Counseling Psychology Commons^™

The Psychological Significance Of Cultural And Religious Values Among The Arab Population, Michel Sherif Mikhail

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Values, which are the guiding principles and beliefs of our lives, have an influence over one’s psychological health. This study aims to investigate how Schwartz’s four higher-order values (conservation, openness to change, self-transcendence, and self-enhancement) and religious values influence psychological health among the Arab population. Methods: A total of 1,023 respondent from nine Arab countries aged 18 to 71 filled an online survey with measures of the following constructs: Schwartz’s four higher-order values (Portrait Value Questionnaire-21), religious values (Sahin’s Index of Islamic Moral Values), and general psychological health (General Health Questionnaire-28). Results: Two models of multiple regression were …

Building Climate Resilience: How Climate Groups Can Channel Anxiety And Grief Into Action, Martin J. Lemke

University Honors Theses

As the impacts of climate change increasingly stress the ecological and social systems of the planet there is also a greater incidence of psychological struggles related to climate instability. Climate change is a significant source of psychological distress for many individuals, often manifesting as climate anxiety and grief. This thesis explores research and therapeutic experience that has been generated as the discipline of psychology seeks to meet this rising challenge. In particular, the fields of ecopsychology, psychodynamic therapy, existential psychology and Indigenous knowledge contributed the majority of the insight to the conclusions drawn along with contributions from potentially applicable emotions …

A Brief Self-Compassion Intervention For Survivors Of Sexual Trauma With Psychological Distress, Natalie Marie Hogue

Dissertations

Individuals who have experienced sexual trauma are at an increased risk of psychological disorders and psychological distress (Dworkin, 2020; Dworkin et al., 2017; Dworkin & Schumacher, 2018). Sexual trauma has one of the highest conditional risks for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (Domino et al., 2020; Perrin et al., 2014). Experiential avoidance, shame, and posttraumatic cognitions are associated with psychological distress after experiencing sexual trauma (Bhuptani et al., 2019; Domino et al., 2020; Foa et al., 1999; Merwin et al., 2009). Established research suggests that self-compassion-based therapies can be effective in reducing psychological distress and treating a wide range …

Long Covid Patients: A Phenomenology Study Exploring Mental Health And Psychosocial Adaptation To Disability, Tonia Joy Lans

Dissertations

In the United States, approximately 1 in 13 long COVID patients experience adverse complications two to three years post-recovery (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022), including physical, psychological, and cognitive impairment, issues with daily functioning, and difficulties returning to work (del Rio et al., 2020; Greenhalgh et al., 2020; Ladds et al., 2020; Logue et al., 2021). Moreover, collective research has indicated the debilitating complications of long COVID often result in impaired mental health, chronic illness, and disability. While significant research efforts have started to accumulate data to understand and treat the physical and neuro-logical manifestations of this chronic …

It Takes A Village: Stories Of Black Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Cherieda A. Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While several studies have reviewed the experiences of Black grandparent caregivers, there are limited sources that describe the stories of Black grandparents who are caregivers for their grandchildren and the challenges they face. Utilizing the concepts from Bowen family systems theory, the goal of this study was to explore the stories of Black grandparents who are caregivers for their grandchildren to discover preventive and enhanced counseling techniques for the next generation. Data were collected and analyzed from narrative inquiry interviews with six participants who were Black caregivers for their grandchildren in the state of Mississippi. After analysis of the data, …

The Self-Perceived Level Of Wellness Among Ghanaian Mental Health Counselors, Adwoa Bonney-Graves

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ghana, many people seek help for their mental health; however, despite the great need, there are often barriers or factors that can create unwellness among mental health counselors. There is a gap in the research literature addressing whether unwellness among Ghanaian mental health counselors is caused by external factors of counselor caseload, low funding, and minimal work staff. This quantitative study aimed to fill this gap by using predictive regression analysis to determine whether there is a correlation between Ghanaian counselors’ unwellness and counselor caseload, low funding, and minimal work staff. The study participants (N = 96) were Ghanaian …

Navigating Cultural Transitions: A Drama Therapy Exploration Of Culture Shock Among International Students From South Asia And East Asia, Rithika Gopalakrishnan

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

South Asia and East Asia drive the recent surge in US global student enrollment, exceeding one million, collectively representing 60.141% of international students, with China and India contributing 53% alone. These figures underscore the need for focused research into the experiences of South Asian and East Asian international students in the United States, an area currently lacking comprehensive study. This thesis examines culture shock among South Asian and East Asian students at a university in the Northeast, exploring relevant theories, role of media portrayals, and drama therapy interventions. It investigates the effects of culture shock, such as strain, loss, rejection, …

A Trauma-Informed Socially Just Approach To Working With Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth Utilizing Expressive Arts Therapy, Ciara Carr

