Lgbtq+ Client Experiences And Opinions On Therapist Cultural Humility,
2025
Pace University, Department of Psychology
Lgbtq+ Client Experiences And Opinions On Therapist Cultural Humility, Elliot Dulyk, Dasean L. Young
Honors College Theses
LGBTQ+ people (i.e., individuals from gender or sexual minorities) are at a heightened risk for mental health issues and often face barriers in receiving quality mental healthcare. The use of cultural humility practices by therapists has been correlated with improved therapeutic relationships and therapy outcomes. Practicing cultural humility involves engaging in critical self-evaluation, lifelong learning, and having an other-oriented stance. The present study examined 54 LGBTQ+ people’s perceptions of their therapists’ cultural humility and their positive and negative identity-related experiences in therapy. We conducted an online survey of LGBTQ+-identifying individuals who were ages 18 or older and currently attend or …
Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Mental Health Professional’S Perspective,
2025
Liberty University
Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Mental Health Professional’S Perspective, Octavia Victoria Sutherland
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore mental health professionals’ lived experiences treating childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in the southeastern United States. This research uncovers the nuances of the professional’s cognitive, emotional, and professional challenges when treating this vulnerable population. The constructivist theory guided this study which entails understanding the cognitive development stages, cultural contexts, and social interactions. This qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit 12 licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed marriage and family therapists that have experienced adverse effects due to their work with CSA survivors. All data collected were derived from …
Unbridled Healing: Identifying The Barriers Of Equine-Assisted Therapy,
2025
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Unbridled Healing: Identifying The Barriers Of Equine-Assisted Therapy, Sally A. Hamm
Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Despite the documented benefits of equine-assisted therapy (EAT) for mental health conditions, this complementary approach remains underutilized. This qualitative study investigated barriers preventing wider EAT implementation by examining challenges faced by clients, facilities, and volunteers. Data collected through open-ended surveys from 33 participants and the researcher's autoethnographic observations revealed eight common barriers: Accessibility (48 mentions), Money (43), Time (30), Awareness (23), Physical Factors (13), Relationships (13), Risk (13), and Weather (7). Clients identified financial constraints as their primary barrier, particularly insurance limitations. Facilitators struggled most with accessibility challenges, including lack of resources, trained staff, suitable horses, and appropriate facilities. Volunteers …
Redefining Children’S Experience In Social Services Offices,
2025
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Redefining Children’S Experience In Social Services Offices, Julia K. Bryant
Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
The effects of childhood trauma are far-reaching and diverse, influencing physical, emotional, and mental health across a child’s entire lifetime. Research indicates that children who experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as abuse or neglect are at an increased risk for various consequences and that the environments they encounter post-trauma play a significant role in shaping their experiences. Social services offices, where many traumatized children are taken for interviews or assessments after being removed from their homes, can often become places of additional distress. This project seeks to address this issue by proposing redesigns for social services offices to create …
The Effectiveness Of Services In California For Youth Who Have Experienced Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children (Csec),
2025
California State University - San Bernardino
The Effectiveness Of Services In California For Youth Who Have Experienced Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children (Csec), Rebecca A. Mcgill
Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations
Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) remains a pervasive issue with profound consequences for affected youth, yet research on effective service interventions remains limited. This study examines the perceived effectiveness of existing services in California for youth who have experienced CSEC, providing critical insights to inform best practices. Seventeen professional service providers participated in one-hour, semi-structured interviews, sharing their expertise on service strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement. Using thematic analysis, ten key themes emerged as central to effective service provision, including individualized interventions, the therapeutic value of relationships, trauma-informed providers, opportunities for healing experiences, multi-agency collaboration, and access to …
Educational Empowerment: Building Connections Through Interventions,
2025
California State University, Monterey Bay
Educational Empowerment: Building Connections Through Interventions, Melanie V. Partida
Capstone Projects and Master's Theses
This capstone project explores the intersection of substance use disorder (SUD) recovery and educational empowerment, focusing on the clients and peer supporters at Janus of Santa Cruz. The initiative developed an educational support model to enhance recovery through access to adult education, vocational training, and reliable study environments. Utilizing structured surveys, the project identified the educational barriers faced by peer supporters and clients, such as limited access to internet connectivity, mental health challenges, and a lack of awareness regarding local resources. In response, this project included the creation of a comprehensive educational resource directory and a Peer Mentorship Model, enabling …
Relationship Of Religiosity And Depression And Anxiety Of K-12th Grade Educators,
2025
Liberty University
Relationship Of Religiosity And Depression And Anxiety Of K-12th Grade Educators, Melissa Christian Martin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
As more people suffer from a decline in mental health, the education profession is especially vulnerable to anxiety and depression. K-12th grade teachers face a plethora of job-related stressors that impact their mental health, which often affects the quality of education and student outcomes. Public school teachers face the daily challenge of managing student behavior, responding to parent, community, and administrator demands, high-stakes testing, and the responsibility of designing rigorous lessons. They must face these challenges while balancing personal stressors such as financial struggles with minimal pay. Additionally, teachers’ mental health influences the culture and climate of the school environment …
