Counseling Dissertation Defense

The Old Dominion University Community is invited to the dissertation defense of

Shelby Dillingham, M.S.Ed.

Ph.D. Candidate in Education (Counseling)

April 3^rd, 9 to 10:30am

Location: Zoom: https://odu.zoom.us/j/2434485007

Project Title: The Lived Experiences of Counselors-in-Training Completing Practicum or Internship during COVID-19

ABSTRACT

COVID-19’s classification as a pandemic in March 2020 changed numerous professions as they adjusted to social distancing expectations. Mental health providers particularly encountered transitions that included using telehealth, adjusting caseloads, and working different hours, to name a few. As counselors-in-training (CIT) transitioned to remote schooling, they faced the dilemma of earning their clinical hours in a safe manner, especially CITs working within integrated healthcare settings, such as hospitals. Despite some research with licensed professional counselors, limited research exists examining CITs' experiences working during a pandemic. This study seeks to understand the lived experiences of CITs who completed their clinical hours in an integrated behavioral healthcare (IBH) setting during COVID-19 by using a phenomenological investigation. The researcher will explore how CITs coped during their clinical experience of practicum and/or internship by using individual interviews and a focus group to gather data. Data analysis will encompass Moustaka’s Modification of van Kaam’s Phenomenological Analysis to construct order and meaning to the responses, and trustworthiness procedures will include researcher reflexivity, member checking, and triangulation with the focus group. This study's findings provide an opportunity to validate CITs' unique experiences and further inform how they cope with practicum and internship during a pandemic. Implications for this qualitative study include informing supervision practice for site and group supervisors, illuminating training limitations to be addressed by counselor educators, and broadening future research on specific constructs, such as CIT burnout and resilience during COVID-19.

Committee members: Jeff Moe, Ph.D., Counseling and Human Services (Chair and Methodologist), Mark Rehfuss, Ph.D., Counseling and Human Services, Lauren Robins, Ph.D., Counseling and Human Services, Rawn Boulden, Ph.D., West Virginia University

*A copy of the dissertation can be obtained by contacting Jeff Moe at jmoe@odu.edu.

Posted By: Jeffry Moe
Date: Mon Mar 25 13:28:27 EDT 2024