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Working with What You Have: A Literature Review of the Culture and Accessibility of Mental Health Therapy in Rural Communities
Get PDFThis thesis explores the existing literature on the culture, values, ideals, and challenges experienced in rural areas. The influence of social and physical barriers on rural life is examined with emphasis placed on evaluating the cultural effects of isolation, the dependency on a community, and local pride and reputation. The existence of mental health therapy resources within these areas is examined to understand why rural residents struggle to receive care and how cultural factors influence help-seeking behaviors. Further research explains the therapeutic interventions that are commonly found within these areas, their benefits, and their challenges. Potential mental health therapy interventions are outlined within the context of how they apply or can be adapted to rural communities and examples are provided to show ways of overcoming mental health stigma and help-seeking barriers. This literature review is done to educate readers about rural living and promote research surrounding mental health issues within rural communities
Enacting Stories: Discovering Parallels of Narrative and Expressive Therapies, A Literature Review
Get PDFThis literature review will analyze the use of narrative therapy (NT) techniques, dance/movement therapy (DMT) techniques, and expressive therapy (ET) techniques in an effort to distinguish where theoretical parallels exist between these methods of counsel. Narrative therapy is a postmodern framework of counseling that assists clients in resisting damaging stories that have been embedded through bioecological systems of exposure throughout development. Narrative therapy structures its philosophy through processes of externalization and deconstruction, and encourages the process of reframing or re-authoring one’s personal self-narrative. At their core, DMT and ET already utilize components of foundational NT practices, through processes of enactment, arts-based mapping, and reorientation. This thesis will explore ways in which this happens within expressive therapeutic techniques independently, and in combination with NT
Using Mindfulness to Enhance Interactive Reasoning in Elementary School Occupational Therapists
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Occupational therapists (OTs) working in school settings must contend with student dysregulation, student skill deficits, staffing shortages, and increased workloads. The aftermath of COVID-19 has also played a role in exacerbating these issues. Mindfulness, with its focus on the present moment in a compassionate and non-judgmental way, has shown promising results in the area of occupational therapy. Though the research is encouraging, there are many gaps and unexplored areas, especially regarding school-based therapy. This paper first explores the current research, including current uses of mindfulness in occupational therapy and gaps related to mindfulness and occupational therapy. One particular model of note is mindful occupation, where mindfulness is integrated with activities of daily living. The gaps in research include job burnout, ethical decision-making, and therapeutic use of self. It then examines interactive reasoning, a process OTs use to help engage with their clients to build rapport and improve therapeutic outcomes. Next, it discusses the therapeutic use of self and the Intentional Relationship Model developed by Taylor (2020). Finally, it reflects on the use of mindfulness approaches for school-based OT, including aspects of the window of tolerance created by Siegel (2007) and orthogonal reality, a concept developed by Kabat-Zinn (2006)
A Thought Is Just A Thought: A Buddhist Guide to OCD
Get PDFEvidence-based studies have shown that individuals can significantly recover from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder through the Cognitive Behavioural Therapies of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). However once the affliction is no longer categorized as a disorder in accordance with the diagnostic criteria, the process of thought, and often intrusive thought, remains. The OCD cycle of thought to anxiety to compulsion” stems from a desire to reduce the suffering that the initial thought causes. This suffering comes in the form of negative feelings which often lead to compulsive behavior. The Buddhist path lays out a method for the reduction of unnecessary suffering, where mindfulness practice is key. This creative project, “A Thought is Just a Thought: A Buddhist Guide to OCD,” is both a handbook and a workbook for individuals that struggle with an OCD-inclined mind and are interested in developing a relationship with Buddhist psychology as a vehicle for deeper insight. Buddhist psychology can provide a new paradigm for individuals to understand their thoughts and how they, most often unknowingly, contribute to their own suffering. In both psychotherapy and Buddhist psychology, greater wisdom contributes to greater wellbeing. The goal of this handbook is to provide wisdom for the purpose of enhancing wellbeing for its readers
Evaluating the Benefits of Mindfulness Based Practices in the Hospital Setting: A Case for Mindful Communication Interventions for Nurses
Get PDFRecent stressors, such as COVID-19, have provided new challenges for healthcare workers, especially nurses, and have contributed to the increase in burnout rates in the hospital setting. Therefore, relief in this space is critical. Ample research demonstrates that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may help to improve well-being among healthcare providers more broadly. Literature supports that the practice of mindful communication, in particular, is helpful, not only in improving patient outcomes, but also in decreasing interpersonal stress among healthcare workers. This paper analyzes and synthesizes relevant studies, both qualitative and quantitative, and argues that mindful communication training improves the workplace environment for nurses in the hospital setting. Ultimately, this paper posits that offering mindful communication education to nurses will help reduce stress in the hospital while also improving relationships with patients and other staff members. The associated creative project is an introductory mindful communication workshop that can be used in nursing schools and hospital settings as a potentially important tool for nurses in the future
Understanding Teacher Cadet Programs as an Effort to Alleviate Teacher Attrition and Increase Teacher Diversity
