JMU Scholarly Commons is the home for electronic Educational Specialist projects from 2020 to the present.
Current students: Click here to submit your project.
Theses/Dissertations from 2024
Losing it: Anti-fat bias and implications for counselors, Kate Bailey
Divining the self: Applying tarot as a projective technique in counseling, Eileen Clinton
Teaching reading comprehension to English language learners in a system with a low proportion of language minority students, Chutikarn Cotham
Investigating help-seeking behaviors of adult children with parents with mental health conditions, Logan Dasher
Professional’s perspectives for supporting alternatives to drug culture for adolescents, Emily L. Davis
School psychological practices within personality assessment of non-binary youth, Christian Fary
Proposal & plan for a dialectical behavior therapy teen self-esteem and body image group, Emily Flaherty
Exploring sexual- and gender-minority adolescent's use of online spaces as a potential socio-ecological protective factor, Courtney Hassan
A beginner's guide to gerontological counseling: A summary of considerations for counselors providing psychotherapy to older adults in rural settings, Kelly D. Higgins
Philanthropy in the helping profession: An overview and introductory workshop intended to support counselors and counselors in training, Matthew Higgins
Counselor educator attitudes and beliefs toward psychedelics and PAT, Kimberly Hughes
Assessing multiracial experiences in counseling: The multiracial life story interview, Kylie Mirabella
Program evaluation of the James Madison University school psychology students of color succeeding mentoring program, Sa'Mone Moore
Teacher wellness: Cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness techniques (CBM), Jacob Nadler
Let’s get creative: Using creative arts interventions to address trauma experiences, Ashley Oginz-Wilson
Middle school teachers’ perceptions of supporting students with adverse childhood experiences, Jordan Phipps
An exploration of the potential impacts of philosophical idealism on psychotherapeutic practice, Ian Richard
Parental stress and perceived school-based support amongst parents of children with autism, Julia Unger
Applying emotionally focused group therapy with collegiate student-athletes experiencing disordered eating and poor body image, Emily Wagener
Theses/Dissertations from 2023
Rural populations amongst the mental health crisis in the United States of America: Implications for counseling professionals, Caylyn Arbogast
The impact of COVID-19 on collaboration between school psychologists and board-certified behavioral analysts, Taylor J. Bronaugh
Affirmative and integrative counseling for LGBTQIA+ individuals, Allison de Blois
Exploring the needs of military children in public schools: What school psychologists need to know, Hannah A. Delmonte
Increasing social engagement in children with autism spectrum disorder through perspective taking skills training, Robyn Devendorf
Examining intergenerational trauma and mental health supports within the Latinx community: A rapid review, Liliana Ferrufino
Partner or participant? Parent experiences within pre-referral meetings, Mason R. Folk
You have every right to be angry: Impacts of the angry Black woman stereotype and counseling considerations for helping Black women honor their anger, Jenelle Francis
Representation is everything: The impact of diversity in literature on the racial identity and psychological safety of Black youth, Zaakirah B. Fulani
Too much fun: A collaborative autoethnography detailing the significance of friendship between women of color in a school psychology graduate program, Arayana A. Harris
Identifying the current state of practice utilized by school counselors and school psychologists in facilitating divorce groups in elementary schools, Stephanie Harris
Dealing with your dragons: Counseling through Dungeons and Dragons, Devon Howell
Self-compassion for counselors-in-training, Sydney Iwanski
Supporting the mental health needs of youth through neurobiologically-informed approaches, Hannah P. Jarrett
A mother’s disenfranchised grief: Pregnancy loss, Madison Jones
Examination of possible shifts in parent perceptions of their child through the response to intervention process, Jordan Otto
Identifying challenges and resiliency of adolescents living with parents misusing substances: A mixed methods study, Alison Palmer
Laughter is the best medicine: Considerations for using humor within the mental health field, Brielle Pedrick
Cultural considerations for working with young adults who have experienced childhood trauma, Yasmine Rodriguez
Acculturative stress, challenges, and experiences of asian international students in the United States, Matthew Silver
Exploring barriers to rural mental health practice: A pilot study, Caitlin Vu
Exploratory analysis of the attachment-caregiving scale and its association with child attachment patterns, Robert Whelan
Theses/Dissertations from 2022
The fetishization of Asian American women: Where we are and where to go, Genevieve Askin
Addressing systemic inequities: A psychoeducational group for advocating for African Americans, Jaree' Barnwell
