Date of Conferral

11-18-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Dr. Danyelle Brooks

Abstract

Survivors of same-sex intimate partner violence (IPV) face negative mental health consequences. A lack of research exists on how social support, emotional and coping regulation, and counselors’ behaviors, knowledge, and skills affect the help-seeking behaviors and therapeutic outcomes of survivors of same-sex IPV. Addressing the gap is important because recent studies report an increase in same-sex IPV but low levels of help-seeking behaviors in response. If unaddressed, IPV can affect the well-being and safety of those partnered individuals. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of same-sex IPV survivors who received therapeutic counseling. The theoretical foundation for this study was hermeneutic phenomenology and minority stress theory. The research question sought to answer what the lived experiences of the same-sex survivors of IPV are, their perceptions of counselor competencies, and whether the therapeutic relationship affected the outcome of therapy. The six participants were same-sex IPV survivors. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Minority stress was found to be related to the abuse. The results of this study suggest that individuals who experience same-sex IPV have numerous challenges when trying to acquire help. The findings substantiate the need to improve counselor competency in working with same-sex IPV survivors. Recommendations for future research include the use of a larger sample size, a mixed-methods approach, and a cross-sectional or longitudinal design. The study may lead to positive social change for individuals in same-sex relationships who have experienced IPV by showing areas of need for counselor improvement.

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