Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Leadership and Change

This study explored the experiences of African American mental health clinicians' during the intersecting crises of the Black mental health crisis, the highly publicized racial tension tied to extrajudicial violence and over-policing of Black Americans, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic started a global crisis that affected millions of people's physical and mental health and overall well-being. Shared trauma explores the duality of mental health clinicians' personal and professional experiences. Grounded in critical race theory and models of trauma, this study explores Black mental health clinicians' lived experiences and lessons. This is an interpretive phenomenological study with narrative interviews of 10 mental health clinicians who provided services to at least 50% Black clientele before the advent of COVID-19. The study explored how Black mental health clinicians providing mental health care fared, personally and professionally, during COVID-19 and with racial upheaval: How did they adapt their lives and practices? What did they learn personally and professionally during these crises? Data were collected in individual qualitative interviews and analyzed using Saldana's first-cycle and second-cycle thematic coding model. Themes that emerged were (a) anxiety and fear regarding the unknown of COVID-19; (b) anger towards the continued racism and over-policing and killing of the Black community; (c) the importance physical activity and therapy as a clinician as means of self-care (d) connection to others to help with emotional support and the isolation of COVID-19; (e) transitioning to telehealth from in-office clinical services; (f) increase in demand of services, and (g) increase in demand for the expertise of Black clinicians, specifically. Understanding the lived experiences of Black mental health clinicians during these crises informs future practices of clinicians by teaching how to optimize health and well-being for self-care and not (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: J. Beth Mabry Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Fayth Parks Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ameena Kemavor Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Black Studies; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology; Health Care; Mental Health; Psychotherapy; Social Work

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2020, Leadership and Change

In the United States, cross-sector partnerships, a form of collaboration, are becoming increasingly common in practice (Gray & Purdy, 2018). However, questions remain regarding the effectiveness of these partnerships and if the many challenges of using them can be overcome. In particular, the intersection of cross-sector partnerships and power, which can deeply impact these partnerships, needs more attention. This study used interpretive phenomenology to understand, from the participant perspective, (a) the experience and construction of power, (b) the impact of power on participants, and (c) how power dynamics in these initiatives compare to dynamics in organizations. Seventeen participants from four homelessness-focused Collective Impact (CI) initiatives, a popular cross-sector partnership model, were interviewed about their experiences. In addition, I reviewed key documents about each initiative. Data was interpreted using a variety of theoretical lenses, including critical theory, as well as my own work experience in this area, and carefully analyzed through iterative re-engagement, reflexivity, and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that power presented in six different ways: resources, structures and processes, identity, resistance, formal leadership, and framing and communication. When examining the differences between collaborations, differences in these six areas, as well as the identity and ways of operating of the partner who began the partnership, seemed to influence the experience of power. Financial resources were a dominant form of power and provided some partners with disproportionate influence. Dominant partners were also able to stack power across these six areas. The impacts of power dynamics were largely negative. Other significant findings included that some partners did not experience power at all. Critical theory and positive framing may explain this outcome. I call for an expanded CI model with a sixth condition related to power. As par (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lize (A.E.) Booysen DBL (Committee Chair); Donna Ladkin PhD (Committee Member); Kirk Emerson PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Administration; Public Policy; Social Psychology; Social Research

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

Mothering is a rich and complex experience involving challenging tasks, a developing relationship with one's child, and socially defined roles. How mothering is viewed varies depending on the cultural norms and historical era under consideration. This study is a textual interpretation of three books written about perinatal mental health, especially how those texts describe the challenges and struggles of birthing and mothering. I develop understandings about how clinicians respond to those issues and in the process understand themselves, their practices, and their sociocultural roles. I consider the shape of the current social terrain that brings to light the experiences of birthing women and the clinicians who treat them. Drawing on philosophical hermeneutics I interpret three books concerned with perinatal mental health (Stone & Menken, 2008; Bennett & Indman, 2010; Shields, 2005). Considering the themes that emerged, I describe how the beliefs of this era regarding birthing and mothering and corresponding therapeutic practices are reflected in these texts. Five main themes are identified. First, is that maternal suffering is overlooked and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are undertreated. Second, suffering is reduced to a medicalized disorder located within the mother and her biochemistry. This created disorder in the mother and prevented her from enacting her role as mother and necessitated an individualist response. Third, the mother is viewed as an object whose wellbeing is important primarily because it serves others in her family. Fourth, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are seen as being universal. Finally, the clinician is viewed as a professional expert tasked with bringing order to the mother's biochemical disorder. I discuss how particular ways of being for clinicians and mothers are highlighted within these texts, and the implications of such for therapeutic practices. The beliefs expressed in these texts reflect and reinforce (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Philip Cushman PhD (Committee Chair); Melissa J. Kennedy PhD (Committee Member); Leslie Butterfield PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Gynecology; Health Care; Medicine; Nursing; Obstetrics; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Womens Studies

PHD, Kent State University, 2011, College of Nursing

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of living with obesity as an adolescent. Of special interest was how adolescents living with obesity experience their health care encounters. A Heideggerian interpretive phenomenological method was used, which seeks to understand the hidden meaning of human experiences. The sample included 21 adolescents and young adults, 13 to 23 years of age, who were living with, or had lived with, obesity as adolescents. Participants were recruited from two clinics, the community, and the Northern Ohio National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance Chapter. In-depth individual interviews were conducted and recorded. Participants provided rich descriptions of their day-to-day lives living with obesity and their health care encounters. Diekelman & Allen's procedures for interpretive analysis were used. Four broad topics were identified: the physical experiences of living with excess weight, the social experiences of living with excess weight, ways of managing excess weight, and health care experiences when living with excess weight. Participants' experiences are best described as a complex interplay between the physical and social challenges they faced and the skillful coping that they brought to their situations. Several key constructs that captured the participants' experiences emerged: existence (being), authenticity, embodiment, modes of engagement, the medical gaze, and practical know-how (spielraum). These constructs were interpreted with works of Heidegger, Merlau-Ponty, and Foucault.

Committee: Claire Draucker PhD, RN (Committee Chair); Donna Martsolf PhD, RN (Committee Member); Patrice McCarthy PhD, RN (Committee Member); Rhonda Richardson PhD, CFLE (Committee Member); Scott Olds PhD (Other) Subjects: Nursing

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs, Cleveland State University, 2008, Levin College of Urban Affairs

Women in Kuwait were traditionally excluded from the formulation of public policy because they lacked political rights. In mid 2005, women received the right to vote and to run for office. There is little known today about the influence of these political rights on women who work with the implementation of public policies in the higher administrative levels of government. Little is known specifically about the influence of the franchise on promotion of women to high administrative posts. The purpose of this study is to lay a foundation for research on the factors that encourage women's access to high positions in government by exploring the experience of high-level women both before and after enfranchisement. The experiences of leading women who work for the public sector are critical to understanding any relationship between women's political rights and their access to high positions. The interpretation of female work experiences provides suggestions to help expand and enhance women's access to high positions in public administration. This study employs the phenomenological method for data collection and interpretation. The findings of this study support the argument that political participation exerts a positive influence on high-level women in government. This study shows that Kuwaiti high-level women agree that they have started to experience a positive influence in their work since the franchise due to the new political power that they have gained. I argue that whether or not high-level women have personally experienced any positive change in their work due to gaining their political rights, they still affirm the occurrence of this positive change. This study finds that this positive influence is reflected in better representation in official meetings, more interactions with state leaders, an increasing ability to express concerns to top levels, and enhancing their self-confidence to lead. This study notes other significant factors that should be considered by (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Camilla Stivers PhD (Committee Chair); Dr. Jennifer Alexander PhD (Committee Member); Dr. Ralph Hummel PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Administration

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2012, Leadership and Change

This project documents the 18-month reentry trajectory of nine (including the author) United States Air Force Reservists returning home from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010. Compared with their Active Component peers, members of the Reserve Component are more likely to be diagnosed with adaptive disorders and have an elevated risk of unemployment, substance abuse, and suicide. Since a critical difference between Active and Reserve Component members is the dual-status of reservists as both military members and civilians, this project sought to better understand this duality within the context of nonpathological reentry. This required an interdisciplinary approach that included medical perspectives (psychological trauma), political science, economics, and sociology (the adjustment approach), research by change and transition theorists, and literature on cultural crossings. The author used interpretive phenomenology to a) foreground his own experiences with return, b) explore existing theories relevant to reentry, and c) conduct a deep exploration of reentry over time. Semi-structured interviews occurred six, 12, and 18 months after return. Three main findings emerged from this project. First, participants paradoxically experienced the combat zone as ordered and predictable compared to their civilian lives in which competing demands overwhelmed depleted adaptive capacities. Second, the longitudinal design revealed participants gradually became less certain about their own reintegration prospects. Finally, the method created reflective space for the participants during a period when opportunities for reflection were especially rare. Several potential guidelines for policy merit consideration in light of the data. First, reservist reentry is sudden and spent among civilians, employers, and family members who find it difficult to understand the reservist's experiences. By ramping reentry and making the return more gradual some of the turmoil and iso (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Alan E. Guskin PhD (Committee Chair); Philomena Essed PhD (Committee Member); Susan M. Ross PhD (Committee Member); Michael C. Musheno PhD (Other) Subjects: Armed Forces; Mental Health; Military History; Military Studies