Creator

Joel G. Givens

Advisor

Black, Linda

Committee Member

Helm, Heather M.

Committee Member

Teman, Eric D.

Department

Counselor Education and Supervision

Institution

University of Northern Colorado

Type of Resources

Text

Place of Publication

Greeley (Colo.)

Publisher

University of Northern Colorado

Date Created

8-1-2015

Genre

Thesis

Extent

287 pages

Digital Origin

Born digital

Description

This study explored the experiences of counselor educators and supervisors teaching Counselors-in-training (CITs) to be present in practicum contexts. Eight participants were solicited to engage in two phenomenological interviews. Additionally, participants submitted photographs of practicum sites, photographs of an object representing the instruction of presence, and a written description of an experience of presence. To manage bias and crystallize the data, a process of member checking, a researcher journal, and a peer reviewer were employed. Data analysis entailed a process of open coding, identification of meaning units, and formulation of tentative manifestations using Vagle’s (2014) post-intentional phenomenology. Six themes emerged that borrowed concepts from Aristotle’s Poetics, yet opened up different meanings in the context of practicum instruction. The identified themes were: Ethos: An Abode, Mimesis: Representing Presence, Catharsis: Purging Barriers, Melos: Melody, Phanerosis: Shining, and Peripeteia: The Turning Point. The findings support implications for counselor educators and supervisors teaching the practicum course as well as implications for the field. Specifically, didactic and experiential learning approaches can be integrated into the practicum class to discuss presence as a foundational factor that supports other facilitative conditions. Grounding activities, demonstrations, check-ins, and reflective learning exercises might also be utilized. The profession might utilize presence as an integrative construct that synthesizes disparate elements of counselor training and professional identity. Areas of research include investigations of student perceptions, grounded theory research of the process of learning presence, and quantitative designs.

Degree type

PhD

Degree Name

Doctoral

Language

English

Local Identifiers

Givens_unco_0161D_10428

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by author.

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