Counseling Psychology Commons^™

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Protective And Compensatory Experiences, And Parenting Attitudes Among Fathers, Kylie Schmidt

Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are defined as potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood particularly between the ages of 0 and 17 years that negatively influence long-term health, relational functioning, and parenting practices (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2026; Felitti et al., 1998; Merrick et al., 2019). Conversely, protective and compensatory experiences (PACEs) have emerged as protective factors that foster resilience and possibly buffer against the adverse outcomes of ACEs (Narayan et al., 2018). As the existing research has greatly focused on mothers, little is known about how men’s early life experiences shape their parenting attitudes, particularly during the …

A Discursive Analysis Of Lesbian And Queer Experiences Of Unwanted Consensual Sex, Sarah E. Swanson

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This study drew on a critical discursive psychology (CDP) analytical approach to examine how lesbian and queer participants made sense of unwanted consensual sex (UCS).  The data analysis traced how UCS was constructed on three discursive levels: the construction of UCS across narratives, the interpretive repertoires mobilized (including sexual scripts), and the broader sociocultural discourses that shaped what elements of their experiences were intelligible. Therefore, I sought to understand both how participants drew on familiar heteronormative and queer ways of talking about sex and how various discursive resources shaped how they could construct themselves and others. Data for this research …

I Must Be Well, To Do Well: Examining The Relationship Between Toxic Stem Environments, Trauma, Stem Support, And Academic Outcomes Among Diverse Graduate Women In Stem, Aisha Farra

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Women, particularly Women of Colour (WOC), remain underrepresented in STEM. In the last two decades, research has sought to better understand women’s experiences in STEM, highlighting challenges such as isolation, sexism, and racism, which negatively impact mental health and STEM persistence. While these mental health challenges have been documented, further work is needed to examine how these experiences are related to trauma symptoms and physical health outcomes, as well as the mechanisms through which they shape academic outcomes. This quantitative study investigated the relationships among toxic STEM experiences (i.e., gendered racism, sexism, and isolation), trauma symptoms and physical health concerns, …

To Heal Or To Harm: Scripture’S Use As Poison Or Medicine For Abuse Survivors, Felicia Cindyana

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Social Psychology In Christian Perspective: Exploring The Human Condition, Donna Sharp

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout To Sustainable Work, Kathy Hoppe

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

To Doubt Or Not To Doubt? Religious Development For Spirit-Empowered Christians, Andrea C. Walker, Ricky T. Munoz, Andrew S.I.D. Lang

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Ghanian Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches In Fighting Sexual Violence Against Women, Christian Tsekpoe

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

The Intersection Of Mental Health And Demonic Activity, Robert A. Willis

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Integrating Spiritual Disciplines As A Therapeutic Modality In Mental Health Counseling For Identity Restoration & Trauma Healing, Rebecca Webster, Charlotte H. Sanders

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Five Years Of Salubritas: Looking Back With Gratitude And Forward With Expectation, Haley R. French

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Full Issue Salubritas 5 (2026), Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

The History And Importance Of Self-Compassion: Lack Of Application In Male Demographics?, Marshall Spilane

Summer Research Showcase

Self-compassion has become an important part of mental health research, though its adoption in male populations has been slower than in others. The objective of this literature review is to expose a lack of implementation of self-compassion practices in male communities. This literature review explores this gap in adoption and provides an example of how research can move forward. The data were collected by analyzing current literature and compiling it. Current research on self-compassion has found evidence that self-compassion can improve emotional regulation and lessen depression symptoms. Many factors could influence the gap in adoption; some research suggests that mental …

Chronological Intersectionality: Navigating Off-Time Career Reinvention For Women At Midlife And Beyond, Sara W. Bailey

Adultspan Journal

Counselors are trained to anticipate on-time retirement-linked risks but increasingly are serving women pursuing off-time midlife career reinvention within ageist, sexist, racist, and ableist systems of power. Grounded in the author’s personal narrative, this perspective article highlights the compounded burdens of gendered ageism, biopsychosocial aging, and non-prototypical professional acceleration for midlife women. Built upon Crenshaw’s (1989) framework, chronological intersectionality is introduced as a way for counselors to conceptualize the concurrent biopsychosocial and systemic pressures and marginalization that can occur when age-expected norms collide with career changes for midlife women. Implications for clinical practice are described.