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Youth involved with the juvenile justice system often have a history of trauma and oppression resulting from their positionality and circumstances. Most juvenile justice-involved youth are boys, youth of color, low-income, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and traumatized. This literature review explores the history of the juvenile justice system, issues with the present-day model, and trauma-informed and transformative justice approaches to practice. The implementation of socially just, trauma-informed expressive arts therapy programs is proposed as a more equitable practice to replace commonly used punitive practices across the United States. More research is needed to understand the impact of such programs on this population …

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 …

Embodied Co-Regulation: A Neuroregulatory-Informed Dance/Movement Therapy Transition Intervention Method For Arousal Regulation For Adolescents In A Partial Hospitalization Program, Anamaria Guzman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis introduces a novel Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) approach, focusing on nervous system arousal regulation during transitions between therapy groups. The core of the method involves a brief 5-minute exercise designed to modulate arousal levels, encompassing alertness and energy, aiming to establish a baseline homeostasis. Rooted in Polyvagal Theory and Developmental Neurobiology, the approach assumes the co-regulation of nervous systems within a group therapeutic setting. Two primary outcomes are self-assessed: 1) somatic experiences documented through narratives and 2) nervous system biodata measured using the Flowtime headband monitoring of brainwaves, heart rate, and other biomarkers. Results indicated that all six sessions …

Music Therapy As A Support Model In Massachusetts Special Education: A Literature Review, Bonnie Diamond

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Mental health directly impacts student propensity for making academic progress in the public education system. For children with disabilities, it is especially vital to develop and implement techniques within special education that deliver personally tailored benefits. According to the United States Department of Education, music therapy offers highly effective support to a wide range of students within the school setting so that they may achieve academic success and be supported in their social/emotional development (U.S Department of Education, 2011; AMTA, 2021). In examining the multifaceted ways that music therapy can offer support within the structure of education and mental health, …

A Music Therapist’S Clinical Improvised Songwriting To Explore Countertransference In The Therapeutic Relationship For An Individual With Multiple Disabilities, Isabella Sances

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This qualitative and arts-based capstone thesis discusses working with individuals with multiple disabilities, songwriting in music therapy, intersubjective communication and theory, and countertransference in music therapy, by sharing the literature and presenting a method of how a music therapist’s own clinical improvised songwriting explores countertransference in the therapeutic relationship for an individual with multiple disabilities. Music therapy is used to treat individuals with multiple disabilities. The literature demonstrates that music therapy and improvisation can support communication development in clients with multiple disabilities. However, there is little research regarding countertransference and reflections by music therapists. This thesis explored post-session improvised songwriting …

Utilizing Flow Arts Movement As An Expressive Arts Therapy Tool To Treat Trauma: A Literature Review And Autoethnography, Shannon Mcgrail

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This expressive arts-based autoethnography research explores the effectiveness of using flow arts movement as a tool of expressive arts therapy to treat symptoms of trauma for individuals who experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime. While research on the use of flow arts movement to treat mental illness is in its early stage, much can be drawn from the literature on expressive arts therapy and dance/movement therapy research with a range of populations addressing trauma. Through exploration of trauma through neuroscience, mind, body, and integrated mindfulness through flow, this work aims to bring an understanding of using intermodal expressive arts …

Feldenkrais And Music Informed Listening: A Neurophenomenological Perspective On Autism, Arona Primalani

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Phenomenologists identify the subjective body and its felt-senses as the basis for human development and consciousness, including mental health. Several mental health disorders, when viewed from a phenomenological perspective, share common symptomology related to varying extents of fractured selves, which in turn hinders dynamic interaction between individuals, their actions, and their relationships with their social and material worlds. Autism is one such condition. Hence, I created an intervention to investigate how listening, which foster subjective and intersubjective experiences, lies at the heart of somatic and arts-based interventions. This thesis, first, begins with a summary of the presenting symptoms observed in …

Re-Member Selfhood A Drama Therapy Intervention, Option 1, Angelique Beauchêne

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Re-member Selfhood is a specific trauma-informed, drama therapy, intervention designed to meet the needs of adults with exposure to trauma and traumatic stress, who have pertinent adverse childhood experience scores and/or experience persistent trauma cycles over the lifespan concurrent with somatization. The aim of this thesis was to introduce an intervention which could function as indirect exposure and assist in the integration process taking the whole being of trauma sufferers into account, including body, mind, and soul. Additionally, the hope of this intervention is to decrease perceived physical pain, assist in the integration of the rejected aspect of self, and …

