Complex Thought for Complex Work: Preparing Cognitively Complex Counselors for Work in Diverse Settings

Counselor education researchers have explored the need for high levels of cognitive complexity (CC) in mental health counselors due to its relationship with high quality counseling skills and counselor ways of being (e.g., Castillo, 2018; McAuliffe & Lovell, 2006; Ridley et al., 2011; Welfare & Borders, 2010b). In these studies, researchers have called for continued study of means of enhancing CC in counselors in training (CITs) through andragogical efforts (e.g., Castillo, 2018; Duys & Hedstrom, 2000; Welfare & Borders, 2010a). However, we do not have an understanding of minimally acceptable CC for graduating CITs. In this study, I explored counselor educators’ perspectives of a minimally acceptable level of CC in master’s level CITs at the end of internship. I followed three primary steps of Q method which yielded two factors, titled: (1) Trainee’s Conceptual Integration Ability and (2) Trainee’s Ability to Apply Integrated Knowledge. The findings of this study inform teaching, supervision, and gatekeeping practices in counselor education programs, filling in the gaps for how we assess CC and prepare students to be more cognitively complex in their thinking. This dissertation outlines and details the background, purpose, significance, methodology for the present study, including a review of the existing literature, explanation of results, and a discussion pertinent to counselor educators

Motivated But Challenged: Counselor Educators’ Experiences Teaching About Social Determinants of Health

A phenomenological study was conducted to understand eight counselor educators’ experiences teaching about social determinants of health. The analysis yielded three themes: educator identity, motivations, and challenges. Implications for counselor educators preparing future counselors to be leaders in multiculturalism, social justice, and advocacy are provided

School Counseling Interns’ Lived Experiences Addressing Social Determinants of Health

This phenomenological study explores school counselors in training (SCITs’) experiences addressing social determinants of health (SDOH), the leading causes of educational and wellness inequities. Interviews with eight SCITs revealed three core themes: (1) professional identity conflict between awareness, skills, and action; (2) social justice knowledge to practice gap; and (3) recommendations for knowledge to practice gap resolution. Themes explained participant preparedness for responding to disparities. Participants were aware of challenges related to SDOH, though struggled with addressing those challenges due to lack of preparation or perceived role constraints. Participants also experienced difficulty practically applying their understanding of social justice theory to SDOH-related challenges. The researchers noted various recommendations for how SDOH may be addressed in the counselor education curriculum and in practice. Keywords: school counselors in training (SCIT), social justice, social determinants of healt

Institutional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Faculty and administrator experiences

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic required shifts in operations for institutions of higher education everywhere. Faculty and administrators were asked to adapt to meet the needs of students. We conducted a qualitative content analysis to understand institutional responses and examine the experiences of faculty and administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of chaos theory. Institutional responses to the pandemic varied. Participants identified supports and resources deemed helpful, as well as those found to be inadequate or unwanted. We also found that the pandemic resulted in some positive outcomes for faculty and administrators, which led to growth in teaching and self-care. Implications for strategic planning and future directions for research are explored

The Impact of Brief God Attachment Workshop Attendance on God Attachment

Attachment to God or one’s Divine Attachment Figure (DAF; Counted, 2016) may be influenced by a variety of factors, including one’s attachment to a parent earlier in life. This research seeks to explore the efficacy of a brief, four-hour workshop on anxiety and avoidance levels of one’s attachment to God, as measured by the avoidance and anxiety subscales of the Attachment to God Inventory (AGI; Beck and McDonald, 2004). In addition, general well-being scores were measured by the WHO5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5; Topp, Østergaard, Søndergaard & Bech, 2015). Various interventions were utilized in this workshop including security priming, mindfulness, and allegorical bibliotherapy. Results indicate no significant change in anxiety or wellbeing. However, results demonstrate a statistically significant decrease in avoidance scores, as measured by the AGI. Discussion on the implications of these findings is provided

Lessons from nature about solar light harvesting

Solar fuel production often starts with the energy from light being absorbed by an assembly of molecules; this electronic excitation is subsequently transferred to a suitable acceptor. For example, in photosynthesis, antenna complexes capture sunlight and direct the energy to reaction centres that then carry out the associated chemistry. In this Review, we describe the principles learned from studies of various natural antenna complexes and suggest how to elucidate strategies for designing light-harvesting systems. We envisage that such systems will be used for solar fuel production, to direct and regulate excitation energy flow using molecular organizations that facilitate feedback and control, or to transfer excitons over long distances. Also described are the notable properties of light-harvesting chromophores, spatial-energetic landscapes, the roles of excitonic states and quantum coherence, as well as how antennas are regulated and photoprotected. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Ltd