title: "How did I get here:" An autoethnographic study of a counsellor educator's lived experience of 'becoming'

authors: Dobbs, Andrea

subjects: counsellor educator

abstract: This study considers the usefulness of applying key concepts of the Rogerian theory of ‘becoming a person’ as a framework to theorise the personal growth and change process of becoming a counsellor. It is contended that person-centred philosophy and theory provides one way in which to view the personal development of the person of counsellor during training. This hypothesis is based on the recognition of a perceived similar change and growth process which Rogers identified in clients in therapy, with those of training counsellors. After reviewing the literature on the importance placed on the personal development of counsellors in training, a distinction is made between personal development and personal growth. An apparent gap is identified within undergraduate training. It is recognised that some students, in particular mature students, training at undergraduate tertiary level for the first time, have unique challenges from those within post graduate programmes. A further gap within the literature is the self-study of a student’s own experience and perceptions of undertaking counsellor training at this level. Therefore, fitting the above demographic, the author retrospectively examines her personal experience using an autoethnographic method of enquiry. With this method the researcher is both an “insider” and “outsider” (Dyson, 2007, p. 39) of the cultural context under investigation. Autoethnographic data consists of a poem titled: School Reports, which contains the story of a failed high school student. Other data are drawings created using the metaphor of an acorn growing into an oak tree to symbolise Rogers’s theoretical propositions of a theory of personality and behaviour. Reflective journal entries written during undergraduate counsellor training further support the analysis. The author’s poem and drawings form the basis of an autoethnographic inquiry analysed through a number of Rogerian philosophical concepts of development along with ‘moments of movement’ towards change and growth. The main focus of personal growth and change centres on the author’s early development of the self-concept of a failed high school student, revised to a self-concept of successful, due to the curative experience of training. The conclusion is made that the primary Rogerian theoretical concept of becoming a person, the organism’s tendency to actualise, along with its “moments of movement” (Rogers, 1961, p. 130), can provide one way in which to conceptualise the personal growth and change process in becoming a counsellor. Implications for counsellor education is the consideration of facilitating growth promoting learning environments and learning opportunities.   The principal limitation of the study is identified as applying classic person-centred theory as a framework whereas contemporary theorising would consider the person in both context and environment.  A self-study on just one experience of a mature student in undergraduate training was also considered a limitation. Both these limitations warrant further investigation. A further recommendation for further research is a comparative study examining the personal growth and change process of counsellors in training from different philosophical positions.

text: "How did I get here:" An autoethnographic study of a counsellor educator's lived experience of 'becoming' This study considers the usefulness of applying key concepts of the Rogerian theory of ‘becoming a person’ as a framework to theorise the personal growth and change process of becoming a counsellor. It is contended that person-centred philosophy and theory provides one way in which to view the personal development of the person of counsellor during training. This hypothesis is based on the recognition of a perceived similar change and growth process which Rogers identified in clients in therapy, with those of training counsellors. After reviewing the literature on the importance placed on the personal development of counsellors in training, a distinction is made between personal development and personal growth. An apparent gap is identified within undergraduate training. It is recognised that some students, in particular mature students, training at undergraduate tertiary level for the first time, have unique challenges from those within post graduate programmes. A further gap within the literature is the self-study of a student’s own experience and perceptions of undertaking counsellor training at this level. Therefore, fitting the above demographic, the author retrospectively examines her personal experience using an autoethnographic method of enquiry. With this method the researcher is both an “insider” and “outsider” (Dyson, 2007, p. 39) of the cultural context under investigation. Autoethnographic data consists of a poem titled: School Reports, which contains the story of a failed high school student. Other data are drawings created using the metaphor of an acorn growing into an oak tree to symbolise Rogers’s theoretical propositions of a theory of personality and behaviour. Reflective journal entries written during undergraduate counsellor training further support the analysis. The author’s poem and drawings form the basis of an autoethnographic inquiry analysed through a number of Rogerian philosophical concepts of development along with ‘moments of movement’ towards change and growth. The main focus of personal growth and change centres on the author’s early development of the self-concept of a failed high school student, revised to a self-concept of successful, due to the curative experience of training. The conclusion is made that the primary Rogerian theoretical concept of becoming a person, the organism’s tendency to actualise, along with its “moments of movement” (Rogers, 1961, p. 130), can provide one way in which to conceptualise the personal growth and change process in becoming a counsellor. Implications for counsellor education is the consideration of facilitating growth promoting learning environments and learning opportunities.   The principal limitation of the study is identified as applying classic person-centred theory as a framework whereas contemporary theorising would consider the person in both context and environment.  A self-study on just one experience of a mature student in undergraduate training was also considered a limitation. Both these limitations warrant further investigation. A further recommendation for further research is a comparative study examining the personal growth and change process of counsellors in training from different philosophical positions.

