LPCs’ Therapeutic Relationships Working With Clients With Body Image Concerns

[Sehrish Ali]

A Qualitative Exploration of Licensed Professional Counselors’ Therapeutic Relationships Working With Clients With Body Image Concerns

My name is Sehrish Ali, and I am a doctoral candidate in the Department of Counselor Education at Sam Houston State University. My dissertation research is a phenomenological study exploring the lived experiences of licensed professional counselors working with body image concerns in clinical practice setting. I am conducting this research under the facilitation of my director Dr. Jeffrey Sullivan, and dissertation committee members Dr. Chi-Sing Li, and Dr. DeAnna Green in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Ph.D. in Counselor Education.

I am currently seeking participants who meet the criteria for this study and are willing to participate in the interview and data collection process. Participants will be eligible to participate in this study if they meet the following conditions: (a) full state licensure status as an LPC for a minimum of 2 years, (b) previous or current professional counseling experience with a client with body image concerns

Negative body image characteristics can include negative feelings, cognitions, behaviors, and perceptions regarding one’s body image (Thompson et al., 1999). In addition to the eligibility criteria, I am looking for potential participants that have previously or are currently exploring body-image related concerns with one or more of their clients. These clients may have struggled with cognitive distortions about their bodies, self-worth related concerns about their body image, tried to alter their physical shape or form through exercise, surgery, and/or food restriction. Body image concerns can lead to distress within their daily lives which prevents which impacts their relationships, daily activities and/or experiences and become the focus within the therapeutic process. By conducting this research, the goal of the study is to gain an understanding and learn about the experiences of professional counselors who are comfortable initiate, explore, and address client body image issues may contribute helpful information to support other counselors and students.

This study is voluntary, and your participation will be kept confidential. Individuals who consent to participate in this study will be asked to complete the following: (a) a demographic questionnaire. Based on responses, those who meet the criteria will move on to the study’s second phase, consisting of (b) a 60-minute semi-structured interview. The interview will be conducted online via a secure videoconferencing platform. The research is relatively straightforward, and we do not expect the study to pose any risk to any volunteer participants other than the usual discomfort of exploring thoughts and emotions.

If you are interested in participating in this study, please email me at saa067@shsu.edu

Thank you so much for your consideration!

Sehrish Ali,LPC,CEDS
Sam Houston State University
Department of Counselor Education

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