The current study is the first repeated-measures design exploring the impact of child-centered play therapy (CCPT), an evidence-based child psychotherapy intervention, on autistic children's social-emotional assets, and emotional and behavioral problems across four times during intervention based on teacher reports. Participants consisted of 19 autistic children recruited from two Title-1 elementary schools in the southwest United States who were aged between 5 years and 8.25 years (M = 6.22, SD = .91), presented with varied levels of cognitive functioning and speech and language abilities. Over 60% of participants were identified by their parents as children of color. Results indicated participants' increased time in CCPT predicted statistically significant improvement in social-emotional assets measured by Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales-Teacher (SEARS-T) total score with a large effect size. Results also indicated participants' increased time in CCPT predicted a statistically significant reduction in emotional and behavioral problems of irritability, social withdrawal, and hyperactivity/ noncompliance, measured by Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Second Edition (ABC- 2), with large effect sizes. Findings of this study revealed substantive changes in social-emotional assets as early as 8 CCPT sessions, and reduction of emotional and behavioral concerns as early as 12 CCPT sessions. Clinical significance, implications for practice, and limitations of …

Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is an empirically endorsed approach for children facing specific clinical concerns and life circumstances alike. The majority of research to date has accrued data about clients from secondary sources, such as adult report and observation. The purpose of this study was to explore children's perceptions of participating in CCPT by implementing a developmentally accessible interview medium, allowing children to share their experiences directly. Ten children between the ages of 4 and 7 who had completed at least eight sessions of CCPT were invited to create a drawing and respond to an interview protocol with their counselor. Data sources included the picture produced, a transcript of the interview between the child and counselor, and observation notes of the interview process. Using a phenomenological approach, three themes were identified to describe children's awareness and experience of the intervention: expressions of relationship, experiences in the playroom, and reluctance to engage in counselor-directed activity. The first two themes reflect children's report of the intervention and the third represents reactions to the research activity. Findings from this study support conclusions that children are aware of relationship between themselves and their counselor and recognize the uniquely unstructured features of play therapy and …

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and queer (LGBTQIQ) adults are more likely to report experiences of complex trauma, and have detrimental mental health effects as a result, when compared to cisgender, heterosexual adults. However, LGBTQIQ adults have excellent capacity for resilience. In this phenomenological investigation, I explored the lived experiences of resilient LGBTQIQ emerging adults (N = 11) who have histories of complex trauma. Five themes emerged as a result of this study, including (a) abuse and neglect, (b) emotional experiences during and after trauma, (c) connections are essential, (d) getting through hard times, and (e) struggles in the counseling process. The results indicated implications for counselors and counselor educators to better address the experiences of complex trauma and identify resilience in LGBTQIQ emerging adults. Recommendations are provided to counselors and counselor educators for integrating knowledge and actions into their counseling, teaching, and supervision practices, as well as for parents and caregivers, teachers and school personnel, and policymakers.

Within this research study, a qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of Black master's students (n = 10) who engage in mentorship in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs. The participants in this study represent different ACES regions in the United States, including SACES, NARACES, and NCACES. Six themes were discovered as a result of participants' experiences: (a) impact of mentorship, (b) benefits of mentorship, (c) qualities within mentoring relationships, (d) composition of mentoring relationships, (e) saliency and influence of identity, and (f) barriers to mentorship and program satisfaction. Furthermore, I offer suggestions for increasing support for Black master's students in counseling programs as well as recommendations for supporting the professional and personal development of this population.

The purpose of this descriptive multiple case study was to explore how counselors implement multicultural and social justice counseling competencies (MSJCC) when providing therapy to Black, Indigenous, and Womxn of Color. This study was informed by critical theory and intersectionality theory to capture the complex dynamics of identity and power through semi-structured interviewing, observations of archived counseling sessions, review of archived client case records, and administration of the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills Survey–Counselor Edition–Revised (MAKSS-CE-R), and the Social Justice Scale (SJS). The six doctoral student co-researchers provided rich portrayals of their experiences implementing the MSJCC, the role of identity, and the impact of power relations. Data revealed one overarching theme (the omnipresence of cultural humility), five themes (learning is a process, it starts with me: the catalyst of self-awareness, this is my identity, understanding clients in context: attending to power and intersectionality, and social justice is awareness: advocacy is intentional and active), and eight corresponding subthemes. Co-researchers provided insight into their experiences of barriers, oppression, resilience, and advocacy. Implications and conclusions from this research provide recommendations for mental health counselors, education programs, and research.

