Christian Williams | Assumption College (original) (raw)
Papers by Christian Williams
Mental health & human resilience international journal, 2023
The death of a spouse while parenting young children brings unique challenges for the widow who m... more The death of a spouse while parenting young children brings unique challenges for the widow who must not only grieve the loss of a partner but also navigate the demands of solo parenting and help their children through the grieving process. The multiple layers of losses place young widows at risk for the development of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety and negative health trajectories. Bereavement outcomes are influenced by the practical and emotional resources that a widow has available to them as well as the strength of their social support network. This qualitative study explored the grief experiences of widows with young children and the factors that influenced adaptation post-loss. Open ended survey questions were used to gather data from 232 widows and thematic analysis was used to identify themes in the data. All of the themes centered on the multiple layers of grief that must be navigated as widows adapt to being a solo parent and the practical and emotional challenges that they experienced. The widows identified that they were simultaneously grieving the loss of their spouse, while helping their children manage the grieving process, and grieving the life, plans, and opportunities that the death of their spouse had taken from them. While the demands of parenting increased challenges to adaptation and increased experiences of self-doubt, parenting was also identified as a role that had a positive impact on bereavement, helping the widows to remain engaged in their lives as they navigated this difficult journey.
Journal of Addiction & Addictive Disorders, 2021
Peer support workers, using their shared lived experience, have been recognized in the medical an... more Peer support workers, using their shared lived experience, have been recognized in the medical and behavioral health fields as having positive contributions to the well-being and recovery of individuals who are in early stages of recovery or illness management.
Advances in mental health, Oct 23, 2021
Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the... more Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the helper and the receiver. This relationship has been linked to an increase in practical knowledge of addiction and recovery, empowerment, hope, and community connectedness. Much research on peer support is geared toward the effectiveness of the intervention for the consumer. Less is known about the role of this relationship in the recovery of the workers themselves. Method: This qualitative study explored the experience of recovery in substance use peer support workers using in-depth semistructured interviews of 10 individuals who were employed as peer support workers in community-based roles. Thematic analysis was used to investigate the peer workers experience in the dual role of helper and consumer of recovery support. Results: While none of the peers interviewed expected to benefit from helping, all reported this experience to be not only meaningful but also to have a positive impact on their recovery. Providing peer support to others strengthened the workers’ ability to maintain personal recovery by keeping them connected to communities of support, providing opportunities to be of service, allowing them to pay forward what had been given to them, and a sense of accomplishment in being a part of the recovery of another individual. Discussion: This study highlighted that helping others is a benefit to both the recovery of peer support workers and their personal lives, while recognising the need to separate personal recovery efforts from helping.
Substance abuse, 2021
Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establi... more Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establishing supportive and reciprocal relationships that support the initiation and maintenance of recovery. Prior research has found that peer support workers provide essential services to individuals in recovery, while the experience of the peer and their integration into a system of care has yet to be fully explored. This qualitative study explored the peer worker's experience as a provider of recovery support services in a system of care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 peer support workers. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns inductively from the data. Peer support worker experiences included challenges establishing credibility, frustrations in managing systemic barriers, a lack of understanding as to what the role of peer worker entails by stakeholders, and skepticism from other providers about the value of the position. Positive experiences included a decrease in the perception of stigma about substance use and feeling valued. Supervision played a key role in the success of the peer worker role, with concerns related to supervisors who are not in recovery. This study highlighted improvements in the integration of peer support workers in systems of care and regard for the role by professionals. A widespread understanding of the role and scope of practice is lacking and a need for better support for the role through avenues such as training, and supervision exists.