Understanding Relapse And The Correlation With Group Counseling Accountability, Attendance, And Attitudes, Willie Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substance abuse continues to create significant personal, family, and legal challenges, yet limited research exists on mandated clients receiving counseling within rural municipal court systems. Studying factors associated with relapse allows counselors and counselor educators to develop interventions to prevent relapse and improve treatment outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between group counseling attributes of attendance, accountability, attitudes and the level of relapse rates among rural municipal court clients in Columbus, Mississippi, as measured by the DEF, Subtle, Face Valid Alcohol, Face Valid Other Drugs, and the OAT Scales of the SASSI-4 Assessment. Theoretical …

From Silence To Story: Reconstructing Narratives Of Mental Illness, Family, And Self Among U.S. Adult Children Of Parents With Mental Illness, Mallory M. Mccorkle

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The existing literature on children of parents with mental illness has largely focused on developmental risks and psychological outcomes, with limited attention to how these individuals construct narratives of mental illness, family, and self within broader sociocultural contexts. Guided by social constructionism, symbolic interactionism, and the master narrative framework, this qualitative study explored how adult children of parents with mental illness make meaning of their experiences within the sociocultural context of the United States. Utilizing narrative analysis within a critical paradigm, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 adult children who grew up with at least one parent with a mental …

Licensed Counselors’ Professional Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacqueline Flaherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA, 2014) Code of Ethics, professional counselors are responsible to monitor their own impairment. Specific interventions to prevent impairment and foster counselor professional well-being (PWB) and resiliency are imperative in a profession in which it is ethically required to continuously provide competent counseling. The purpose of this study was to explore the narratives of licensed counselors’ PWB during the onset of and successively during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The theoretical orientation for this study was Dewey’s theory of experience. Nine counselor participants who were licensed by May 2018 shared detailed accounts of …

Repairing Workplace Trust: A Process-Based Classroom Exercise For Management Education, Luke A. Langlinais Ph.D.

Posters

Trust is essential in every workplace, but conflicts, mistakes, and broken promises are inevitable. This project develops an experiential classroom exercise in which students diagnose workplace trust violations, examine the perspectives and emotions of both parties, and practice selecting and communicating evidence-based reparative actions. The exercise translates organizational behavior research into a practical learning experience that develops not only managerial competence but also the character, empathy, and relational wisdom needed to build healthy organizations and promote human flourishing.

I gratefully acknowledge peer review feedback on this project, and I am accountable for writing of this product without generative AI and …

A Poetic Call For And A Reflection And Commentary On Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, And Compassion, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Finding a published poem I had written as a teenager, titled “The Heavens Weep.” this article uses that poem as the basis for a commentary that reflects on the state of the world today (2026),  As a commentary, the article uses the poetic and metaphoric words in the poem as a relevant "reality check" for what is still going on today.  In essence, the commentary is about a call for Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, and Compassion, or what I call Archetypal Energies, Higher Vibrational Energies that operate deep within our individual and collective psyches to creatively urge us to "see" …

Supporting Every Student: Optimizing School-Based Mental Health Services For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Sarah K. Eggleston

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Youth with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at considerably greater risk of developing mental health problems compared with the general population; however, their needs are less likely to be identified, and they often face barriers to accessing quality mental health care. School-based mental health professionals (SBMHPs) are uniquely positioned to support students within their natural learning environments, where many common barriers to service provision have been removed. The present study examined the current state of practice among SBMHPs in Virginia in identifying and supporting the needs of students with ID, as well as SBMHPs’ training experiences. An online cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey …

African American Mother Counselors' Lived Experiences During The Dual Pandemics Of Covid-19 And Structural Racism, Shanti Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and structural racism in 2020 created compounded personal and professional stressors for African American mothers who are professional counselors, yet little was known about how they appraised these stressors and selected coping strategies. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe what it means to be an African American mother and professional counselor making decisions about coping strategies to manage personal and professional stressors during the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and structural racism in 2020. Guided by Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology and informed by the Transactional …

The Role Of Social Emotional Learning In Utah’S Implementation Of Essa, Sharon Walles

Transforming Communities

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), as a policy, offers an additional tool to address the escalating adolescent mental health crisis. By acknowledging the critical link between student well-being, academic success, and evidence-based practices, this policy analysis explores how funding from ESSA can be leveraged to integrate Social Emotional Learning (SEL) within Utah’s schools. Experts, educators, and parents can be voices to combat misinformation surrounding the recent politicization of SEL and its implementation. This analysis connects Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory, which highlights the interconnectedness of the environment, with the importance of prioritizing mental health within schools to help adolescents with issues …

Bloomington Community Brain Health Services Program: The Intersection Of Law Enforcement And Brain Health, Janet Yeats, Luke Campbell, Booker Hodges

Forensic Scholars Today

In 2023, the Bloomington Police Department launched the Bloomington Community Brain Health Services (BCBHS) program in response to increasing mental health crises, provider shortages, long wait times for services, and rising law enforcement involvement in crisis calls. The Bloomington Model integrates licensed therapists and supervised graduate-level interns directly within a police department structure. The program aims to reduce mental health-related calls, stabilize residents experiencing crisis, and eliminate cost barriers by offering up to 15 sessions of free, short-term therapy delivered in homes, schools, virtual settings, and community spaces.

