Psy. D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

The prevalence of video game addiction has escalated with the advancement of digital technologies, posing significant psychological and social challenges. This dissertation introduces the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) Gaming Recovery and Insight Protocol (E-GRIP), a novel therapeutic approach designed to address the complexities of video game addiction. Grounded in the principles of EMDR therapy and incorporating insights into video game culture, E-GRIP aims to treat individuals struggling with problematic gaming behaviors by integrating their gaming experiences and preferences into the therapeutic process. The E-GRIP methodology extends the conventional EMDR framework by including an in-depth exploration of the client's gaming behavior, character identification, and the utilization of gaming jargon to enhance the relevance and efficacy of the therapy. Through the lens of video game character archetypes and gaming scenarios, the protocol addresses the emotional, cognitive, and somatic components of addiction, facilitating a comprehensive treatment strategy that resonates with the gaming community.

Committee: Michael Toohey (Committee Chair); Barbara Harris (Committee Member); Melissa Kennedy (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Therapy

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2019, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a daunting concern among the majority of organizations with diverse, or tangential, affiliations to the United States Military and/or its personnel. Unquestionably, the 21 million service-connected individuals, at the time of this writing, (i.e., Active-Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Veterans) afflicted with this disorder are the catalyst for the intense public and private sector interest and involvement in eradication of this disorder. Prevalence rates of PTSD among this complex classification of persons vary across the relevant literature. Some estimates suggest anywhere from 11 to 20 percent, while other sources indicate that upwards of 40 percent of some military service-connected populations (i.e., those who served in Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF], Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF], and Operation New Dawn as well as less publicized military actions which have taken place within the same timeframe) demonstrate PTSD or other related mental health disorders. Given the high PTSD prevalence demonstrated among service-connected populations, effective, practical, and accessible treatment of PTSD among this contingent is a primary and salient area of exploration both clinically and empirically. Relevant to this, the Veteran Resilience Project (VRP) of Minnesota utilizes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as an intervention to treat veterans with PTSD. Thus, the organization contracted this program evaluator to undertake a program evaluation of their nonprofit organization. The association utilizes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a therapeutic intervention due to their belief that it is the most efficacious treatment for PTSD. Along with the comprehensive evaluation of their program and the establishment of proof of efficacy for their interventions of choice, EMDR, the VRP seeks to increase their capacity through the recruitment of military service-connected clients and retentio (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jude Bergkamp Psy.D. (Committee Chair); Bill Heusler Psy.D. (Committee Member); Joseph Graca Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2017, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Helping clients develop resources and stability required to tolerate reprocessing memories can be a considerable part of psychotherapy, particularly with clients who are suffering symptoms related to complex developmental trauma or cumulative multiple-event trauma. There is a paucity of research regarding how experienced EMDR Therapy practitioners experience helping their clients to develop resources required to tolerate reprocessing of trauma memories. This dissertation is an in-depth study of five participants, each a licensed mental health practitioner in the State of Washington, who are trained in EMDR and experienced working with clients who are suffering symptoms of trauma. Each participant was interviewed and the interviews were analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenal Analysis. Four primary themes were identified: Therapist Experience, Trauma Conceptualization, Stabilization, and All these Tools. Each participant described their experience in the context of their own motivators, their own conceptualization of what their clients were experiencing, and their understandings of what worked in helping their clients to stabilize throughout the process of therapy. Participants acknowledged the significant role that EMDR Therapy training had in shaping both their understanding and treatment of trauma. They also described the complexity of working with traumatized clients and the importance of common factors, such as relationship, trust, and safety in their work. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohio Link ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/etd.

Committee: William Heusler Psy.D. (Committee Chair); Dana Waters Psy.D. (Committee Member); Kelly K. Brown Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Psychology; Psychotherapy

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2014, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

