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Fostering Personal Growth for Counsellors through Transformative Pedagogy and the Learning of PDF

289 Pages·2017·13.62 MB·English
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Fostering Personal Growth for Counsellors through Transformative Pedagogy and the Learning of an Experiential Play-Based Therapy by Madeleine De Little M.Sc., Cranfield Institute of Technology, 1985 B.Ed., University of London, 1975 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Arts Education Program Faculty of Education  Madeleine De Little 2017 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fall 2017 Approval Name: Madeleine De Little Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title: Fostering Personal Growth for Counsellors through Transformative Pedagogy and the Learning of an Experiential Play-Based Therapy Examining Committee: Chair: Cher Hill Professor of Professional Practice Susan O’Neill Senior Supervisor Professor Yaroslav Senyshyn Supervisor Professor Celeste Snowber Internal/External Examiner Associate Professor Andrea Rose External Examiner Professor Faculty of Education Memorial University of Newfoundland Date Defended/Approved: November 15, 2017 ii Ethics Statement iii Abstract The impact of learning a new experiential play-based therapy on the personal growth of counselling students and qualified counsellors is explored in this study. Extensive research exists on personal growth opportunities for practicing counsellors within the context of group work, personal therapy, supervision and ongoing professional development. However, few studies focus on the integration of personal growth opportunities afforded through the learning of counselling strategies and approaches in counsellor education programs at the graduate level. Addressing this gap, the study draws on transformative pedagogy theory and practice as a way of understanding and fostering personal growth opportunities among both practicing and student counsellors. A qualitative action research methodology was used which draws upon the researcher’s own experience as both counsellor and counsellor educator. Participants, aged 22 to over 65 years, included three students in a full-time master’s counsellor education program, one in a full-time master’s in art therapy program, three students in a part-time master’s counsellor education program, and 10 qualified counsellors at master’s or diploma level working with children and youth in the field. The workshop component of the research, which was based on the principles of transformative pedagogy, involved a training course in Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Tray (NSST). The interview component consisted of individual in-depth interviews with participants using NSST to elicit responses plus a follow-up questionnaire after the course was completed. The process and the emergent outcomes of the participants' experiences were examined using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Each interview was video- taped and photographs were taken to document the participants’ process of engaging with NSST. IPA provided insights into how personal growth was experienced and how this in turn emerged as personal growth opportunities, which were both fostered and interpreted through a transformative pedagogical approach. There were two main findings. Most participants reported experiencing personal growth opportunities and these were manifested in a variety of ways. Further, the majority of participants reported experiencing one or more of the many aspects of the transformative pedagogy which foregrounded and afforded their personal growth. Implications for counsellor education are discussed. Keywords: transformative pedagogy, transformative learning, transformational change; counsellor education; personal growth, experiential learning; play-based therapy, sand tray therapy; neuroscience; Satir iv Dedication To all the children who have been harmed at the hands of adults. v Acknowledgements My Participants: Without your willingness to be vulnerable and open to change, this research could not be possible. I am indebted to you. Suzie O’Neil: Thank you for trusting in me from the very beginning that I could complete this enormous undertaking. I appreciate every piece of advice, direction and commitment that you have shown me. Jim Edmondson: Thank you for the commitment you have shown me and willingness to read out loud the whole theses several times, to comb through the cross-references to ensure exactness, the endless cups of tea, the walks. I can’t thank you enough. My life is even richer because of your love. Susan Wood: To my dear friend. I can’t thank you enough for being behind the scenes helping me to clarify my thinking as I struggled to put pen to paper Molly, Chloe and Lucy: To my three wonderful daughters. You three gave me inspiration and encouragement to work hard, to struggle, to be the best I can be. Janine, Shannon, Sharon, Dylan, Beth, Tim, April: We started this academic journey together and it has taken us to new places personally and professionally. I wish all of you the best in your new adventures. Jim Sparks: Thank you for giving me the courage and inspiration to start this journey and to continually to be able to refer to your masterpiece. Joanie Wolfe: Thank you for faithfully helping me to create a beautiful, clean, APA document. vi Table of Contents Approval .............................................................................................................................ii  Ethics Statement ............................................................................................................... iii  Abstract .............................................................................................................................iv  Dedication ......................................................................................................................... v  Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................................vi  Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. vii  List of Tables ................................................................................................................... xiv  List of Figures.................................................................................................................. xiv  List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................. xvii  Glossary ........................................................................................................................ xviii  Chapter 1.  Introduction ............................................................................................... 1  1.1.  Where Words Can’t Reach: Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Tray: The Researcher’s Story ........................................................................................... 1  1.2.  What Does Personal Growth Look Like and How Is It Promoted and Integrated in Counsellor Education? ................................. 5  1.3.  Transformational Change, Transformative Pedagogy, and Learning ...................... 9  1.4.  Structure of the Thesis ........................................................................................... 11  Chapter 2.  Transformative Pedagogy and Transformative Learning in the Context of this Study........................................................................ 14  2.1.  Transformative Learning ........................................................................................ 14  2.2.  