Social Work Commons^™

Feedback Informed Care : Co-Creating Treatment Success, Eve Sandler

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative research was conducted in order to answer the question: What factors do patients think are most useful in therapy? Feedback was collected from a sample of 630 participants from The Community Psychiatry Program (CPP) at Johns Hopkins. Respondents were asked to complete a written survey answering two questions: 1. How do you know when you are getting better? and 2. What are the most important aspects of (CPP)?

This study collected data from both patients and caregivers. Brief responses for each question were coded using a general inductive approach, which revealed multiple themes and subthemes. One significant finding …

Gestalt Therapists' Perspectives On Gender In The Therapeutic Relationship : Implications For Anti-Oppressive Practice, Benjamin Philip Borkan

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study seeks to explore How does Gestalt therapy training influence therapists in navigating clinical encounters involving gender identity? Gestalt therapists’ responses noted the importance of authenticity, contact, ability to question biases, self-examination, personal responsibility, and the therapist’s sense of their own gender identity privilege and oppression. Gestalt therapy is contrasted with anti-oppressive practice principles, in which there are congruent philosophies between Gestalt therapy and anti-oppressive practice principles. Participants’ and this author’s recommendations for future research include further research on the efficacy of Gestalt therapy training in working with varying identities, as well as gathering perspectives from people of marginalized …

Classism In The Therapeutic Alliance : Implications For Clinical Social Work Practice, Taylor Millard

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study was an exploration of the impact of classism in the therapeutic alliance, specifically from a power, privilege, and oppression framework, and with attention to participants’ salient intersecting identities. Twelve clinicians, who identified with working class backgrounds and who had engaged in therapy as both clinicians and clients, engaged in semistructured qualitative interviews. The findings indicated that classism was salient to participants’ intersectional subjectivities and to their experiences in the field. Significantly, participants all named experiences in which a systemic lack of attention to classism and/or social class identities led them to feel alienated and silenced as students, …

Clinician Vulnerability : Openness To Influence In Relational Therapy, Christine Powers

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The current study examined how clinicians practicing relational psychotherapy experience their own vulnerability in the therapeutic relationship with clients. The study followed a qualitative, phenomenological research methodology. The researcher interviewed ten experienced clinicians who practice relational psychotherapy. Four major themes emerged as significant findings. First, vulnerability was described as a quality of engagement in the therapeutic relationship that is open, engaged, and resonant. Second, participants expressed a sense of risk associated with mutual vulnerability. Third, participants emphasized the importance of mutual vulnerability for client’s healing. Fourth, participants described vulnerability as a developmental capacity. These findings have significance for the field …

Social Class In The Therapeutic Dyad : How Do Clinicians Engage In Dialogue About Class With Their Clients?, Andrew L. Cohen

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory qualitative study surveyed practicing clinicians about their experiences engaging in discussions about social class with their clients. There is little research on the topic of social class in the therapeutic setting broadly and on the topic of broaching social class specifically. As such, this research was an initial attempt to begin to fill this gap in the literature. Twelve mental health clinicians voluntarily participated in an anonymous online survey about their experiences and thoughts about engaging in dialogue about social class with their clients. Results included a pattern in the difference between which clients clinicians discussed social class …

Client's Experiences And Perceptions Of The Therapist's Use Of Swear Words And The Resulting Impact On The Therapeutic Alliance In The Context Of The Therapeutic Relationship, Hollyanne J. Giffin

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This thesis explores how clients perceive therapist swearing in the context of a therapeutic relationship. This was done via an exploratory, mixed methods research study. Individuals whose therapists had used swear words during their individual therapy were surveyed about their own personal swearing habits, their opinions of swearing and therapist swearing in general, their specific experiences and perceptions of their therapist swearing, as well as demographic information. The majority of the study’s respondents reported that their therapist’s use of swear words had helped their therapeutic relationship. While participants reported they were happy with the frequency and context of their therapist’s …