Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Counseling Psychology
First Advisor
John O’Malley
Second Advisor
Ruth Chao
Third Advisor
Jennifer Gafford
Fourth Advisor
Judy Kiyama
Keywords
Counselors in training, Existential factors, Existential therapy, Interpretative phenomenological analysis, Phenomenology
Abstract
Grounded in the theoretical framework of existential therapy, this study aimed to uncover the lived experiences of counselors in training when addressing existential factors of death, isolation, freedom, and meaning in life with their clients. To have a better understanding of this phenomenon and address the research questions, data was primarily collected via semi-structured interviews. The obtained data was analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The data analysis process revealed six superordinate themes from the participants’ experiences: the emotional experience in the session and during the interview; transference/ countertransference; perspective on existential factors; factors that influenced counseling effectiveness in helping clients when discussing existential factors; reflections on inner experiences during the interview; and differences in approaching existential factors at the beginning of the training vs. now. The study revealed several implications for practice and research.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Sabina Musliu
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
en
File Size
209 p.
Recommended Citation
Musliu, Sabina, "A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Counselors in Training When Discussing the Existential Factors of Death, Isolation, Freedom, and Meaning in Life With Their Clients" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1815.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1815
Copyright date
2020
Discipline
Counseling psychology