Mezirow: Critical Reflection and Reflective Discourse in Transformative Learning ........................................................................................ 15  2.3.  Freire: Personal and Social Empowerment through Conscientization in Transformative Learning ........................................................................................ 17  2.4.  Dirkx: Spirituality and Soul Work in Transformative Learning ................................ 17  2.5.  Taylor: Emotions and Implicit Memory in Transformative Learning ....................... 19  2.6.  Hoshmand, Lawrence, Marks-Tarlow, Schön, Wong-Wylie: Reflection in Action and Intuition ............................................................................ 20  2.7.  Freiler: Transformative Learning within the Body ................................................... 22  2.8.  Clark, Cranton, Daloz, Taylor: The Relationship between Teacher and Student in Transformative Learning .................................................. 23  2.9.  McGilchrist: Neuroscience Ends the Rational versus the Emotional Debate in Transformative Learning ....................................................... 23  2.9.1.  Right brain versus left brain ...................................................................... 24  2.9.2.  Reason versus rationality .......................................................................... 25  2.10. Papastamatis and Panitsides: A Holistic Approach to Transformative Learning .................................................... 25  2.11. Key Issues in Transformative Learning for the Context of this Study .................... 26  2.12. Transformative Pedagogy ...................................................................................... 28  vii Chapter 3.  Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Tray (NSST), Play Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, and the Importance of Play ......... 32  3.1.  What Does the Research Tell Us about the Efficacy of Play Therapy with Children? ................................................................. 32  3.2.  Using the Sand Tray in the NSST Approach .......................................................... 34  3.3.  The Importance of Play .......................................................................................... 35  3.4.  The Play Circuitry in the Brain ................................................................................ 37  3.5.  The Origins and Development of Sand Tray Therapy ............................................ 39  3.6.  Non-verbal Communication through the Sand Tray ............................................... 43  3.7.  Imagination, Creativity, and the Power of the Metaphor in the Sand Tray ............. 44  3.8.  Transformational Systemic Therapy (TST) ............................................................ 45  3.8.1.  The 14 basic tenets of the Satir model ..................................................... 45  3.8.2.  The five essential elements of the Satir model required to bring about transformational change .................................. 46  3.8.3.  The elements of the Satir iceberg metaphor as a model for being human ......................................................................... 47  Feelings. ................................................................................................... 50  Feelings about feelings. ............................................................................ 50  Perceptions. .............................................................................................. 51  Expectations. ............................................................................................ 51  Yearnings. ................................................................................................. 52  Congruence. ............................................................................................. 52  Spirituality. ................................................................................................ 53  The iceberg in summary. .......................................................................... 53  3.9.  Other Elements of the Training in NSST ................................................................ 54  3.9.1.  Therapeutic attachment and attachment between children and caregiver in relation to mirror neurons ............................. 54  The attachment relationship of child and caregiver. ................................. 54  The role of mirror neurons in attachment. ................................................. 57  The therapeutic attachment of right-brain to right-brain is critical to transformational change in therapy. ...................................... 60  3.9.2.  The fear response: The drive for safety and the underlying defence patterns of coping .................................................. 62  The fear response in the NSST approach. ............................................... 63  3.9.3.  Awareness of shifts in body states ............................................................ 64  Clients body awareness. ........................................................................... 64  The therapist’s awareness of their body. .................................................. 65  3.9.4.  Personal growth of the self ....................................................................... 65  3.9.5.  The role of intuition in the NSST approach ............................................... 66  3.9.6.  Enactments ............................................................................................... 67  3.9.7.  Epigenetics ............................................................................................... 68  3.10. Summary of the Chapter ........................................................................................ 68  viii Chapter 4.  Literature Review of How Personal Growth Is Facilitated during Counsellor Education .............................................. 69  4.1.  What does the literature tell us about counsellor education course planning that has an intentional personal growth component where counselling skills are learned incidentally? ........................................................................................ 70  4.2.  What does the literature tell us about intentional skill training programming in counsellor education where personal growth is incidental? ............................... 72  4.3.  What does the literature tell us about counsellor education programming that intentionally integrates personal growth promotion concurrently with teaching skill development? ................................................................................... 73  4.4.  What Does the Literature Say about Transformative Pedagogy in Counsellor Education? ........................................................................................... 79  4.5.  What Does the Literature Tell Us about Play Therapy Training for Counsellors in Relation to Their Personal Growth? ............................................... 84  4.6.  Research on How Using the Sand Tray Impacts the Personal Growth of Students in Counsellor Education .......................................................................... 87  4.7.  Summary ................................................................................................................ 89  Chapter 5.  Research Methodology .......................................................................... 91  5.1.  Overview ................................................................................................................ 91  5.2.  The Workshop Component .................................................................................... 