Wounded Healer as the Counselor - Therapeutic or Hindrance - Research Proposal Example

?Research Proposal - The wounded healer as the counsellor: therapeutic or hindrance Executive Summary The ability of counsellors to respond to the needs of their patients is depended on a series of factors; under the influence of these factors, the intervention of a counsellor in his patient’s problem can be either therapeutic or hindrance. The proposed study focuses on the examination of the potential role of wound on the performance of counsellors; this issue is examined in the following two dimensions: whether a wounded healer can become a successful counsellor and whether a wounded counsellor can meet the requirements of his role, i.e. whether his intervention in a particular case is therapeutic or hindrance. For the needs of this paper, empathy is not considered as a standardized response of wounded counsellors; instead, their actual responses to cases, which are similar with their wound, are explored. At the next level, the level at which wounded healers are used as counsellors is presented and evaluated – reference is also made to the perceptions of the public on the involvement of wounded healers in counselling but also to the challenges and barriers that wounded healers are likely to face when entering the specific field of practice. Two different research methods, the literature review and the qualitative research/ semi-structured interviews will be used in order to examine all aspects of the involvement of wounded healers in counselling. The specific subject has been examined in the literature but the empirical evidence available is rather limited; moreover, the critical presentation of recent literature and its comparison with the findings of empirical research/ interviews would reveal issues for further research. Aims and objectives of the research The aims and the objectives of this study would be described as follows: a) to show the aspects/ forms of the term ‘wounded’, not just in relation to healers, but in general, b) to present the terms under which a ‘wounded’ person can realize his condition and vice versa, i.e. to show whether a person may not realize the power of a psychological or physical problem on his character/ thought; the above two issues will be examined in general but also with reference to individuals who are involved in counselling, c) to show the signs that would be considered as indicators in order to characterize an individual as wounded; the specific issue will be examined analytically in regard to counsellors, i.e. how they could be diagnosed that a counsellor is wounded, d) to emphasize on the challenges and the difficulties faced by counsellors who are wounded – as the term will be used in the context of the proposed study, e) to show the terms under which wounded healers can be accepted as counsellors, f) to explain whether a wounded healer can hide his problem and become a counsellor; reference will be made to the potential effects of such practice and g) to measure and evaluate the response of the public towards such initiatives – i.e. the involvement of wounded healers in the provision of counselling services. Research questions The proposed study is expected to answer to the following questions: a) how the term wounded would be applied in regard to healers who are interested in becoming counsellors? b) Could the wounded healer respond to the needs of counselling, c) which would be the factors that could affect positively/ or negatively the performance of a wounded healer as a counsellor and d) could the patients trust the wounded healer as a counsellor? Justification of research questions The term ‘wounded’ can have many different meanings. Usually, the term is used in order to show physical or psychological incompetence caused by an unexpected event. This issue, the potential negative effects of unexpected events on human behaviour has been extensively examined in the literature; however, the correlation between the term ‘wounded’ and counselling – referring to the counsellor and not the patient, has not been adequately examined in the literature. In fact, the relevant studies are few indicating the gap in the particular field. It should be noted that the relationship between the term ‘wounded’ and counselling can have many different aspects, which will be examined in this study – see the aims and objectives section above. At the next level, the following problem appears: would the wounded healer be able to respond to the needs of counselling? The answer to this question depends on the answer given to the question set previously. In fact, this issue should be addressed after examining the context of the term ‘wounded’ in regard to counsellors and the conditions under which a wounded counsellor could be identified – meaning that the ‘wound’ of the counsellor could be made clear to third persons (supervisors, colleagues, patients) or even to the counsellor himself. In regard to the last question examined in this study, the following issues need to be highlighted: in many medical units the ability of counsellors to provide effective guidelines to the persons who need psychological support is doubted; usually, a patient who face a severe problem of health cannot trust a counsellor who has not personally experienced such problem - on the basis that the evaluation of the problem by the above counsellor would not be effective. On the other hand, there are healthcare settings where wounded healers are preferred as counsellors – especially on issues related to their problem of health. In this way, it is expected that the patients will feel more comfortable and will accept easier the suggestions of the counsellor – having in mind that he has experienced or he is experiencing a similar problem and he is more likely to understand the patients’ psychological conditions. The above issues should be further examined as they are of critical importance for the development of an effective planning in the provision of psychological support to people with severe problems of health. The identification of the level at which people facing various problem of health are likely to trust more wounded healers as counsellors could help to the increase of the participation of these professionals in the specific field of practice. Theoretical Framework Wounds can have various forms; in accordance with Baranoski and Ayello (2008) wounds would be categorized as follows: ‘surgical, traumatic, neuropathic, vascular or pressure-related etiology’ (Baranoski and Ayello 2008, p.78). In the above context, it is noted that the treatment of each wound is differentiated – in accordance with its type and the resources available. From a similar point of view, wound is defined as ‘a defect or breach in the continuity of the skin’ (Alexander et al 2000, p.738). Apart from the medical aspects of wound there are also certain legal aspects: wound can lead to the punishment of the person who caused it; in accordance with the relevant legal rules, the wound is ‘an injury to the mucous membrane’ (Taylor 1858, p.227); this is the definition of wound for law. A similar definition is provided in a study published by the London Medical Gazette (1858). In the above study it is noted that wound is ‘an injury to the person, by which the skin is broken’ (London Medical Gazette 1858, p.71). At this point it would be necessary to define the definition of wound which best reflects the aims of this study: in the context of this study the definition of wound given by Baranoski and Ayello (2008) – as presented above – will be used in order to examine the following issue: can wounded healers become effective counsellors and, if not, which would the factors that would negatively influence their relevant efforts? Moreover, the term ‘wound’ as described by Baranoski and Ayello (2008) will be used in order to answer the research questions on which this study is based. Reference will be also made to a particular aspect of wounds: under certain conditions, a wound can become a chronic wound – if not appropriately treated; this is an issue highlighted in the study of Sussman and Bates-Jensen (2007). The above issue will be taken into consideration in this study, under the terms that a chronic wound cannot be related only to surgical wounds – as Sussman and Bates-Jensen (2007) suggest but also to wounds in general – using the term of wound provided by Baranoski and Ayello (2008). In order to understand whether a wound could affect the performance of a counsellor, it would be necessary to refer to the requirements of counselling – in terms of the skills and characteristics of the counsellor involved. In accordance with Nefer (2009), ‘a counsellor is a human being and from this point of view he cannot be totally independent from his past or present experiences’ (Nefer 2009, p.40). Moreover, Geldard K. & Geldard D. (2008) noted that a counsellor needs to be able to understand the needs of patients – in terms of their traumatic experiences; in this context, wounded counsellors would be considered as more effective in handling severe psychological disorders; however, this issue would be further explored setting the characteristics of ‘wound’ as it can refer to counsellors – and healers. A wounded healer is expected to respond more effectively to the needs of ill persons; the reason is that the healer who has personally experienced or who is experiencing the illness ‘acts as a bridge between the world of wellness and the world of illness’ (Miller 2003, p.158). In other words, a wounded healer can understand clearer the needs of ill persons in terms of psychological support since he has personal experiences on illness. From this point of view, the involvement of wounded healers in counselling would lead to the improvement of psychological support to those suffering from various illnesses. From a similar point of view Marini et al. (2008) notes that the involvement of wounded healers in counselling solves an important problem: patients are likely not to trust counsellors thinking that they are not ‘compassionate to their problem since they do not have any emotional, spiritual or psychological vulnerability’ (Marini et al. 2008, p.809). On the other hand, Stebnicki (2008) supports that the involvement of a wounded healer in counselling would harm the therapeutic process for the following reason: the physical/ psychological condition of the wounded healer could leave him ‘vulnerable not just to himself but also the client/ patient’ (Sebnicki 2008, p.53). However, Gagnon (1994) states that a wounded healer can understand easier the needs of the patient; this is proved also by the fact that those who are going to be involved in counselling are trained in real life conditions – in order to be able to understand the needs of patients. In the case of wounded healers, no such training is required – a view similar with that of White (2007) and Urbsaitis (2009). At the next level, Nolasco (2010 argues that each counsellor would not become too- involved in the problems of the patients – a view based on ‘Goldberg’s approach on counselling’ (Nolasco, 2010, p.21); this view would lead to the assumption that the involvement of a wounded healer in counselling would negatively affect the therapeutic process. The role of the wounded healer as counsellor would be further explored using relevant literature and, mostly, the empirical research – in the context described below. Methods of data collection and analysis – presentation and justification The research developed for this study will be of two different forms: a) literature review and b) empirical research. The details of these methods would be further analysed as follows: a) in the context of the literature review, a series of academic sources of various forms – books, journals, medical databases – will be reviewed trying to identify material which is necessary for explaining the various aspects of the issues under discussion. At this point the following issues need to be made clear: a1) the studies/ data retrieved by reviewing the literature will be as recent as possible; however, the date of publication will be not a criterion for rejecting a study, especially if the material included is valuable for explaining the issues discussed in the proposed study, a2) only academic sources will be used for developing the proposed study; b) the empirical research developed for the proposed study will be qualitative; a series of semi-structured interviews will be conducted with counsellors in 4 different British hospitals; in total, 4 interviews will be conducted; the participants will be identified using the databases of medical institutions across the country; the participants will be contacted by e-mail and they will be given the necessary information on the particular research; in case that a person is accepted to participate in the survey, a second e-mail will follow through which the potential