Counseling Commons^™

Professional Growth Through Reflective Practice: An Analysis Of Self, Emmalee H. Groff/Traurig

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This project is a comprehensive analysis of self, conducted throughout my graduate school studies in school counseling. The examination consisted of an extensive reflection of my background, experiences, values, and personal growth. Completed through assessments, interviews, analysis of interests, passion, theoretical exploration, and intentional reflection of what shapes me as a person and my professional identity as a school counselor. Noting consistent themes across the assessments and interviews included empathy, faith, compassion, and a deep desire to help others. Simultaneously, I identified areas for continued future growth, including finding balance in harmony with honesty, redefining productivity within the helping profession, …

Beyond The Tour: Designing Graduate Library Orientations That Build Research Confidence And Belonging, Megan York

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

Graduate student orientations often lean heavily on logistics: where to find resources, how to log in, and which services the library offers. While this information is important, it rarely addresses the deeper needs of graduate learners. Many of the students I work with arrive on campus already balancing careers, families, and demanding academic programs. At the University of Arkansas, graduate orientations in the College of Education and Health Professions frequently take place on weekends, serving students who travel from out of state and receive an overwhelming amount of information in a short time. For them, orientation is not simply a …

Nursing Interventions To Reduce Anxiety And Psychological Distress In Breast Cancer Patients In The Us, Alexis Abboud, Al Araydeh Mifleh

The Cardinal Edge

Background Breast cancer patients frequently experience psychological challenges, such as anxiety, distress, and diminished quality of life (QoL). Nursing interventions show promise in addressing these issues; however, a comprehensive synthesis of their impact is lacking. This review evaluates the effectiveness of nursing interventions in reducing anxiety and psychological distress while improving QoL.

Research Question What nursing interventions effectively reduce anxiety and psychological distress and improve QoL among breast cancer patients in the United States?

Methods A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches of CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, and Medline identified studies published in the last five years in …

The Schizophrenia Effect: Families Facing Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders, Ginger A. Christmas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Schizophrenia is primarily known for its bizarre psychosis, as the brain struggles to distinguish between what is real and what is not. This qualitative study employed constructive, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the idea that families with a family member diagnosed with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder (SSD) in the United States have specific needs, which may include social and spiritual support and integration into treatment. While the needs of families facing SSD have been studied in non-Western countries, the schizophrenia effect on families in the U.S. remains less understood. A purposive sample of 11 individuals, representing 15 family members with …

Training The Church To Support Sufferers Of Mental Illness Through Comfort Clinics, Jonathan D. Blankenship

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Laurel Baptist Church (LBC) is the lack of trained members who are equipped to support those suffering from mental illness. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to create Comfort Clinics, a structured program to train members to support sufferers of mental illness. Normative-sized churches are often uninformed on the topic of mental illness. Subsequently, in those environments, stigmas are nurtured, sufferers feel unseen, and church members lack the necessary training to provide the comfort and support that mental sufferers need. Building on the ecclesiastical call to “comfort those who are in any affliction” (2 …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Women Caregivers Of The Sandwich Generation, Keri L. Burns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe female members of the sandwich generation’s experiences as care providers during and post-COVID-19 in Central Florida. At this research stage, female members of the sandwich generation are understood as women in midlife who occupy dual caregiving roles for dependent children and aging parents, and whose lived experiences offer insight into caregiving experiences during a global pandemic. (Steiner & Fletcher, 2017). As life expectancy has increased and financial insecurity has been a concern for all generations, the sandwich generation caregivers, specifically women, have become more focused on providing varying levels of care …

A Phenomenology Of Sexual Assaults On College Campuses, Karon R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The rate of sexual assaults for women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals on college campuses is reported at a higher rate compared to males and is continuing to rise at a staggering rate, causing this to become a national issue. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the subjective experience, campus culture, psychological disorders, and changes in students' religious beliefs after a sexual assault. Victims’ perceptions and campus norms reporting sexual violence and assault incidents help to explain institutional support systems, the afterlife, and long-term outcomes of victims, prevention programs, and services. The frameworks for this …

Counseling Satisfaction In Lgbtq Clients: The Roles Of Perceived Counselor Religiosity And Perceived Discrimination, Karen Cain Culbertson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