School Counselors’ Lived Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic,
2025
Liberty University
School Counselors’ Lived Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katie M. Guzman Dunn
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how school counselor perceptions of their roles may have been permanently impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, which relates to the interactions of an individual and the environment around them, guided the study. The study’s central research was: What are public school counselors’ lived experiences regarding their role perception during the COVID-19 pandemic? Data was collected through virtual semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation with 10 school counselors who were members of the Kentucky School Counselor Association. The data collected from the interviews was analyzed using bracketing to …
Planted, Not Buried: The Narratives Of Faculty Commitment Among African American Women Counselor Educators,
2025
Montclair State University
Planted, Not Buried: The Narratives Of Faculty Commitment Among African American Women Counselor Educators, Lashawn M. Adams
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
African American Women Descendants of the U.S. Enslaved (AAWDUSE) remain underrepresented within counselor education, despite their long-standing contributions to labor, caregiving, and leadership. This dissertation examined how AAWDUSE counselor educators describe their experiences within CACREP-accredited programs and how those experiences inform their commitment to faculty roles. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought and Social Cognitive Career Theory, this qualitative critical narrative inquiry engaged eleven AAWDUSE faculty members across varied academic settings. Using the metaphor of a tree, six central themes emerged that reflect the complex nature of their commitment: what it looks like, how it was shaped, and how it is …
The Reentry Experience Of Returning Citizens From Prison,
2025
Montclair State University
The Reentry Experience Of Returning Citizens From Prison, Christina M. Kadelski
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
In 2022, over 1.2 million individuals were housed in federal or state prisons in the U.S., in addition to over 514,000 individuals housed in local jails at mid-year (Bureau of Justice, 2024). As released individuals return to their communities, they face the daunting task of re-integration into the community. The purpose of this study was to identify how returning citizens experience reentry to their communities upon release from prison, their perceptions about their reentry experience, and to learn about their unique responses to the reentry process. This study aimed to explore the experience of these individuals to better understand counseling …
The Pathway Experiences Of Latin/A/O/X Counselor Education Leaders: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis,
2025
Montclair State University
The Pathway Experiences Of Latin/A/O/X Counselor Education Leaders: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Jasmine E. Santiago-Ataande
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
This study explored the lived experiences of Latin/a/o/x counselor education (CE) leaders, with particular attention to their identities and pathways to leadership. Employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the research sought to understand how these leaders made meaning of their personal, cultural, and professional journeys while navigating systemic barriers and opportunities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse group of Latin/a/o/x leaders serving in counselor education programs and professional organizations at the state, regional, and national levels. Analysis revealed key themes, including cultural identity as a foundation of resilience, the complexities of navigating racialized academic spaces, the transformative role of mentorship, …
Exploring Trauma And African American Male Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence,
2025
Liberty University
Exploring Trauma And African American Male Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence, Paige Shaunta Denigi Simon
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to examine the experiences of heterosexual African American men from Georgia who are victims of IPV. This study aims to identify barriers that hinder survivors from reporting their trauma and seeking mental health services and resources. The theoretical framework utilized for this research study is Intersectional Theory. Using Intersectionality as a theoretical lens for this research study allows for a greater understanding of the multiple components and experiences that shape the identity of the African American man. This qualitative phenomenological study answered the following central research questions: “In what ways do African American male victims …
The Shared Experiences Of Mental Health Providers Delivering Faith-Accommodated Interventions In A Public-School Setting In Rural Central Texas,
2025
Liberty University
The Shared Experiences Of Mental Health Providers Delivering Faith-Accommodated Interventions In A Public-School Setting In Rural Central Texas, Thomas Andrew Lolley
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of counselors around providing faith-accommodated counseling interventions in a school-based mental health setting in rural Central Texas. The theory guiding this study was Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) bioecological systems theory (EST) as it gives a framework for illustrating the impact of graduate academic institutions and governing bodies on faith-accommodated counseling in a public-school setting. Data was collected and analyzed using the conceptual mapping task (CMT) protocol. The CMT protocol is a four-phase transtheoretical interview process with built-in-member-checking features. Member checking is a qualitative technique using participant feedback on the data …
Does Institutional Response Matter? A Qualitative Study Of Child Sexual Abuse Within Southern Baptist Convention-Affiliated Churches,
2025
Liberty University
Does Institutional Response Matter? A Qualitative Study Of Child Sexual Abuse Within Southern Baptist Convention-Affiliated Churches, Bonnie Colleen Wetzel