year: 2015

title: Domestic hen chicks’ conditioned place preferences for sound

authors: Jones, Amy Rebecca

subjects: conditioned place preference

abstract: Food and sounds (white noise, a food call and the sound of other chicks) were used in an attempt to establish conditioned place preferences with domestic hen chicks. Thirty-two chicks were randomly allocated to one of the 4 groups, and exposed to a 3-compartment apparatus to establish a baseline of their movements across 4 15-min sessions. They were then confined to one compartment and provided with free access to food or exposed to one sound for 15 min and then they were confined to the alternate compartment with no food or sound for 15 min. This process was repeated 3 times. Post-conditioning test sessions showed a conditioned place preference towards the area associated with food and away from the area associated with white noise. After conditioning, chicks showed no preference for spending time in the side associated with the food call or the sounds of other chicks; however, they entered a compartment first more often when it was associated with the food call and less often when it was associated with chick-sounds. Overall, these results showed that it was possible to use the conditioned place preference procedure to assess the effects of sounds and that the procedure has potential use for assessing other environmental stimuli.

text: Domestic hen chicks’ conditioned place preferences for sound Food and sounds (white noise, a food call and the sound of other chicks) were used in an attempt to establish conditioned place preferences with domestic hen chicks. Thirty-two chicks were randomly allocated to one of the 4 groups, and exposed to a 3-compartment apparatus to establish a baseline of their movements across 4 15-min sessions. They were then confined to one compartment and provided with free access to food or exposed to one sound for 15 min and then they were confined to the alternate compartment with no food or sound for 15 min. This process was repeated 3 times. Post-conditioning test sessions showed a conditioned place preference towards the area associated with food and away from the area associated with white noise. After conditioning, chicks showed no preference for spending time in the side associated with the food call or the sounds of other chicks; however, they entered a compartment first more often when it was associated with the food call and less often when it was associated with chick-sounds. Overall, these results showed that it was possible to use the conditioned place preference procedure to assess the effects of sounds and that the procedure has potential use for assessing other environmental stimuli.

year: 2011

title: He Pikinga Waiora Kimi Ora lifestyle programme: Case study of a successful community-based indigenous diabetes intervention.

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

subjects: Diabetes

abstract: ABSTRACT 
AIM: To co-design and implement a whānau-centred, community-based lifestyle programme (Kimi Ora) intended to ensure no worsening of HbA1c and to improve wellbeing for Māori whānau and communities with diabetes or pre-diabetes. 
METHODS: Māori healthcare providers, community members, research advisors and wider stakeholders used a co-design process underpinned by He Pikinga Waiora to collaboratively develop and implement Kimi Ora Control group comparisons and participants were recruited from Te Kōhao Health. Multi-method monitoring and collection captured individual, whānau and community data. 
RESULTS: Kimi Ora was run in two communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. In total, there were 35 participants who took part in an eight-week programme offered five times alongside a comparison group comprising 21 participants. Kimi Ora resulted in significant improvements on all biomedical measures compared to baseline, and participants had gains relative to the comparison group for variables including weight, BMI, blood pressure and waist measurement. Of particular note was the 100% retention rate and sustained community support for Kimi Ora. 
CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes from Kimi Ora demonstrate this programme, which was actively tailored for and worked with Māori communities in a responsive and flexible manner, resulted in successful biomedical outcomes, high engagement and high retention.

text: He Pikinga Waiora Kimi Ora lifestyle programme: Case study of a successful community-based indigenous diabetes intervention. ABSTRACT 
AIM: To co-design and implement a whānau-centred, community-based lifestyle programme (Kimi Ora) intended to ensure no worsening of HbA1c and to improve wellbeing for Māori whānau and communities with diabetes or pre-diabetes. 
METHODS: Māori healthcare providers, community members, research advisors and wider stakeholders used a co-design process underpinned by He Pikinga Waiora to collaboratively develop and implement Kimi Ora Control group comparisons and participants were recruited from Te Kōhao Health. Multi-method monitoring and collection captured individual, whānau and community data. 
RESULTS: Kimi Ora was run in two communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. In total, there were 35 participants who took part in an eight-week programme offered five times alongside a comparison group comprising 21 participants. Kimi Ora resulted in significant improvements on all biomedical measures compared to baseline, and participants had gains relative to the comparison group for variables including weight, BMI, blood pressure and waist measurement. Of particular note was the 100% retention rate and sustained community support for Kimi Ora. 
CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes from Kimi Ora demonstrate this programme, which was actively tailored for and worked with Māori communities in a responsive and flexible manner, resulted in successful biomedical outcomes, high engagement and high retention.

year: 2021-11-12