LGBTQ individuals experience mental health issues more frequently than the heterosexual population (Benz et al., 2019; Hinton et al., 2024; Nakamura & Logie, 2020). It appears that they often face unique challenges when seeking mental health care (Makadon et al., 2015). These may become complex when working with Christian counselors when there are conflicting beliefs between their religious views and their counseling standards (Lane, 2021). Although previous research has identified barriers to care for the LGBTQ community and the psychological impact of non-affirming religious settings, there is little research on how these dynamics unfold specifically within a Christian counseling relationship …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Unfaithful Partners: Perceptions Of Forgiveness And Commitment To Rebuilding Trust After Infidelity, Ana De La Cruz Arciniega

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Infidelity has significant emotional and relational consequences; however, limited research has examined the lived experiences of unfaithful partners, particularly their perceptions of forgiveness and commitment to rebuilding trust. This phenomenological study described the lived experiences of unfaithful partners and explored how they understood forgiveness and engaged in trust-rebuilding efforts following infidelity. Thirteen participants (seven males and six females), aged 30 to 65, who had engaged in emotional, physical, virtual, or paid sexual affairs were recruited through social media, private therapeutic practices, affair recovery programs, and church networks. Participants completed individual 45-minute semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Interviews were transcribed, member-checked, …

Exploring The Relationships Between Differentiation Of Self, Family Unit Functioning, And Posttraumatic Growth In Adult Female Survivors Of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, Samantha Stokesberry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationships between differentiation of self (DoS), family unit functioning (FUF), and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in adult female domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) survivors in the United States. A Bowen Family Systems Theory framework was used for the theoretical foundation of this study and the research was explored from a Christian worldview. A sample of 30 adult female DMST survivors between the ages of 25-55 completed an anonymous online survey that included four measures: a demographics form, The Differentiation of Self Inventory – Revised (DSI-R), the Family Unit Functioning Questionnaire (FUF-Q), and …

The Shared Experiences Of High Functioning Autistic Adults Receiving Mental Health Care In The Texas Metroplex: A Phenomenological Study, Katherine Ivey Marie Vaughan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study is to describe the lived experiences of high functioning autistic adults who have engaged in mental health services in mental health services in Texas. Individuals with autism often face unique challenges, such as heightened sensory intake and cognitive inflexibility, which may complicate traditional therapeutic interventions. The theories that guided the study were the biopsychosocial model, social cognitive theory, the neurodiversity paradigm, and cognitive-behavioral theory, all exploring how cognitive processes influence emotions and behaviors in neurodiverse populations. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, semi-structured interviews were done with adults with high functioning autistic adults. Analysis of the …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring How African American Adult Sons Describe Caring For A Parent With Dementia, Donald Eric German

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the coping strategies of African American adult sons who are the primary caregivers to a parent with dementia. The participants were only African American adult sons who are the primary caregivers to an aging parent. This researcher conducted semi-structured interviews and followed a systematical data collection process during the interview process; close attention was paid to analyzing and uncovering significant themes that emerged from the participants’ experiences. The findings show that African American adult sons feel a strong sense of duty that grows from obligation into a Christ-centered commitment to honor …

The Benefits Of A Holistic Biblical Approach To Adolescent Substance Use Treatment And Prevention, Amberlin D. Salas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adolescent addiction is increasingly problematic in the United States, including substance use and other addictive behaviors that carry a risk of continued adult addiction if not resolved effectively. Current treatment models are primarily limited to meeting the mental, emotional, and physical needs, but have gaps in treating areas such as spirituality and healthy parental relationships. From a biblical standpoint, Christian principles are relevant to all areas of need in the addicted individual, and considering a holistic biblical approach to address all areas of life could fill the gaps left by conventional addiction interventions. To understand the possible implications of a …

The Influence Of Epistemological Beliefs, Research Self-Efficacy, And Affective States On Doctoral Students’ Research Methodological Selections, Caroline Suzanne Vaile

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study examines the extent to which epistemological beliefs predict research methodology choice and whether this relationship is mediated by mentorship experiences or research self-efficacy and moderated by statistics anxiety. The study is grounded in Hofer and Pintrich’s Epistemological Beliefs Theory, Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, and Kram’s Mentor Role Theory. Data were collected using self-report measures via an online survey hosted by Qualtrics. Participants included current CES doctoral students and graduates within the past five years (N=47). The study utilized binary logistic regression and PROCESS mediation and moderated mediation analyses, indicating that epistemological beliefs did not significantly influence …

