Counselor Education Commons^™

Let’S Practice: Shaping Crisis Management Of Preservice Counseling Professionals, Yuleinys A. Castillo Lpcc, Crc, Jason Cartwright M.A., Mandy Greaves Phd, Lmft, Suzanne Maniss

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors frequently encounter crises in practice with various factors shaping crisis management. However, limited preparation and training combined with personal and situational characteristics affect a counselors’ ability to properly handle a crisis. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors that could potentially affect the ability to handle a crisis in session among counselors-in-training and add to the understanding of self-efficacy in crisis counseling. The study consisted of participants enrolled in a practicum pre-service course in a CACREP accredited program. Results were analyzed through a narrative research approach, specifically a categorical-content narrative analysis, theory-driven thematic analysis and cross-case …

Using The Modified Delphi Method To Establish Consensus For Gambling Treatment Core Competencies, Greta Coe

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract:

Core competencies define the knowledge and skills believed to be necessary to practice within specific professional fields effectively and serve as benchmarks to guide professional preparation, supervision, and evaluation. In this presentation, we will share the results of a modified Delphi study when we asked the question, ‘‘What are the core competencies that problem gambling counsellors must master to be considered professionally prepared?’’ and relied on the collective wisdom of experts in the field to find an answer. Our study used 52 problem gambling treatment experts to reach consensus on gambling treatment core competencies. An expert was defined as …

Using Expressive Arts Therapy To Develop Coping Mechanisms To Manage Substance Use, Zayna Mcdonald

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper examines past and current usages of expressive arts therapy in developing coping mechanisms for substance use recovery and explores possibilities for further integration in the adolescent and young adult population around the world. Abundant information is available on the effects of drugs and other substances on mental health, but more research is needed on how the integration of expressive arts therapy can enhance substance abuse programs for these populations. According to the CDC, elevated adverse effects on mental health occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US with young adults reporting increased substance use (Czeisler et al., 2020). …

Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Program Evaluation Of One Substance Abuse Treatment Center, Erin Poore

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has the possibility of enhancing health outcomes for those living with substance abuse disorders. Previous research primarily focused on individuals with a diagnosis of dementia and other cognitive related disorders. Prior research that did look at individuals with substance abuse focused on the use of horses rather than canines and were limited to small sample sizes. We used an electronic medical record system to identify eligible patients to volunteer to participate in two weeks of animal-assisted therapy at one substance abuse treatment center in southeastern United States. Volunteers completed pre and post survey questions measuring overall satisfaction …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Risky Health Behaviors: Avenues For Prevention In New Mexico, Arianna Trott

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

This study was designed to assess if adverse childhood experiences (ACES) predict risky health behaviors in New Mexico. The purpose was to determine if any factors support improved outcomes for people who have experienced ACES in New Mexico. Lastly, the study aimed to identify if urban-rural status impacted outcomes of risky health behaviors related to ACES. This study used data from the 2019 New Mexico Community Survey across twelve counties (N = 853). Multiple logistic regression and hierarchical linear modeling were used to analyze the data. The findings concluded ACES could predict risky health behaviors. Overall, there was a gradated …

Analysis Of Self, Parker Hall

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Self-Analysis is the process of reviewing elements of an individual's own social, professional, and overall self to understand their actions. The point of this analysis is to reflect on where I have come from to gain insight in my path going forward as a counselor. Analytic tools were used to measure important aspects of my character including personality, career aptitude, and general strengths. The specific tools include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, The STRONG Inventory, and the CliftonStrengths assessment. These formal assessments were then coupled with one-on-one interviews with individuals that played key roles in my life. The paper concludes with …

Nature-Based Group Therapy For Women Living With Depression Through A Narrative Lens, Cora Anderson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The field of nature-based therapy treatment is rapidly expanding. With an emphasis on healing the disconnectedness of the modern world through experiencing interconnectedness with the natural world, this modality is particularly useful in treating symptoms of social isolation and hopelessness within populations living with major depressive disorder. The literature highlights emotional and biological benefits of mental health counseling in a natural setting with key therapeutic factors. Researchers highlighted these factors as the natural environment itself, the element of challenge, nature as a third-party influence on therapeutic relationship, and expansiveness and interconnectedness of the natural world (Naor & Mayseless, 2021). Within …

