CityU Scholarly Work (Open Access)

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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11803/2
Contains open access scholarly work from City University of Seattle students, faculty, and staff.

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    The hidden challenges of intimate partner violence and traumatic brain injury: A multifaceted exploration of women’s personal experiences
    (2025) Holton, Meagan
    Approximately one-third of women suffer from intimate partner violence (IPV) at least once in their lifetime. Moreover, women experiencing IPV are also at risk of sustaining one or several traumatic brain injuries (TBI). This study aims to explore the personal experiences of women with concurrent IPV-TBI factors seeking clinical treatment. To address this, the author conducts a literature review based on studies from the past decade that examine IPV-TBI factors among women. An array of peer-reviewed American journals are employed, providing a combination of research methods including qualitative, quantitative, meta-analysis, and systematic studies. The study’s findings determine increased frustration, a sense of hopelessness, and a negative self-concept to be the main themes for the personal experiences of women with concurrent IPV-TBI factors seeking clinical treatment. Further, the study establishes several subthemes that support its findings, including professional competency issues, cognitive impairment, and stigmatization, to name a few. The study offers several advantages for researchers as well as clinicians, as it displays novel and in-depth insight into the personal experiences of women facing concurrent IPV-TBI factors that can shape clinical treatment.
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    What’s the Benefit? The Impact of Therapist Self-Disclosure on the Therapeutic Alliance With Queer Clients
    (2025-11-14) Pederson, Ruairidh
    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.
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    Power and Prejudice: Exploring the Impact of Dominant Discourse on Disclosure and Treatment Seeking Among Male Victims of Adult Sexual Assault
    (2025-11-14) Callaghan, Taylor
    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.
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    Destigmatizing Women with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): An Attachment-Based and Trauma-Informed Approach
    (2025-11-08) Hendrick, Josephine
    Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is highly stigmatized and disproportionately impacts women (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022; De-la-Morena-Perez et al., 2023). Though there is a large body of research that indicates a link between attachment insecurity, trauma history and the development of BPD traits, there is still debate over the exact interplay between these factors (Erkoreka et al., 2022; Formella & Ugwuanyi, 2024; Miano et al., 2021; Peng et al., 2021; Schulze et al., 2022). The research highlighted throughout indicated that counselling psychologists would benefit from a deeper understanding of these factors so they can incorporate this knowledge into everyday practice when working with clients who have BPD. Thus, this literature review explores the central question: Can understanding BPD in women from an attachment-based and trauma-informed lens help to destigmatize their experiences in the therapeutic setting? To answer this, this study synthesizes current literature and provides recommendations for future research and possible clinical/therapeutic applications. Relevant sources were selected from various databases, including ProQuest, PsychLit, EPSCO, PubMed and the Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection. The writer then conducted a thematic analysis of the literature to generate significant themes and evaluated this research through methodological analysis and ethical critiques. The most notable finding from this study is that individuals with BPD experience stigma on several levels, and that further research into understanding this disorder from an attachment-based and trauma-informed lens is warranted. It is recommended that mental health professionals, educational programs and researchers consider these lenses when studying BPD in an effort to reduce stigma for those with this disorder.
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    Parents of Adolescents Navigating Sexual and Gender Diverse Identity
    (2025-06-05) Mohebati, Carmel
    This research explores how counsellors can effectively support parents of gender-diverse adolescents (ages 13-18), especially those navigating emotional distress and confusion in response to their child’s non-conforming gender identity. Drawing on theories of adolescent development, family systems, and socioecological models, it examines the relational dynamics between parents and gender-diverse adolescents, with a focus on how counsellors can foster family resilience. The increasing visibility of gender-diverse youth, particularly within Gen Z, has highlighted the need for culturally competent, affirming family support systems. This study reveals how parental reactions, shaped by cultural, generational, and religious factors, can significantly impact adolescent mental health outcomes. Research findings demonstrate how positive parental responses, such as emotional attunement, psychoeducation, and narrative reframing, can reduce mental health risks, while negative responses correlate with heightened distress. The study also signifies the importance of integrating culturally grounded approaches, notably for families navigating cultural dissonance. Recommendations for counsellors include strategies for supporting parents in processing ambiguous loss, involving gender work, and advocating for gender-affirming practices. Future research is required to uncover the long-term impacts of family-centered interventions, particularly in the context of marginalized and diverse populations. Ultimately, this work calls for a more inclusive, contextually grounded understanding of both adolescence and parenting, one that centers on identity, culture, and relational connection.