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When Lightning Strikes: The Mental Health Implications for Individuals Newly Diagnosed With Rheumatoid Arthritis
No full textRheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, incurable, autoimmune disease that has debilitating side effects such as pain, fatigue, inflammation, joint damage, and decreased mobility. Over time, it can lead to disability, rendering some people unable to work and perform daily tasks. RA impacts all areas of people’s lives: physical, mental, and social. Mental health disorders, specifically depression and anxiety, are common in individuals newly diagnosed with RA; however, there is a gap in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders in early RA. A biopsychosocial approach to the treatment of RA is recommended; integrating medical and psychological interventions has been demonstrated to have a positive effect on health outcomes. There is a bidirectional relationship between RA and depression, and it is recommended that RA be treated early using a treat-to-target response using medications such as NSAIDs, biologics (DMARDS) and Jak inhibitors. Psychiatric medications are a treatment option for comorbid mental health disorders. Psychological interventions such as CBT, mindfulness practices, patient education, yoga, and exercise have been shown to be beneficial in treating RA in conjunction with pharmacology. Many individuals are reluctant to disclose mental health concerns to their physician due to barriers including stigma, fears, and beliefs about RA and medication side effects, resulting in a high level of physician-patient discordance. Mental health professionals are an important part of the multidisciplinary team who can support individuals newly diagnosed with RA with comorbid depression and/or anxiety
Intergenerational Cultural Dissonance (ICD) and Family Conflict: What Counsellors in North America Need to Know to Support Clients in the Most Culturally Competent Way
Get PDFThis capstone project explores the impact of intergenerational cultural dissonance (ICD) within immigrant and refugee families and aims to enhance therapeutic practices for this population. It examines the primary sources, manifestations, and mental health challenges associated with ICD and offers practical, actionable suggestions to equip mental health professionals with the tools to deliver culturally competent care, bridge generational gaps, and address the unique needs of immigrant and refugee populations. The review concludes by offering a comprehensive approach to addressing ICD. This approach, which encompasses culturally-sensitive practices, enhanced family communication, trauma-informed care, and community resources, enables counsellors to support these families effectively
Summary Stats
No full textSteven S. Friedland has taught at universities, community colleges, and a parochial school since earning a master's degree at the University of Iowa with an emphasis in policy research and statistics and at Northeastern University, a BA degree with an emphasis in public administration and economics.
He has worked in government agencies at the local, state, and Federal level, for non-profit organizations, on quality improvement projects for business firms, and as a research specialist for health administration organizations. In Boston, Steve was Executive Producer for Public Affairs and Religious Programming providing shows for CBS Radio. In Fresno, he was systems manager responsible for operations and IT for a local construction firm.
Steve currently serves as Chair of a City Parks and Recreation Commission in Oregon and as Secretary of the Executive Board for a non-profit promoting green spaces and outdoor activities.
At National University, Steve is the Subject Matter Expert in the School of Professional Studies for the Quantitative Methods in Public Administration course. He has taught statistics and research methodology courses in the School of Business & Management and the School of Nursing. Steve is a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management. As a member of the American Statistical Association, Steve is a section member of the Joint Government and Social Statistics Section, the Section on Statistics and Data Science Education, the Section on Statistics and the Environment, the Section on Statistics in Defense and National Security, the Section on Statistical Learning and Data Science, and the Survey Research Methods Section.The statistical program Summary Stats© was written by Steven S. Friedland pursuant to a grant from the National University OER & Curriculum Support Transformation Initiative #5757 for delivery as a Creative Commons resource.
