Counseling Psychology Commons^™

Soma: Exploring Touch As Performance And Performance As Therapy, Erica Pamson

Expressive Therapies Theses

This project investigated the role of touch within a performative context and its potential as a creative intervention within Expressive Arts Therapy. Grounded in phenomenology and intersubjectivity, the study draws on Expressive Arts Therapy (EXAT) and Performance Art frameworks that position meaning as emerging through embodied, co-created experience. Existing literature identifies touch as a primary mode of perception and communication, essential to both physical and emotional well-being, while also noting its increasing absence and regulation within contemporary Western culture. Performance art literature further highlights the body as both medium and site of relational exchange, often dissolving boundaries between performer and …

Better Serving Those Who Serve: Supporting Psychological Wellness Of Lgb Military Personnel In The Post “Don’T Ask Don’T Tell” Era, Anne Neuweiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have been able to explore lesbian, gay, and bisexual military personnel’s experiences in military mental healthcare settings. This study examined the experience of LGB servicemembers in military counseling environments, as well as how to support these servicemembers in military mental health and military communities. Six participants volunteered for the study and six semi-structured interviews were completed with LGB servicemembers who had contact with mental health. Three research questions guided the present study and a transcendental phenomenological frame was used to analyze the data and themes emerged. Research question one yielded three themes: 1) “I'm Definitely not Gay”: The …

Changing The Narrative: A Meta-Analysis Of Narrative Therapy And It's Changes Since Inception, Elijah J. Shriner

Honors Projects

This meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of narrative therapy across 43 studies involving diverse populations and mental health conditions. Studies included randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs, and case studies, with outcome measures primarily focused on depressive symptoms, interpersonal functioning, and psychological distress. Effect sizes were calculated using Hedges’ g to account for small sample bias. Overall, narrative therapy demonstrated moderate to large positive effects on symptom reduction and client well-being, though variability in study design and reporting limited the precision of some estimates. Findings support narrative therapy as a promising intervention across clinical contexts, while highlighting the need for more rigorous, …

Mental Health Outcomes And Client Perception Of Religious/Spiritual Integration In Psychotherapy, Cole R. Bouchard-Liporto

Honors Theses and Capstones

Religion and spirituality have been shown to have positive effects on physical and mental health in recent years. Despite this, research suggests religion and spirituality as characteristics of clients to be overlooked in modern secular psychotherapy treatments. This study investigated mental health outcomes from psychotherapy related to the perceived integration of religious and spiritual beliefs. A survey was administered to and taken by 178 University of New Hampshire students on the web-platform Qualtrics to investigate client psychotherapy experiences and their perception of how their religious and spiritual beliefs and values were integrated. The research conducted for this study points to …

The Long-Term Psychological Effects Of Violent Crime On Victims: A Review Of Evidence And Supportive Interventions, Jayden E. Oleksyn-Lamb

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study utilizes anonymous survey data collected from 26 mental health professionals in various regions of Canada to understand which psychological disturbances are the most prevalent among victims of violent crime as well as which psychological interventions are most beneficial for treating violent crime victims. The data revealed that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), anger, guilt, self-blame, and shame are each highly prevalent. Findings also revealed that certain therapeutic methods including Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Supportive Counselling (SC), Progressive Relaxation (PR), Cognitive Reprocessing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Restructuring (CR) are associated with …

The Preservation Of Ancient Wisdom In Dmt: A Literature Review, Miranda Cox

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

Dance has a long and evocative history within humanity. This literature review explores the integration and impact dance has within religious and spiritual practices and how dance movement therapy can support these practices within a therapeutic model. Dance profoundly affects individuals during their healing journey and has impacted them through transcendental experiences. The review covers important topics regarding the therapeutic alliance and cultural humility, dance and the history of religion and spiritual practices, and the complications and benefits of religion and spirituality within a clinical therapeutic process. The intention is to explore how dance, religion, and spirituality can work …

More Than “Just A Friend”: Exploring The Therapeutic Needs Of Adult Survivors Of A Suicide Loss Of A Friend, Kat R. Mcconnell

Dissertations (1934 -)

Individuals who are bereaved by the suicide loss of a loved one (also known as “suicide survivors”) face high rates of complicated grief, mental illness, social isolation, experiences of stigma, and suicide attempts. While suicide loss therapy (or “postvention”) attracts many individuals grieving familial suicides, those impacted by the suicide loss of a close friend are underrepresented in both individual and group therapies, despite indications that friend suicide survivors are impacted at an equivalent level and frequency to family members. Using a constructivist grounded theory method, this study aimed to investigate the lived experiences and therapeutic needs of 8 adults …

