Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Cultivating Empathy: A Content Analysis Of Empathic Themes In Best-Selling Children's Books, Elnaz J. Afousi

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the presence and nature of empathic content in best-selling children’s picture books, with a focus on developmental relevance for preschool-aged readers. Using a modified version of the iEPIC empathy coding system, 10 titles from the New York Times best-seller list were analyzed to assess the frequency and complexity of three empathy-related constructs: Emotion or State Description (ESD), Exploring Emotion or State (EES), and Empathic Understanding or Concern (EUC). Results indicate that while all books contained some empathy-related content, ESD3 (self-reflective emotional descriptions) and EUC2/EUC4 (understanding and helping others) were most prevalent, suggesting an emphasis on both intrapersonal …

A Ticket To The Show: Reclaiming The Margins Of Film History Through The Orphan Film Movement, Charlotte Roi

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores the history, development, and legacy of the Orphan Film Movement (OFM), a vital initiative dedicated to identifying, preserving, and promoting cinematic works that have been neglected, forgotten, or left without clear copyright holders. Through the lens of Critical Archival Theory, the research traces the emergence of the OFM from its foundational roots in the broader film preservation movement and examines its evolution through academic, institutional, and community-based advocacy. Drawing on historical research, symposium analysis, and theoretical engagement, this study demonstrates how the OFM reshapes historical narratives, democratizes preservation practices, and redefines what constitutes cultural memory in film …

Memento Mori: A Photo-Elicit Narrative Analysis On Grief, Jared Becknell

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Training and education about grief counseling has been stagnant, stalling the creativity and novel practice when working with bereaved individuals. Counselors in Training often receive minimal education and training in grief, even though clients will ultimately experience this phenomenon. Qualitative research findings provide insights into how individuals actively engage in the grieving process, while promoting their own versions of healing and acceptance through the artifacts kept from deceased loved ones. These findings explore the lived experience of individuals who keep artifacts from a deceased loved one. Results show an active participation in reconnecting to the deceased versus addressing grief symptoms …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Grief In Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Martina Bauer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this phenomenological descriptive-interpretive study was to understand the lived experience of maintaining attention to one’s responsibilities while grieving among adults diagnosed with ADHD who have recently experienced bereavement in the United States. The population for this study included adults aged 18 and over who had experienced the loss of a loved one in the past 5 years and had a current diagnosis of ADHD. Participants were recruited using a sample of convenience via social media, email, and flyers, employing a snowball sampling technique. There were eight participants who met the inclusion criteria and participated in a semi-structured …

Experiences Of Civilian Mental Health Providers Who Work With Military Clients: A Dissertation, Lydia P. Perry

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Using a qualitative survey design, this study sought to understand the experiences of fully civilian providers who had achieved self-perceived military cultural competence when working with military or veteran clients or their families. This study also sought a better understanding of what pathways fully civilian providers took in this process, as well as their perceptions of how to better equip other fully civilian providers for work with military and veteran clients and their families. The results of this study yield recommendations for changes in graduate training programs; for example, through more inclusion of the military as a culture in cross …

Exploration Of Mystical Experiences And Relationship Changes: An Ayahuasca Study, Ginny Jo Reyes

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This mixed-methodology dissertation explores how participation in ayahuasca ceremonies at Rythmia Life Advancement Center (Costa Rica) influences relationship dynamics within couples. Looking at this in combination with self-reported mental health changes, the connection to mystical experiences are navigated. Statistical significance and narratives are explored; this study steps into the gap between ancient plant medicine traditions and the modern search for meaning, healing, and connection. Grounded in a social constructionist lens, the study combines pre- and post-surveys (CAGE-AID pre-only; MAT, KMS, RHS, PSS, GAD-7, PHQ-9; MEQ-30 post-only) with semistructured interviews. Quantitatively, participants showed significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression, with …

The Lived Experiences Of Trauma In Autistic Adults: A Thematic Analysis, Briana Trageser

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A qualitative research study focused on Autistic adults explored the lived experiences of trauma. Participants included Autistic adults who have either been professionally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who self-identify as Autistic. Data was collected through a survey with 12 open-ended questions. A thematic analysis revealed six themes: (a) adverse childhood experiences, (b) exposure to violence and loss, (c) difficulty relating to others, (d) complex mind and sensory experiences, (e) medical and mental health challenges, and (f) autistic identity. The themes revealed instances of Autistic people experiencing trauma in ways that differ and vary in clinical presentation from their …