The impact of teacher wellness programming during highly stressful times, Madeline Brawley
Beyond broaching: Existential meaning making of Blackness within therapeutic work, Monica M. Cooper
Informed consent in counseling processes with the transgender community, Sindhura Elagandhala
Aggression in session: Defining, conceptualizing, and treating aggression, Tyler A. Greenough
Marketing and branding for counseling interns and residents in private practice, Madeline Grove
Trauma healing with the neurosequential model of therapy and Bal-A-Vis-X, Becky Johnston
Virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, Katie B. Kelley
The role of teacher efficacy in readiness to support LGBTQ+ students in schools, Andrew Levy
Evaluating phonemic proficiency and oral reading fluency in middle school students, Cara McQuaid
Teacher perception of a brief mindfulness-based curriculum and its impact on the development of social skills and self-regulation on a preschool classroom, Allison Poggendorf
Effects of Reading Intervention on Behavior Outcomes of Middle School Students: A Rapid Review, Davina Putz
Effects of reading intervention on behavior outcomes of middle school students: A rapid review, Davina Putz
School racial climate and discipline practices, Maya Rivers
Integrating creative arts in counseling: Review and recommendations, Brittany Sehenuk
A survey of school psychologists to promote support for developing self-advocacy skills in students with disabilities, Kiarra K. Steer
Youth caregiver focus group: An exploration of school support staff’s perceptions of youth caregivers, Rianna Taylor
English language experiences of high school Spanish speaking multilingual learners across different environments, Ismael Valdez
Asian immigrant parents and their Asian/Asian-American children: Bridging the emotional gap, Natalie Vergara Realubit
Theses/Dissertations from 2021
Training needs and role development of school psychologists providing substance use interventions: An exploratory study, Kiersten Bell
Exploring the cultural humility and practices of school psychologists in Virginia, Bailey Brooks
Reviewing counseling literature regarding toxic masculinity, Jenna Clough
Examining a trauma-based etiology for psychosis, David Comer
Alcohol use in women: Resources and recommendations for counselors, Samantha Haling
Exploring how interpersonal childhood trauma impacts emotional development, Kathleen Hobbs
Canine-assisted therapy: Incorporating canines into the therapeutic experience, Melissa H. Kee
Uncovering stories: Investigating factors that contribute to parent experiences in eligibility meetings, Joshua Knight
The attraction of fear and the potential therapeutic value of horror films, Mari-Peyton Kouchinsky
Evaluating outcomes of trauma-sensitive trainings in schools: A rapid review, Laëtitia Sakponou
Weight and the therapeutic relationship: Implications for counselors, Emily Shank
Primary caregivers’ reports of early literacy skills and supporting children’s literacy success through home-school collaboration, Emily A. Smith
Safe to fight: Lessons from counseling for grappling coaches, Rachel Wilson
Am I Black enough? – Identity and belongingness of second-generation African students, Muna Yusuf
Theses/Dissertations from 2020
The impact of trauma on the brain and body: Alternative approaches to treatment, Ashley L. Ahlers
So, your favorite therapist is........a horse?, Elizabeth M. Armstrong
The effects of community on wellness: An exploration of utilizing community to address loneliness, Carter G. Bagnall
An exploration of high school principals’ and assistant principals’ perceptions of implementing mental health curriculums in schools, Jacqueline M. Billy
Counselors as advocates for change in local homelessness discourse: A content analysis of Harrisonburg, Virginia media, Sarah E. Brown
Returning to my trees: Connection to nature, wellness and clinical practice, Laurel E. Brubaker
Siblings of children with intellectual disability: Social validity of a skills group experience, Michelle Bryant
The effects of positive student-teacher relationships on students' perceptions of school safety, Victoria H. Bunting
Mindfulness based approaches with obese clients: A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, obesity and weight management, Cannie G. Campbell
Supporting families of children with autism through school-based practices, Katelin J. Curd
LGBTQ+ survey for school psychologists and school counselors, Stacey Davidson
School psychologist's perceptions of system readiness, implementation, effectiveness, and impact on role as schools transition conflict management programs, Carleigh Fuhrman
Counseling needs of first responders, Donna V. Garber
Helping the doubly vulnerable: A trauma and emotion regulation group for juvenile offenders, Sarah Kline
School racial climate and discipline practices: A systematic review, Sarah Lanyi
Trauma responsive elementary schools in Virginia, Aleksa Putnam
Navigating "technoference" in the family system, Kathlynn Sergent
School experiences of immigrant and refugee students from Kurdistan: Implications for school-based professionals, Jessica Williams-Chase
