Counseling Commons^™

Exploring Polyamorous Relationship Experiences Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Pansexual Individuals, Jiale Man

Theses and Dissertations

Polyamory is a type of relationship under the consensual non-monogamy relationship umbrella that assumes the possibility, validity, and worthwhileness of maintaining romantic, sexual, and intimate relationships with multiple people simultaneously. In Western society, the prevalence and domination of mononormativity have led to the marginalization of relationships alternative to monogamy (i.e., polyamory). As a result, individuals in polyamorous relationships continue to experience bias, stigma, and discrimination at varying levels. With a rise in public interest in CNM in the past two decades, scientists and researchers have slowly started to examine various topics related to CNM, including its prevalence, public attitudes toward …

Ce 534 Syllabus: Multiculturalism And Diversity, Mitch Moore

Counselor Education Syllabi

The purpose of this course is to: (1) promote student growth and development through the learning and practice of basic communication and helping skills; (2) study cultural diversity as it relates to human relations and communication; (3) examine gender and sexual orientation in terms of human relations and communication; and (4) address human relations and communication as they relate to special populations (persons with disabilities, older adults, economically disadvantaged individuals, children, etc.) Grade only. This course will also cover substance abuse issues as relates to diverse cultures, specifically as addressed by the SAMHSA Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 59.

Ce 560 Syllabus: Addiction Counseling: Assessments And Treatment Of Addiction & Co-Occuring Disorders, Mitch Moore

Counselor Education Syllabi

This course addresses the principles of screening, assessment, diagnosis of substance use, induced, and co-occurring disorders in adults and adolescents, and treatment planning. Students will become familiar with an array of screening and assessment instruments, and diagnostic and treatment planning tools, including the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), Comprehensive SUDs Assessment, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s Patient Placement Criteria of Substance-Related Disorders (ASAM PPC), as well writing required reports and record-keeping functions. The treatment of co-occurring disorders, including the Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment model, process addictions (e.g., gambling), ethical considerations, and multicultural issues will …

Counselors' Perceptions Of Their Preparedness For Telemental Health Services: A Phenomenological Examination, Daniel C. Holland, Jeffry L. Moe, Alan M. "Woody" Schwitzer, Shana Pribesh, Jeanel Franklin

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Background: To examine counselors' perceptions of their formal preparation for engaging in telemental health (TMH) counseling with the intent of gaining an understanding of their lived experiences.

Materials and Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with seven seasoned counselors who regularly engage in technology-mediated distance counseling.

Results: The results highlighted themes within two emerging categories: the counselor and training/education. Themes related to motivation and specific counselor attributes emerged from the first category and themes of availability, inadequacy, and modality emerged from the second category.

Discussion: The implications from this study suggest a lack of availability and standardization of effective training on …

Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming College Students’ Challenges, Supports, And Successes: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Jennifer R. Curry, Imre Csaszar, Tiffany Shierling

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

We report findings from an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study of transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) participants’ perceptions of their on-campus experiences. Participants reported their lived experiences of campus culture in the Deep South. The data was viewed through a minority stress framework. Four major themes emerged: a) supports for students; b) barriers for students; c) undergoing personal change; and d) influencing systemic change.

2023-06-03 Board Meeting Agenda, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

2023-01-23 Meeting Minutes, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

2023-06-03 Cumulative Report, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

2023-08-12 Cumulative Report, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

2023-11-03 Board Meeting Agenda, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

2023-11-03 Cumulative Report, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

Internalized Homonegativity And The Mental Health Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Individuals: An Integrative Treatment Approach, David Kearby

DSW Capstone Projects

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals (LGBI) have a higher rate of mental health disorders than the general population. The mental health disparities experienced by LGBI are positively correlated with higher internalized homonegativity (IH) levels, which impacts their functioning at the unconscious, cognitive, and interpersonal levels. Thus, effective interventions targeting the mental health of LGBI must consider IH's intrapsychic, cognitive, and interpersonal nature. An integrative psychotherapy approach addressing the mental health and IH of LGBI is needed to address the intrapsychic, cognitive, and interpersonal factors at play.

Product one of this capstone is a systematic literature review that identified psychotherapeutic interventions …

Neurobiology Of Ptsd In Adults And Children: The Impact Of Stress-Induced Brain Abnormalities Across The Lifespan, Catherine Clover

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the scholarly community, there is disagreement about the effects of PTSD or chronic stress on the brain of adults and children. Though PTSD or chronic stress are known to negatively affect neurobiological structures, specifically due to prolonged glucocorticoid excess, volumetric discrepancies between traumatized and control groups are not unanimously confirmed. This review sought to address the common understandings in academia of the effects of PTSD on the brains of adults and children. Literature on this topic indicated that, in adults, the hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, and prefrontal cortex bilaterally appeared to decrease in gray matter volume and the corpus callosum …

Connecting With Clients In Later Life: The Use Of Telebehavioral Health To Address Older Adults’ Mental Health Needs, Jordan B. Westcott, Nicolette Castagna, Megan K. Baker, Jaclyn Musci, Nick Gowen, Benjamin Wiley, Benjamin Comire, Anne Patterson, Matthew C. Fullen

Adultspan Journal

Telebehavioral health offers a unique opportunity to expand access to mental health services for older clients by addressing systemic barriers that often render mental health care inaccessible in later life. Although health interventions facilitated by technology, including telebehavioral health approaches, proliferated at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, little guidance exists for counselors seeking to provide such services to clients in later life. In this manuscript, we describe challenges accessing mental health services, how telebehavioral health services can address these barriers, and practical consideration for delivering telebehavioral health approaches for counselors who work with older clients.

Power Of A Feminist Identity On Sense Of Self And Purpose, Kerry Diekmann

Adultspan Journal

This study centered on feminist-identified women and the meaning they made from their feminist identity. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis design, eight women were interviewed to understand their lived experience and the influence their social or political identity had on how they experienced and made sense of their world. The overarching finding was that all participants exuded a strong sense of self, which seemed to provide resilience and empower participants to navigate sexism and other injustice. Themes that support this finding include exhibiting confidence and self-advocacy, confronting sexism, and describing a connection between feminist identity and career or activism. Implications …

Integrating Feminist Approaches In Counseling Work With Adult Women, Kristen M. Toole

Adultspan Journal

The scope of ‘women’s issues’ in counseling is an ever-evolving landscape. Recent events such as the reversal of Roe v. Wade and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women serve as powerful reminders of the necessity of this focus while underscoring a deep-rooted history of oppressive patriarchal structures. Therefore, counselors must remain informed of the unique considerations surrounding adult women in counseling and acquire proficiency in versatile techniques to meet this population’s nuanced needs. This article examines the complexity of contemporary womanhood and explores the fundamentals of Feminist Counseling Theory (FCT), a holistic, multiculturally conscious, social justice theory in counseling. …

Recognizing Ableism And Practicing Disability Humility: Conceptualizing Disability Across The Lifespan, Katherine M. Atkins, Tamekia Bell, Tilottama Roy-White, Maria Page

Adultspan Journal

Disability culture is often misunderstood by counselors who lack extensive training in working with individuals with disabilities (IWDs) (Stuntzner & Hartley, 2014). This quantitative study used the Counseling Clients with Disability Survey (CCDS) to explore the beliefs and perceived knowledge of counselors-in-training (CITs), counselors, and counselor educators regarding preparation to counsel IWDs, which is particularly important as disability status can change across the lifespan, and given that the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards Review Committee provided a guide to the draft standards incorporating the infusion of disability concepts. Results indicate that counselors were competent …

Utilization Of The Social Determinants Of Mental Health Framework With Older Adults For Assessment, Case Conceptualization, And Treatment Planning, Janelle L. Jones, Julia Lancaster, Lauren Robins, Wendy K. Killam, Matthew L. Nice, Bisola Duyile

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual paper will aid counselors and mental health professionals in obtaining insight to utilizing a Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework with older adult clients. Further, the article incorporates the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies to further contextualize the therapeutic alliance. The authors utilize the Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework to frame counseling assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning to improve the mental health outcomes of older adults. The article utilizes a specific case example to assess, conceptualize, and plan treatment for an older adult client contextualized in their environment.

Human Service Student's Preparedness For Assessing Suicidality: Recommendations For Human Services Education, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Jeffrey Moe, Bianca Augustine, T'Airra Belcher

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Suicide continues to be a public health concern, with suicide rates increasing. Human service professionals are among the helping professions tasked with assessing and addressing suicidality. Despite the well-documented benefits of suicide assessment and training for those within the helping professions, there remains a dearth of literature specific to suicide prevention in the preparation of human services students. To address this gap, the current study used the SIRI-2 to assess the preparedness of human services students (n = 98) to assess and address client suicidality. Findings indicated that participants’ responses were less competent than area experts. Furthermore, student participants’ responses …

Insider Tips For Applying To Graduate Programs, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

As I approach my 20th year as a school psychology faculty member (12 as a program coordinator), I have reviewed thousands of applications and interviewed hundreds of prospective students. It is truly a joy to meet people at interviews who will go on to excel as school psychologists. I also have met my fair share of applicants who were clearly unprepared. This piece provides some insider information on how prospective students can strengthen their applications and interviews.