Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Rhode Island, 2007 / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-78).

Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Competency assessment and evaluation for all psychological therapies are now a common requirement. Recent international research studies have resulted in the development of the phrase ‘death competence’ as “tolerating and managing clients’ problems related to dying, death, and bereavement” with an urging for death work competence to be an ethical imperative (Gamino & Ritter, 2012). A further study of 176 death work professionals using an open ended question and content analysis proposed a model of death work competence that suggests it is dependent on more than knowledge and skills, with the emergence of emotional and existential coping as key elements (Chan & Tin, 2012). This study aims to build on this existing research with an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of six existential practitioners` experience of feeling competent in their death work, grounding the research in Heidegger`s notion of being-towards-death. The aim was to get as close as possible to the lived experience of death work competency in a small, purposive sample to investigate the subjective meanings and understandings of their death work competency. Semi structured interviews were conducted with five major themes emerging. These were frameworks for death work competency; existential engagement in competent death work; existential ways of being in death work; the psychological impact of death work on feelings of competency and the elusive essence of death work competency. The significant finding was the primary import placed by all participants on dialogues with personal mortality, suffering and death as providing them with “competency in adversity” and “competency in fragility” that were vital for their competent death work, both personally and professionally. These findings match the identification of existential coping and emotional coping as key elements in death work competency in the previous research. From this research a tentative framework is proposed for death work competency that looks to include these vital elements of an engagement with existential issues and personal mortality, for counselling psychologists and death work practitioners. Further research is suggested with regards to the absence or presence of similar experiences of death work competencies in other fields of death work with wider implications for training in both professional organisations and teaching institutions.

D.Litt. et Phil. / In this phenomenological study, art therapy is explored and described for its mediating effect on the grieving process of parents who have been traumatically bereaved by the loss of a child. The focus is on the ‘inner world’ of the bereaved parents and their subjective experience of being part of a psychotherapy group that uses artworks, as well as language, to explore and express feelings and to clarify existential meaning systems. Traumatic bereavement can result in detrimental long-term psychological consequences. The therapeutic value of existing grief therapies is currently under debate in the literature. To evaluate art therapy as an alternative therapeutic approach, art therapy sessions were held and a ‘text’, consisting of the participants’ artworks and reflections, established. From this text themes were drawn, which facilitated an in-depth understanding of the participants’ lived experience of traumatic bereavement and elucidated their perceptions of the usefulness of art therapy. Art therapy appears to offer a viable alternative to mainstream, language-based therapies. It provides a context in which creative play can facilitate healing and angry feelings sublimated. It assists the participants to rebuild their fragmented sense of ‘self’ through an exploration of their ‘inner world’ via the symbolic function of the artwork. It facilitates the revisiting of the traumatic event and encourages the reconstruction of new meaning. It promotes adaptive grieving through the expression of emotions and cognitions too painful and/or threatening to be verbalised.

關慧禎. / "2009年5月". / "2009 nian 5 yue". / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-54). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Guan Huizhen. / 摘要 / Chapter 第一章： --- 簡介及論文目的 --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- 引言 --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- 哀傷輔導的簡介 --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- 論文目的、方法論及結構 --- p.3 / Chapter 第二章： --- 探討哀傷過程 --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1 --- 引言 --- p.4 / Chapter 2.2 --- 哀傷的徵狀 --- p.4 / Chapter 2.3 --- 哀傷過程（Grief Process) 的討論 --- p.6 / Chapter 2.4 --- 哀傷輔導方向的轉變 --- p.14 / Chapter 2.5 --- 小結 --- p.16 / Chapter 第三章： --- 文獻分析：哀傷輔導´ؤ´ؤ「釋放」（letting go) 與「延續性聯繫 (Continuing Bonds ) 的轉變及趨勢 --- p.17 / Chapter 3.1 --- 引言 --- p.17 / Chapter 3.2 1 --- 「釋放」及「延續性聯繫」的哀傷輔導的討論 --- p.17 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- 「釋放」對「延續性聯繫」的批評 --- p.17 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- 「釋放」的哀傷輔導理論與經驗硏究的差距 --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- 學者們的哀傷輔導理論之「釋放」部分的修改 --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- 延續性聯繋（Continuing Bonds ) 的硏究 --- p.23 / Chapter 3.3 --- 小結 --- p.26 / Chapter 第四章： --- 「延繫」在基督敎羣體中的實踐 --- p.27 / Chapter 4.1 --- 引言 --- p.27 / Chapter 4.2 --- 在基督敎羣體中發揮「延繫」 --- p.28 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- 追憶及盼望中的「延繫」 --- p.28 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- 在「聖徒相通」下與死者「延繫」 --- p.32 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- 以「上帝的宣敎」(missio Dei)及「被上帝差遣者」的身分 與死者「延繫」 --- p.37 / Chapter 4.3 --- 小結 --- p.42 / Chapter 第五章： --- 總結 --- p.44 / 參考書目 --- p.48

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 31-33).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Ashland Theological Seminary, 2008. / Abstract . Includes project proposal. Description based on microfiche version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-140).