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.

Trauma has been studied sporadically in the past. The Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP, 2016) created several standards that address crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events. These standards address the importance of the studying of trauma for those in the counseling profession. The broadly written standards do not have competencies that would address more specifically how best to implement the standards. This study used the Delphi Method to seek the experts help with creating competencies for the standards created by CACREP that address crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events. The results will be the development of trauma competencies that can be used by counselor educators to train future counselors about trauma.

abstract: Multicultural counseling competencies (MCCs) are fundamental to the ethical practice of providing services to clients. One such competency is the aspect of self-awareness of one's own worldview. As such, it is incumbent that attention to counselor's self-awareness be a part of clinical training. While research has begun to examine multicultural supervision, much of the research holds assumptions about the types of multicultural discussions that take place, as well as what may actually occur within these sessions. Little is known about what is discussed and how. This exploratory, qualitative study examined what actually occurs within clinical supervision sessions with regard to having discussion of multicultural perspectives, as well as how supervisors and supervisees experience these discussions. Five supervisory dyads from university counseling centers in the southwest were recruited to engage in a guided discussion of multicultural perspectives (DMP) in a supplemental supervision session. In these DMPs, dyads were asked to discuss issues related to personal identity, as well as to discuss the relevance of having such discussions in clinical supervision. Both the supervisors and supervisees then engaged in follow-up telephone interviews with the researcher to discuss their experience in having this discussion. All supervision sessions and follow-up interviews were recorded and transcribed. Grounded theory was used to analyze the transcribed sessions and the follow-up interviews for emergent themes. Four domains emerged from the data: dynamics in the relationship, cultural lens, characteristics of the discussion, and impact of the discussion. Further, several areas of congruence between supervisors' and interns' accounts of what occurred during the DMP, as well as congruence between supervisors' and interns' accounts of what occurred and what actually happened during the DMPs were discovered. These areas of congruence that emerged included power, similarities, differences, comfort level, enjoyment, intentionality for future work and increased awareness. The one distinct pattern of incongruence that emerged from the data was in the category of increased connection in supervisory relationship. A theoretical model of supervisors' and interns' experiences in discussions of multicultural perspectives is included. Implications, limitations and suggestions for future research are explored. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Counseling Psychology 2010

The problem of this study was to assess sociometric status and selected variables relative to the selection and training of counselors. The relationship of sociometric status and six variables were investigated. The six variables were counselor evaluation rating, grade earned in a graduate course in group counseling, GRE score, chronological age, gender, and possibility of modification of preliminary perceptions of social choice by a graduate level course in group counseling. It was concluded that sociometrically highly chosen counselors-in-training tend to receive high counselor evaluation ratings. Those individuals who received high grades in a group counseling course that is part lecture and part experiential (participation in a laboratory group) also tended to receive high sociometric scores. This was not true for the students enrolled in a graduate admission seminar course that was all lecture. The sociometric status of counselors-in-training does not appear to be related to GRE scores, age, or gender. The mean sociometric status score of the group studied was not significantly modified by a graduate course in group counseling.

This qualitative study was designed to investigate Asian Indian counselors’ lived experiences of integrating Indian/Eastern and Western counseling approaches in India and their perceptions of the adequacy of training provided to them. Scholars have documented the growing disillusionment with applicability of Western theories in India (e.g., Misra & Paranjpe, 2012) and argued how insights of traditional Indian origin can contribute to the understanding of psychological issues (e.g., Arulmani, 2007). However, several challenges in training programs for counselors and psychologists in India have been noted (Dalal, 2008). Also, there is a lack of empirical research on the integration of Indian/Eastern and Western approaches. To fill this gap in the literature, I conducted a phenomenological study with counselors in India. The participants (N = 8; age range: 25-52 years) all identified as female counselors working in a metropolitan/urban area in India with clinical experiences ranging from eight months to 20 years. Individual interviews with each participant and follow-up interviews with two of them were conducted. The interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA; Smith & Osborn, 2008) method was followed for data collection and analysis. Peer debriefing, member check, and external audit were conducted. Results from this study provide insights into how counselors adapted Western counseling theories to the Indian context, incorporated indigenous concepts in counseling, attempted to integrate Indian/Eastern and Western approaches, experienced challenges in counseling and training, and suggested ways to overcome these challenges. Implications for clinical practice, training, and policy are discussed.