participant will be asked to set the date/ time for the interview – in his place of work or in the University campus; also, it is necessary that he will sign and return the Consent Form attached. At this point the following issues need to be highlighted: a) at a first level, 8 counsellors will be asked to participate in the survey; it is expected that not all of them will accept to participate in the survey; it should be noted that those counsellors who have been worked as healers will be preferred, b) a sample of 4 interviews is set as a target for this study, c) the counsellors will be chosen randomly – there will be no criterion of gender, position in the organization or health status – as explained above the aim of this paper is to explore the characteristics of ‘wound’ in counselling and whether such ‘wound’ can be an obstacle for a healer in order to become a counsellor, d) ‘wound’ as a term explored through this study is not set as a criterion for choosing the potential participants; rather, the existence and the consequences of ‘wound’ in counselling – referring to the counsellors not to the patients – will be identified, if existing, through the answers of the participants; i.e. they will be the answers of the participants that will verify the existence, or not, of ‘wounds’ in counselling (referring to counsellors); it is also through the answers of the participants that the implications of ‘wounds’ for counsellors will be identified; of course, the literature published in this field will be also used for examining the issues discussed above. The use of the semi-structured interviews as a research method for this study has been decided because of the following reason: b1) the specific research method is the most appropriate one in order for the personal perceptions of counsellors in regard to ‘wounds’ – as a personal problem of counsellors - to be identified and evaluated; b2) moreover, through the specific research method, the following benefit is expected: additional issues, important for this study, may be revealed – compared to those on which the research initially focused; in this way, the thematic area of the study can be expanded at the level that such fact could lead to the increase of the study’s value and credibility. The use of a survey through a questionnaire with suggested answers would not leave space to counsellors to reveal their actual thoughts on ‘wounds’ in relation to counselling; in this way, the aspects of ‘wound’ as a factor influencing the behaviour of counsellors would not be revealed. At this point the following problem appears: how the views of the public on the involvement of wounded healers as counsellors could be identified – since the interviews would not help to the examination of this issue; however, the relevant gap can be effectively covered through the literature; indeed, in the context of the literature review conducted for this study, empirical studies will be reviewed and used in order to show the common perceptions of the public on the effectiveness of wounded healers when working as counsellors. Ethical issues of the research In order to understand the ethical implications of the proposed study, it would be necessary to refer to the literature related to the chosen research method – qualitative research/ interviews. In accordance with Mauthner et al. (2002) one of the ethical requirements of interviews – as part of the qualitative research – is that the practices involved must allow participants ‘to employ conventional modes of self-expression’ (Mauthner et al. 2002, p.146). The provision of the freedom to the participants to express their views on the issues under discussion is also highlighted in the study of Eckstein (2003); in the above study, another ethical aspect of interviews as a qualitative research method is analysed: it is noted that in the context of interviews, participants have to be informed in advance on the details of the research – especially in regard to the issues addressed through the questions involved. Otherwise, as Eckstein (2003) notes, the risk involved would not be acceptable by the Ethics Committee (Eckstein 2003, p.59). The need for aligning the structure and content of the research conducted for a study with the ethical standards of academic research is also highlighted in the study of Holloway – where reference is made to the importance of the ethical forms as documents ensuring the alignment of academic studies with the ethics involved in academic research (Holloway 1997). As noted above, the research developed for this study will be carefully reviewed as of its alignment with the ethical standards involved in academic research. In order to secure that there will be no issue of violation of these standards, the following initiatives will be developed: a) the participants will be informed on the details of the research project, b) at the next level, the participants will be asked to sign and return a Consent Form, c) the participants will be given the option to avoid answering in one or more questions without giving explanations on their decision, d) the personal details of the participants will not be revealed – otherwise, their identification would be easy, a fact that could possibly influence their decision in participating in the specific research; reference will be made just to their position in their organization and their age; the provision of additional information on the participants’ personal details is an issue on which the participants will be asked to decide; again their written consent on this would be necessary. Contribution of the study to the body of knowledge in counselling practice The literature published on the issues examined through the proposed study is rather limited; at the next level the following problem seems to exist: the empirical findings retrieved through relevant studies are not adequate – taking into consideration the value and the complexity of the issue under discussion. In this context, the proposed study is expected to contribute to the increase of the literature available in the particular field. As explained above, the ‘wound’ of a healer or a counsellor is not always easy to be identified; in fact, in most cases, wounded healers can become counsellors without the ‘wound’ to be revealed – especially if the wound is psychological. Through this study, the characteristics of wounded healers are presented – as possible – highlighting the following facts: the existence of wound