Date of Conferral
2021
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Human Services
Advisor
Dr. Kelly Chermack
Abstract
Abstract Domestic violence continues to be a health problem that affects women’s rights, physical health, and well-being. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the barriers and challenges that counselors are faced with in addressing spirituality as an aspect in treatment for domestic violence victims. Current literature addresses how or whether the integration of aspects of spirituality into a support group has been a source of strength and resilience for positive healing. The problem is that the lack of training or the appropriateness to integrating aspects of spirituality has hindered the counseling profession from addressing spirituality with their clients. A convenience sampling approach, along with snowball sampling, was used to collect data through semistructured interviews with licensed counselors in the state of Georgia. The data collected from in-depth interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis while reporting any similar themes from the results. Five themes emerged: the recognition of counselors’ own prejudice, integrating the aspects of spirituality assists counselors as a supportive guide to avoid barriers and challenges, counselor’s ability to create a safe environment, recognizing that more training and experience is needed, and advocating for additional resources. This study may contribute to social change by providing a new perspective reflecting counselor experiences of the use of aspects of spirituality in support for domestic violence recovery. Implications for social change in this area may also be to advance research in the counseling field and provide domestic violence survivors with alternative treatments using spirituality as an aspect.
Recommended Citation
Holley, Sylvia A., "Spirituality in Treatment for Domestic Violence Victims" (2021). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12389.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12389
