Dissertation Nation

Listen in to hear Dr. Tiana Santisteven sharing about her qualitative dissertation study centering Latina emerging professionals' experiences. Her dissertation is titled: "Exploring the Experience and Professional Development of Latina Emerging Professionals in the Counselor Education and Supervision Field". She also shares her advice for doctoral students, based on her personal journey in counselor education.Guest bio: Dr. Tiana Santisteven is a full time vocational rehabilitation counselor at the local Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Chicago and is an adjunct faculty at Adler University. She completed her PhD in counselor education and supervision in 2022 and is a licensed professional counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor. She has over 5 years experience in the counseling field and aims to continue her work in counselor education and supervision. Her areas of interest include rehabilitation counseling, clinical supervision, professional development, and diversity issues with a focus on the Latinx/Hispanic population. 

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD, interviews Sehrish Ali, PhD about her clinical and research experience with surrounding body image concerns. The title of her dissertation study is, A qualitative exploration of licensed professional counselors’ therapeutic relationships working with clients with body image concerns. Dr. Ali also shares her advice for succeeding in a doctoral program. Guest bio:Sehrish is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Texas, and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS). She received her doctorate in Counseling Education at Sam Houston University. Her experience has centered around gaining a better understanding of the complexities involved in various eating disorders and their effects on multicultural populations. Sehrish has worked extensively with both adults and adolescents and their families, to treat eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and trauma at higher levels of care in individual and group settings.

Want or need five tips for finishing your dissertation? Dr. Jen Harrison, an expert dissertation coach of Read.Write.Perfect, shares 5 common challenges dissertating people face during the process, and then how she believes you can overcome these challenges.   We talk burnout, isolation, lack of support, imposter syndrome, and disorganization. Dr. Jennifer Harrison's dissertation coaching business: https://readwriteperfect.com/There are loads of resources here, and Dr. Jen has made a special offer for Dissertation Nation listeners! Email: jen@readwriteperfect.com and mention you listened to this episode for one free session with her.  Tools mentioned by Dr. Jen:1. APA Manual, link here: https://apastyle.apa.org/products/publication-manual-7th-edition2. Scrivener: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview3. Online calendar, tasks function, email- use all in one and set phone reminders

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD, hears from Jessica Scoggins, PhD about her clinical and research experience with adults with childhood trauma and dissociative symptoms. The title of her quantitative dissertation study is, "The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Dissociation." Dr. Scoggins also shares practical advice for the dissertation process, the differences between online and in-person doctoral work, and how she plans to use her PhD in the future.Guest bio: Dr. Jessica Scoggins earned both her master’s degree and doctoral degrees from Sam Houston State University. However, her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M gifted her a habit of forever starting her emails with “Howdy!”Having worked in mental health as soon as she was able to, Dr. Scoggins has had experience at a psychiatric hospital as a mental health technician, a case manager at a local mental health authority, a counselor at a domestic violence shelter and a rape crisis center, before settling into private practice. Clinically, she serves adults who have experienced trauma; this is most often neglect and sexual, physical, or emotional abuse. Most of her clients are working to manage attachment issues, personality disorder symptoms, complex PTSD, and dissociation. Helping adults who survived their childhood trauma process the past and take control of their lives as adults is her passion. She works exclusively with trauma and dissociative disorders (including dissociative identity disorder and complex PTSD), provides consultation for other mental health professionals on how to work clinically with these issues and disorders, and does professional presentations and trainings.Her advocacy and research interests include dissociation, childhood trauma’s effect into adulthood, DID, and complex trauma. As a professor, Dr Scoggins aims to help students develop into competent and confident counselors who can help clients from a trauma informed perspective, regardless of their work setting or chosen clinical interest. Her experience educating undergraduates and graduate students is growing and she brings current clinical knowledge into the classroom as a teaching tool. Additionally, she is a yoga instructor, dog lover, avid reader, and herbal tea enthusiast.Dr Jessica Scoggins is also a member of the Texas Counselor Association, Texas Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors, and International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.Link to dissertation: https://shsu-ir.tdl.org/handle/20.500.11875/3610