This article outlines the program’s development, implementation, and early outcomes, highlighting key …

The Primary Care Brief Intervention Competency Assessment Tool (Bi-Cat): Examining Reliability And Validity, Arielle Guillod

Dissertations

Within primary care, the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model integrates behavioral health services into medical settings through brief, population‑based interventions delivered by behavioral health consultants (BHCs). Although effective performance in this role requires competencies distinct from traditional mental health practice, few psychometrically sound tools exist to assess clinical skills in primary care. The Brief Intervention Competency Assessment Tool (BICAT) is commonly used for this purpose but lacks published evidence supporting its reliability and validity. This dissertation examined the psychometric properties of the BICAT across two studies. Study 1 evaluated factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity in a heterogeneous …

Beyond The Cycle: How Menstruation Influences Gender Identity And Well-Being In Binary And Non-Binary Adults, Rin Nguyen

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide menstruate, including transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people, yet their experiences remain underrepresented in research. Given that menstruation can affect gender alignment and psychological well-being, understanding its impact on TGD people is critical. Gender congruence, or alignment between one’s gender identity and expression, is a key factor influencing well-being, with research linking it to reduced depression and anxiety. Furthermore, emerging research on gender euphoria, the joy experienced when gender congruence is experienced, suggests it may serve as a protective factor for mental health and well-being. Gender euphoria has been associated with reduced psychological distress and increased …

A Holistic Christian Perspective On Wellness For College Students - A Qualitative Analysis, Shari L. Jurgens, Deb Majewski, Jessica Clevering

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Aim: This study sought to explore the impact of a Christ-centered, holistic wellness course on college-aged students’ understanding of key wellness principles. The goal was to gain insight into how students comprehend and apply these principles considering their spiritual and personal development.

Background: Wellness education for undergraduate students is both timely and essential, especially within Christian higher education, where nurturing the whole person is a core value. A common misconception is that wellness pertains only to physical and mental health. However, Scripture affirms that human flourishing involves a harmony of body, mind, and spirit. A holistic, biblically informed approach to …

Examining The Relationship Between Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices And School-Level Chronic Absenteeism In Maine Secondary Schools, Tina Nightingale

Dissertations

School safety practices can influence students' perceptions of safety, emotional well-being, and engagement in the educational environment; however, limited research has examined whether trauma-informed safety drill practices are associated with measurable educational outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study was to examine the relationship between trauma-informed safety drill practices and school-level chronic absenteeism in Maine middle and high schools. Guided by trauma-informed care, adolescent neurodevelopment, and Protection Motivation Theory, the study investigated whether higher levels of trauma-informed implementation of safety drills, as measured by the Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices Index (TISDPI), were associated with lower rates of chronic …

Exploring Primary Care Providers’ Compassionate Care And Their Evidence-Based Practice With Death, Grief, And Loss: Patient Experience And Perspective, Kathryn Krzykala

Dissertations

Research on primary care providers’ (PCPs) education regarding Death, Grief, and Loss (DGL) remains limited. Specifically, data is lacking regarding patients' perceptions and opinions on what they need and expect from their PCPs regarding grief and loss. This exploratory mixed-method study comprised 146 participants who had experienced death and non-death loss. It examined participants' perceptions of 1) PCP compassion, 2) PCP utilization of evidence-based grief and loss practices, 3) their own level of comfort discussing DGL with their PCPs during medical visits, and 4) their personal grief and loss experiences. The findings revealed that PCPs' grief-informed evidence-based treatment, as reflected …

Understanding The Experiences Of Faculty Members Who Teach Case Conceptualization, Asianna Harris

Dissertations (1934 -)

Competence in case conceptualization (CC) is a core skill in clinical training. However, many graduate programs lack a structured process for teaching this complex and dynamic clinical skill. While most research focuses on students’ perspectives on learning CC, there is a distinct gap in research on faculty experiences, successful teaching methods, and the assessment of teaching practices. Therefore, this study addressed the gap in extant literature by exploring how doctoral programs’ faculty taught transtheoretical CC and how they evaluated the effectiveness of their instruction. A Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) design was employed to deeply examine the experiences of 13 faculty …