Racial Stressors, Resiliency, And African American Women Counselors, Barbara Ann Bazemore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women therapists are the second largest group of counseling providers, with many displaying behavioral health symptoms differently than other cultures. This quantitative correlational cross-sectional study explored the resiliency of African American women counselors related to racial-specific stressors inclusive of self-identity, COVID-19 anxiety, and daily discrimination. Initially, three research questions were selected to investigate the relationship between demographic factors (age, education level, active years as a counselor), racial-specific stressors (self-identity, COVID-19 pandemic anxiety, and everyday discrimination), and resiliency in 112 African American women counselors. Emails and an online survey were sent to collect data to answer the research hypotheses. …

Self-Care Practices, Perceived Wellness, And Professional Identity Among Counseling Graduate Students, Seydem Yesilada

Dissertations - ALL

Counseling students tend to experience high levels of stress during their training (Coaston & Lawrence, 2019). It is known that they can be at high risk of burnout, incompetence, or impairment if they neglect to engage in self-care and wellness practices (Dye et al., 2020; Prikhidko et al., 2020). While these findings have been validated for professional counselors (Rummell, 2015), as well as studied separately in counseling students (Prikhidko et al., 2020), there have not been any studies on how counseling students’ self-care practices and perceived wellness impacts their professional identity. This research study helped to fill the gap in …

On The Cultivation Of Relational Leadership Mindsets Among Graduate Supervisees In The Mental Health Professions: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis, Cristina Bucur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In counseling supervision, leadership is often associated with supervisors’ skills, role, position, and responsibilities. However, supervisees need to learn and practice how to lead also: for example, how to promote others’ well-being, how to support, and advocate for others and self. Graduate supervisee relational leadership in the mental health professions is an intrinsic part of the purposive aspect of counseling supervision. Relational leadership in graduate counseling supervision is a purposive, interpersonal, facilitative, growth oriented, and process-based service in which leaders -expert facilitators and mentors- seek to cultivate leaders, not followers. Relational leadership is mutuality-affirming and mutuality-promoting (e.g., open dialogue, mutual …

Exploring The Intersection Of Mental Health, Self-Advocacy, And Sense Of Belonging Among Rural, First-Generation College Students, Sarah Johnson

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation delves into the intersections of social and cultural capital, self-advocacy, sense of belonging, and the experiences of mental health help-seeking among rural, first-generation college students. Rural, first-generation college students face unique challenges throughout their academic journey, this dissertation aims to contribute to the literature by examining the experiences and support mechanisms that are crucial for this population to be successful in higher education. This dissertation follows a triple-manuscript style, including a conceptual manuscript, quantitative manuscript, and a qualitative manuscript. The conceptual manuscript examined how college counselors can build contextual social and cultural capital among rural, first-generation college students …

Cultivating Emotional Competencies In Therapists-In-Training, Tara Rajagopal

Dissertations, 2020-current

Emotions are central to the process of therapy. This is why it is important for therapists to possess emotional skills to work with their own and clients’ emotions to promote change. While therapeutic competencies have been well-researched, the emotional competencies of student therapists have received limited research attention. The present research aims to understand students’ beliefs regarding emotions in therapy and test strategies to train aspiring therapists’ emotional competencies. Students in a clinical and school psychology doctoral program participated in focus groups to explore their beliefs about emotions in therapy and their needs for emotional training. They also engaged in …

Exploring The Link Between Self-Distancing And “Stress Is Enhancing” Mindsets, Kyle Green

Masters Theses, 2020-current

While stress is generally framed as debilitating, past research has shown that adopting a mindset that focuses on the positive aspects of stress, referred to as a “stress is enhancing” mindset, can improve the ways in which one engages in stressful experiences. Researchers in this area have called for further investigation of the ways in which “stress is enhancing” mindsets are adopted. This study sought to explore the practice of self-distancing as a potential mechanism. It was hypothesized that participants who were instructed to write about a personally relevant future stressor from a distanced, third-person perspective would have more positive …

Relationship Between Self-Concept And Self-Compassion Scores And Weight-Loss Surgery Outcomes In Women, Christine Curry-Tuthill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a global health concern associated with a multitude of psychosocial issues, including emotional dysregulation, depression, low self-esteem, social isolation, and economic issues related to bias. Weight loss surgery is generally considered to be an effective treatment; however, insufficient weight loss and weight regain are not uncommon. Because self-compassion and self-concept are psychological and social constructs that have been shown to influence obesity and health, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between weight loss surgery outcomes and these two concepts to obtain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind suboptimal weight loss. The theoretical framework …

Experiences Of Outpatient Mental Health Counselors Building Relationships With Clients During Covid-19 In Michigan, Paulette Gaines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of many individuals and communities and their access to mental health counseling. This study explored the experiences of mental health counselors attempting to build online relationships with clients during the COVID-19 pandemic and how these workers experienced and interpreted relationships with their clients during that period. The transactional theory of stress and coping model provided theoretical foundation to this study. One limited licensed and eight fully licensed professional counselors participated in this study. A generic qualitative design was used, and data were collected by audio recording interviews via …