IntechOpen eBooks, Jan 27, 2021
This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental sel... more This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental self-efficacy, and social support as potential factors mediating parent-child relationships and children's outcomes. Generally, research on adversity has focused on children's experiences and the long-term impact of adversity on development and health trajectories. More recently, a focus on resilience and growth after adversity has received increasing attention. Existing literature has identified how parents can best support their children through adverse events and suggested parenting programs that emphasize skill-building to parent children who have experienced adversity. Yet often overlooked is the critical impact of adverse events on the parent and how this may interfere with the cultivation of an environment of support and increase stigmatization due to unmet parenting expectations. While parenting occurs in context, it is often judged based upon societal expectations of childrearing practices and optimal outcomes with little understanding of the factors that contribute to parenting behaviors. The experience of adversity has the potential to impact parental sense of competence and parenting practices. However, parental self-efficacy and social supports can play mediating role in the experience of adversity and parenting stress. The integration of these contextual factors allows for the development of expectations that are best suited to meet the needs of vulnerable family systems.
IntechOpen eBooks, Jun 16, 2021
In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators a... more In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators are faced with uniquely complex challenges in the delivery of effective instruction, the ability to create educational communities that respond to the needs of all learners is crucial. There is increasing emergence of technology and pedagogy that have facilitated connections to the classroom never seen before. Yet, educators and school communities need to respond to this time of uncertainty with the lens of trauma sensitive instruction, the creation of meaningful teacher-student relationships, and building the resilience necessary for students to thrive in the ever-shifting landscape of education. This descriptive paper explores strategies for implementation including creating safe spaces for learning, addressing disparities in learning opportunities, preventing academic disruption, and using a proactive approach to address stress and trauma in the classroom. The multitude of teaching modalities available has paved the way for a transition to fluid education but the need to do so with intentionality cannot be ignored. The transition to remote and hybrid learning may change the landscape of education forever, and with it comes the responsibility to ensure high expectations for student success are balanced with compassion, and rigidity is replaced with flexibility.
Advances in mental health, Oct 23, 2021
Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the... more Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the helper and the receiver. This relationship has been linked to an increase in practical knowledge of addiction and recovery, empowerment, hope, and community connectedness. Much research on peer support is geared toward the effectiveness of the intervention for the consumer. Less is known about the role of this relationship in the recovery of the workers themselves. Method: This qualitative study explored the experience of recovery in substance use peer support workers using in-depth semistructured interviews of 10 individuals who were employed as peer support workers in community-based roles. Thematic analysis was used to investigate the peer workers experience in the dual role of helper and consumer of recovery support. Results: While none of the peers interviewed expected to benefit from helping, all reported this experience to be not only meaningful but also to have a positive impact on their recovery. Providing peer support to others strengthened the workers’ ability to maintain personal recovery by keeping them connected to communities of support, providing opportunities to be of service, allowing them to pay forward what had been given to them, and a sense of accomplishment in being a part of the recovery of another individual. Discussion: This study highlighted that helping others is a benefit to both the recovery of peer support workers and their personal lives, while recognising the need to separate personal recovery efforts from helping.
European Journal of Teaching and Education
The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for... more The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for flexible methods of teaching and learning and a reliance on technology that many educators and students were not prepared for. Educators adapted their instructional methods to include shifts in pedagogy and the use of remote, hybrid, and flipped classrooms. Despite the additional preparation time, educators found themselves grappling with questions about creating inclusive communities for learners, decisions about how to meaningfully incorporate technology, and how to support student engagement. Without the presence of clear research and guidance, decisions such as whether students should be mandated to enable their cameras during class manifested. Educators were challenged to balance their obligations to assess learning with concerns about increasing equity gaps, access issues, and systemic challenges that are disproportionately experienced by marginalized learners. In an educational e...
European Journal of Teaching and Education, 2022
The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for... more The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for flexible methods of teaching and learning and a reliance on technology that many educators and students were not prepared for. Educators adapted their instructional methods to include shifts in pedagogy and the use of remote, hybrid, and flipped classrooms. Despite the additional preparation time, educators found themselves grappling with questions about creating inclusive communities for learners, decisions about how to meaningfully incorporate technology, and how to support student engagement. Without the presence of clear research and guidance, decisions such as whether students should be mandated to enable their cameras during class manifested. Educators were challenged to balance their obligations to assess learning with concerns about increasing equity gaps, access issues, and systemic challenges that are disproportionately experienced by marginalized learners. In an educational environment where video conferencing has become the norm, understanding how requiring camera use is experienced by students and educators and its role in supporting the classroom community is paramount. This study focused on students’ and educators’ perspectives of camera use in the classroom. Findings revealed that educators and students made sense of the utility of cameras, mandating camera use and their role in developing classroom communities differently. Students generally expressed their capacity to decide for themselves when camera use supported versus hindered their participation and appreciated practicing their agency. Educators generally understood camera use as central and necessary to building classroom community and assessing student involvement, participation, and understanding of class content.