Self-Awareness And Self-Efficacy In The Novice Professional Phase Of Marriage And Family Therapists After Person Of The Therapist Training, A Comparative Survey, Rubio Betsabé

Dissertations

The study focuses on examining the influence of person-of-the-therapist or self-of-the-therapist training on therapists’ self-reports of self-awareness (as a conscious awareness of one’s internal states and interactions with others) and self-efficacy (perceived beliefs in personal capabilities to perform in ways that give control over events that affect their lives) at the novice professional stage of their career. The study will examine the experiences reported by mental health providers actively providing clinical care by utilizing a survey design focusing on person of the therapist connecting through alumni lists and online solicitation. This research adds to the current literature by using a …

What About The Children? An Exploration Of Family Counselors' Play Therapy Training And Preparedness To Integrate Children Into Family Counseling, Patricia J. Walker Monical

Dissertations

Children are an important part of families, yet family counselor education programs often do not incorporate training for including children in family counseling. At some point in their careers, family counselors and therapists will encounter clients who have children 3–12 years old. The problem is that since these professionals often receive little to no training in play therapy and thus do not typically include young children in family therapy, these younger family members are often overlooked. Research has confirmed that, due to a lack of sufficient training and supervision in play therapy, many family therapists report feeling unprepared to work …

Grief On The Margins: The Death Of A Family Member To Substance Use, Adair Shaw

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Despite Canada's high death rates from substance use, there is limited research on the sociopsychological impact on families, who often face stigma and disenfranchised grief. This study explores how family members make meaning of a substance-related death. Through qualitative inquiry, eleven family members were interviewed on their experience of grief from substance death. The imprint of losing a family member to mental illness and substance use is fraught with intergenerational grief, ambiguity, prolonged mental-emotional distress, and relationship challenges. Substance death was also associated with stigma, social withdrawal, and shame for many participants. However, grievers reconstructed the socially prescribed negative perceptions …

Can Deliberate Practice For Inner Skills Enhance Therapist Trainees’ Mindfulness And Presence When Working With Clients?, Edmund W. Orlowski Iii

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

A replicated single-case design was used to assess the effectiveness of therapist trainees’ engagement in deliberate practice for inner psychotherapy skills (Rousmaniere, 2019). Deliberate practice (DP) is a structured approach to therapist skill development that involves repeatedly observing and responding to real or simulated clients (Rousmaniere, 2016). It was reasoned that by attending to their inner experience while repeatedly being exposed to challenging clinical material (e.g., a client’s suicidal ideation) outside of therapy, trainees may reduce their experiential avoidance and thus be more mindful and present in sessions with actual clients.

During the five-week baseline phase of the study, four …

The Psychological Impacts Of Homeland Havoc Among First-Generation Raised Americans: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, Raneem Kurzum

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The current study explored the psychological experiences of first-generation raised U.S. citizens whose ancestral homelands are affected by ongoing or recent havoc. First-generation raised Americans are defined as the first-generation to be born in the U.S. or those who immigrated to the U.S. during infancy (less than two years of age). While research on trauma, resilience, and identity has previously addressed collective and intergenerational responses within culturally homogenous groups, few studies have examined the cross-cultural psychological impact of homeland turmoil among diverse diasporic populations living in the U.S.

Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), this qualitative study employed semi-structured individual interviews …

Trauma-Informed Yoga As An Adjunct To Treatment As Usual Within Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Feasibility Trial., Suzanne Vogler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Yoga interventions have been used more frequently in recent years within health and wellness settings to address both clinical and non-clinical issues. More specifically, yoga interventions and trauma-informed yoga (TIY) interventions are being explored within the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Initial research suggests that yoga interventions could be beneficial to the treatment of SUDs as an adjunct to treatment or a stand-alone intervention as part of continued recovery (post-clinical treatment) (Fitzgerald et al., 2021; Mallik et al., 2019). Although initial research is promising, the current quantity and quality of studies specifically exploring the feasibility and potential benefit of …