Counseling Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study Of How Parents Of Lgbtqia+ Youth Experience School-Based Sex Education, Alisha Bachman

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Empirical research on LGBTQIA+ youth and Comprehensive Sex Education is scarce and now, due to the current political climate, is under threat. Utilizing an interpretive phenomenological approach applying ecological systems and queer theory, this study explored the lived experiences of how parents of LGBTQIA+ youth perceive school-based comprehensive sex education. By isolating the phenomenon of comprehensive sex education, this study focused on the immediate context of influence that comprehensive sex education makes on LGBTQIA+ youth and families. This research used data collected through semi-structured interviews with nine different parents. Four themes emerged from the data: Communication and Education about Sexuality …

Inheriting Power And Pain: An Examination Of Intergenerational Influences In The Stories Of Black Women In Professional Leadership Positions, Angela Banks

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study aimed to explore the stories of Black women in professional leadership roles. Grounded in a Black feminist perspective (Crenshaw, 1989) and informed by historical and intergenerational trauma (Brave Heart, 1999), this study utilized Black storytelling as a methodological framework and employed thematic analysis to examine the narratives of participants. A total of nine Black women in leadership positions across various industries participated in one-on-one interviews. The findings revealed four key themes: (1) What I saw and what others saw in me: Community leadership, (2) Instilled values: The Strong Black Woman Schema, (3) The only one: Sole representation and …

Reality Shock And Systemic Strain: Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Pre-Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Sara Al-Khedairy

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The counseling profession is struggling to meet the rising demand for mental health care due to a growing workforce shortage driven by burnout, inadequate support, and low compensation—pressures that disproportionately impact pre-licensed clinicians. Despite their critical role in sustaining the field, pre-licensed counselors often face systemic barriers with little structural support. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of pre-licensed clinical mental health clinicians through social-ecological and reality shock theories. Participants included 14 pre-licensed clinical mental health counselors who had graduated from CACREP-accredited programs within the last five years. Individual interviews were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of participants’ …

Bisexuality: An Individual's Direction Is Society's Detour, Madisyn J. Roberts

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of self-identified bisexual adults through a qualitative, narrative inquiry approach that centers how folx construct their story of sexuality and individual meaning making capacities based on held intersections of identity. Using Queer theory and intersectionality as a theoretical framework, this study investigates and advocates that sexual orientation is not validated or invalidated by its fluidity but aims to understand how bisexuality is an integrative part of an individual’s identity. This dissertation explores how society’s tendency to view sexuality as divided between heterosexuality and homosexuality erases the complexity and spectrum of sexual orientations that exist …

Experiences Of Dissertating Students: What Works?, Laura Durkin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores the experiences of doctoral graduates from Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) programs. Guided by theoretical frameworks on student attrition and institutional racism, the research investigates three primary questions: (1) What dissertation- specific programmatic factors influence time to completion for CES doctoral students? (2) What interventions most strongly promote a sense of social integration and belonging? and (3) What interventions most strongly promote academic integration and confidence in students’ ability to succeed? Data were collected anonymously through an online survey, which included demographic and open-ended questions. Twelve participants …

Intersectional Opportunities For Drama Therapy And Counseling, Erica Craig-Mann

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the intersectional possibilities between the fields of drama therapy and mental health counseling through the lens of transformative learning theory. Specifically, the research sought to understand the lived experiences of professionals trained in both disciplines to identify how these fields might mutually inform, strengthen, and enhance one another through collaboration and/or dual training. Data were collected through a qualitative online survey and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: (a) Theoretical and Practical Overlaps and Distinctions; (b) Drama Therapy-Informed Counseling: Embodiment, Creativity, and Experiential Practice; (c) Counseling-Informed Drama Therapy: Frameworks for Practice, …

Exploring The Use Of Somatic Skills And Techniques In Clinical Supervision, Areka D. Foster

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores the lived experiences of clinical supervisors who engage in somatically oriented supervision. Informed by relational-cultural theory and polyvagal theory, the research employs a grounded theory methodology to investigate the potential development of a somatic supervision framework. Eleven participants completed semi-structured interviews and data were analyzed using both thematic analysis and grounded theory techniques. Eleven core themes emerged: (a) conceptualizations of somatic supervision, (b) integration of somatic techniques in supervisory practice, (c) theoretical foundations for somatic supervision, (d) attunement to countertransference, (e) the supervisory relationship, (f) trauma-informed approaches, (g) somatic techniques and practices, (h) initiating and structuring somatic …

Reimagining Care: Experiences Of Trauma-Informed Approaches And Deinstitutionalization In Caribbean Child Welfare, Sarah L. Subhan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explored the perceptions and experiences of child welfare professionals on trauma-informed care and implications for deinstitutionalization in Trinidad and Tobago. The qualitative study utilized research interviews from 21 participants to inform findings. The participants included professionals from various agencies who work with children in care and protection. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, yielding six overarching themes (1) the need for training and capacity building in child protection, (2) systemic and organizational challenges to trauma informed care, (3) cultural and community factors impacting child protection, (4) the need to support family units as a pathway to …

