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Exploring Play Therapies Through a Neuro-Affirmative Lens
Get PDFThis Capstone research project focuses on neurodiversity-affirming care and its application to neurodivergent children as they access play therapies. I discuss a variety of play therapy models and how each of them works through a neuro-affirmative lens. Finally, I do a deep dive into synergetic play therapy, its tenets and what makes it the best fit for practitioners and parents looking for a neuro affirmative therapy for their neurodivergent child
Resilience: What Factors Impact it and How Can You Foster it in Schools?
No full textThe topic that will be investigated is resilience. Resilience can impact an individual biologically, psychologically, and physiologically. A person who has developed lower levels of resilience is more likely to experience biological alterations to their systems, a higher risk for mental health problems and more health problems overall. As a result, this paper strives to answer the following question: What factors influence resilience, and what can schools do to foster it? Through an examination of protective and risk factors, a better understanding of how to foster resilience will be constructed. Within the literature review, the following elements were identified to influence overall resilience: Connection to Family, Socioeconomic Status and Family Resilience, and Early Childhood Experiences. By thoroughly examining these elements and their roles as protective and, or risk factors, the paper will strive to find methods to help strengthen each element's protective factors to positively influence overall resilience. A vital aspect of the research was that resilience is fluid and multifaceted. Therefore, with the right interventions, resilience can be developed in all individuals, allowing for a healthier society. As the research stressed that the most effective interventions are implemented in early childhood, this paper will focus on interventions that can be implemented from within the womb to school-aged children. As a result, the recommendations will focus on a holistic model that encourages community collaboration and a trauma-informed approach to school education
In Crisis: Vancouver's Mental Health Crisis Response Model and Where to go From Here
Get PDFCar 87/88 is the mobile unit in Vancouver that responds to persons experiencing a mental health crisis. However, they have not had the capacity to meet demand, leaving the majority of mental health crisis calls to uniformed officers to attend. Substantial investment from the City of Vancouver to create and expand existing response services has provoked questions about the role of police in mental health response in the city. This capstone examined the existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of police-based mental health crisis response models, such as Car 87/88, the co-response model specifically, non-police alternatives and the key findings that indicate more positive outcomes. Co-response was confirmed to be a common model but the variations in model application and lack of standardization have resulted in insufficient evidence to determine whether the model is effective. It was correlated with improvements in some key metrics, such as arrest rates and involuntary hospitalizations but many results were mixed, and isolating influencing factors were limited to speculation. Interagency collaboration, police culture and service-user input were identified as influential elements contributing to outcomes and in need of consideration in program design and implementation. Literature regarding non-police-based response models was minimal although evidence indicated potential demand for these services. Application of the learnings to the Car 87/88 program demonstrated that the claim of Car 87/88 as successful could not be substantiated with the evidence available. The creation of a non-police de-escalation team as part of new investment appears to align with recommendations that co-response teams be implemented with other programs to form a mental health continuum of care. Recommendations reinforced the importance of incorporating evidence in program design, staff training, and the decriminalization of service-users for improved relationships and outcomes
The Effectiveness of Group Counselling in Schools in Supporting Social Emotional Competency
Get PDFSocial emotional learning in schools has long-term efficacy for students providing skills that benefit them across a lifespan. Without social-emotional competency, one can struggle with attitudes towards themselves, school and peers. Likewise, challenges within the social and emotional realms can arise as well as conduct problems and low academic performance. The purpose of this capstone is to determine the value of group counselling in schools in supporting social emotional competency as well as the implications of low social emotional competency in youth. A review of the literature on existing social emotional interventions in schools is provided as well as the ethical, cultural considerations and the challenges and limitations of running these groups. Finally, recommendations on how to implement social emotional groups in schools are outlined, proposing a six-session program with a detailed outline of each session
How Anti-Fat Bias in Mental Health Contributes to Severe and Enduring Atypical Anorexia Nervosa for People in Larger Bodies
No full textEating disorders are on the rise and pose a significant threat to mental health due to their potentially devastating outcomes. Anorexia nervosa is a restrictive eating disorder often represented by emaciated young white women, however only 6% of people with eating disorders are medically diagnosable as "underweight." Anti-fat bias in mental health often obscures and invisibilizes the suffering of people in bigger bodies with eating disorders, particularly atypical anorexia nervosa. As a result of this bias, people in bigger bodies can struggle for decades with restrictive eating while simultaneously experiencing the ongoing violence of weight stigma. This paper explores the prevalence and severity of atypical anorexia nervosa, the growing population of eating disorders in midlife and beyond, severe, and enduring eating disorders, and how anti-fat bias in mental health leads to this underserved population of people in midlife with severe and enduring atypical anorexia nervosa. As people in bigger bodies (classified as "overweight" and "obese") now form most Canadians, counsellors will be faced with clients who are navigating weight stigma and struggling with disordered eating. This paper puts forward ways to combat anti-fat bias in counselling and weight-inclusive approaches to identifying and supporting those with atypical anorexia nervosa
Out of Body: Experiencing Dissociation in Varying Forms of Grief
Get PDFGrief is a universal experience of loss that is pervasive and exists on a spectrum outside of bereavement and trauma. The somatic consequences of grief and grieving can lead to dissociation and disembodiment and these are understudied effects of the grief experience. Currently, literature within the field of psychology primarily focuses on the physiological effects of trauma, traumatic grief and complicated grief, rather than that of the more universal experiences found in disenfranchised and anticipatory grief. The importance of the research conducted in this capstone is to highlight a gap in the field while exploring how these forms of grief relate to dissociation and disembodiment, and how individuals can begin to heal while living with grief. The intersectionality found within the spectrum of grief lends an importance to heeding culturally competent and trauma-informed care, particularly pertaining to disembodiment. There are correlations in the neuroscientific, somatic and attachment findings of trauma and complicated grief. These lend to the validity and importance of the field expanding its care, use of integrative interventions and research to those living with dissociation and disembodiment in relation to disenfranchised and anticipatory grief