cannot always affect the performance of a healer or a counsellor; even regarding the healer’s behaviour, the level at which a ‘wound’ could affect the counsellor’s decisions/ perceptions can be doubted. Therefore, this study will contribute in the particular field at the level that it will help to explore the following issues: a) which are the characteristics and the context of ‘wound’ when referring to healers and counsellors, b) under which terms a ‘wound’ can affect the behaviour and performance o counsellors, c) how the effects of ‘wounds’ on the behaviour and performance of counsellors could be controlled, d) can the criteria for the identification of ‘wounds’ in regard to counsellors and healers be standardized? In other words, is it possible in all cases to identify wounded healers or counsellors? And e) is the actual response of the public to wounded healers and counsellors negative; or else, at which level the patients could be negative towards wounded healers and counsellors. Another important issue explored through this study would be the following one: can the patients identify ‘wounds’ – referring to ‘wounds’ as characteristics/ problems of healers and counsellors. Timeline of the project The project is expected to be developed in a series of phases – about 4 phases in total – see also the Gantt chart below: in the first phase of the project, the questions of the interviews will be developed – taking into consideration the study’s aims and objectives, but also the research questions – as presented above; also in this phase, the participants will be identified, as explained above, and will be contacted; the date/ time of the interviews will be also arranged – within a period of 10 days ahead, as maximum. The first phase of the project is expected to take about 3 days to be completed. In the second phase of the project the literature published on the specific issue will be reviewed and evaluated; the material, which is appropriate for the study, will be also chosen and the initial parts of the study’s literature review section will be written – in the form of a draft. At the same time, the interviews will be contacted – in accordance with the time schedule set in coordination with the participants; the simultaneous engagement in the literature review and the empirical research is inevitable due to the form of the project – referring especially to the type of the research methodology chosen. The second phase of the project is expected to last for about 15 days. At the next level, the findings of the research – referring both to the literature and the interviews – need to be appropriately categorized and used for developing the study’s text. As for the literature review chapter this will be divided in appropriate sections – emphasizing on the aims and objectives of the study; all issues discussed in this section will be supported using appropriate literature. The findings of the empirical research will be presented in a separate section; primarily, these findings will be categorized and evaluated using a thematic approach of analysis. This phase of the study will take about 10 days to be completed. Finally, 2 days will be required for the study’s final part, the conclusions/ recommendations section. Budget of associated costs The costs required for the development of this study would be estimated as follows: a) for transport: about $70, b) for printing/ photocopying: about $60, c) various personal expenses during the development of the study/ food, beverages etc.: about $140. The researcher will cover these costs and any other cost that would potentially appear up to the completion of the study. References Alexander, M., Fawcett, J., Runciman, P. (2000) Nursing practice: hospital and home : the adult. London: Elsevier Health Sciences Baranoski, S., Ayello E. (2008) Wound care essentials: practice principles. Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Coffey, G., Kessler, M. (2008) The reflective counsellor: daily meditations for lawyers. Chicago: American Bar Association Eckstein, S. (2003) Manual for research ethics committees. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Gagnon, J. (1994) Wounded healer. London: Greenwood Publishing Group Holloway, I. (1997) Basic concepts for qualitative research. London: Wiley-Blackwell London Medical Gazette (1838) London: London medical gazette, Volume 22 Marini, I. & Stebnicki, M. (2008). The professional counsellor's desk reference. New York: Springer Publishing Company Mauthner, M., Birch, M., Jessop, J., Miller, T. (2002) Ethics in qualitative research. London: Sage Miller, G. (2003) Incorporating spirituality in counselling and psychotherapy: theory and technique. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons Nolasco, R. (2010) The Contemplative Counsellor: A Way of Being. Fortress Press Stebnicki, M. (2008) Empathy fatigue: healing the mind, body, and spirit of professional counsellors. New York: Springer Publishing Company Sussman, C., Bates-Jensen, B. (2007) Wound care: a collaborative practice manual. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Taylor, A. (1858) Medical jurisprudence. London: J. Churchill Urbsaitis, B. (2009) Wounded Healers. New York: Bryan Mark Urbsaitis White, W. (2007) Counsellor Magazine's Addiction Professional's Reference Guide. HCI Appendix Interview questions – for counsellors 1. How long have you been working in the specific organization? 2. Which are your thoughts regarding the difficulties you have to face on daily basis? Are they related to your gender/ age/ position in the organization or are they irrelevant, showing a potential trend in regard to the beliefs of local population on counselling? 3. Have you worked as a healer in the past and for how long? 4. How would you describe the term ‘wound’ as a factor influencing the behaviour/ perceptions of individuals? 5. Do you think that the social environment of a wounded person is important for the healing of the wound? 6. Would you remember a few cases when you felt most empathy towards your patients? 7. Would you remember cases when your counselling most help your patients? 8. Do you consider that wounds are always identifiable? 9. Do you think that wounds are always expected to set barriers for the personal and the professional development? Can wounds have a positive role in the behaviour/ perceptions of wounded individuals? 10. How you would characterize the perceptions of the public towards wounded healers? Read More