More Than “Just a Friend”: Exploring the Therapeutic Needs of Adult Survivors of a Suicide Loss of a Friend

Individuals who are bereaved by the suicide loss of a loved one (also known as “suicide survivors”) face high rates of complicated grief, mental illness, social isolation, experiences of stigma, and suicide attempts. While suicide loss therapy (or “postvention”) attracts many individuals grieving familial suicides, those impacted by the suicide loss of a close friend are underrepresented in both individual and group therapies, despite indications that friend suicide survivors are impacted at an equivalent level and frequency to family members. Using a constructivist grounded theory method, this study aimed to investigate the lived experiences and therapeutic needs of 8 adults who identified as suicide survivors and attended psychotherapy to address grief after the suicide loss of a friend. Findings suggest that friend suicide survivors benefit from both individual therapy and suicide loss support groups; specifically, friend suicide survivors view therapy as a space to process complex emotions, challenge self-blame, obtain education about grief, and connect with group members. However, friend suicide survivors also desire to receive more specialized care from individual therapists with experience and training in suicide bereavement. While friend suicide survivors may experience challenges to help-seeking, including stigma and a perceived lack of social permission to grieve friends, they may feel motivated by the “wake-up call” of friends’ suicides and existing relationships with therapists. Outside of therapy, friend suicide survivors appear to benefit from social support from other suicide survivors and engaging in meaning-making activities. Results of this study have implications for training of mental health professionals and best practices for working with suicide survivors

Creating, Implementing, and Redefining a Conceptual Framework for Mentoring Pathways for Education Doctorate Students

Supporting the proficiencies scholar-practitioners need to be successful in Doctor of Education (EdD) programs typically differ from the needs of traditional doctoral students in other types of programs; however, EdD students may benefit from participating in a mentoring program during the progression of their academic career. Several theoretical and conceptual frameworks that influence mentoring programs exist at the doctoral level despite the lack of research conducted that is specific to EdD degrees. In this article, we review several frameworks that influenced the creation and redesign of the Mentoring Pathways Program, developed explicitly to address the needs of scholar-practitioners attending a midwestern university. Through this process, we developed a Mentoring Pathways Program Model, by exploring the domains of sustainability, networking, and expected outcomes, with each domain enhanced through the foundational disciplines of readiness, self-efficacy, and progress. The development and implementation of the MPP model guides the mentoring approach for our EdD students while allowing for the flexibility to accommodate changing needs and requests. In this article, we present a reflective and responsive practice towards EdD mentor and mentee relationships, which are assessed yearly through surveys, interviews, and focus groups

Improving School Counselor Efficacy Through Principal-Counselor Collaboration: A Comprehensive Literature Review

The school counselor and principal have vital roles within a school which have a significant impact upon the way a school functions. One area of pressing conflict within principal-counselor relationships is disagreement over the appropriate role and function of the counselor. In order to investigate perceptions of the counselor role, as well as the elements of healthy relationships between principals and counselors, the authors conducted an extensive literature review. The following themes were found within the literature and are discussed: 1) school counselor roles and responsibilities, 2) principal and school counselor collaboration, and 3) characteristics of effective school counselor/principal relationships