Defense Date
8-1-2024
Graduation Date
Winter 12-20-2024
Availability
Immediate Access
Submission Type
dissertation
Degree Name
PhD
Department
Counselor Education and Supervision (ExCES)
School
School of Education
Committee Chair
Matthew Joseph
Committee Member
Madeleine Stevens
Committee Member
Tara Abbott
Keywords
counselor education, supervision, counseling, phenomenology, suicide, countertransference, self disclosure
Abstract
This study sought to explore the lived experiences of licensed counselors who experienced personal suicide loss and the impact of their loss on their professional lives. Of particular interest was the impact of the loss on countertransference, professional direction and choices, and self-disclosure with clients and other professionals in the field (e.g., supervisors, professors, and colleagues). The concept of the wounded healer, as described by Zerubavel and Wright (2012), served as the theoretical framework used to understand the participants’ stories. Previous studies have examined the wounded healer among psychologists; however, few studies explored the experience of licensed counselors as wounded healers and no studies have examined the specific wound of personal suicide loss among licensed counselors. The limited research around the concept of the wounded healer suggested that aspects that personal wounds can impact professional choices and have consequences related to countertransference. The lack of research on the wounded healer in the counseling profession warranted an extensive look into the lived experiences of wounded healers who are licensed counselors. As such, the wounded healer theory, social constructionist theory, and phenomenology were the theoretical foundations that underpinned this study. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted through individual interviews with 13 licensed counselors who experienced suicide loss in their personal lives. The findings of this study explore the themes that were developed from the participants' experience as wounded healers in their profession regarding countertransference, professional direction and choices, and self-disclosure. The implications for the field of counseling and counselor education are also discussed.
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Strohl, S. (2024). WOUNDED AND HEALING: LICENSED COUNSELORS’ EXPERIENCE WITH PERSONAL SUICIDE LOSS AND THE IMPACT ON CLINICAL PRACTICE, SUPERVISION, AND SELF-DISCLOSURE (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/2291