PHD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the experiences of counselor supervisors who had a supervisee's client die by suicide while under their supervision. As this was a phenomenological study to do an initial exploration of a new phenomenon of study, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, or IPA, was utilized (Smith et al., 2009). The analysis process allowed the researcher to identify emergent themes from the participants and find meaning in those themes (Smith et al., 2009). The research question was: “How do counselor supervisors experience the suicide death of a supervisee's client?” Participants were recruited from states that identify counselor supervisors with an “S” based on the counselor board rules and regulations for supervisor designation, license, and endorsement. Participants engaged in one 2-hour interview and one follow-up email to explore their experiences after a client of a supervisee had died by suicide. The resulting data were analyzed using guidelines for IPA. The emergent themes of participant experiences are presented from the study. Implication and recommendations from the themes are discussed, including a model for supervision after the suicide death of a supervisee's client. Recommendations for future research and limitations of the study are also presented.

Committee: Martin Jencius (Committee Chair); Maureen Blankemeyer (Committee Member); John Rainey (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Counseling Education

Master of Fine Arts, Miami University, 2013, English

This short story collection explores the complexity, depth, and narrative drive linked by the idea of "change" using the topic of death. Comprised of thirteen stories, the thesis is designed to engage and challenge the reader's concept of life, closure, and their reaction to death and change. Each piece stands aesthetically on its own, linked by themes that are beyond the scope of any one work of fiction. Subjects explored include suicide, infidelity, aging, dementia, natural death, and the supernatural (the hereafter; the physical concept of "Death") through first- and third-person perspectives as well as journal and obituary writing, resulting in a collection that is both traditional and experimental in its narrative.

Committee: Joseph Bates Dr. (Committee Chair); Margaret Luongo Prof. (Committee Member); Kay Sloan Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Fine Arts