Affirmative And Integrative Counseling For Lgbtqia+ Individuals, Allison De Blois

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Counselors are ethically obligated to serve LGBTQIA+ clientele and therefore should strive to integrate an affirmative approach to counseling. A counselor may say that they are providing affirming care, however it is important to reflect on what affirming counseling is in application. To better serve LGBTQIA+ clientele, counselors may grow their affirmative counseling approach by being knowledgeable of historical considerations, evidenced-based approaches to implement, clinical recommendations for a counselor to implement, and considerations on advocacy practices and resources.

You Have Every Right To Be Angry: Impacts Of The Angry Black Woman Stereotype And Counseling Considerations For Helping Black Women Honor Their Anger, Jenelle Francis

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The Angry Black Woman (ABW) stereotype depicts Black women as hostile and aggressive. It is rooted in slavery and functions to silence and invalidate Black women. The ABW stereotype perpetuates racist ideology and is used to control the narrative of Black women and justify their mistreatment. Black women are faced with the impacts of the ABW stereotype throughout different areas of their life, beginning in childhood. Because of the risk of being negatively and inaccurately perceived, Black women have had to filter themselves to not be labeled as aggressive, hyperemotional, and/or the “angry” Black woman. This paper explores the history …

Affectionately Attached: The Impact Of Attachment Styles On Sexual Self-Concept Among Adults Who Identify As Lgbtgeqiap+, Karli M. Fleitas

Dissertations, 2020-current

The aim of this quantitative research study was to investigate the interplay between attachment orientation and subscales of sexual self-concept among an exclusively LGBTGEQIAP+ adult sample. A Pearson’s correlation coefficient was computed to examine attachment anxiety and avoidance with four subscales of sexual self-concept including, sexual motivation, sexual satisfaction, sexual consciousness, and sexual monitoring. The purpose of this study was two-fold—to compare findings with non-LGBTGEQIAP+ samples and provide new data. The relationships between attachment insecurity (i.e., anxious and avoidant attachment) and sexual motivation and satisfaction were compared to prior findings in the literature. Each test was statistically significant and negatively …

Social And Emotional Development Of Toddlers Post-Covid-19 Pandemic, Alice M. Bygd

Counselor Education Capstones

The COVID-19 pandemic created a significantly different world for infants and very young children to grow and develop their social and emotional skills. These infants are now today’s toddlers. They were born or spent the earliest months of their lives in a society that was lacking the naturally occurring social and emotional experiences that children have had in the past. Research on the social and emotional development of young children since the COVID-19 pandemic is lacking greatly. This is due to how close the lived experiences of a pandemic for society are to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The …

Success For Graduation And Beyond: College Counseling Advocacy Skills That Target The Needs Of First-Generation College Students, Meriel Laforce

Counselor Education Capstones

The writer explores how the role of a college counselor can support and advocate for first-generation students in a way that can lead to attainable success beyond merely graduating from an institution. Research has shown that college faculty have been proven to be a significant source of aspirational, intellectual, and emotional support in a student’s college success. The role of a college counselor could be an ideal mentor and advocate for those students who may be at a disadvantage, such as a first-generation student. The specific barriers that first-generation students experience that differ from continuing-generation students are discussed. Additionally, the …

Therapeutic Approaches To Working With Perinatal Loss Clients: A Grounded Theory Study, Heather H. Olivier

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal loss (i.e., miscarriage, stillbirth, termination, and infant death) is commonly referred to in the literature as an invisible loss, non-loss, and even medical event. It is an ambiguous loss exhibiting the dialectical contradiction between the physical absence and psychological presence of the baby accompanied by disenfranchised grief, a reaction to a loss that is unacknowledged by society. Despite the likelihood of mental health clinicians working with clients who have experienced perinatal loss, there has yet to be a therapeutic model designed specifically for the unique grief and trauma reactions presented in this population. Existing grief models do not address …

Theory Application In Home-Based Counseling, Victoria Rodriguez

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Home-based counseling is a modality of counseling where a provider conducts sessions within a client’s home. Providing services in the home can improve access to services in rural areas or for clients without access to transportation or childcare and can increase participation in services in cases where traditional office-based services have been unsuccessful.