This photovoice study explored the lived experiences of nine Puerto Rican mental health professionals who provided postdisaster counseling services to children. Due to the complex and multilayered experiences of Puerto Rican mental health professionals, this study used intersectionality as the theoretical lens to facilitate thematic analysis of the data. Results from coresearchers' narratives and photographs generated seven major themes: (a) la politiquería of disasters; (b) the impact of compounding disasters; (c) Puerto Rico se levanta: strategies for collective healing; (d) impact of disasters on children; (e) experiences with clients; (f) awareness, action, change; and (g) supporting, connecting, and transforming. The results and discussion provide awareness into the experiences of Puerto Rican clinicians who formed part of disaster response efforts in their own community. Clinical, educational, and research implications are drawn from coresearchers' narratives and insight.

Mindfulness is a practice that has the potential to help counseling students build a variety of skills that are necessary for clinical efficacy, including therapeutic presence, attunement, empathy, cognitive flexibility, and non-reactivity. However, mindfulness is rarely taught to students in mental health training programs, which makes it an untapped possibility to improve counselor education. Additionally, rarely do researchers explore the role of counselor mindfulness and counselor trauma on clients' perceptions of therapeutic presence. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the effects of a 15-week mindfulness training program for counseling students to understand its effect on client's perceptions of therapeutic presence, counselor state mindfulness development, and counselor trauma symptoms. Participants in this cluster-randomized controlled intervention were masters counseling students currently enrolled in clinical practicum accredited by the Counsel for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Counselors provided data at three timepoints on their state mindfulness, trauma symptoms, and therapeutic presence. Clients provided data at three timepoints on their perceptions of their counselor's therapeutic presence. We analyzed data through repeated measures ANOVA and two-level longitudinal hierarchical linear models. Implications for counselor education, professional counselor development, and future research are offered and limitations are discussed.

The current study sought to explore play therapists' barriers to engaging parents in their clinical work as well as understand the relationship between play therapist characteristics and their attitudes toward parents. Using a demographic questionnaire, Therapist Barriers to Engaging Parents (TBEP), and the Counseling Self- Estimate Inventory (COSE), 136 members of the Association for Play Therapy were surveyed to explore predictors to engaging with parents. Overall, play therapists reported low scores on barriers to engaging parents indicating play therapists are likely to report positive attitudes toward working with parents. Through two multiple regression analyses measuring the predictive value of self-efficacy subscales including Dealing with Difficult Clients and Counseling Process, play therapist identification as a parent, years of experience, and hours of training on parent engagement, both models demonstrated statistically significant findings with large effect sizes. This study found that play therapist self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of play therapists' attitudes toward parents accounting for approximately 80% of the variance in the models. Play therapists' identification as a parent as well as years of practice also predicted their barriers to engaging parents. Hours of training in parent engagement had no relationship to TBEP scores. Implications for practice include a need to …

Assessment is a core component of the counseling identity. While previous literature has explored child clinicians' attitudes and use of standardized assessment instruments, less is known about the assessment practices of counselors providing play therapy to young children. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the subjective experiences of counselors who regularly use standardized social, emotional, and behavioral tests in their play therapy practice. Eleven professional counselors in the United States who regularly used standardized tests in play therapy participated in this study. The primary researcher utilized a transcendental phenomenological approach within a social, constructivist paradigm, along with an adapted phenomenological data analysis method. Six major themes were identified: professional development journey, use of standardized tests to enhance play therapy process, considerations for implementation in play therapy, counselor theoretical orientation and standardized tests, challenges in using standardized tests in play therapy, and advocacy and social justice issues. Implications for counselor education, clinical practice, and social justice advocacy are provided, along with recommendations for future research.

This study examined the effectiveness of caregiver consultations in caregiver's child's play therapy process through a program evaluation lens. Archival data was used from a counseling clinic located in the central southwestern United States. Quantitative data was collected from caregiver who filled out assessments (PSI-4 and CBCL) about their child's progression through play therapy and both groups frequency of attendance. A regression analysis was used to determine if caregivers perceived changes from the initial session and up to 10 weeks later. Additionally, retention rates over a course of 60 weeks were analyzed. Key findings suggest there is a high dropout rate from play therapy between the initial session before 10 weeks. For those whose therapy extended up to 60 weeks, consultation attritions continued. Due to low attrition numbers the effect of caregiver filled out assessments was unable to be confirmed, but this study did show a need for an intervention focused on caregiver retention to reduce attrition rates. The body of this study shows how to thoroughly conduct a program evaluation based on a specific variable and provides suggestions for explaining evaluation findings to stakeholders.