One hundred percent of evidence-supported psychotherapy treatments for trauma related disorders involve the therapist learning from and retaining fidelity to a treatment manual. Through a hermeneutic qualitative textual interpretation of three widely utilized evidence-supported trauma treatment manuals, I identified themes that suggested a particular constitution of the contemporary way of being—a traumatized self—and how this traumatized self comes to light through psychotherapeutic practice as described by the manuals. The manuals included: 1) a trauma focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for children; 2) an eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy for adults; and, 3) an early intervention and debriefing therapy series for post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma related problems of military service members. Through the interpretation, I conceptualized trauma as a way of human being in contemporary culture, and in particular, as an unacknowledged way of expressing enactments of dissociated, unformulated, or unarticulated political arrangements and events. I identified and interpreted the following shared themes and exemplars across the three manuals: mind-brain as protector and the political use of cognitivist ideology; the healed trauma survivor as functional worker; trauma as universal and culture-free; and, indoctrination into a social void of scientistic managed care. I discussed how trauma treatment manuals instantiate how to be human in contemporary society through compliance with managed care and the embodiment of scientistic and cognitivist ideology. I then discussed how the way of being that contemporary society creates and idealizes is one in which people easily assume the identity of trauma survivor: an enterprising, functional and fiercely individual member of a warrior cult. In the warrior cult society, to think or talk about social causes and public solutions to daily political suffering is thought of as either non-germane or dang (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Philip Cushman PhD (Committee Chair); Jennifer Tolleson PhD (Committee Member); Lynne Layton PhD, PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Cognitive Therapy; Mental Health; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Therapy

Master of Arts in Psychology, Cleveland State University, 2014, College of Sciences and Health Professions

Research suggests that evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for posttraumatic stress disorder are underutilized by counselors, psychologists, and other helping professionals (Becker, Zayfert, & Anderson, 2004; Van Minnen, Hendriks, & Olff, 2010). The current study examined factors that may predict use of EBTs by helping professionals including theoretical orientation, workplace setting, training, client preference, and highest degree held by the helping professional. Training was the only factor found to significantly predict the use of EBTs, suggesting that training may be key in disseminating EBTs and increasing their use.

Committee: Lisa Doane Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Steven Slane Ph.D. (Committee Member); Elliot Ingersoll Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

DMA, University of Cincinnati, 2007, College-Conservatory of Music : Trombone

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an innovative therapy that is currently used to treat anxiety disorders. Discovered by Francine Shapiro in 1987, the treatment was originally utilized on individuals suffering from Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder; however, the original treatment protocol has evolved to include other forms of trauma such as performance anxiety. The main hypothesis of EMDR states that traumatic memories cause the nervous system to become dysfunctional and unbalanced. As a result, stimuli such as sound and images from these events are looped continuously within the nervous system until the body can functionally process the events toward an adaptive solution. Until a solution is established, the original thoughts and feelings encountered during previous disturbing events resurface each time a resembling experience occurs. EMDR serves as a performance enhancement for brass musicians by desensitizing and reprocessing maladaptive memories through bilateral stimulation of both hemispheres of the brain.

Committee: Dr. Terence Milligan (Advisor) Subjects: Music

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2012, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic pain and fatigue. It notably impacts individuals and their families, creates notable opportunity costs for society, and places heavy demands on the medical system. Fibromyalgia has no cure. Its etiology is uncertain but likely biopsychosocial. In a subset of individuals experiencing Fibromyalgia, the experience of one or more traumatic experiences precipitates the onset of symptoms. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based treatment for traumatic stress injuries. None of the handful of published accounts of EMDR treatment of Fibromyalgia have utilized the standard evidenced-based, trauma-focused EMDR (TF-EMDR) protocol, opting instead for untested modifications of EMDR related protocols rendering generalization of effects across studies difficult at best. The current study explored whether the use of the TF-EMDR protocol was sufficient to reduce chronic physical and psychological symptoms of Fibromyalgia in three female participants. Standardized symptom measures of post-traumatic stress, depression, pain, and Fibromyalgia-specific symptoms were administered at pre, post, and 3-month follow-up. Results indicated a decrease in symptoms across all standardized symptom measures. Participants' pain and symptoms of Fibromyalgia decreased, as did depression and trauma symptoms. Other results of treatment included: improved sleep, improved communication with loved ones, and improved sexual functioning. Treatment observations suggest TF-EMDR may help facilitate participants' ability to: identify their emotions, observe the relationship between emotions and physical sensation, and observe (without trying to change) emotions and physical sensation. Results are promising and support the use of TF-EMDR in the treatment of Fibromyalgia patients with a history of trauma. The electronic version of this dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd.

Committee: Mark Russell Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Melissa Kennedy Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jan Fite Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology