Ph.D., Antioch University, 2022, Leadership and Change

To be human is to be a member of myriad groups. The universality of groups in our lives poses an important area of study for social scientists investigating human flourishing. Additionally, inquiring into the evolutionary potential of groups may begin to inform new ways of addressing the intractable issues we face as a human species. While most empirical studies of groups focus on group performance, or group doingness, this study explored group beingness and the experience of manifesting deep union and oneness, which is an intersubjective phenomenon that has been called coherence. Intersubjective coherence is often written about from a theoretical and conceptual perspective, as well as from a practice perspective, but it has rarely been investigated empirically. This interpretive phenomenological investigation of coherence inquired into the phenomenon through the facilitation of two group coherence treatments immediately followed by group interviews. The study's design enabled the exploration of coherence from the intersubjective perspective, allowing for participants to make meaning of their coherence experiences in community. Findings revealed what it was like for participants to experience coherence, how the groups shifted into coherence, and the antecedents and outcomes associated with coherence. Additionally, five meta-themes, Direct Experience of Interbeing, Constructive Disorientation, Co-sensing, Metalogue, and Best Me, Best We, were identified revealing a broader context as well as the ways in which the participants made meaning of the experiences. A key outcome of the study was an empirically-based definition of coherence: coherence is a group-level phenomenon wherein members experience a collective shift into a heightened state of connectedness marked by a quieting, slowing, and calming of the group climate, an activation of an enlivened intersubjective field, and a calling forth for members' best selves resulting in an acceptance and celebration of diffe (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Donna Ladkin Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Jon Wergin Ph.D. (Committee Member); Judi Neal Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Organizational Behavior; Social Psychology; Spirituality

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2016, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' experiences of presence and examine whether the presence workshop could foster presence among teachers. There are very few studies on the topic of presence in educational setting, which can be of significant importance in developing holistic human beings. This study explored the overarching research question: “How can presence experience be fostered among teachers through awakening body awareness?” This qualitative research investigated the experiences of teachers before, during, and after the body awareness workshop in order to specifically explore a) How do teachers understand presence? b) How is body awareness defined in teachers' life and praxis? c) How can body awareness be integrated in the teacher education program? d) How does presence change teachers' different kinds of relationships? and e) What qualities can be observed as a result of enhanced presence? Case study research design was utilized to collect data through interviewing, participants' reflections and journals, and informal observations. The study included 5 teachers working in a small town in Ohio. The data from teachers were coded, thematically analyzed, and compared to respond the research questions. Other qualitative techniques such as triangulation, peer debriefing, and member checking helped the researcher to establish the rigor and credibility of the study. This study revealed that participants had no prior familiarity with presence but they formed their personalized understanding of the presence experience towards the end of the workshop. The findings indicated that, teachers' presence emerged as relationship in three areas of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal; participants enhanced their presence and reported to have experienced more unity and harmony with their selves and their surroundings; they felt more energized, attuned to the class environment, and more creative in their teaching; body awareness was also ex (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: John Henning Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2015, Elementary Education

The phenomena of crisis in the formation and development of teacher identity is not unknown in the field of educational research, yet the study of these phenomena tends to focus on preservice and novice teachers. The purpose of this research is to discover through veteran teacher narratives, descriptions of crisis-like incidents, as well as any growth and transformation they may have experienced in the context of the profession. By studying teacher stories I hope to contribute to the understanding of how teachers navigate their teaching lives and shifting identities, especially in the face of difficulty, and gain insight into the value of collectively sharing and talking about the stories together. This Organic and Narrative based inquiry engaged three veteran teachers in conversations about the difficulties and challenges (crisis-like situations) of their teaching lives. The stories of crisis-like incidents (Veteran Stories) varied greatly, but themes emerged, such as: passion for the profession; varying needs for reflection; conflict of personal beliefs and institutional beliefs; conflict of belonging and not belonging; harmed and healed relationships; and the presence of a strongly held core belief. The process of sharing crisis stories in a safe and caring environment was quite transformative for participants. Their reflections indicated increased understanding of self and others, desire to be of service, a sense of wellbeing and personal implications, as well. They concluded that teachers often cause crisis-like incidents for other teachers, and that reflecting on incidents, while emotionally difficult, proved valuable to them. The researcher gained increased awareness of the vulnerabilities and risk in teaching, and now views herself as moving into teacher Elderhood. Early readers responded to the stories of crisis with stories of their own, demonstrating the truly widespread nature of crisis-like incidents in the lives of public school teachers (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Gary Holliday Dr. (Advisor); Renee Mudrey-Camino Dr. (Committee Member); Alfred Daviso Dr. (Committee Member); Sandra Spickard-Prettyman Dr. (Committee Member); Rebecca McElfresh Dr. (Committee Member); Diane Montgomery Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Early Childhood Education; Education; Education Philosophy; Educational Psychology; Elementary Education; Middle School Education; Pedagogy; Personal Relationships; Philosophy; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Spirituality; Teacher Education; Teaching