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Child sexual abuse (CSA) affects approximately one in four girls and one in 20 boys in the US, with 91% of perpetrators being known to the child (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). This instrumental case study explored how adult female CSA survivors (N=9) perceive their experiences and institutional responses within Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)- affiliated churches. Data collection involved Zoom interviews, journal prompts, and focus groups. Two research questions guided the study: How do adult survivors perceive their experiences of abuse within SBC-affiliated churches? And how do they perceive the church's response following disclosure? Betrayal Trauma Theory (Freyd, …
Moral Injury And Spiritual Struggles Among Christian Adults With A History Of Substance Use And Perceived Problematic Behaviors: A Phenomenological Study,
2025
Liberty University
Moral Injury And Spiritual Struggles Among Christian Adults With A History Of Substance Use And Perceived Problematic Behaviors: A Phenomenological Study, Diera Shaw-Mendez
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of moral injury and spiritual struggles among Christian adults from the Philadelphia tri-state area with a history of substance use or perceived problematic behaviors. Moral injury (MI) is newly studied in civilian populations. In a review of 253 studies on moral injury and substance use, only two qualitative studies explored exposure to morally injurious events amid substance use rather than as a pathway to substance use. Due to the religious characteristics of the target sample, the grounding theory for this study is Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development, which …
Virtual Reality In Trauma Therapy: Clinicians Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) With Technological Resources In Minneapolis, Minnesota,
2025
Liberty University
Virtual Reality In Trauma Therapy: Clinicians Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) With Technological Resources In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thomas E. Covington
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation aims to establish how virtual reality (VR) integrated with other technological devices in the management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The technology will lay the foundation for how it can establish controlled and safe VR contexts that can help patients address traumatizing occurrences. I will also stress the use of virtual therapists through online tools and applications, giving access to those who cannot attend meetings in person. Also, I will examine the individualization of the treatment process through the application of digital technologies and their potential effects on the outcomes of the therapeutic process. The research also examines …
Exploring The Correlation Between Self-Esteem And Academic Success Among Special Needs Students In Kwara State, Nigeria,
2025
Osun State University
Exploring The Correlation Between Self-Esteem And Academic Success Among Special Needs Students In Kwara State, Nigeria, Florence Famolu
Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling
Special education has shifted from a position of delivering professional services to students with disabilities to a system that seeks to encompass the broad concept of promoting quality education for students. This study examined the correlation between self-esteem and academic success among special needs students in Kwara State, Nigeria. the study adopted a descriptive survey research type. special needs students in the three local government areas in Ilorin, Ilorin South, East, and West Local Governments Area constituted the total population for this research. The researcher designed questionnaire was entitled: self-esteem as correlate of academic success among special needs students’ questionnaire” …
Publication Trends In Counselling And Artificial Intelligence: A Bibliometric Analysis,
2025
Politeknik Negeri Malang
Publication Trends In Counselling And Artificial Intelligence: A Bibliometric Analysis, Musthofa Hadi, Rachma Bhakti Utami, Ratnaning Palupi, Farika Nikmah, Eko Boedi Santoso
Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling
Current developments in counseling show significant improvements, especially with the increasingly deeper integration of artificial intelligence (AI). This research focuses on analyzing research development trends in counseling and artificial intelligence, with data collected from Scopus-indexed publications from the beginning of 1982 to 2024. From this period, 470 relevant articles were identified for further analysis. The analysis process is carried out using bibliometric methods with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework, with the help of R-Biblioshiny software, which allows in-depth analysis of patterns and trends in the literature. The analysis results show that this topic has experienced …
Solution-Focused Brief Group Counseling As An Effort To Reduce Phubbing Behavior Among High School Students,
2025
Universitas Negeri Malang
Solution-Focused Brief Group Counseling As An Effort To Reduce Phubbing Behavior Among High School Students, Awalya Siska Pratiwi, Arbin Janu Setiyowati, Im Hambali, Siti Syazwani Zulkuple
Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling
The act of phubbing has been observed to disengage from their surroundings, often finding greater comfort in solitude with their mobile phones. The research objective was to ascertain the efficacy of solution-focused brief group counseling to reduce phubbing behavior in high school students. This study employed a quasi-experimental quantitative research methodology with a pretest-posttest control group design. A total of 10 students, exhibiting a high level of phubbing behavior, were divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The results of the Two-Independent-Sample Test-Mann-Whitney U test are presented in the Asymp .sig column, with a value of …
Rational Emotive Behavior Group Counseling To Reduce Toxic Masculinity In The Patriarchal Culture Of High School Students,
2025
Universitas Negeri Surabaya
Rational Emotive Behavior Group Counseling To Reduce Toxic Masculinity In The Patriarchal Culture Of High School Students, Bakhrudin All Habsy, Rukhil Amania, Michael Adeniyi Omoyemiju
Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling
Toxic masculinity is a social construct in patriarchal societies, characterizing male attitudes that dominate and accentuate gender inequality with women in lower positions, influencing detrimental behavioral patterns. This research aims to examine the effectiveness of Rational Emotive Behavior Group Counseling in reducing toxic masculinity behaviors among high school students within the context of patriarchal culture. The study employed an experimental design with a pretest and posttest control group arrangement. From the Toxic masculinity inventory measurements, twelve students with high levels of toxic masculinity characteristics were identified. Subject selection was randomized, with six students in each experimental and control group. Data …