This study replicated components from Babcock et al. (2013) by examining an Imago-based Safe Conversations (SC) workshop using Gottman's psychometrically established instruments for couple functioning. Participants were 28 married heterosexual couples (N = 56) with a mean age of 27.30 years (SD = 10.16), 89.3% non-Hispanic, 78.6% Black or African-American, 85.7% first time married, 75% with at least a bachelor's degree, and a median household income in the $100,000-150,000 range. Couples independently completed the online SC workshop, The Toolbox for Couples, within a 2-week timespan. For each of three variables regarding marital quality assessed at pre- and post-workshop—(a) marital friendship, (b) conflict management, and (c) marital adjustment—multilevel dyadic analysis was conducted for four outcomes: (a) overall Time*Gender interaction effect, (b) effect for women, (c) effect for men, and (d) interclass correlation between men and women. From pre- to post-test, participants improved on all three variables: Out of the 12 analyses, 11 yielded statistically significant improvement with one very large, six large, and five medium effects. Results suggested that women may benefit more or be more sensitive to the effect of marital friendship, conflict management may be more important to men, and whereas both distressed and non-distressed couples can benefit regarding …

Polyamory is an identity that describes the ability to experience romantic love with more than one romantic partner at a time. Polyamory is often perceived as being perverse, amoral, and relationally broken or deficient; however, people who identify as polyamorous are found to be as mentally healthy and happy as people who are monogamous. Clients who identify as polyamorous may experience their counselor as lacking familiarity with and knowledge of polyamory or as actively working against their identity. This study was a phenomenological inquiry designed to illuminate the counseling experiences of polyamorous people. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight participants and analyzed with a modified van Kaam method with relational-cultural theory as the framework. The three major findings that constitute the essence of this inquiry were: (a) participants experienced disappointment and disrespect in the counselor's ignorance of their vital identities, (b) the necessities of trust and connection between participant and counselor for empowerment and growth, and (c) the complementary nature of relationality in polyamory and counseling. These findings indicated counselors should seek a baseline of education on polyamory. The implications for counselor educators were to strive to envelope counselors-in-training in a culture that supports developing multicultural competency and …

This study aimed to explore supervisee and supervisor experiences of relational depth (RD) within the supervisory relationship and its association with supervisee level of counselor self-efficacy (CSE). Participants in the study were master's level counseling students and their doctoral supervisors in a practicum course. A total of 52 supervisees (aged 22-57; 19.2% male, 80.8% female) and 18 supervisors (aged 25-46; 16.7% male, 83.3% female) participated in the study. Results demonstrated that supervisee perception of the relationship explained approximately 15% of the variance in supervisee CSE. Specifically, supervisee perception of supervisory working alliance (SWA; β = .406, rs2=.997, p = .025) was found to be a significant predictor of CSE while supervisee RD was not a significant unique predictor (β = -.033, rs2=.370, p = .850), with most of the variance explained by RD being shared with SWA. Results also demonstrated that the supervisor perception of the relationship did not significantly explain variance in supervisee CSE. From these results, one may tentatively conclude that the supervisory relationship contributes to CSE, and that RD, as it is currently being measured, may not able to account for variance above or beyond that of the SWA. Extended results are described and summarized using text, …

The effectiveness of a pre-graduation animal assisted therapy internship site was investigated through an ethnographic, phenomenological methodology with mixed-methods components. A total of 12 participants who fit into either the category of supervisor, intern, or administrator involved in the animal assisted therapy practice, were interviewed. A research team analyzed the qualitative interview data and researcher participant field notes and came to a consensus of eight major themes: ranch environment, ranch modalities, community impact, counselor development, relationships, partnership, sense of purpose, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Past historical client data were analyzed (n = 47) to investigate effectiveness of the AAT internship cite through the lens of the clients. Historical client data was divided into three categories, dependent on the client's age and the assessment taken: Adult Self Report (ASR), Youth Self Report (YSR), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). A paired t-test was run for each assessment group to compare the means of the pre-assessment scores and the means of the post assessment scores for the total problems scale and anxiety problems scale. There was a statistically significant decrease in anxiety problems for the CBCL group. There was a marginally statistically significant decrease in total problems for the CBCL group. There were …

