The National University System Repository exists to increase public access to research and other materials created by students and faculty of the affiliate institutions of National University System. Most items in the repository are open access, freely available to everyone.
Recent Submissions
Item The Influence of Cultic or High-Control Group Involvement on Adult Attachment and Identity(2025-11-10)This project examines how cultic and high-control religious environments impact the attachment systems of their members using attachment theory, constructivist, and trauma-informed frameworks. The literature identifies the themes of attachment disruption, identity fragmentation, relational dysregulation, sexual exploitation, and spiritual injury, highlighting survivors' experiences with shame, intimacy difficulties, mistrust, and struggles with meaning-making from their experience in coercive environments. Empathy, validation, autonomy, and empowerment within therapeutic relationships, along with community-based support and education, are important aspects of survivors' repair and healing processes. Future research on cults should prioritize definitional clarity, the development of standardized methodologies, the exploration of the impact of cults on individuals across diverse contexts, and the identification of evidence-based therapeutic interventions.Item Exploring the Role of Nature in Nature Therapy(2025-10-25)Over the past century, psychotherapy has diversified into a broad range of modalities, each drawing from numerous theories, paradigms, and methods. One emerging perspective emphasizes the therapeutic potential of nature: Nature therapy. This approach, in its various forms, positions the outdoors not only as a setting but at times as an active partner in the therapeutic process. This capstone project examines the distinct roles that nature plays in various interventions, comparing approaches where nature serves as a backdrop with those where it acts as the primary change agent. Drawing on literature that explores the theoretical underpinnings of nature therapy and its various expressions, such as adventure therapy, forest bathing, and eco-somatics, this paper highlights both the psychological and physiological benefits of engaging with nature. An included proposed study also highlights the need for further research in the arena of nature therapy and how it might be conducted in the field. Clinical implications are explored about how understanding the roles nature can play in therapy shapes the counselling process for both clinician and client. Ultimately, this project underscores the importance of understanding how the role of nature shapes therapeutic practice and outcomes.Item What’s the Benefit? The Impact of Therapist Self-Disclosure on the Therapeutic Alliance With Queer Clients(2025-11-14)This research capstone explores the role of therapist self-disclosure in shaping the therapeutic alliance with queer clients. Although more than 90% of therapists report using self-disclosure, its effectiveness remains contested, with outcomes dependent on context, culture, timing, and the client’s lived experiences. To situate this discussion, this paper reviews the history of queer pathologization in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), tracing the classification of homosexuality as a disorder in 1952 to its removal in 2013. Drawing on Carl Rogers’ Person-Centered Therapy, the analysis emphasizes the importance of empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard as foundational to alliance-building. The discussion also integrates contemporary literature on minority stress and queer-affirming practice, highlighting how microaggressions, systemic inequities, and clinician bias may undermine relational safety. The capstone research investigates: How does therapist self-disclosure impact the therapeutic alliance when working with queer clients? This capstone argues that when used ethically and responsively, therapist self-disclosure can strengthen alliance, promote client trust, and support more affirming therapeutic experiences for queer populations. A proposed workshop for counsellors addresses potential ways for counsellors to engage in self-disclosure in an empowering way that doesn’t betray their own ability to connect with their clients.Item Power and Prejudice: Exploring the Impact of Dominant Discourse on Disclosure and Treatment Seeking Among Male Victims of Adult Sexual Assault(2025-11-14)Male victims of adult sexual assault (ASA) face unique barriers to disclosure and support seeking post-assault, which pose mental health risks. Research shows these barriers are most often rooted in stigma and rape myths. Despite growing attention to ASA and increased self-reporting rates represented by male and gender diverse victims, their treatment needs remain understudied and largely absent from public discourse, particularly from an intersectional perspective. This paper explores how gendered cultural narratives and rape myths impact male victims’ disclosure, reception, and treatment-seeking. In this narrative review, relevant peer-reviewed literature on male ASA published between 1980 and 2025 was thematically analyzed. Intersectional feminist and discourse analysis frameworks were utilized to illuminate and explore the roles of power and prejudice in male and gender diverse ASA victimization, along with implications for disclosure, treatment seeking behaviours, barriers to support, and gaps in services. Four key themes emerged: the gendered construction of sexual assault, male rape myths, hegemonic masculinity, and prejudice against marginalized identities. These elements in dominant discourse significantly influenced victims’ disclosure and treatment seeking behaviour, resulting in notable consequences and gaps in services, particularly for multiply marginalized victims. Observed consequences include decreased ability to perceive themselves as victims and reduced willingness to disclose, report, or seek treatment. Many victims also experienced high rates of self-blame, discrimination, stigma, secondary victimization, harmful compensatory behaviours, suicidality, and systemic and sociocultural barriers to receiving care. Findings underscore the imperative for gender-inclusive ASA responses, improved cultural competency about the intersections of identity and ASA, and expanded research, education, and advocacy to support male and gender diverse victims of ASA.Item Understanding Professors’ Perceptions and Knowledge of Being Therapeutic at the College Level: A Qualitative Case Study.(2024-04)The problem with retention has led researchers to study the causes of attrition and ways to improve successful outcomes. Students define having positive faculty-student relationships that are therapeutic as a way to enhance successful academic outcomes. The problem that was addressed in this study is that there is a limited understanding of four-year, undergraduate college professors’ knowledge and perceptions of incorporating therapeutic approaches in their relationships with students in college. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a greater understanding of professors’ knowledge of therapeutic strategies and their perceptions of incorporating these therapeutic approaches with students while in college to support students’ academic achievement. This study evaluated how professors perceive and what they know about Carl Rogers’ concepts that make up the therapeutic triangle; specifically focusing on empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard. This qualitative, exploratory case study was used to gather information on college professors at a small southern university by collecting course syllabi, conducting semi-structured interviews, and observations. Four themes were found that answered the question about professors’ perception. Professors perceive that counselors and professors share qualities, but not skills, empathy and unconditional positive regard are offered from professors when students fulfill their responsibilities, and the ways in which professors offer genuineness differs amongst professors. Three themes were found that answered research question two regarding the existing knowledge of the professors. Professors demonstrated accurate knowledge of both empathy and genuineness, but unfamiliarity with unconditional positive regard. Future researchers may want to explore professors from broader disciplines to capture more diversity in discipline.
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