Teacher Education in the 21st Century - Emerging Skills for a Changing World
In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators a... more In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators are faced with uniquely complex challenges in the delivery of effective instruction, the ability to create educational communities that respond to the needs of all learners is crucial. There is increasing emergence of technology and pedagogy that have facilitated connections to the classroom never seen before. Yet, educators and school communities need to respond to this time of uncertainty with the lens of trauma sensitive instruction, the creation of meaningful teacher-student relationships, and building the resilience necessary for students to thrive in the ever-shifting landscape of education. This descriptive paper explores strategies for implementation including creating safe spaces for learning, addressing disparities in learning opportunities, preventing academic disruption, and using a proactive approach to address stress and trauma in the classroom. The multitude of teaching mod...
In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against BIPOC, organized resistance b... more In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against BIPOC, organized resistance by many young people, and violent institutionalized attempts to suppress resistance, demonstrations and social change movements, what should educators be thinking about as we return to our college classrooms? In this short piece, we share our thinking and experience about our students’ psycho-social needs and our belief that faculty must be focused both on students’ and faculty’s socio-political context and students’ and faculty’s emotional wellbeing as we think about teaching and learning for this moment.
Advances in Mental Health
Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the... more Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the helper and the receiver. This relationship has been linked to an increase in practical knowledge of addiction and recovery, empowerment, hope, and community connectedness. Much research on peer support is geared toward the effectiveness of the intervention for the consumer. Less is known about the role of this relationship in the recovery of the workers themselves. Method: This qualitative study explored the experience of recovery in substance use peer support workers using in-depth semistructured interviews of 10 individuals who were employed as peer support workers in community-based roles. Thematic analysis was used to investigate the peer workers experience in the dual role of helper and consumer of recovery support. Results: While none of the peers interviewed expected to benefit from helping, all reported this experience to be not only meaningful but also to have a positive impact on their recovery. Providing peer support to others strengthened the workers’ ability to maintain personal recovery by keeping them connected to communities of support, providing opportunities to be of service, allowing them to pay forward what had been given to them, and a sense of accomplishment in being a part of the recovery of another individual. Discussion: This study highlighted that helping others is a benefit to both the recovery of peer support workers and their personal lives, while recognising the need to separate personal recovery efforts from helping.
Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment
Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establi... more Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establishing supportive and reciprocal relationships that support the initiation and maintenance of recovery. Prior research has found that peer support workers provide essential services to individuals in recovery, while the experience of the peer and their integration into a system of care has yet to be fully explored. This qualitative study explored the peer worker’s experience as a provider of recovery support services in a system of care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 peer support workers. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns inductively from the data. Peer support worker experiences included challenges establishing credibility, frustrations in managing systemic barriers, a lack of understanding as to what the role of peer worker entails by stakeholders, and skep...
Parenting - Studies by an Ecocultural and Transactional Perspective
This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental sel... more This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental self-efficacy, and social support as potential factors mediating parent-child relationships and children’s outcomes. Generally, research on adversity has focused on children’s experiences and the long-term impact of adversity on development and health trajectories. More recently, a focus on resilience and growth after adversity has received increasing attention. Existing literature has identified how parents can best support their children through adverse events and suggested parenting programs that emphasize skill-building to parent children who have experienced adversity. Yet often overlooked is the critical impact of adverse events on the parent and how this may interfere with the cultivation of an environment of support and increase stigmatization due to unmet parenting expectations. While parenting occurs in context, it is often judged based upon societal expectations of childrearing p...
