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 Restoring the Body's Rythym: Polyvagal Theory and the Healing Potential of Yoga for Trauma(2026-03-17)Trauma is increasingly understood as embodied and neurophysiological in nature, characterized by impaired autonomic and emotional regulation, a reduced sense of safety and connection, and physiological and body-based impairments. This capstone examines the integration of polyvagal theory (PVT) and yoga as frameworks for understanding and supporting embodied trauma healing. This project is guided by two questions: How does PVT deepen therapeutic understandings of yoga as an embodied intervention for trauma healing? And how might an integrative framework support autonomic regulation, a sense of safety, and embodied healing in trauma affected individuals? Through critical review and synthesis of relevant literature, this capstone suggests that both PVT and yoga are strong frameworks for understanding and supporting trauma recovery from both a neurophysiological and embodied lens. There is a significant convergence between PVT and yoga; both frameworks share a trauma-informed emphasis on regulation, safety, and embodied awareness. While yoga literature describes the healing capabilities of experiential body-based practices, it lacks articulation of neurophysiological mechanisms. PVT provides a framework for understanding the neurophysiology of trauma and offers an interpretive lens for embodied trauma healing, yet this theory only very recently encompassed applied interventions. Building on these understandings, this capstone presents a restorative, polyvagal and trauma informed yoga practice as an applied contribution. This integrative approach positions yoga within an applicable neurophysiological framework that grounds its therapeutic potential and clinical relevance in trauma recovery.Item How First Responder Careers Negatively Impact Intimate Relationships(2026-05)This capstone project explores how first responder careers impact the first responder themselves, how their career impacts their intimate partner and how if affects their intimate relationships. Due to the high levels of trauma that first responders are exposed to and the stresses of their job they are at an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately, the trauma trickles down to their family life often having a negative impact on their marriage or relationship. This capstone examines what those impacts are specifically and ideas on how to best treat both the first responder, their partner and their relationship looking more at whether the Gottman Method may be effective. There are gaps in research specific to first responder treatments and this will be addressed in hopes that future research can find better ways to serve this population.Item Hindu Distress in Context, From History to Healing: The Ethical Imperatives for Integrating Hindu Historical Trauma in Counselling(2026-03)This capstone examines historical suffering and transgenerational patterns within Hindu history, analyzes their systematic exclusion from mental health case conceptualizations, and advocates for the inclusion of Hindu history as a matter of clinical necessity and epistemic justice for the Hindu-identifying population. Despite extensive historical documentation, mainstream mental health often overlooks these collective experiences, resulting in reductive understandings of distress. Focusing on the medieval period (7th–18th centuries), this study explores the transgenerational effects of invasions, iconoclasm, religious persecution, and epistemic violence on Hindu cultural identity, mental health, and community well-being. Drawing on Hindu historiography, trauma studies, and decolonial scholarship, the literature review analyzes violence driven by political power, economic greed, and theological zeal, alongside patterns of survival and resilience, to demonstrate that erasing Hindu historical experience constitutes an ongoing form of epistemicide. Integrating historical context into clinical practice expands therapeutic validation by situating distress within a broader socio-historical frame, enabling grief for collective losses, fostering compassionate understanding, and opening paths for cultural healing and reconciliation. Recognizing historical suffering and epistemic differences allows clinicians to respond with cultural humility, honour lived and inherited experiences, and uphold ethical and epistemic responsibility. These implications align with trauma-informed approaches developed with First Nations communities in Canada and other populations affected by intergenerational trauma.Item Beyond the Therapy Room: Evaluating Mobile Applications for PTSD through a Trauma- Informed Lens(2026-03)Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects millions of people worldwide. Despite this, a significant gap still exists between those who have been affected and those who receive treatment. After exploring possible barriers leading to this gap, this capstone explores the use of mobile phone applications as an alternative or an additional tool to help connect these individuals with treatment. While research suggests that these digital tools can moderately reduce symptoms, the literature is marked by inconsistent methodologies and measurement tools. In response to these inconsistencies, this project proposes a 23-criterion evaluation list, primarily based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) principles of Trauma-Informed Care. These criteria help provide a consistent standard to ensure digital tools promote healing rather than harm and are trauma informed. Ultimately, this capstone seeks to advance social justice by expanding access to safe, evidence- based interventions for those whom traditional healthcare is less accessible.Item Postpartum Depression: A Collaborative Approach to Assessment and Treatment(2026-03-16)While often viewed as an exciting time, becoming a parent does not come without its challenges. While it is typical to experience fluctuations of emotions while the body adjusts from pregnancy to postpartum, around one in five women experience symptoms that are consistent with diagnostic criteria for postpartum depression (PPD). Unfortunately, there is still a lack of consistency in screening protocols, resulting in an increased risk of cases going undetected and mothers not receiving the support they need. This capstone examines the impacts of untreated PPD on mothers and infants, ranging from psychosocial and physiological to disruptions in attachment. Current evidence for treatment outlines a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities and psychopharmacological interventions, including the emergence of the first oral medication that specifically targets PPD. Following the literature review on PPD screening, impacts, and treatment, the capstone discusses potential next steps in improving perinatal healthcare. The discussion conclusions with a proposal for a multidisciplinary collaboration presentation template designed to improve the well-being of mothers and infants in this transitional period.
Communities in National University System Repository
Select a community to browse its collections.