COUNS-EDU: The International Journal of Counseling and Education

Guyanese American Mental Wellness: A Phenomenological Study of Rupture and Resilience

2026-05-08T15:47:03+07:00

Guyana has one of the highest suicide rates in the Western Hemisphere, yet the mental health experiences of Guyanese Americans remain underexamined. This study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis and Relational Cultural Theory to explore how Guyanese Americans understand and navigate mental wellness. Thirty participants shared lived experiences through individual interviews and a follow-up focus group. Findings revealed two overarching themes: relational rupture and relational resilience, operating across interconnected personal, familial, and sociocultural levels. Relational rupture reflected experiences of emotional silence, stigma, and disconnection shaped by family dynamics, cultural expectations, and migration contexts. In contrast, relational resilience emerged through increased self-awareness, culturally responsive counseling, community connection, and generational boundary-setting. Implications are discussed for counselors seeking to provide culturally responsive, relationally attuned mental health care for Guyanese American clients.

Effects of a Self-Regulation Counseling Intervention on Ego Depletion Among University Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study

2026-05-11T19:01:51+07:00

The transition to higher education places substantial self-regulatory demands on students, which may contribute to ego depletion. Although self-regulation interventions have been widely discussed, evidence regarding counseling-based approaches specifically designed to reduce ego depletion among university students remains limited. This study evaluated the effects of the Self-Regulation Counseling Approach (SRCA) on ego depletion among university students. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control-group design was used. From a population of 729 students, 30 participants were selected through systematic random sampling and allocated to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). Ego depletion was assessed using a 58-item researcher-developed questionnaire. The instrument demonstrated acceptable content validity (CVI = 0.80), satisfactory item validity based on Pearson correlation analysis, and high internal consistency (Cronbach’s ? = 0.955). Posttest differences between groups were examined using analysis of covariance, with pretest scores included as a covariate. After adjustment for baseline scores, the experimental group showed a significantly greater reduction in ego depletion than the control group (p < 0.05). These findings provide preliminary evidence that SRCA may help reduce ego depletion among university students. However, the small sample size and quasi-experimental design limit the generalizability and causal interpretation of the results. Further studies with larger samples, stronger allocation procedures, and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm the intervention’s effects.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Burnout: A Systematic Review

2026-05-11T18:55:02+07:00

Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism, and reduced personal accomplishment and may develop following prolonged exposure to occupational or academic stress. Mindfulness-based interventions have increasingly been examined as an approach to preventing or reducing burnout. However, recent evidence remains fragmented across professional and educational populations, and the consistency of findings and proposed pathways underlying their effects have not been clearly synthesized. This systematic review aimed to evaluate evidence published between 2020 and 2025 on the use of mindfulness-based interventions to address burnout. A literature search was conducted in Scopus using predefined eligibility criteria, including publication within the specified period and explicit examination of a mindfulness-based approach in relation to burnout. Of the 164 records identified, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Overall, the included studies generally reported reductions in burnout following mindfulness-based interventions, particularly among health professionals, educators, and students. The findings also suggested that increased present-moment awareness, improved emotion regulation, and nonjudgmental acceptance may contribute to these outcomes, although these pathways were not consistently tested across studies. The available evidence supports the potential use of mindfulness-based programs as preventive or supportive strategies for burnout. Nevertheless, variation in study designs, populations, intervention formats, and outcome measures limits firm conclusions. Further rigorous studies are needed to determine which intervention components are most effective, for whom, and under what conditions.

Trauma-Informed Risk Communication for Self-Directed Violence: A Supervision Model for Counselor Education

2026-07-16T17:20:47+07:00

This teaching practice brief presents a counselor education supervision model to support counselors-in-training serving clients experiencing self-directed violence, such as non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal ideation. The current model emerged from previously published grounded theory research on counselor-in-training needs for intervening on self-directed violence resulting in two key themes: (1) two forms of supervisory support are needed: logistical and emotional, and (2) supervisors are reported to exhibit a concerning spectrum of skill with both, impacting trainees. This brief is intended to translate these findings into practical supervision recommendations. Supervisors who intentionally provide attuned logistical and emotional support scaffold the clinical competencies necessary for counselors-in-training to both seek timely help for intervening in self-directed violence and protect themselves from compassion fatigue. Therefore, trauma-informed risk communication, informed by relevant research, is described. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Development and Formative Evaluation of a Flipbook-Based Digital Module for Basic Guidance and Counseling

2026-07-17T18:10:06+07:00

Digital teaching materials may provide greater visual support, flexibility, and instructional guidance than conventional materials in counselor education. This study aimed to develop a flipbook-based digital teaching module for the Basic Guidance and Counseling course and obtain preliminary evidence of its content feasibility, instructional appropriateness, and lecturer-perceived usability. The study used an ADDIE-informed development research design comprising analysis, design, development, limited implementation, and formative evaluation. The module included learning outcomes, concept maps, instructional content, summaries, assignments, multimedia-supported explanations, navigation features, and references. Formative evaluation involved three guidance and counseling experts and three lecturers. Data were collected using an expert validation sheet, lecturer usability questionnaire, open-ended questionnaire, and focus group discussion guide. Quantitative ratings were analyzed descriptively using a five-point scale, while qualitative comments were categorized and used to revise the module. The mean expert rating was 3.82, indicating that the module was considered feasible according to the predetermined assessment criteria. Lecturer ratings were 3.72 during individual review and 4.14 during limited usability evaluation, while the structured rating obtained following the focus group discussion was 4.66. Feedback resulted in revisions to the module’s language, illustrations, navigation, and implementation guidance. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the module is feasible in content and instructional organization and is perceived by lecturers as usable for Basic Guidance and Counseling instruction. Further evaluation involving students and classroom implementation is required to assess student usability and learning outcomes.