Sage Research Methods Cases, 2022
This case study reflects on conducting qualitative interviews about grief experiences via online ... more This case study reflects on conducting qualitative interviews about grief experiences via online platforms and telephone. The original research plan was to conduct face-to-face interviews; however, an adjustment was required due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the constraints of social distancing requirements. As researchers, we are aware of the debate regarding the best avenues for qualitative data collection and what is believed to be the gold standard of face-to-face interviews with virtual methods gaining attention in the literature. The reality of collecting interview data in the current and ever-changing landscape of our society has led to the need to consider the practical implications of using virtual methods of data collection while ensuring that the process and product are not subpar. This case explores a phenomenological inquiry conducted on the clinician’s experiences of client death due to opioid overdose. In this research, 12 independently licensed clinicians, who are engaged in individual therapy with patients who abuse substances, were interviewed regarding their experiences of the death of a client to opioid overdose.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education, 2020
In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against Black, Indigenous, and People... more In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, (BIPOC), organized resistance by many young people, and violent institutionalized attempts to suppress resistance, demonstrations and social change movements, what should educators be thinking about as we return to our college classrooms? In this short piece, we share our thinking and experience about our students' psycho-social needs and our belief that faculty must be focused both on students' and faculty's socio-political context and students' and faculty's emotional wellbeing as we think about teaching and learning for this moment.
In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators a... more In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators are faced with uniquely complex challenges in the delivery of effective instruction, the ability to create educational communities that respond to the needs of all learners is crucial. There is increasing emergence of technology and pedagogy that have facilitated connections to the classroom never seen before. Yet, educators and school communities need to respond to this time of uncertainty with the lens of trauma sensitive instruction, the creation of meaningful teacher-student relationships, and building the resilience necessary for students to thrive in the ever-shifting landscape of education. This descriptive paper explores strategies for implementation including creating safe spaces for learning, addressing disparities in learning opportunities, preventing academic disruption, and using a proactive approach to address stress and trauma in the classroom. The multitude of teaching mod...
Mental health & human resilience international journal, 2023
The death of a spouse while parenting young children brings unique challenges for the widow who m... more The death of a spouse while parenting young children brings unique challenges for the widow who must not only grieve the loss of a partner but also navigate the demands of solo parenting and help their children through the grieving process. The multiple layers of losses place young widows at risk for the development of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety and negative health trajectories. Bereavement outcomes are influenced by the practical and emotional resources that a widow has available to them as well as the strength of their social support network. This qualitative study explored the grief experiences of widows with young children and the factors that influenced adaptation post-loss. Open ended survey questions were used to gather data from 232 widows and thematic analysis was used to identify themes in the data. All of the themes centered on the multiple layers of grief that must be navigated as widows adapt to being a solo parent and the practical and emotional challenges that they experienced. The widows identified that they were simultaneously grieving the loss of their spouse, while helping their children manage the grieving process, and grieving the life, plans, and opportunities that the death of their spouse had taken from them. While the demands of parenting increased challenges to adaptation and increased experiences of self-doubt, parenting was also identified as a role that had a positive impact on bereavement, helping the widows to remain engaged in their lives as they navigated this difficult journey.
Journal of Addiction & Addictive Disorders, 2021
Peer support workers, using their shared lived experience, have been recognized in the medical an... more Peer support workers, using their shared lived experience, have been recognized in the medical and behavioral health fields as having positive contributions to the well-being and recovery of individuals who are in early stages of recovery or illness management.
Advances in mental health, Oct 23, 2021
Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the... more Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the helper and the receiver. This relationship has been linked to an increase in practical knowledge of addiction and recovery, empowerment, hope, and community connectedness. Much research on peer support is geared toward the effectiveness of the intervention for the consumer. Less is known about the role of this relationship in the recovery of the workers themselves. Method: This qualitative study explored the experience of recovery in substance use peer support workers using in-depth semistructured interviews of 10 individuals who were employed as peer support workers in community-based roles. Thematic analysis was used to investigate the peer workers experience in the dual role of helper and consumer of recovery support. Results: While none of the peers interviewed expected to benefit from helping, all reported this experience to be not only meaningful but also to have a positive impact on their recovery. Providing peer support to others strengthened the workers’ ability to maintain personal recovery by keeping them connected to communities of support, providing opportunities to be of service, allowing them to pay forward what had been given to them, and a sense of accomplishment in being a part of the recovery of another individual. Discussion: This study highlighted that helping others is a benefit to both the recovery of peer support workers and their personal lives, while recognising the need to separate personal recovery efforts from helping.