Start From Zero: Reimagining Creative Arts Therapy Education In An International Context, Ling Cheun Bianca Lee

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative dissertation examines how Hong Kong-based art therapists trained in Western graduate programs adapt their educations to the cultural, institutional, and sociopolitical realities of their local contexts. Using photovoice methodology informed by decolonial, liberatory, and trauma-informed frameworks—referred to as stir fry praxis—the study centers the experiences of 11 participants navigating professional reentry, identity formation, and systemic constraints. Seven interrelated themes emerged: The evolving and precarious landscape of art therapy in Hong Kong; the dual role of practitioners as therapists and educators; the impact of sociopolitical forces, including self-censorship and limited access to care; the limitations of Western-centric education; grassroots …

Outside Of The Counseling Room: Whiteness And Antiracism, Carlee D. Smith

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of white counselors as they integrate antiracism practices into their non-clinical lives. Rooted in the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC) framework, this study addresses the gap in literature surrounding how white counselors embody antiracist ideologies outside of the counseling room. Through narrative qualitative methods, the research examines the challenges, strategies, and reflections of white counselors committed to antiracist practices; practical integration into personal life often encounters barriers related to internal biases, social resistance, and limited educational support. Insights from this research highlight the critical need for ongoing self-reflection, community accountability, and structural …

Initial Validation Of The Measure Of Practical Existential Wellbeing, Bryant L. Moore

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

According to the theory of existential psychology, all humans experience existential anxiety, a negative feeling that results from the understanding of certain unavoidable truths. If left unchecked, existential anxiety can lead to symptoms of mental illness. Much work has been done to explore and measure existential anxiety, but little has focused on protective factors within existential theory. This dissertation proposes the construct of existential wellbeing, representing protective factors corresponding to different existential domains. To assess this construct, a new instrument, the Measure of Practical Existential Wellbeing (MPEW), was developed, distributed, and analyzed in relation to other established measures. The MPEW …

Ecological Attunement: Exploring Eco-Informed Clinical Supervision, Ari C. Bonagofski

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examined what constitutes eco-informed clinical supervision, identified its essential components, described its practical implementation, and analyzed how it expands systemic practice. The lack of attention climate- and nature-related issues receive in the couple and family therapy field coupled with the climate crisis and disconnection from nature create a gap in training and care for those experiencing ecological distress. Clinical supervision is one method of addressing this issue by teaching and developing competence working with climate- and nature-related issues. Using a modified three-part Delphi methodology, this study included two surveys followed by an optional individual interview. Panelists agreed on …

Examining The Relationship Between Bicultural Stress And Mental Well-Being Among Second-Generation Filipino Americans Living In The United States, Krista Parker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Research investigating the bicultural and mental health experiences of Filipino Americans, the third largest Asian American group in the United States, are consistently overlooked, with second-generation Filipino Americans (SGFAs) facing greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes. This quantitative study addresses a critical gap in research by examining the relationship between bicultural stress and mental well-being among SGFAs living in the United States. Using a cross-sectional survey design, a multivariate regression analysis examined the relationship between bicultural stress and four mental health constructs (as measured by depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem) among 302 SGFA participants. Results from this study strongly …

Experiences Of Civilian Mental Health Providers Who Work With Military Clients: A Dissertation, Lydia P. Perry

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Using a qualitative survey design, this study sought to understand the experiences of fully civilian providers who had achieved self-perceived military cultural competence when working with military or veteran clients or their families. This study also sought a better understanding of what pathways fully civilian providers took in this process, as well as their perceptions of how to better equip other fully civilian providers for work with military and veteran clients and their families. The results of this study yield recommendations for changes in graduate training programs; for example, through more inclusion of the military as a culture in cross …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Technology Use Of Clinicians And Their Clients, Chase M. Torbergson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The research question guiding this study was: What is the perceived understanding of technology use by clinicians for their work with clients? Fourteen participants completed an online qualitative survey exploring their experiences with technology and media in clinical practice. A thematic analysis revealed four primary themes. The first theme, variations in counselor online media usage, highlighted differences in how counselors engaged with online platforms for education, client connection, and self-care. The second theme, counselor assessment of, and dialogue around, online media use, captured varying levels of intentionality in exploring clients’ digital habits, ranging from minimal inquiry to regular, structured discussions. …

The Role Of Support And Prayer In Enhancing The Psychological Well-Being Of Cancer Patients In Canada, Emmanuel N. Mbah

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of family support, friends' support, community support, and prayer on the psychological well-being of cancer patients in Canada.

Methodology

A survey research method was used in this study. The survey was distributed through the QuestionPro audience and had 721 viewers, 674 respondents, and 400 participants (i.e., those who completed the survey). The survey completion rate was 59.35%, with an average completion time of 9 minutes. Most participants were Christians (62.0%), some were unaffiliated (29.5%), and the remaining participants were either Muslims, World Religion, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. …

The Healer's Call: Helping Clients In A Secular World With Spiritual Problems, Brent Taylor

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Issues In Religion And Psychotherapy Volume 42 Number 1

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

President's Message: An Eternal Perspective, David T. Seamons

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.