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD interviews Michelle Caulk, PhD about her qualitative, narrative-based dissertation study titled, "Christian, Childfree by Choice Women: Narrative-Based Experiences and Implications for Mental Health Counseling." Dr. Caulk discusses the narrative study's implications for counseling, counselor education, and our personal lives.  She also shares her tips and tricks for success in a doctoral program.Guest bio: Dr. Michelle Caulk is a licensed counselor and counselor educator. She has founded a counseling center, joyfully helped clients live in hope and wholeness, and teaches future counselors. Dr. Michelle has an established history of writing and speaking passionately on topics such as mental health in the church and counseling the bereaved.Dr. Caulk has an interesting career history, including as a librarian and research analyst before God called her to serve others through counseling. This means that her clients receive many book recommendations as part of their healing process!Dr. Caulk is currently an Assistant Professor and the Director of Clinical Experiences at Huntington University. She is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville with a B.A. in English Literature, University of Illinois with an M.S. in Library and Information Science, Argosy University with an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling, and a Doctorate in Philosophy of Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. Her research interests include creating trauma-informed churches; grief, loss andlament; and the childfree by choice population.Dr. Caulk married her high school sweetheart, Jason, and their non-traditional family includes Obie, a lab mix, and Fitzgerald, a gray kitty. When she’s not with clients or students, Dr. Caulk loves hiking, gardening, and laughing with friends and family. If you give her a book as a present, you are automatically her best friend.Link to book referenced: https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/the-coding-manual-for-qualitative-researchers/book243616

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD interviews Veronica Cloonan, PhD about her innovative qualitative dissertation study titled, "The Ethnic and Racial Identity Development Process for Adult Colombian Adoptees." Dr. Cloonan discusses the narrative study's implications for counseling, counselor education, and our personal lives.  She also shares her experiences as an PhD student who is an immigrant holding multiple minoritized identities, and her tips for dissertation work.  Guest bio: Dr. Veronica (Vero) CloonanTherapist & Board Approved and Play Therapy Supervisor, PhD, LPC/S, RPT-SDr. Veronica (Vero) Cloonan (she/her/Ella) is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor, Counselor Educator and supervisor. Play therapy is her number one treatment modality to work with children and adolescents. Dr. Cloonan has extensive experience working with trauma, international and domestic adoptees, and BIPOC individuals. Dr. Cloonan also works with adults and families and provides professional supervision, consultation services, and training opportunities.Guest website: https://creativepsychological.com/our-team/dr-veronica-cloonan

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD interviews Michael Deitz, PhD about his timely, important qualitative dissertation study titled, "The Lived Experiences of Division I Student-Athletes Coping with a Season-Ending Injury ". Dr. Deitz discusses the phenomenological study's implications for college athletics, counseling, counselor education, and our personal lives.  He also shares his advice for owning your PhD journey.Guest bio:Dr. Michael E. Deitz earned a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020. Additionally, he is a graduate from William & Mary's Clinical Mental Health M.Ed. program. He currently works full time as a Resident in Counseling at Healthy Minds Therapy, PLLC. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor with experience in various college counseling centers and private practice.His passions are in supervising counselors-in-training, adulthood development, interpersonal psychotherapy, and providing emotionally corrective experiences for clients. As a former NCAA Division I student-athlete and assistant coach, he also enjoys focusing research on mental health and athletics. He utilizes a humanistic approach to teaching and supervision which incorporates empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard in order to increase trainees’ self-confidence. Furthermore, he strives to increase awareness of interpersonal patterns and intrapersonal processes that impact the therapeutic and learning practices. Dr. Deitz strives to understand the lived experiences of different populations to promote advocacy for marginalized groups. He is a published author for a textbook chapter on the ethics of counseling step-families, assisted in research on the lived experiences of teachers who are mothers, and examined relationship distress as a mediator for adverse childhood experiences and mental health concerns.Link to dissertation study: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/6469/

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD interviews Autumn Cabell, PhD about her innovative, outcome dissertation study titled, "A Longitudinal Study of the Influence of a STEM Career Planning Course and Perceived Stress on Career Search Self-Efficacy and Retention in Engineering Undergraduate Students". Dr. Cabell discusses the quantitative study's implications for STEM, career development, counseling, counselor education, and our personal lives.  She also shares her advice for excelling in a PhD program and taking on the massive project that is a dissertation.Guest bio:Dr. Autumn Cabell is an Assistant Professor in the Counseling program. Her research agenda centers on a) developing interventions that support the mental health and career development of marginalized students particularly in STEM and healthcare and b) examining the career-related concerns of marginalized counselors. She is active in the National Career Development Association (NCDA), the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). Dr. Cabell is currently a reviewer for the Journal of Employment Counseling and the Journal of Counseling and Development. She pursued a PhD in counselor education in order to teach and supervise the next generation of culturally responsive and humble counselors. Dr. Cabell has worked in career services, high schools, residential, and community agency settings. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Certified Career Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She has expertise in career development, depression, anxiety, and trauma.Link to dissertation study: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/6126/Link to articles based on dissertation study: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12392https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12256

