<p> Human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a dire human rights violation, is a world-wide problem. According to the Polaris Project (n.d.), the illegal sex trade makes 32 billion dollars yearly. Women and children are often sexually exploited for profit after being lured away by &ldquo;fraud, force, or coercion&rdquo; (U.S. Department of State, 2009, p. 8). This phenomenon poses a serious threat to women and youth who are at risk and vulnerable to exploitation. The majority of females are victimized in their own country (McClain &amp; Garrity, 2011). Nonetheless, many Americans are not aware that such tragic underground criminal activity is thriving right here, within our own borders. Trafficking occurs in every state across the nation and approximately 14,500 to 17,500 foreign victims are trafficked each year into our nation (McClain &amp; Garrity, 2011; Polaris Project, n.d.). This is not only a problem for third world countries; this is a global problem that threatens the safety of countless women and children. Though primary prevention is the ultimate goal, Young (2012) illuminates the need for continued education and training of professionals working with survivors as well as collaboration across multiple service venues over time. The current study seeks to contribute to the limited but growing body of literature in this important area by identifying factors that are important to consider when working with survivors of sex trafficking. This researcher will personally interview professionals and staff who work directly with survivors of sex trafficking and recruit survivors to respond anonymously to a questionnaire about their experiences. Both the interview and the questionnaire inquiries will pose open-ended questions in order to gather qualitative data from service providers and survivors, respectively. This study will provide an opportunity to gain insight and perspective on the pertinent factors that need attention when working with this unique population. </p><p> Key words: sex trafficking, survivors, service providers, factors.</p>

<p>Research over many decades has considered how physical activity affects mental health and how physical activity is perceived and utilized by mental health professionals in the treatment of clients. Findings suggest that physical activity is useful for decreasing symptoms of some disorders, improving mood, and improving cognitive functioning. Further, mental health professionals generally endorse the topic of physical activity as relevant and useful in the mental health context. However, mental health professionals do not generally address client physical activity. Among other concerns, mental health professionals believe that addressing physical activity with clients could have a negative impact on the client?s perception of the counseling process. This study investigated whether addressing client physical activity with college students participating in an intake counseling session influenced client ratings of the session or client ratings of the counseling relationship. There were no significant differences found in client ratings of the counseling session or counseling relationship when physical activity was addressed. The results of this study can be used in making decisions about addressing the topic of physical activity in the mental health context.

<p> Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT), an empirically supported and evidence-based third-wave behavioral approach for treatment of couples, is examined in this multiple case study. Specifically, the qualitative experiences of therapists using IBCT in their work with intercultural couples are examined through each therapist&rsquo;s typed responses to open-ended questions. Each participating therapist in this study contributes by describing one case in which IBCT was used to help the couple navigate cultural differences as part of treatment. This study describes the various stressors faced by intercultural couples, therapists&rsquo; formulations of cultural differences, change processes and change mechanisms during treatment, and similarities and differences across therapists&rsquo; reports. The study concludes with participating therapists&rsquo; recommendations for treatment of intercultural couples in general, and recommendations for utilizing IBCT with intercultural couples. Lastly, implications for future research are provided.</p>

<p>This study explores the phenomena of birth and life in the womb and the possibility that much of the psychological suffering experienced throughout the lifespan is a result of deep wounds felt in the maternal womb. The findings of this thesis were honed from a heuristic process of investigation, and the analysis was informed by the theories and approaches of depth psychology. This thesis conceptualizes the human psyche by exploring Jung?s structure of psyche and his notion of the conscious and the unconscious in correlation with development of the fetus in utero. Using Jungian and object relations theory alongside the science of fetal development, it is found that trauma occurring before birth impacts psychological well-being of children later in life. This thesis sheds light on the importance of nurturing and caring for unborn children and brings awareness to this essential fact in the clinical world of psychology.

<p> Journey with the myth of Lethe, spring of oblivion and mother of anxiety, into the land of radical forgiveness and forgetfulness, healing the soul of the world. Forgetfulness is defined as proactive and positive, not reductionist or regressive. The research includes a comprehensive research survey of over 300 papers and 100 works of literature related to concepts of forgiveness and forgetfulness. Qualitative, alchemical hermeneutics, intuitive inquiry, and shamanic participatory epistemology methodologies are applied to investigating how life might be improved by a deeper level of healing of the soul provided by forgiveness and forgetfulness. The findings indicate that forgiveness and forgetfulness heal the individual, collective, and the planet as a whole. Recommendations are made for further psychological research, clinical implementation, and inclusion of forgiveness and forgetfulness in the areas of general psychotherapeutic theory and practice; wisdom psychology; posttraumatic embitterment disorder (PTED); and transgenerational transmission of trauma, suicide, and trauma. </p>