Grounded in Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, the purpose of this study was to examine if one aspect of counselor training, counselor educator self-efficacy with technology (SE), was associated with counselor educator teaching distance counseling skills in their classroom (INC). For this correlation study, 176 counselor educators in the United States with experience teaching a skills-based class completed an anonymous online survey. Survey data were used to assess if self-efficacy with technology and demographic data were related to the inclusion of distance counseling skills in the classroom. Point-biserial correlation and logistic regression analysis were used to examine relationships between SE, demographic data, and INC. There was a positive correlation between the Intrapersonal technology integrations scale (ITIS) score, used to measure SE, and INC scoresn=176, rpb=.343, p< .001. A logistic regression was performed to determine the effects of prior experience (EXP), availability of technology (AV), and SE on teaching distance counseling skills. The model was statistically significant, χ2 (3) = 64.342, p <.000., explained 41.5 % (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance in teaching distance counseling, and correctly classified 79.3% of cases. The results of the logistic regression analysis indicated that SE, EXP, and AV were significant predictors of INC. The findings confirm prior research on technology integration in education. Specifically, availability of technology, although an important factor, is not the only variable impacting technology integration. The findings from this study can help guide counselor training programs to prepare students for the expanding use of technology in counseling increasing access to care.

A primary goal of clinical supervision in counselor education programs is to develop trainees who express a level of self-awareness, competence, and self-efficacy from which to further develop as a counselor. A vital component of this process is for supervisees to disclose their thoughts and feelings about their clients, their self as a person, their work as a counselor, and experiences with their supervisor. However, current research suggests that it is common for supervisees to hold back personal and professional information from their supervisor leading to missed learning and growth opportunities. Through self-disclosure, trainees receive positive and negative supervisor feedback. It is important to examine how this may influence trainee confidence. It is hypothesized that self-efficacy will be threatened by low levels of supervisee self-disclosure. This study explored the relationship that exists between supervisee self-disclosure and supervisee self-efficacy, and what role the working alliance plays in the relationship. A total of 71counselor education students at three CACREP accredited institutions in Florida participate in the study. All participants had experienced at least one full semester of practicum or internship. A sub-sample of the 71, comprised of 32 participants, was also selected based on their responses to an abridged version of one of the three instruments used in the study. Both samples received equal statistical analyses. Overall, the results suggest that counselor education practicum or internship student self-disclosure was not able to explain their self-efficacy. Furthermore, when the participants' perception of the supervisory working alliance was added to their level of self-disclosure, the statistical results were mixed depending on the sample used.

There is a high need for competent professional counselors because of the increasing number of children and adults presenting mental health concerns each year in the United States (National Institute of Mental Health, 2012). Counselor educators are tasked with the duty of preparing counselors-in-training (CITs) to be competent clinicians. In order for counseling professionals to be considered competent clinicians, they must demonstrate competence in three domains: (a) knowledge, (b) skills, and (c) behavior (ACA, 2014; CACREP, 2009). The goal of this study was to contribute to further understanding the most effective instructional approach to facilitating role play while instructing pre-practicum counseling students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of virtual simulation training on the development of basic counseling skills, the immersion experience, levels of anxiety, and levels of counselor self-efficacy (CSE) among CITs using student-to-avatar and student-to-student role play. A quasi-experimental research design was used to investigate the effect of the treatment on the constructs. The results of this study found that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups across all four constructs. A spilt-plot analysis of variance, trend analysis, and repeated measures between factor multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. The results of this study indicated that exposure to virtual simulation training did not affect the development of basic counseling skills, immersion experience, counselor self-efficacy, and anxiety. The results also showed that virtual simulation did not hinder the development of basic counseling skills, or negatively influence immersion experience, counselor self-efficacy or anxiety.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based practice that focuses on working through client ambivalence and increasing clients' motivation to change. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effect that a unique student-based training in MI had on counselor trainees' ability to perform MI, and on client outcomes. This training program consisted of one initial four-hour training session, two hours of follow-up supervision, and formal feedback via MITI 3.0 scores. Counselor-trainee skill was assessed via the MI Knowledge Questionnaire, the Helping Responses questionnaire, and the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code 3.0. In addition, the following instruments were used to assess client outcomes ; attendance via observation assessments, the Session Summary, the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2, and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. The sample consisted of 43 graduate-level counselor trainees in their first or second semesters of practicum and 81 adult clients being seen in a university-based graduate student-training counseling clinic. Participants were purposefully assigned to either a treatment or control group. The counselor trainees in the treatment group received the unique training program, follow-up supervision, and feedback whereas the participants in the control group received a four-hour orientation to the student-training counseling clinic. There were four primary hypotheses proposed for analysis within this study (a) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect their ability to accurately perform MI?, (b) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect client functioning?, (c) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect client adherence?, and (d) How does a brief training in Motivational Interviewing given to counselor trainees affect client satisfaction with treatment? The statistical analysis of these variables yielded significant findings. Specifically, counselor-trainee skill in MI significantly improved in the treatment group as compared to the control group as assessed by the MITI with regard to the following variables: evocation, collaboration, autonomy/support, empathy, direction, MI non-adherent giving information, closed questions, simple reflections, complex reflections, total reflections, global scores, ratio of open questions, ratio of reflections, and ratio of MI adherent behavior. In addition, analysis revealed significant between group differences with client attendance. Specifically, between group-differences suggested that clients in the MI treatment group attended more sessions, missed fewer sessions, and completed therapy more frequently than clients in the control group. Detailed procedures and results as well as implications for the counseling profession and future research are explored within this study.

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