Summary Stats is a descriptive statistics program designed to automate the calculation of the most commonly used measures of central tendency and variability. Students enter sample data in Column A of the Excel spreadsheet
and instantly see the output of the mean, median, sample standard deviation, sample variance, and Coefficient of Variation
The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on Brain Development, Emotional Regulation, and Cognitive Functioning: Implication for Counselling
No full textThis capstone project explores the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on neurodevelopment, focusing on the influence of parental ACEs and the effects of racism and discrimination as ACEs. Building on the initial ACEs study (Felitti et al., 1998), the project examines how ACEs disrupt brain development and influence cognitive and emotional functioning. The central research question investigates how ACEs affect neurodevelopment, with sub-questions exploring the impact of parental ACEs and racism on child development, and the role of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) in promoting resilience. The literature review examines the latest research on ACEs and brain development, focusing on the effects of toxic stress and how parental ACEs and community factors, such as racism, influence developmental outcomes. Additionally, the capstone presents strategies and community programs to mitigate the impact of ACEs, while reflecting on how these findings can inform trauma-informed counselling practices. This paper provides valuable insights for counsellors, social workers, and other mental health professionals
An Exploration of Resilience and Personal Narrative in Counselling Those Who Live with Chronic Pain
No full textChronic pain is an invaluable teacher. But the journey to accept its teachings can be one of the most excruciating journeys of a person's life. One of the most wide-reaching, challenging health problems the world over, chronic pain torments millions of people, leaving them feeling hopeless and unheard and those trying to help equally at a loss to provide long-lasting meaningful health care. The field of counselling psychology has a significant role to play to help people live functioning, meaningful lives alongside chronic pain. Emerging understandings of both chronic pain and resilience as multicausal, dynamic, social, cultural, and personal processes of learning are central to understanding experiences of chronic pain. Specifically, a post-structural, phenomenological narrative psychotherapy approach has the potential to increase resilience and expand an integrated, embodied knowledge that a person living with chronic pain is on a personal journey of their own evolution
The Impact of Childhood Adversity on Adult Attachment and its Effects on Adult Romantic Relationships
Get PDFRomantic relationships are of major significance throughout most individuals' adult life. Despite approaching romantic prospects with the best intentions, when individuals have a history of early life adversity, such experiences can cause ongoing challenges in navigating the intricacies of romantic relationships. This capstone aims to explore the link between childhood adversity and adult romantic relationships. This process is presented through an attachment lens that narrows in on how early life attachment security can impact adult attachment and consequently threaten the bond between romantic partners. A trauma-informed perspective on attachment repair and healing childhood wounds is presented, as well as a variety of therapeutic models that aim to support such processes through individual implementation or integrative practice
The Legacy of Childhood Trauma
No full textChildhood trauma may result in a plethora of lifelong consequences, including a diminished capacity to develop and maintain secure attachment patterns. This capstone aims to highlight the lifelong impacts of childhood trauma and patterns of attachment. This capstone delves into the intricate repercussions of childhood trauma on attachment development and aims to enhance awareness of the negative impacts in adulthood of disrupted or damaged attachment in childhood. The lineage and legacy of childhood trauma is explored. A proposal for a psychoeducational tool highlighting the connection between childhood trauma and attachment patterns throughout the lifespan is included in chapter three
Reducing Barriers to Treatment and Support Services for Drug-Addicted Survivors of Human Sex Trafficking
No full textHuman sex trafficking is prevalent problem across the globe and is considered a form of modern-day slavery (ILO, 2024; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2009). Canada is a transit, destination, and origin location for human sex trafficking exploitation (Brooks & Heaslip, 2019; Public Safety Canada 2023). This capstone aimed to examine barriers to survivors accessing support services due to addiction and other variables and to investigate the relationship between drug use and human sex trafficking. Examination of present research finds that there are numerous barriers that survivors face in accessing support services due to addiction or other factors. Addiction is identified as a common effect of exploitation and other previous survivor traumas, substance use that is voluntary and involuntary is prevalent during human sex trafficking exploitation and is a risk factor in recruitment and exploitation (Hammond & McGlone, 2014; Robertson, 2017; Michaelis et al., 2022; Marburger & Pickover, 2020). Despite research demonstrating a closely emmeshed relationship between addiction and human sex trafficking exploitation, most human trafficking organizations and other community services maintain sobriety requirements as a condition to receive support and services. This capstone addresses barriers and gaps in service access by recommending the utilization of a harm reduction model of care in direct opposition to abstinence-based models, as well as the use of the trauma-informed care and specific therapist skills. Recommendations are made for counsellors, service providers, organizations, and systems to support the closing of gaps and reduction of barriers. This contributes to the field as little research discusses use of harm reduction and trauma informed approaches to reduce barriers to service access
Infidelity: A Source of Positive Relational Transformation
No full textInfidelity is widely practiced even though it is almost uniformly condemned. Rates of infidelity among heterosexual couples are currently on the rise meaning it is an issue that many couples will encounter, and one couples counsellors will need to know how to effectively navigate if they are to effectively help the couple achieve relational repair in its aftermath. This paper defines infidelity and examines the various factors that contribute to a partner engaging in it. The paper then looks at the factors a couple must successfully address to not only survive the infidelity but thrive and transform their relationship post-infidelity into one based on greater intimacy, relational joy, and satisfaction. Relational Life Therapy is explored as an approach to couples counselling and, more specifically, to treating post-infidelity repair with the aim of engendering relational transformation. Its strengths and weaknesses are evaluated and the HTI Relationship Map is explored as a roadmap and set of tools that can be used as an overlay to Relational Life Therapy’s approach to treating infidelity