Get PDFThe United States is witnessing an overwhelming teacher shortage that shows no signs of slowing down. With a tarnished profession of being underpaid and overworked, districts are lowering requirements to hire teaching faculty. Research has shown that lack of training significantly predicts a teaching career’s longevity. With White female teachers continuing to dominate the field, schools seek not only to increase teacher retention but also to diversify faculty to match the increasing diversity of the student population. There is a growing interest in high school teacher cadet programs as a potential method to recruit, train, hire, and retain teachers who return to their home districts. The purpose of this study was to examine high school teacher cadet programs as a mechanism to alleviate teacher attrition and increase teacher diversity. The qualitative study employed a multisite collective case study with three means of data collection across multiple states. Four administrators who oversaw aspects of a teacher cadet program implementation in their respective states participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews, document collection, and a survey. The study produced the following seven findings: (a) Specialized recruitment initiatives designed to diversify teacher cadet programs’ population are underutilized, sidelined, or nonexistent. (b) Both formal and informal approaches to cadet recruitment contribute to students of color’s participation in teacher cadet programs. (c) Upon entering the teaching field, teacher cadets greatly benefit from structured supports to assist in accomplishing pathway requirements. (d) Because assistance for those who matriculated to different teacher cadet programs is inconsistent, increased awareness about candidates is needed to develop more supportive measures. (e) Specialized factors, intended to benefit teacher cadet candidates, serve to attract students and add value to teacher cadet programs. (f) Teacher cadet programs are often tasked with discrediting reputed negative aspects of the teaching profession. (g) Formalized systems to collect data and track teacher cadet graduates who enter the teaching field do not exist. Building on this study, researchers could investigate different ways to measure the success of teacher cadet programs. The study proffered that the educational community cannot ignore the immense potential teacher cadet programs have to alleviate the teacher shortage and diversify the profession by creating a homegrown pipeline of teachers
Postpartum Depression: Healing through Archetypes and the Expressive Arts Therapies
Get PDFThis thesis is a literature review investigating treating postpartum depression through the expressive arts therapies and feminine archetypes. The expressive arts therapies explored for treatment are dance, music, art, and drama. Meditation, mindfulness, and writing are also included. The importance of expressive arts therapies in treating postpartum depression is of interest now because of the increasing number of mothers who experience postpartum depression who are looking for alternatives to treatment beyond, or complementing, traditional talk therapy and medication. A search for literature on treating postpartum depression with expressive arts therapies and archetypes was conducted on-line using the Lesley University database. This research provides resources for women who are seeking to overcome postpartum depression in increasingly creative ways. The author will be presenting recommendations for incorporating this creativity in the lives of mothers. Recommendations for incorporating expressive arts therapy interventions for treating postpartum depression will include examples of integrating feminine archetypes for healing
Tattoos and Healing: Considerations from an Art Therapy Lens
Get PDFTattooing in North America is becoming more common as negative stigmas change and the types of tattoos available are as diverse as the people getting them. One interesting new motivation guiding individuals to get tattooed is a potential healing or therapeutic benefit. The field of art therapy explores how art can facilitate healing and the therapeutic process. Because of the emerging literature exploring these new tattoo motivations and the need for art therapists to continually expand their understanding of art and its many applications it would be beneficial for art therapists to understand this emerging practice. The literature in this study reveals that there is a significant amount of overlap between tattooing and art therapy in the themes the two explore. Additionally, tattooing offers new ideas and benefits that should be explored by art therapists more to identify how these could be applied in the therapeutic field
Overcoming the Inner Critic: The Therapeutic Use of Self-Portraits with Older Adults
Get PDFOlder adults are a growing and vulnerable population who experience discriminatory practices that impact their access to equitable housing, employment, and healthcare which was made even more obvious during the Coronavirus pandemic in the United States. A community engagement project was developed and facilitated by the writer to support older adults with the psychological effects of surviving the pandemic. This project also helped to increase accessibility to expressive arts therapy in the writer’s local community. Expressive arts therapy is an effective and accessible method to support mental health and wellness for people of all ages. Engagement with the arts helps to decrease the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic including depression, isolation, and stress. This thesis explores the therapeutic benefits of self-portraiture with an under resourced population of adults 65 years and older at a health center in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants created self-portraits together, exploring and expressing personal strengths and skills that helped them to cope. The participants experienced positive benefits from the workshops because they had the opportunity to socialize, practice identifying and overcoming their inner critic’s judgments, and create an art piece that could be presented to the local community. The results of this project indicate that using self-portraiture is an effective and accessible way to explore the inner self, process challenging emotions such as grief, and engage in self-expressio
Fiber Art Circles, Belonging, and Mental Health in the Queer Community: A Community Arts Based Project
Get PDFThis thesis explores the role of community and chosen family for queer belonging. The queer community is in a mental health crisis, with substance abuse, high suicide rates, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, and complex post-traumatic stress disorders being pervasive in the community. Current therapeutic services and medical services often enact more harm than good and that mutual aid and chosen family has been a cornerstone to support chronic illnesses. To better understand these complexities, a community arts project was held to explore how it might support these theories. This research was facilitated at a local queer owned Boston fiber shop. Groups were held for queer fiber artist in the Boston area of all ages and identities to explore a positive sense of self, safety, and belonging in the queer community. People from a range of neighborhoods came to experience togetherness and work on their current knitting, crochet, embroidery, felting projects. This research demonstrated the way joy and connection is created within in groups. As well as the importance of safe spaces for people to explore identity and creativity