Coming Out, Letting Go, Getting Naked: A Community Engagement Arts Based Project, Tim Aumiller

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Creating a healthy sexual minority identity remains a challenge in the 21^st century, despite significant advances in social acceptance and civil rights. Sexual minorities are more likely than cis gender heterosexuals to be exposed to traumatic events, and experience shame and mental and physical health symptoms as a result. Despite this, sexual minorities do overcome obstacles to develop resilience. While the coming out process looks different depending on the background of the individual, many gay men find connection and build community through this often difficult process where even rejection may play a part. The author found connection and community …

The Use Of Music Therapy To Mitigate Trauma-Related Music Associations And Restore Personal Relationships With Music, Courtney Pitzer

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

For many people, music is positively associated with nostalgic memories, emotions, and experiences. But for some, it can be a painful reminder of the past. This literature review examines how music serves as a cue for reexperiencing trauma and demonstrates ways in which music therapy may be beneficial in reframing and reassociating those connections. Drawing from existing trauma treatment models such as CBT and exposure therapy, this review highlights the unique potential of music therapy in allowing clients to expose themselves to the activating stimulus while maintaining elements of safety within the music. This thesis prompts further exploration of desensitization …

Can A Course On Sexuality Counseling Increase Empathy When Working With Sex- And Gender-Minoritized Individuals?, Betty Cardona, Robinder P. Bedi

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This study examined whether a sexuality counseling course could increase self-perceived empathy for working with Sex and Gender minoritized (SGM)individuals. Forty-two students enrolled in a sexuality counseling course completed empathy assessments prior to starting the course and after completing it. Statistically significant increases in empathy towards gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals were found (moderate to a large effect sizes). Results indicate that, at least under some circumstances, empathy levels for SGM individuals in counselors-in-training (CITs) could be increased through coursework. Increases in practitioner empathy for SGM individuals can translate into lower uniliteral termination rates and better counseling and psychotherapy outcomes.

Addressing Burnout, Stress And Self-Care In Graduate Students At Arcadia’S University Counseling Program, Lorraynne Moura De Amorim

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Burnout is a threat to both graduate and licensed level clinicians (Warlick et al., 2021). Burnout and stress can lead to professional impairment and result in unethical practice (Daly & Gardner, 2020; Warlick et al., 2021). Self-care is described in the literature as a protective factor to cope with burnout and stress (Butler et al., 2017; Callan et al., 2021; Daly & Gardner, 2020; Warlick et al., 2021). The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics reinforces professional’s ethical duties of monitoring sign and symptoms of impairment, which could interfere with their practice (ACA, 2014). The purpose of this study was …

Unwanted Pursuit Behaviors & Emotional Reactivity To Former Romantic Partners: An Eeg Study, Ameer Abdel-Muhsin

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Romantic relationships are extremely important connections for humans to make. When these relationships end, one partner will sometimes engage in unwanted pursuit behaviors (UPBs) to attempt to continue communication the other. Although previous research has demonstrated that these UPBs can result in psychological distress among victims, little is known about how they influence one’s emotional reactivity to the perpetrator. This study therefore sought to investigate the link between cyber and in-person UPBs and neural indicators of emotional reactivity when viewing photos of an ex-partner. Participants (n = 18) who experienced a breakup were asked to view pictures of their …

The Role Of Acculturation In The Professional Identity Of Art Therapy And Counseling International Students, Ana Marcela Tobar Chavez

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

In a country of immigrants, the concept of acculturation needs to be familiar to almost any professional in the mental health field and it is a reality for immigrants and international students. As international and immigrant students continue to join the Art Therapy Counseling profession, it is important to understand how acculturation plays a role in the development of their counseling professional identity. Unlike most master’s students in the art therapy counseling profession, international and immigrant students go through unique experiences such as being born and raised in a different country with difference in cultures, languages, and immigration statuses that …

Effectiveness Of A Peer-Supported Digital Brief Intervention: Reducing Alcohol Use & Related Harms In Young Adults With Histories Of Interpersonal Trauma, Caitlin Mcgettrick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Alcohol is the most frequently used substance in the United States, and young adults ages 18-25 have the highest rates of heavy alcohol use. Heavy and persistent alcohol use is associated with a host of negative outcomes in young adults, including poor mental health, lower life satisfaction, cognitive impairments, poor academic performance, increased risk for motor vehicle accidents, and substance use disorders. Brief interventions (BI) are low-resource, short-term interventions designed to reduce problematic substance use and mitigate the substantial harms posed by heavy and persistent use of substances such as alcohol. BIs have limited effectiveness in trauma survivors despite trauma …