Expressive Arts Therapy To Support Positive Experiences Of Embodiment Among Rural Lgbtq+ Adults: A Literature Review, Ann Stromgren

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper investigates the use of expressive arts therapy to support LGBTQ+ adult clients in rural communities. Caring professionals in rural areas often lack training on how to work with LGBTQ+ clients, and best practices for clinical mental health counseling with rural LGBTQ+ clients have yet to be defined. Some evidence suggests that using “metronormative” best practices with rural clients may be irrelevant or cause harm (Giano et al., 2020). Although some recommendations exist for using expressive therapies with LGBTQ+ clients, they are rarely evidence-based, as very few empirical studies exist evaluating the effectiveness of expressive therapy interventions with LGBTQ+ …

Mental Health Apps: A Study Of College Students' Perceptions Of Counseling Through An App, Caroline Burns

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study is to gather data on the perceptions of undergraduate students regarding mental health apps. Participants will be asked to complete a survey through Qualtrics. There will be 20 questions, some with pre-determined answers and some open-ended. The survey, including a few demographic questions, should take approximately 20 minutes. Data will be collected from all undergraduate students at The University of Akron who are 18 years of age or older, with the goal of at least 100 responses. There are no preferences for major or year. The survey will be sent out to undergraduate students via …

Incorporating Religion Into Therapy To Better Treat Depression, Jacob Tubbs

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common treatment option for depression. Often, CBT is only effective at masking the symptoms of depression without helping the person overcome depression altogether; thus, it may benefit CBT patients if alternative therapies are combined with CBT. Incorporating the patient’s religion into therapy is an alternative that may help many people. A large percentage of Americans are still religious or spiritual. This literature review discusses methods of building a personalized version of CBT that incorporates the patient’s religion, or religiously integrated CBT (RCBT), and the effects …

Emotional Support Animals For College Students: Do The Benefits Outweigh The Costs?, Sidney Street

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Mental health problems have been drastically increasing in recent years among college students. Alongside the rising prevalence of psychological distress, universities have also experienced an increase in requests to have Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) live on campus. To date however, data are scarce on students’ experiences living with and around ESAs. The present study aims to investigate attitudes and perceptions about ESAs, in both owners of ESAs as well as students who do not own an ESA but have interacted with one. Specifically, owners were interviewed to find whether the perceived benefits of owning an ESA outweigh the associated costs …

The Efficacy Of Art And Movement Treatment Modalities On An Individual With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tristen Valentino

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Current statistics report 1 in 54 children have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), many of whom have co-occurring mental health disorders. However, minimal research has been conducted on adults with autism with co-occurring mental health disorders and the efficacy of art and movement therapy techniques. This is the case study by Tristen Valentino, clinical therapist, of a client, David Smith (who was given the pseudonym to maintain confidentiality), a 35-year-old, obese, single, cisgender, heterosexual, Caucasian, male. The implications of this case study are discussed relative to the diagnosis and treatment of adults with ASD who possess comorbid clinical …

Counseling System Documentation And The Relationship Between Treatment Plans And Client Outcomes, Moraima N. Frangiosa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a method for evaluating counseling services delivered to patients during treatment. The evaluation of the study required the use of methods that are repeatable and effective that would allow a clinic to continue using them over time to grow a database of valuable information about counseling and patient outcomes. The new database would allow the clinic to change counseling methods and approaches of delivery to promote organizational change. The evidence-based practice (EBP) for counseling therapy would encourage the connection between public administration and public policy in the health care system. Public …

Psychologists' Use Of Touch In Individual Psychotherapy With Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Clients, Caroline M. Kobek Pezzarossi Ph.D, Irene W. Leigh Ph.D, Daniel S. Koo Ph.D

JADARA

The use of touch in psychotherapy is a topic often undiscussed in graduate training programs. Stenzel and Rupert’s 2004 study showed that nearly 90% of clinicians never or rarely offered touch to clients during a session. This study examined the use of touch in a psychotherapeutic setting with culturally Deaf clients, since touch is a culturally accepted, even expected, practice. Results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference among culturally Deaf therapists compared with the Stenzel and Rupert’s (2004) findings, but there is a statistically significant difference in those who identify as hearing and work with culturally Deaf clients. …

Redefining Creativity To Advance Our Understanding Of Behavior Change And Agency, Philip F. Brunner