Despite these benefits for clients, home-based counselors might struggle with applying counseling theory within this setting. Theory is an integral part of both counselor identity and treatment planning; a theoretical orientation helps counselors conceptualize client issues, guide treatment goals, and assess progress. Due to the lack of …

Perceptions Of Sub-Saharan African International Students In United States: Mental Health Concerns And Help-Seeking Behavior, Adekemi L. Ekanoye

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

International students face a lot of challenges while studying abroad, with or without the supportive system that their families provide. Sub-Saharan Africa international students consists of 3.7 percent of the population, which indicates a 2.1 percent increase prior to previous year. While in the host country, this population is saddled with the self-responsibilities of maintaining their values, cultural identities, personality, language ability, self-perceptions, and attitudes. African international students adopt a masking behavior in the form of adaptive strategies that could hide the mental health concerns experienced.

The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to explore the untold lived …

Pregnant Black/African Americans' Experiences In Prenatal Genetic Counseling, Latonya Alexander

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pregnant Black/African American patients have faced systematic racism in the U.S. healthcare system embodied in the high maternal morbidity and mortality rates. Patients have the desire to feel heard and connected with their healthcare providers. Prenatal genetic counselors are not only trained to provide education to individuals, couples, and families who may be seeking genetic counseling, but also to use psychosocial skills with patients. Previous studies with majority of White participants have described how psychosocial skills build patient trust. Therefore, this study aimed to determine what factors made pregnant Black/African American patients feel heard and trustful with their prenatal genetic …

Best Practices In Counseling The Balkan Population: Training For Mental Health Counselors, Arnela Karic

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Balkan refugees in the United States have been shown to develop symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and low subjective quality of life after the Balkan wars and the stressors of immigration (Priebe et. al., 2009). Along with these potential mental health disorders, many of these refugees suffer with their mental health in other ways such as loneliness, low self-esteem, financial stressors, lack of understanding of the new cultural norms, language barriers, chronic fatigue, and more that all lead to developing maladaptive coping mechanisms (Keyes & Kane, 2004). Furthermore, most of these refugees do not seek mental health care and suffer …

The Need For Racial And Ethnic Health Disparity Curriculum In Genetic Counseling Programs, Yusra Aziz

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Racial and ethnic health disparities (REHD) exist across all organized medicine, including the spectrum of genetic counseling, particularly in genomic testing and access to care. While cultural competency and health disparities have been included as a part of the Standards of Accreditation for Genetic Counseling, there have not been previous efforts to define what topics related to REHD are most important to include in graduate program curriculum. Therefore, this study aimed to determine what topics related to REHD should be taught in genetic counseling program curriculum by assessing what topics genetic counselors (GCs) learned about and in what settings, …

A Comparison Of The Expressive Language Characteristics In Schizophrenia And Wernicke’S Aphasia, Taylor Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental illness and language disorders are rarely linked together as a way of making a comparison. In this study, a comprehensive scoping review was initiated to discuss the differential diagnostic characteristics of expressive language in Schizophrenia and Wernicke’s Aphasia (WA). This study will examine the domains of language where there are overlaps between the characteristics of expressive language. Semantics, pragmatics, and discourse will be further examined while comparing what aspects of expressive language are key in each domain. Schizophrenia being classified as a mental illness and WA being classified as an acquired language disorder, there are fundamental properties of language …

The Perceived Role Of School Counselors In Ramp And Non-Ramp Schools, Rob Rhodes

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceived roles of elementary and secondary school counselors within schools with comprehensive school counseling programs and those without such programs. Central to this study are questions of how school counselors’ roles are perceived differently within Recognized ASCA Models Program (RAMP) schools and non-RAMP schools. I this study, I examined the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Professional Mindsets and Behaviors (see Appendix 1), as outlined in the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2012), as well as school counselors’ professional practices and perceived roles in RAMP and non-RAMP schools.

Through interviews and comparative analysis, …