/library/oar/handle/123456789/63799 2025-12-29T00:10:02Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/129213 Title: Snakes and ladders : parenting children with a life-threatening condition : the implications for counselling Abstract: This dissertation gives voice to parents of children suffering from a life-threatening condition. In this narrative qualitative study, semi-structured audio recorded interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of six parents. The aim of this study was to explore what it means to be a parent of a child suffering from a life-threatening condition and what challenges the journey entails from a parent’s point of view. Thematic analysis was used to analyse life stories. The study’s epistemological stance was informed by narrative inquiry and social constructionism. As the tittle metaphorically implies, their stories gave birth to six main themes and fifteen sub-themes that constitute a journey filled with ups and downs. This shocking diagnosis was followed by numerous changes in their routine, leaving parents no time to maintain a social life, afford luxuries or spend time with the children’s siblings. Parents also had to act as nurses, conditioning them to be more at hospital rather than at home. Moreover, this journey brought with it a turmoil of emotions such as fear, anxiety, guilt and shame. Parents commented on the support received from their families and other parents going through the same journey. Parents showed feelings of anger towards bureaucratic practices and the lack of services available. This dissertation offers opportunities for future research, training and practice. These include the use of support groups in the community to help parents feel supported and minimize the stigma which parents go through. Parents also voiced out the need for more financial support. Description: M.COUNSELLING 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/129212 Title: Psychosocial implications of burn injuries through nurses’ perspectives : implications for counselling Abstract: This dissertation looks into the psychosocial implications of burn injuries through the perspectives of nurses. Five nurses who have experienced working in the burns unit participated in order to address the research question; “According to nurses who have experienced working in the burns unit, what are the psychosocial needs that traumatised burn patients experience?”. Such injuries are considered to be traumatic because they disrupt the individual’s life resulting in psychosocial distress. This qualitative question was addressed using thematic analysis and thus semi-structured interviews were conducted. Four themes were elicited from these interviews with findings indicating that burn patients experience burden, issues with their new appearance and overwhelming emotions. Moreover, their coping mechanisms were also identified. Hence, findings suggest that individuals with burns encounter consequences from the injury which impact their financial stability, self-esteem, level of dependence and emotional state. Hence, participants explored the burned individuals’ needs to talk to someone in order to reach a state of acceptance. Therefore, participants are in favour of implementing support groups for individuals with burns. Moreover, they also suggest expanding counselling services to relatives and staff who are overwhelmed in the process. Despite this finding, throughout the study it became evident that there is a lack of knowledge about the counselling profession, hence this study recommends psycho-educating the public on the benefits and implications of the counselling profession. Description: M.COUNSELLING 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/129211 Title: The lived experience of couples who have undergone successful IVF : implications for counselling Abstract: Background: Undergoing IVF is associated with both a physical and emotional burden such as the experiencing of stigma, loss of identity, stress, a sense of failure and pain. Moreover, although the lived experiences of couples varies by number of attempts at IVF and demographic variables such as maternal age, the extant literature often explores the experiences of such couples grouped collectively together, as persons undergoing IVF. This scenario provides challenges in generating information that does justice to the experience of these couples and that can prove useful to counsellors providing support to such individuals. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of couples who bore a child following their second attempt of IVF. The objectives of this study were to gain awareness on the impact of IVF on the couples and whether it has an impact on their interactions with the child; to identify supportive relationships that impact on their experience and to explore coping strategies that were adopted. Design: A qualitative phenomenological study following the principles of Interpretative phenomenological Analysis. Participants: Six adults who underwent a second attempt of IVF three years ago and now have a two year old child. Participants were aged 35 years and over. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 couples and audio recorded. The data was transcribed verbatim and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Three super-ordinate themes: ‘The beginning and continuation of a Saga’, ‘Striving to Cope’ and ‘Supportive Relationships’ were extracted. Participants emphasized various infertility challenges that included the physical impact of undergoing the treatment, a change in identity, an emotional struggle, the financial costs and social isolation. Infertility was attributed to structural, physiological, stress and age related factors (in the female). Support from the spouse (for female participants) and from counselors was described as greatly beneficial, however support from family and friends was not always helpful. Participants strived to cope by maintaining a protective stance; searching for signs that confirm life; avoidance; keeping a memory alive and searching for information. Conclusion: The lived experience of miscarriage had a profound emotional and physical impact on the couples. Advancing maternal age also influenced the couples experience, as infertility was attributed to the female’s age. Although the time left to procreate was perceived as running out, none of the participants expressed willingness to attempt IVF a third time. Coping strategies at times differed by gender leading to conflict between the couple. Support from professionals and spouses were appreciated however at times family and friends were perceived as lacking in empathy, due to comments made and excessive questioning. Description: M.A.TRANSCULTURAL COUNSELLING 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/129210 Title: Exploring the experiences of non-heterosexual women in heterosexual marriages : therapeutic considerations Abstract: This qualitative study focuses on the experiences of non-heterosexual women (NHW) in heterosexual marriages, with implications for counselling practice and advocacy. Thematic analysis carried out through a critical feminist lens found that intersectional experiences created a unique identity exploration for a seemingly homogenous group. Semi-structured interviews were held with five NHW, four therapists and one lawyer. Participants were recruited through purposeful and snowball sampling. While NHW contributed through their personal experiences, service providers gave further contextualisation for local policy makers, organisations and mental health professionals. The findings suggest that there are currently no spaces for women to meet other NHW. Participants underlined a need for safety and support through others who shared the same experience, demonstrating the lack of social groups available for NHW. Furthermore, findings also suggest deeper issues around labels, societal pressures on women, gendered social expectations, patriarchal structures adopted within the gay community and negative connotations with the term "lesbian." Recommendations elicited from the research were split into four categories; for practice; for training; for policy; and for raising awareness. For counselling practice, counsellors should be mindful of biases and working on client goals, readiness to work with helplessness and ambivalence, focusing on the therapeutic relationship and helping to process loss. Recommendation for counselling training include a deeper understanding of individuals in mixed-orientation marriages, and supervision tailored for working with sexual minorities. Therapists could also incorporate the unifying multidimensional model of sexual identity development adopted in this research into their work with NHW. For policy, recommendations include education about homosexual lifestyles, and for educators to focus on helping students to develop a sense of Self in schools. Finally, there is a need for awareness on life after heterosexual marriage for NHW, and on dealing with such life transitions. Social justice and advocacy could be further strived towards by, for instance, trying to reclaim the word “lesbian” and by helping to give it a new meaning. These findings were forwarded to two local organisations; the Malta Association for the Counselling Profession and the Malta Gay Rights Movement. Description: M.A.TRANSCULTURAL COUNSELLING 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z