychological and physical health, as well as social and environmental relationships, which therefore diminish overall quality of life. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of implementing a collaborative mental health approach for low income individuals on length of engagement in services and …

Act To Save A Life: Evidence-Based Youth Suicide Prevention, Meghan Diamon

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Youth suicide is a preventable tragedy that can occur when children's mental health needs are unmet. Participants will discuss published research on risk factors for youth suicide, how to implement an evidence-based prevention program, and how to tackle common obstacles encountered. Participants will be prepared to mobilize school staff, parents, and community members to address the critical issues of depression awareness and suicide prevention.