This study aimed to gain insight into the clinical practices and attitudes of currently practicing play therapists working with children with a parent with a substance use disorder. Participants in the study were play therapists credentialed by the Association for Play Therapy, either as a Registered Play Therapist™ or Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. A total of 198 play therapists participated in the study. Results demonstrated that variables including prior education, caseload of children affected by parental substance use, and the number of years since obtaining a mental health licensure explained 16% of the variance in participant attitude scores on the Drug and Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire (DDPPQ). Specifically, education (β = -.335, rs2 = .884, p < .001) was found to be a significant predictor of play therapist attitudes towards substance users as it explained 88% of the variance accounted for in the effect. Additionally, although not found to be significant, caseload (β = -.134, rs2 = .325, p = .058) was found to explain 33% of the variance accounted for in the effect. This initial exploration of play therapists' attitudes towards substance users provides strong evidence towards the importance of education and training in substance use disorders. Further exploration of …

Preadolescence is a time of emotional, physical, social, and relational changes, which can lead to mental health concerns. Parents of preadolescents also experience changes within their roles as parents, and both parents and preadolescents experienced a wide range of changes and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mental health intervention focused on enhancing the parent-child relationship among parents of preadolescents is important for overall family functioning. This phenomenological study explored the experiences of parents of preadolescents after participating in a virtual child-parent relationship therapy (CPRT) intervention. Participants were seven parents ages 35 to 56 years-old with preadolescent children between the ages of 9 to 12 years-old. Semi-structured interviews were conducted following the CPRT intervention and analyzed. Six themes were found, including impact of group on learning, child's engagement with parent, child qualities, parent's understanding of self, importance of parent-child relationship, and integration of CPRT skills. The emerging themes indicated that the seven participants experienced changes in themselves, in their child, and in their parent-child relationships. Participants discussed their experiences with the virtual format and their integration of CPRT skills. The participants also reported feeling closeness and support from other group members, even with the virtual format. Findings from this study …

In this phenomenological investigation, a qualitative approach to research methodology is utilized to explore the resiliency experiences of Black, Indigenous, people of color counselors in training (N = 12) at historically or predominantly White institutions. The participants represent multiple regions of the United States, spanning from the northeastern United States to the Pacific Northwest. Five themes were uncovered as a result of the interviews: (1) strategies for resiliency; (2) experiences with discrimination and oppression; (3) experiences of allyship and affirmation; (4) awareness of intersections and identity; and (5) call to action. I offer suggestions for ways to increase BIPOC student resiliency as well as increase student retention within counselor education programs and recommendations for creating nurturing and equitable classrooms to provide safety for marginalized students within counselor education programs.

The demands on teachers have been further amplified both personal and professional in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of stress teachers face is unsustainable. Stress can have negative outcomes for the teacher student relationship. Increasing teachers' social-emotional competence can lead to a more supportive classroom environment and improved teacher and student outcomes. Researchers have determined mindfulness-based interventions are conducive to increasing teachers' social-emotional competence. School counselors can assist and equip teachers with these vital skills through consultation services. To date, there are no studies that investigate the effects of a combined mindfulness and social-emotional learning-based school counselor consultation approach. In this study, I sought to explore the results of that approach. Teacher participants reported their racial identity as 22% Black (n = 7), 46% Caucasian (n = 15), 25% Hispanic (n = 8), 3% multi-racial (n = 1), and 3% Asian (n = 1) and self-reported gender as follows 38% male (n = 12) and 62% female (n = 20). Participants received 5 weeks of a combined mindfulness and social-emotional learning school counselor consultation. Results of hierarchical linear regressions revealed statistically significant improvement in the mindfulness disposition of acting with awareness, and practical significance of decreased perceived stress …

Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate tremendous advancement in the fight against HIV/AIDS infection through prevention, provision of high-quality treatment options, and psychosocial services to infected and affected individuals and communities. However, there is still a considerable number of new infections occurring among children, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers highlight the benefits of HIV status disclosure to children. Yet, there is limited research concerning the ways counselors navigate the process of status disclosure to children with an HIV diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of counselors regarding status disclosure to children living with HIV in Uganda, and to determine their self-identified training needs. I utilized a phenomenological qualitative research method and conducted individual interviews using a semi-structured interview protocol with 10 counselors from three HIV care centers in the central region of Uganda. Findings indicated six overarching themes including: (1) counselors' roles and responsibilities, (2) impact of age in the disclosure process, (3) motivations for disclosure, (4) challenges and barriers, (5) counselor preparations and trainings for disclosure, (6) and post-disclosure interventions. Study results highlight the critical role played by counselors during the HIV status disclosure process and the need for additional training and …