Substance abuse, 2021
Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establi... more Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establishing supportive and reciprocal relationships that support the initiation and maintenance of recovery. Prior research has found that peer support workers provide essential services to individuals in recovery, while the experience of the peer and their integration into a system of care has yet to be fully explored. This qualitative study explored the peer worker's experience as a provider of recovery support services in a system of care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 peer support workers. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns inductively from the data. Peer support worker experiences included challenges establishing credibility, frustrations in managing systemic barriers, a lack of understanding as to what the role of peer worker entails by stakeholders, and skepticism from other providers about the value of the position. Positive experiences included a decrease in the perception of stigma about substance use and feeling valued. Supervision played a key role in the success of the peer worker role, with concerns related to supervisors who are not in recovery. This study highlighted improvements in the integration of peer support workers in systems of care and regard for the role by professionals. A widespread understanding of the role and scope of practice is lacking and a need for better support for the role through avenues such as training, and supervision exists.
IntechOpen eBooks, Jan 27, 2021
This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental sel... more This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental self-efficacy, and social support as potential factors mediating parent-child relationships and children's outcomes. Generally, research on adversity has focused on children's experiences and the long-term impact of adversity on development and health trajectories. More recently, a focus on resilience and growth after adversity has received increasing attention. Existing literature has identified how parents can best support their children through adverse events and suggested parenting programs that emphasize skill-building to parent children who have experienced adversity. Yet often overlooked is the critical impact of adverse events on the parent and how this may interfere with the cultivation of an environment of support and increase stigmatization due to unmet parenting expectations. While parenting occurs in context, it is often judged based upon societal expectations of childrearing practices and optimal outcomes with little understanding of the factors that contribute to parenting behaviors. The experience of adversity has the potential to impact parental sense of competence and parenting practices. However, parental self-efficacy and social supports can play mediating role in the experience of adversity and parenting stress. The integration of these contextual factors allows for the development of expectations that are best suited to meet the needs of vulnerable family systems.
IntechOpen eBooks, Jun 16, 2021
In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators a... more In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators are faced with uniquely complex challenges in the delivery of effective instruction, the ability to create educational communities that respond to the needs of all learners is crucial. There is increasing emergence of technology and pedagogy that have facilitated connections to the classroom never seen before. Yet, educators and school communities need to respond to this time of uncertainty with the lens of trauma sensitive instruction, the creation of meaningful teacher-student relationships, and building the resilience necessary for students to thrive in the ever-shifting landscape of education. This descriptive paper explores strategies for implementation including creating safe spaces for learning, addressing disparities in learning opportunities, preventing academic disruption, and using a proactive approach to address stress and trauma in the classroom. The multitude of teaching modalities available has paved the way for a transition to fluid education but the need to do so with intentionality cannot be ignored. The transition to remote and hybrid learning may change the landscape of education forever, and with it comes the responsibility to ensure high expectations for student success are balanced with compassion, and rigidity is replaced with flexibility.
Advances in mental health, Oct 23, 2021
Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the... more Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the helper and the receiver. This relationship has been linked to an increase in practical knowledge of addiction and recovery, empowerment, hope, and community connectedness. Much research on peer support is geared toward the effectiveness of the intervention for the consumer. Less is known about the role of this relationship in the recovery of the workers themselves. Method: This qualitative study explored the experience of recovery in substance use peer support workers using in-depth semistructured interviews of 10 individuals who were employed as peer support workers in community-based roles. Thematic analysis was used to investigate the peer workers experience in the dual role of helper and consumer of recovery support. Results: While none of the peers interviewed expected to benefit from helping, all reported this experience to be not only meaningful but also to have a positive impact on their recovery. Providing peer support to others strengthened the workers’ ability to maintain personal recovery by keeping them connected to communities of support, providing opportunities to be of service, allowing them to pay forward what had been given to them, and a sense of accomplishment in being a part of the recovery of another individual. Discussion: This study highlighted that helping others is a benefit to both the recovery of peer support workers and their personal lives, while recognising the need to separate personal recovery efforts from helping.