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Change is hard, and shifting one’s behavior, even with the support of a counselor, can be challenging. While it has not been common for the field of counseling and therapeutic behavior change to draw on it, creativity studies have much to offer counselors and practitioners as well as individuals who just want to realize change in their lives. The potential contributions of creativity studies to lasting and meaningful behavior change are enhanced especially if we take up a definition of creativity that draws on traditional definitions and theories but that also integrates insights from fields like neuroscience and complex dynamical …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Counselors’ Experiences With Clients Affected By Problematic Internet Pornography Use, Kendall R. Sparks

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The primary researcher conducted a phenomenological study examining the experiences of licensed professional counselors (n = 8) who have worked with clients affected by problematic Internet pornography use. There were five female participants with an average age of 49 and three males with an average age of 63. All eight participants identified as Christian. Four participants reported their highest level of education was a Master’s degree, three participants reported holding a Ph.D. and one participant reported holding an Ed.S. Through semi-structured interviews, the primary researcher of this study sought to gain an understanding of how counselors were experiencing and navigating …

Development Of A Method For Utilizing Oriental Belly Dance Rhythms To Deepen A Client’S Understanding Of Their Emotions After Experiencing Trauma, And Move Towards Healing, Jenny Nehir Eish-Baltaoglu

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

A workshop was offered to local women in North Eastern Ohio who have experienced trauma and are facing uncomfortable emotions or unpleasant memories as a result. A guided body scan, Focusing Oriented Art directives, and improvisational movement explorations were employed to deepen awareness and understanding of the emotions and memories participants wished to have better control over. Three movement rhythms, which are central to the ancient feminine dance form popularly known as belly dance, were explored through improvisational movement both as a group and independently. These movement rhythms included staccato pops and locks, fluid figure eights, and vibratory shimmies. Participants …

Unveiling God In Counseling: The Compatibility Of Christian Theology And The Modern Therapeutic Process, Kelvin Jamaal Mack

Senior Theses

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the compatibility of Christian theology and a modern therapeutic process informed by secularism. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate that the conceptualization of an active God in the therapeutic process is essential for counselors and clients who adhere to the Christian faith. This conceptualization is either missing or altered by therapeutic processes that operate under the worldview assumptions of secularism. This is what is described as the veiling of God. To explore this issue, a four-tiered analytical approach has been invoked. First, a brief history of secularism and its major …

Power In The Counseling Relationship: The Role Of Ignorance, Izaak L. Williams, Peg O'Connor

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This article explores the role of therapist self-disclosure in clinical settings. Distinctions are made between the enmeshed concepts of privacy, secrecy, and confidentiality to elucidate the role of ignorance in maintaining the power dynamics in therapeutic relationships. While some measure of privacy is essential to counseling practice, secretive behavior (in which the counselor divulges too little about themselves) can have a negative impact on the therapeutic relationship and the client’s therapeutic outcomes. There is, therefore, an under-appreciated and delicate balancing act between withholding information to protect the client and the counselor and revealing enough personal details to empower the client’s …

Reviewing The Heroic Experience: A Humanistic And Existential Counselling Perspective, Peter Bray, Peter James

Heroism Science

Taking a humanistic and existential counselling stance, this brief review of heroism and the heroic experience begins by discussing the utility and structure of Joseph Campbell’s (1949) monomythic narrative of the hero’s journey, whilst considering the Jungian conceptualisation of the archetype and the collective unconscious. With their shared assumptions about transformation and growth, modern psychology and the therapeutic practice of counselling and psychotherapy are reviewed in terms of their utilisation of the hero-journey as a developmental metaphor for clients, particularly in trauma recovery. It is also suggested that, as a metaphor for transformation, Campbell’s hero-narrative may also have the potential …

Solution Focused Brief Expressive Arts Therapy, David Sherman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This graduate capstone thesis paper and project proposes a new therapeutic intervention called Solution-Focused Brief Expressive Arts Therapy (SFBExAT). This intervention and approach is based on the synthesized theories, techniques, and principles of Expressive Arts Therapy (ExAT) and Solution- Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). A review of relevant literature on the combined use of SFBT, ExAT and expressive therapies, as well as on the foundational literature of the individual theories establishes conceptual grounds for a SFBExAT model. A SFBExAT intervention is developed and explained. The intervention was ultimately applied in a hospital outpatient setting with a teenage client. The process, results …

How To Make School-Based Mental Health Work, Jenny Wilhoite

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This session is designed to give an overview of how to create a School-Based Mental Health program that benefits students on all tiers, providing universal prevention, early intervention, and intensive services for at-risk students. Meeting the unmet needs of students with mental health challenges impacts student attendance, behavioral and academic outcomes, and discipline in a positive way.