In the U.S., an estimated 61 million people identify as having a disability, making up 26% of all adults. The occurrence of a disability for one person within a couple impacts the physical, social, psychological, and emotional state of the person who acquired a disability, forcing changes to quality of life. Interabled couples, defined as one partner having a physical disability and the other partner identifying as nondisabled, navigate various systems of care as they respond to the needs of the partner with the disability. Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) has shown benefits in reducing relationship stress and increasing security within couples. In this study, the researcher explored the experiences of 10 EFT therapists who served at least one interabled couple in couple therapy. Participants completed a semi-structured interview designed to explore how EFT therapists make sense of their lived experiences serving interabled couples. The researcher utilized interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand how EFT therapists made meaning from their experiences serving interabled couples. Findings included four super-ordinate themes that emerged from the data including (a) ableism, (b) self-of-the-therapist, (c) relationship dynamics of interabled couples, and (d) the "fit" of EFT approach with interabled couples. The themes demonstrate a need to further …

In this study, I examined the impact of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) on the social and emotional functioning and mindful expressions of preschoolers in Head Start preschool programs. Participants were 23 children from two Head Start preschool programs in the southwestern U.S. who qualified for free or reduced lunch and were referred by school personnel for behavioral or academic concerns (18 males, 5 females; ages 3-5, mean age = 3.74). The sample consisted of 1 (4.3%) African American, 5 (21.7%) Caucasian, 14 (60.9%) Latino, and 3 (13%) multiracial children. Participants were randomly assigned to eight weeks of twice-weekly CCPT experimental groups (n = 11) or a waitlist control group (n = 12). Results of the independent samples t-tests revealed statistically significant improvement in preschool children's empathy and responsibility for children who participated in CCPT on the Social Emotional Assets and Resiliency Scale for Preschool. Practically significant findings revealed that CCPT may influence specific mindful expressions including curiosity and openness as well as overall social-emotional competence, emotional knowledge and expression, and empathy and responsibility in Head Start preschool children. Results of this study support the effectiveness of CCPT with disadvantaged preschool children.

Multicultural (MC) counseling and social justice (SJ) are foundational parts of counselors' professional identity, and they are fostered through a developmental process that counselor educators facilitate. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between counselor educators' ethnic/racial identity development (ERI), their social justice orientation (SJO) and their multicultural teaching competence (MCTC). MCTC was examined using the constructs of knowledge and sensitivity. Data was collected from a nationally distributed online survey. Data were analyzed using four hierarchical regression models in order to control for socially desirable responding. Results indicated that ERI was a significant predictor of MCTC-Knowledge (p < .001) and that SJO was a significant predictor of MCTC-Sensitivity (p < .001). Socially desirable responding was not significantly related to MCTC. Results suggest the importance of attending to ERI and SJO as separate processes in training future counselor educators.

Assessment is a foundational part of counseling practice, which includes the process of providing assessment feedback to those tested. Millions of children are assessed across the United States through the public-school system, hospital, agency, and private practice settings. Though millions of children are assessed yearly, there has been little research surrounding providing assessment feedback with children. In this study, the author qualitatively explored children's experiences with a developmentally appropriate feedback model, the young children's assessment feedback (YCAF). Participants included ten 6 to 10-year old children, who had not previously gone through psychoeducational testing within the last year. Participants completed a battery of psychoeducational assessments and the YCAF feedback process. Data sources included session transcriptions, session observation notes, child interviews, parent interviews, and expressive arts observation notes. In order to explore the perceptions regarding the YCAF, the author utilized interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand the children's feedback experiences. Findings included the following themes: freedom for self-direction, self-concept, therapeutic relationship, affective responses of child, systemic shifts, and developmental considerations. The themes show that the children in this study saw a variety of benefits and experiences surrounding receiving their own personalized, developmentally appropriate assessment feedback.

Children experience a multitude of benefits in response to interactions with nature. Despite documented effects, children have increasingly spent less time outdoors over the last century and experienced higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. Although child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a culturally and developmentally responsive mental health treatment for children, researchers have limited study of environmental structure and materials employed in the therapeutic process of CCPT. In this study, I sought to further research on the integration of nature with CCPT by providing CCPT in an outdoor, contained playroom equipped with traditional CCPT toys and additional nature materials. Participants were 13 children in the southwestern U.S. with parent-reported attentional or self-regulation concerns (9 males, 6 females; ages 5-10, mean age M = 8.0). Parents reported participants' racial identities were 13% Black (n = 2), 13% Latinx (n = 2), 7% Turkish (n = 1), and 67% White (n = 10). Participants received 8 weeks of twice-weekly CCPT in an outdoor playroom. Results of two repeated measures ANOVAs revealed statistically significant improvement in attention on the Brown EF/A Scales and statistically significant improvement in social-emotional competencies on the SEARS-P. Results of this study illustrate the possible benefits of theoretically integrating …