<p>Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a systemic autoimmune disease, affects more than one million people within the United States and disproportionately impacts women of color particularly in their childbearing years, 15-44. Research on living with lupus post-diagnosis has expanded within the past decade. While research on SLE is increasing, little is known about the often-protracted journey women of color experience along the way toward diagnosis. The journey to accurate diagnosis is fraught with unexplained symptoms and uncertainty within the women?s spheres of life and influence. Therefore, the following research question arose: What are the lived experiences of women of color aged 22-44 who have experienced a protracted journey toward diagnosis with SLE? Utilizing a qualitative, phenomenological design, the researcher strove to document the lived experiences of 12 women of color who reported the experience of a protracted journey to SLE diagnosis of 6 months or more. The women were recruited from various methods of contact including message boards, lupus support groups, and social media. After recruitment and informed consent measures, interviews were conducted and transcribed. The coding and analysis of the interviews revealed the presence of various individual textural and structural themes involving aspects of the wait for answers: recurrent symptoms, significance of family, lack of answers from healthcare providers, work, uncertainty of life, desiring normalcy, and pain. Three themes overlapped throughout the interviews: Ambiguity while accessing the medical community, family matters and pushing through. The findings reveal the physical, psychological, and relational complexity surrounding the protracted journey to diagnosis and how the individual journey and collective experiences can aid healthcare professionals, lupus patients and their caregivers in timely, accurate, patient-centered care. Recommendations include further research on SLE and protracted diagnosis, the development of practical steps towards the empowerment of patients within the autoimmune community, and a call for more women in research and clinical trials that contribute toward the overall improvement of women?s healthcare.

<p> Home and community based counseling services have become instrumental to the treatment of children and adolescents struggling with mental illness. Counselors working in these systems of care face significant challenges in this unique setting. Most home and community based counselors (HCBCs) face these challenges as recent graduates, not having adequate preparation for the home setting, while receiving little supervision. HCBCs have reported feeling isolated and unsupported and question their effectiveness as counselors. Macchi, Johnson, and Durtschi&rsquo;s (2014) results point to the importance of self-care to HCBC wellness, especially when the HCBC is lacking supervision. Yet, we are unable to glean from prior research which self-care strategies may benefit the HCBC. It is also unclear how systemic factors may affect HCBC wellness. A broad review of the literature revealed that studies examining the individual and organizational factors that may influence counselor wellness have yielded inconclusive results. Individual interviews were conducted with eight HCBCs and four supervisors working for three different home and community counseling agencies and data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. Out of the grounded analysis, this researcher identified seven concepts: helping others, confronting the realities of the work, taking care of yourself, finding support, striving for work-life balance, and moving forward. The experiences shared by the HCBCs and supervisors make it clear that it is not just the individual practices that matter, organizational and supervision practices impact wellness as well. Recommendations for supervisors, HCBCs, and agencies are provided.</p><p>

Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2006 / "Publication number AAT 3242501."

<p> The primary purpose of this study was to explore ways migration experiences and cultural factors influence how sub-Saharan African-born immigrants diagnosed with HIV access medical and psychological health services in the United States. The study was conducted with African-born immigrants diagnosed with HIV. The participants were all members of a support group. The data was obtained through two focus group interviews. Qualitative methodology with thematic analysis was used. The findings of the study yielded six salient themes: (a) factors contributing to healthcare disparities; (b) emotional distress and psychosocial adjustment; (c) positive emotional wellness and support; (d) education as criteria to eliminate disparities; (e) stigmatization by interpreters; and (f) belief in God. Based on these findings, the following recommendations for reducing healthcare disparities among sub-Saharan African-born immigrants diagnosed with HIV were suggested: (a) provide culturally sensitive services that meet the needs of the population; (2) include clients in selecting their interpreters; and (3) provide in-depth education to clients and patients about their mental health with consideration for cultural meaning. Mental health providers are encouraged to seek some level of understanding about their patients&rsquo; perceptions of mental health symptoms and use culturally sensitive resources as an aid in providing services. The use of a collaborative and multidisciplinary team approach to care is likely to improve health seeking behaviors. Suggestions for mental health clinicians and implication for future research are discussed in the last section. </p><p> Key Words: healthcare disparities, stigma, HIV/AIDS, African-born immigrants, mental health, support, interpreters, refugees.</p>

<p> In the United States suicide is the second leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the general population. The United States Surgeon General made a call to action to address this epidemic. The call was for more research for screening and interventions for those at risk for depression and suicide. Research has suggested that individuals adopt implicit mindsets that inhibit their ability to cope with adversity, rendering them less resilient and more susceptible to succumbing to depression and suicidal ideation. Growth mindset has been positively correlated with resilience in a variety of contexts. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate growth mindset in the context of emotions to discern if there was a relationship between emotional growth mindset and depression and suicidal ideation. Specifically, this study investigated the predictive power of emotional growth mindset on depression and suicide. Online surveys were administered to 164 participants. The surveys measured emotional growth mindset, depression and suicidal ideation. Multiple regression analyses were performed using SPSS to discern relationships between variables. The results indicated a negative relationship between variables. Emotional growth mindset was negatively correlated with both depression and suicidal ideation. However, the relationship was only strong enough to be predictive of suicidal ideation (<i>r</i>(<i> N</i>=164)=-.249,<i>p</i>=.001). This suggests that emotional growth mindset could be an effective screening tool for those at risk for suicide. More research is needed to confirm the results of this study as well as investigate growth mindset&rsquo;s potential as an intervention for those at risk for suicide.</p><p>