Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Exploring the Lived Experiences of Women Trauma Counselors: Two Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Studies Making Meaning of Specialization and Resilience

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  • The counseling profession has historically emphasized generalist practice, viewing specialization as a possible threat that could lend to fragmentation. Specialization is occurring within CACREP graduate programs (CACREP, 2016) through post-graduates focused on continuing education experiences and the professions’ acknowledgment of the importance of competence areas. Research has noted the importance of obtaining advanced certification to ensure quality of care for clients (Remley, 1995). There has been little research to explore the lived experiences of female trauma-specialized counselors. In addition to understanding the specialization experiences of trauma counselors, it is essential to understand the experience of resilience that lends to longevity in the profession. The literature has well established that counselors are at risk of developing vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Counselors specializing in trauma are more likely to encounter disturbing and distressing material in their work. Researchers have noted that trauma counselors may experience "vicarious resilience" in their work with clients (Hernandez et al., 2007; Hernandez et al., 2010), and ongoing research continues to focus solely on the professional experiences conducive to resilience. There is a lack of research that explores the lived experience of resilience for trauma counselors. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is a qualitative research methodology used to understand the unique lived experiences of participants with similar life events (Smith & Nizza, 2022). This phenomenological approach explores the complexity of individual participant experience through semi-structured interviews to elicit a deep and rich data set. This method recognizes the double hermeneutic that emerges as the participants and researcher make meaning of the experience. Researchers then use cross-case analysis to uncover common patterns and synthesize participants' experiences. Specialization is a common experience for trauma counselors. This study seeks to understand how specialization is experienced by participants (n=8). The research question for this study is, “How do counselors experience their specialization in trauma?” Cross-case analysis revealed themes that included focusing on personal growth, anchoring in intentional relationships, responding to a calling to serve clients with empathy, compassion, and deep understanding, experiencing a lifelong, passionate journey for knowledge, and navigating encounters with challenging systems. Exploration into the phenomenon of resilience is the focus of the second study for participants (n=8) who have trauma specialization. The research question used to understand the lived experience of resilience asks, "How do trauma-specialized counselors personally and professionally encounter resilience?" Trauma counselors identified resilience as being experienced in the context of involvement in a supportive community, intentional, ongoing work for internal attunement, balancing the weight of the client’s needs with the demands of personal life, and creating sanctuary in professional practice. The findings of this study have wide implications for the counseling profession, counselor educators, and counselors interested in pursuing a specialization in trauma. These implications include considering how to prepare counselors to effectively support clients with trauma, how to encourage the growth of resilience in current and future practitioners, and the need for ongoing research to increase longevity in a challenging profession.
  • KEYWORDS: trauma counseling, trauma specialization, trauma-informed care, PTSD, professional specialization, trauma therapy, professional development, resilience, PTSD, counselor, vicarious trauma, vicarious resilience
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file details DeegDavisMichelleD2024.pdf 2024-05-01 Pubblico Scaricare