European Journal of Teaching and Education
The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for... more The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for flexible methods of teaching and learning and a reliance on technology that many educators and students were not prepared for. Educators adapted their instructional methods to include shifts in pedagogy and the use of remote, hybrid, and flipped classrooms. Despite the additional preparation time, educators found themselves grappling with questions about creating inclusive communities for learners, decisions about how to meaningfully incorporate technology, and how to support student engagement. Without the presence of clear research and guidance, decisions such as whether students should be mandated to enable their cameras during class manifested. Educators were challenged to balance their obligations to assess learning with concerns about increasing equity gaps, access issues, and systemic challenges that are disproportionately experienced by marginalized learners. In an educational e...
European Journal of Teaching and Education, 2022
The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for... more The global pandemic created by COVID-19 altered the landscape of education, creating the need for flexible methods of teaching and learning and a reliance on technology that many educators and students were not prepared for. Educators adapted their instructional methods to include shifts in pedagogy and the use of remote, hybrid, and flipped classrooms. Despite the additional preparation time, educators found themselves grappling with questions about creating inclusive communities for learners, decisions about how to meaningfully incorporate technology, and how to support student engagement. Without the presence of clear research and guidance, decisions such as whether students should be mandated to enable their cameras during class manifested. Educators were challenged to balance their obligations to assess learning with concerns about increasing equity gaps, access issues, and systemic challenges that are disproportionately experienced by marginalized learners. In an educational environment where video conferencing has become the norm, understanding how requiring camera use is experienced by students and educators and its role in supporting the classroom community is paramount. This study focused on students’ and educators’ perspectives of camera use in the classroom. Findings revealed that educators and students made sense of the utility of cameras, mandating camera use and their role in developing classroom communities differently. Students generally expressed their capacity to decide for themselves when camera use supported versus hindered their participation and appreciated practicing their agency. Educators generally understood camera use as central and necessary to building classroom community and assessing student involvement, participation, and understanding of class content.
Teacher Education in the 21st Century - Emerging Skills for a Changing World
In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators a... more In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators are faced with uniquely complex challenges in the delivery of effective instruction, the ability to create educational communities that respond to the needs of all learners is crucial. There is increasing emergence of technology and pedagogy that have facilitated connections to the classroom never seen before. Yet, educators and school communities need to respond to this time of uncertainty with the lens of trauma sensitive instruction, the creation of meaningful teacher-student relationships, and building the resilience necessary for students to thrive in the ever-shifting landscape of education. This descriptive paper explores strategies for implementation including creating safe spaces for learning, addressing disparities in learning opportunities, preventing academic disruption, and using a proactive approach to address stress and trauma in the classroom. The multitude of teaching mod...
In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against BIPOC, organized resistance b... more In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against BIPOC, organized resistance by many young people, and violent institutionalized attempts to suppress resistance, demonstrations and social change movements, what should educators be thinking about as we return to our college classrooms? In this short piece, we share our thinking and experience about our students’ psycho-social needs and our belief that faculty must be focused both on students’ and faculty’s socio-political context and students’ and faculty’s emotional wellbeing as we think about teaching and learning for this moment.