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD interviews Lindsay Allen, PhD about her groundbreaking dissertation study titled, " Family Relationship Hope in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder". Dr. Allen discusses the quantitative study's implications for counseling, counselor education, and our personal lives.  She also shares her advice for making it through a PhD program and taking on the massive project that is a dissertation.Guest bio:Dr. Lindsay Allen is an assistant professor of counseling at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Orlando, Florida. She has a doctorate in counselor education and supervision and is currently a registered intern of both mental health and marriage and family counseling in the state of Florida. She has spent her career specializing both her clinical practice and research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, both with those with the diagnosis and their loved ones. As a counselor educator, it is her goal to help her students feel confident and competent to work with clients with disabilities. Link to dissertation study: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7383&context=etdLink to article based on dissertation study: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F10664807221104108

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD interviews Mitchell Waters, PhD about his novel dissertation study titled, " The Experiences of Religiously and Spiritually Diverse Counselors and Psychotherapists Who Work with Survivors of Sexual Violence ". Dr. Waters discusses the qualitative study's implications for counseling, counselor education, and our personal lives.  He also shares his advice for making it through a PhD program.Guest bio:Dr. Mitchell Waters is an Assistant Professor in Mental Health Counseling at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He received his Ph.D in Counselor Education and Supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and his Master's of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Richmont Graduate University in Chattanooga, TN. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with Mental Health Service Provider designation. He has worked as a counselor in community mental health, private practice, corrections, and higher education for years. He has had the privilege of working with individuals, couples, and groups of diverse gender, racial, ethnic, sexual, and religious identities. His clinical specialties are on the treatment of post-traumatic stress and sexual addiction. His research interests focus on survivors of trauma, secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma, religious and spiritual diversity in the counseling setting, and interfaith harmony.Link to dissertation study: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/6876/

In this episode, host Dana Brookover, PhD interviews Portia Newman, PhD about her groundbreaking and award-winning dissertation study titled, "Leading in Crooked Rooms: Race, Gender, Culture and Black Women's Leadership Skills and Practices". Dr. Newman discusses the grounded theory study's implications for the business world, education policy, and our personal lives.  She also shares her tips for making it through a PhD program.Guest bio: Dr. Portia Newman is a life-long learner with 10+ years of cross-sector experience in learning, leadership development, curriculum design and program management. Dr. Portia’s background compliments her data-informed approach to building sustainable programs, policies and in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging objectives. As a scholar-practitioner, she focuses on the impact of race, gender and socio-cultural identities on leadership skill development and practices within professional environments.Dr. Portia serves as a strategic program partner in learning and delivery by facilitating equity focused initiatives critical to scale and advance organizational efforts. Through timely, relevant, and innovative design, Dr. Portia supports businesses, industry companies and education entities with the strategic design and implementation of DEIB advisory, training and program design. This includes her development of curriculums for national organizations and leadership of a team of instructional designers and training facilitators.In service and for impact, Dr. Portia believes in the possibilities of this work and in the responsibility, we have as leaders to facilitate change within ourselves and our professional spaces. Dr. Portia earned her BA in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, before earning her MEd in Instructional Leadership and Education Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She earned her PhD in Educational Leadership, Policy and Justice program at Virginia Commonwealth University with thesis honors. Link to dissertation study: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/6622/Yosso (2005) article discussed: https://thrive.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/Whose%20culture%20has%20capital_A%20critical%20race%20theory%20discussion%20of%20community%20cultural%20wealth_1.pdf

In this brief episode, Dana Brookover, PhD, describes the concept of the podcast, introduces herself, and offers a preview of the episodes to come.Website: https://dissertationnation.buzzsprout.com/Twitter: @DissNationPodResources:https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/what-dissertationhttps://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/dissertations/