LGBTQ+ youth make up a significant portion of the United States student population (Conron, 2020). A sense of belonging for middle school students is an essential indicator for academic achievement and positive motivational and health outcomes (Kosciw et al., 2020; Steiner et al., 2019), yet LGBTQ+ students experience less belonging than their…

This study examined school counselors' perceptions of how leadership styles affect work output, staff comradery, and employee morale. The research problem examined in this qualitative descriptive case study was work output, staff comradery, and employee morale differ greatly depending on the leadership style that the immediate supervisor…

This dissertation investigates the major pathway selection process of students at a California community college from the perspective of counselors in light of the Guided Pathways movement. This study seeks to understand counselors' perspectives on how Guided Pathways shapes students' choices in selecting their majors. A qualitative research…

Despite California community college counseling faculty having unique roles on their campuses due to their faculty status and their proximity to students, there is a lack of research related to the experiences of counseling faculty and how they can be supported by local and statewide leaders to best meet the needs of the diverse student…

Using a case study approach, this qualitative study was an examination of a California community college's counseling faculty perspectives on a collegewide reform known as guided pathways (GP). Relying on semistructured interviews, the examination focused on how the counseling faculty perceived their roles in the GP implementation process, the…

Burnout has become a prevalent issue in workplace environments, significantly affecting individuals' mental, emotional, social, and physical well-being. This qualitative phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of burnout among community college counselors in Southern California, a group often overlooked in existing research. While…

Culturally responsive school counseling (CRSC) is the call to action for school counselors, aimed at meeting the needs of underrepresented groups. CRSC is often described as an approach that serves all students, but definitions fail to mention and center underrepresented populations (i.e., students of color). Literature has included varying…

Cognitive behavioral therapy and other forms of rehabilitative programming are currently available for nearly all criminogenic needs. However, there is limited rehabilitative programming available for sexual offenders with minor victims. In order to develop effective programming within future research, the underlying motivations must be explored.…

The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of middle school principals or Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program designees on the implementation practices of SEL programs at their school sites. Adolescents in grades sixth through eighth experience diverse changes that are physical, social, and emotional in nature given their…

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events occurring in the household or community that hold painful or distressing outcomes for children immediately and in their future (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). School counselors work with children and young adolescents suffering from negative mental health…

Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to focus on college counselors' perspectives and insights when transferring credits from dual enrollment, advanced placement, and International Baccalaureate programs and the impact on at-promise groups in California. Theoretical Framework. The CIPPO model, which consists of…

Time-limited dynamic psychotherapy (TLDP) is a time-sensitive, interpersonal approach, emphasizing attachment, and affective-experiential components, which influence the process of change. TLDP outcome studies have demonstrated the importance of the clinician's role in both therapeutic process and outcome. However, TLDP research has been limited…

The American School Counselor Association Closing-the-Gap Action Plan template is a tool created to help school counselors identify educational gaps and track interventions. We applied a transcendental, phenomenological qualitative research method to explore school counselors' use of the template to advocate for students. Our findings demonstrate…

Since their migration into the U.S., the Hmong people have settled into the Central Valley in and around Fresno, California. While school districts in the area strive for diversity, many of the high schools have yet to include Hmong men as high school counselors. This study utilized a narrative inquiry under the lens of Asian critical theory to…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how school counselors described their experience and practice of involving parents when facilitating cognitive-behavioral therapy school-based interventions for students with anxiety and depression, in California. This was considered important. Not only does the American School…