Advances in Mental Health
Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the... more Objectives: Peer support is built upon the premise that shared life experiences benefits both the helper and the receiver. This relationship has been linked to an increase in practical knowledge of addiction and recovery, empowerment, hope, and community connectedness. Much research on peer support is geared toward the effectiveness of the intervention for the consumer. Less is known about the role of this relationship in the recovery of the workers themselves. Method: This qualitative study explored the experience of recovery in substance use peer support workers using in-depth semistructured interviews of 10 individuals who were employed as peer support workers in community-based roles. Thematic analysis was used to investigate the peer workers experience in the dual role of helper and consumer of recovery support. Results: While none of the peers interviewed expected to benefit from helping, all reported this experience to be not only meaningful but also to have a positive impact on their recovery. Providing peer support to others strengthened the workers’ ability to maintain personal recovery by keeping them connected to communities of support, providing opportunities to be of service, allowing them to pay forward what had been given to them, and a sense of accomplishment in being a part of the recovery of another individual. Discussion: This study highlighted that helping others is a benefit to both the recovery of peer support workers and their personal lives, while recognising the need to separate personal recovery efforts from helping.
Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment
Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establi... more Peer support in substance use recovery assists individuals who seek long-term recovery by establishing supportive and reciprocal relationships that support the initiation and maintenance of recovery. Prior research has found that peer support workers provide essential services to individuals in recovery, while the experience of the peer and their integration into a system of care has yet to be fully explored. This qualitative study explored the peer worker’s experience as a provider of recovery support services in a system of care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 peer support workers. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns inductively from the data. Peer support worker experiences included challenges establishing credibility, frustrations in managing systemic barriers, a lack of understanding as to what the role of peer worker entails by stakeholders, and skep...
Parenting - Studies by an Ecocultural and Transactional Perspective
This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental sel... more This review examines the relationship between life adversities, parental well-being, parental self-efficacy, and social support as potential factors mediating parent-child relationships and children’s outcomes. Generally, research on adversity has focused on children’s experiences and the long-term impact of adversity on development and health trajectories. More recently, a focus on resilience and growth after adversity has received increasing attention. Existing literature has identified how parents can best support their children through adverse events and suggested parenting programs that emphasize skill-building to parent children who have experienced adversity. Yet often overlooked is the critical impact of adverse events on the parent and how this may interfere with the cultivation of an environment of support and increase stigmatization due to unmet parenting expectations. While parenting occurs in context, it is often judged based upon societal expectations of childrearing p...
Sage Research Methods Cases, 2022
This case study reflects on conducting qualitative interviews about grief experiences via online ... more This case study reflects on conducting qualitative interviews about grief experiences via online platforms and telephone. The original research plan was to conduct face-to-face interviews; however, an adjustment was required due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the constraints of social distancing requirements. As researchers, we are aware of the debate regarding the best avenues for qualitative data collection and what is believed to be the gold standard of face-to-face interviews with virtual methods gaining attention in the literature. The reality of collecting interview data in the current and ever-changing landscape of our society has led to the need to consider the practical implications of using virtual methods of data collection while ensuring that the process and product are not subpar. This case explores a phenomenological inquiry conducted on the clinician’s experiences of client death due to opioid overdose. In this research, 12 independently licensed clinicians, who are engaged in individual therapy with patients who abuse substances, were interviewed regarding their experiences of the death of a client to opioid overdose.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education, 2020
In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against Black, Indigenous, and People... more In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, (BIPOC), organized resistance by many young people, and violent institutionalized attempts to suppress resistance, demonstrations and social change movements, what should educators be thinking about as we return to our college classrooms? In this short piece, we share our thinking and experience about our students' psycho-social needs and our belief that faculty must be focused both on students' and faculty's socio-political context and students' and faculty's emotional wellbeing as we think about teaching and learning for this moment.
In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators a... more In a time where many students and their families are grappling with uncertainties and educators are faced with uniquely complex challenges in the delivery of effective instruction, the ability to create educational communities that respond to the needs of all learners is crucial. There is increasing emergence of technology and pedagogy that have facilitated connections to the classroom never seen before. Yet, educators and school communities need to respond to this time of uncertainty with the lens of trauma sensitive instruction, the creation of meaningful teacher-student relationships, and building the resilience necessary for students to thrive in the ever-shifting landscape of education. This descriptive paper explores strategies for implementation including creating safe spaces for learning, addressing disparities in learning opportunities, preventing academic disruption, and using a proactive approach to address stress and trauma in the classroom. The multitude of teaching mod...