Lived Experiences Of Women Receiving Substance Abuse Treatment From Male Counselors, Robert C. Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The cost of the misuse of drugs is significant. The impact is felt across multiple systems across America and is covered mostly by federal, state, and local governments. Women comprise a significant portion of the persons using illicit drugs. Treatment is an effective way of reducing substance misuse. However, research into the efficacy of treatment for women lag that of men. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that women receiving substance abuse treatment from a man had shorter stays in treatment and poorer outcomes than those who had a female counselor while in treatment. Phenomenological and relational-cultural …

Polyamorous Millenials In Therapy: Interpreting Experiences To Inform Care, Rebecca Calhoun-Shepard

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Polyamory (poly) refers to a way of loving involving multiple concurrent romantic relationships. It has been suggested that consensual non-monogamies are becoming increasingly visible, particularly in the millennial generation. This warrants exploration of cultural considerations and the unique needs of this population to inform care and minimize potential for harm. The present study used interpretative analysis to explore the phenomenon of polyamorous millennials in therapy as described across semi-structured interviews with therapists and poly clients. Three primary themes emerged from aggregate data, including Idiographic Experiences in Therapy, Therapy with Polyamorous Millennials, and information about Polyamory and Millennials beyond a therapy …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Equine Therapy Specialists, Jaime Lyn Battestella-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Horses have been an integral part of human history and progress for centuries. Horses and humans have united in diverse ways, including farming, war, construction, racing, and other areas of sports. Researchers have indicated that the use of horses for mental health and wellness is a growing trend that continues to lack strong, empirical evidence. Currently, there is limited research available on the experiences of certified equine specialists incorporating horses into mental health and wellness. It is essential to gain further insight into the incorporation of horses into psychology and counseling for therapists, as well as potential clients, interested in …

Sex Topics In Therapy: A Literature Review And Proposal For Continuing Education, Courtney Gallagher

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Sex topics should be welcome in the therapy room. Sexual identity, practices, concerns and questions should not be considered a "taboo" subject in the therapy room, yet clients remain reluctant to bring up such topics with their therapists. In order to ensure that clients feel free to bring into the room such themes that are a large part of their life, clinicians need to be trained and competent in sex topics. The following literature review examines the history of femininity and masculinity and what "facts" have continued to permeate into our profession, the history of sex expectations, language about sex …

Trauma Therapy And The Need For Cross Cultural Competence, Marijke Sommer

Honors Projects

This project addresses the relevance of cross cultural competence for work in trauma therapy. I begin with a review of the literature on approaches to trauma therapy, identifying similarities and differences in key approaches, and comparing outcomes where that information is available. I then review a variety of cross cultural variations in mental health conditions and symptoms, attempting to roughly position each within the ethnic group or groups in which the variation is mostly likely to be found. Finally, I review the very small existing literature examining the impact of culturally sensitive approaches to trauma therapy in several non-Western ethnic …

Anticipated Therapist Absences: The Therapist’S Lens, Graham Gardner Knowlton

Dissertations (1934 -)

Over the course of a therapist’s career, absences from work are inevitable. Although therapist absences undoubtedly impact the therapy process, the topic has not received sufficient attention to produce helpful guidelines. Instead, clinicians looking to the literature for recommendations find less in peer-reviewed journals regarding therapist absences than they would if they were to turn to popular media geared toward a client audience (Barchat, 1988). This study sought to begin to remedy this research gap using a Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) research design focusing on anticipated therapist absences. Ten therapists with at least two years of experience post-licensure were asked …

The Influence Of Therapist-Patient Religious/Spiritual Congruence On Satisfaction With Therapy: A Review Of Research, Tammy E. Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this review was to examine the relationship between mental health and religion and/or spirituality. Specifically, it was believed that religion and spiritual congruence had a positive influence on satisfaction with therapy. Indeed, the literature reviewed suggests that therapists should be more open to addressing a patient's religious and/or spiritual beliefs as it could lead to more attuned therapeutic sessions. The importance of congruence between patient and therapist is a factor that can impact the therapeutic alliance, based on the literature, this concept appears to hold true for those that are or are not religiously and/or spiritually inclined.

Complicated Grief And Art Therapy, Rachel Brandoff

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Complicated grief (CG) has come to be a common enough occurrence in mental health treatment to warrant research, literature, and discussion of markers, causes, prevalence, symptoms, measures, and treatment protocols. Art therapy presents one possible mode of treatment for individuals suffering from CG, and yet few art therapists know about CG or have training in this area. A systematic review of art therapy programs and educational requirements showed no current standards or training requirements for grief or CG. Art therapists are master’s trained clinicians who work with people with a variety of mental health challenges, and training in CG may …