The Effectiveness Of Mode Deactivation Model Group Counseling In Improving The Emotional Wellness Of Junior High School Students, Ananda Dwi Rahmadanti, Muya Barida, Sri Hartini, Aprilia Setyowati

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study was motivated by the low level of emotional wellness among some junior high school students, characterized by difficulties in recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions adaptively, thereby impacting social behavior and learning processes at school. Previous studies have shown that emotion regulation-based interventions are effective in improving adolescents' emotional well-being. However, counseling interventions in schools that specifically target emotional regulation patterns to improve students' emotional wellness are still relatively limited in guidance and counseling services. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of group counseling using the Mode Deactivation Counseling (MDC) model in improving the emotional wellness of …

The Phoenix Trauma Response Model (Ptrm): An Integrative And Innovative Approach To Trauma Recovery And Growth, Latesha S. Holloman, Lauren B. Robins, Tammie Willis, Courtney V. Morris

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

Trauma is increasingly understood as a developmentally consequential experience that shapes identity, regulation, and relational functioning across the lifespan. Although trauma-informed care, resilience theory, posttraumatic growth, and narrative approaches have expanded understanding of recovery, few frameworks articulate a structured developmental progression that integrates prevention, intervention, and intergenerational transformation within a unified model. The Phoenix Trauma Response Model (PTRM) addresses this gap by introducing a cyclical, phase-based framework organized around four interrelated processes: Recognition, Reframing, Reclamation, and Replication of Strength. Central to the model is the construct of conversion potential, defined as the structured capacity to translate distress into purposeful …

Psychological Capital And Academic Burnout Among Students In Islamic Boarding Schools: The Mediating Effects Of Religious Coping And Academic Engagement, Bukhari Ahmad, Eko Sujadi

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study aims to examine the impact of psychological capital on academic burnout among Islamic boarding school students, with religious coping and academic engagement as mediating variables. A quantitative research method with survey design was employed. The population consisted of 102 students at the Madrasah Tsanawiyah level, and a sample of 80 students was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan formula. The sampling technique used was simple random sampling. Four validated research scales were adapted for data collection: the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory – Student Version (OLBI-S), Compound Psychological Capital Scale (PsyCap-12), The Brief RCOPE, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale …

Perspectives Of University Leaders On Adoption And Scaling E Mental Health Support For Students: An Exploratory Analysis, Choongo Mulungu, Esin Nisan Yildirim

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

ABSTRACT

University students face rising mental health challenges, yet adoption of digital support services in higher education remains limited, especially in the Global South. This qualitative study explored perceptions of 18 senior administrators from universities across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. Findings revealed a significant implementation gap, with few institutions offering formal platforms. Leaders cited barriers including limited institutional prioritisation, counsellor overload, financial ambiguity, ethical concerns, and absent policy frameworks. Addressing these challenges requires deliberate policy action, equitable resource allocation, and culturally responsive strategies for sustainable integration.

No-Show Characteristics Of Rural Clients With Mental Health Conditions, Christy R. Collins, Jose Carbajal

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The purpose of this study is to report demographic characteristics and appointment compliance factors associated with no-show appointments in a rural clinical setting in East Texas. Describing these variables will expand the existing literature and offer greater clarity not only on why appointments are missed, but also on who is missing them. Therefore, understanding how sociodemographic variables relate to missed appointments may enhance appointment adherence and improve healthcare outcomes for individuals. This study used cross-sectional archival data specifically collected to examine missed appointments among clients at a rural clinic (N = 134). The results indicate that Hispanic/Latino individuals, clients aged …

Faith And Justice: Church Leadership's Impact On Prison Reform, Yaw Asamoah Akowuah Mr., Frank Y. Adusei, Eric Kaufman, Loy V. Crowder

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This study examines the Church of Pentecost’s (CoP) pioneering prison reform initiative in Ghana as a faith-based response to systemic overcrowding and inadequate rehabilitation infrastructure. Through a qualitative case study design, the research analyzes in-depth interviews with church leaders and media staff, alongside institutional documents, to explore how religious leadership intersects with correctional policy. Findings reveal that CoP’s “Vision 2023” strategy positioned prison decongestion as a moral and national imperative, leading to the construction of five “Inmates Skills Acquisition and Reformation Centres.” These facilities integrate vocational training, spiritual care, and modern infrastructure, aligning with Rehabilitation Theory’s emphasis on humane, reintegration-focused …