92  5.3.  Recruitment of Research Participants .................................................................... 92  5.4.  Location and Welcome ........................................................................................... 93  5.5.  Weekend Schedule ................................................................................................ 94  5.6.  The Workshop Content .......................................................................................... 95  5.6.1.  Theoretical subject matter outline ............................................................. 95  5.6.2.  The core focus of the weekend work ........................................................ 96  5.6.3.  Teaching modalities .................................................................................. 97  5.7.  Participant Responses ........................................................................................... 98  5.7.1.  The interview component .......................................................................... 98  5.7.2.  Post-training questionnaire ....................................................................... 98  5.8.  Ethical Issues: Confidentiality and Personal Safety ............................................... 99  5.9.  Description of the Analysis ................................................................................... 100  5.9.1.  Phenomenology ...................................................................................... 100  5.9.2.  Hermeneutics .......................................................................................... 101  5.9.3.  Idiography ............................................................................................... 102  5.9.4.  Social constructivism .............................................................................. 102  5.10. Interpretation ........................................................................................................ 102  5.11. Data Compilation and Analysis ............................................................................ 103  5.11.1.  Stage 1 .................................................................................................... 104  5.11.2.  Stage 2 .................................................................................................... 104  5.11.3.  Stage 3 .................................................................................................... 104  5.11.4.  Stage 4 .................................................................................................... 105  5.11.5.  Stage 5 .................................................................................................... 105  ix 5.12. Researcher’s Reflections of the Messiness of Qualitative Research ................... 106  5.12.1.  Self as designer ...................................................................................... 107  5.12.2.  Self as teacher ........................................................................................ 107  Relationship of care in the workshop component. .................................. 107  Modelling of a therapeutic relationship. .................................................. 107  5.12.3.  Self as interviewer ................................................................................... 109  5.12.4.  Self as researcher ................................................................................... 109  Chapter 6.  Findings ................................................................................................. 113  6.1.  Theme 1: Becoming Aware of Personal Issues ................................................... 114  6.1.1.  Self-exploration, shame, acceptance ...................................................... 115  6.1.2.  Personal growth leads to being a better counsellor ................................ 116  6.1.3.  Family of origin ........................................................................................ 116  6.1.4.  Professional growth goals ....................................................................... 117  6.1.5.  Comment ................................................................................................ 120  6.2.  Theme 2: Deep Sense of Connection to and Freedom for Self ........................... 120  6.2.1.  Intuition ................................................................................................... 121  6.2.2.  Soul work ................................................................................................ 123  6.2.3.  Self-love .................................................................................................. 127  6.2.4.  Imagination and magic ............................................................................ 129  6.2.5.  Peace and freedom ................................................................................. 130  6.2.6.  Comment ................................................................................................ 133  6.3.  Theme 3: Richer Choice of Feelings, Perceptions, and Expectations for Self ..... 133  6.3.1.  Choice in feelings about self ................................................................... 134  6.3.2.  Choice of perceptions of self and others ................................................. 136  6.3.3.  Choice of expectations of self and others ............................................... 138  6.3.4.  Comment ................................................................................................ 140  6.4.  Theme 4: Body Awareness and Freedom from Physical Pain ............................. 140  6.4.1.  Positive physical changes ....................................................................... 141  6.4.2.  Negative physical changes ..................................................................... 144  6.4.3.  Comment ................................................................................................ 144  6.5.  Theme 5: Powerful New Insights about Past Self ................................................ 145  6.5.1.  Clarity about negative feelings and perceptions ..................................... 145  6.5.2.  Clarity of potential ................................................................................... 148  6.5.3.  Clarity about unmet expectations ............................................................ 152  6.5.4.  Comment ................................................................................................ 154  6.6.  Theme 6: Being Effective, Competent, and Confident Personally and Professionally .............................................................................. 154  6.6.1.  Personal confidence in their private lives ................................................ 155  6.6.2.  Personal confidence in their professional lives ....................................... 157  6.6.3.  Comment ................................................................................................ 160  6.7.  Theme 7: Feelings of Being Nurtured and Safe ................................................... 161  6.8.  Post-Training Questionnaire ................................................................................ 163  6.8.1.  Post-Training Questionnaire returned after three months ....................... 164  6.8.2.  Post-Training Questionnaire returned after 20 months ........................... 167  6.8.3.  Summary ................................................................................................. 168  x

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