2023 Thesis Presentation Day
PACIFICA’S MA COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM
The Counseling Psychology Department looks forward to hosting its annual Thesis Presentation Day on Friday, May 26th. This meaningful event provides an opportunity for graduating students of the MA Counseling Psychology program present their thesis research work to fellow classmates, loved ones, faculty, staff, and the larger Pacifica community. Through this work, students have the opportunity to showcase their research findings and experiences throughout the multi-year thesis process. This event is always an important ritual experience, and it is our honor to witness our graduates as they present their research work.
Thesis Presentation Day will take place on Pacifica’s Ladera Lane campus throughout the day, from approximately 9 am – 5 pm. A concurrent option via Zoom will be available for guests who are unable to attend in person or prefer to join remotely, and a detailed program of times and presenters, and Zoom registration links, will be provided in the coming weeks.
About the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology Thesis Process
Research and writing are two ways among many of finding meaning within and conferring meaning on experience. These fundamentally human activities can be deeply imaginal and intuitive. In research and writing, we seek to uncover the deep truth of the human condition. Within the context of the Institute’s guiding vision, students are encouraged to select a research question they wish to explore in depth through the vehicle of the thesis. Towards this end, the student is asked to:
- pursue an area of individual interest relevant to marriage and family therapy, professional clinical counseling, and depth psychology (e.g., therapeutic issues, psychological motifs, clinical procedures);
- ground this particular area of interest in a conceptual framework (e.g., background information, findings, concluding evaluation);
- demonstrate competency researching a specific area and expressing ideas with clarity and precision.
The MA Counseling Psychology thesis is the culminating expression of students’ graduate course of study and provides a forum for contributing back into the larger community the knowledge that students have gained during their educational experience.
Schedule Overview
Continental Breakfast
Dining Hall
8:00am — 9:00am
Resting Room with Art and Music
Room A120
8:00am — 4:30pm
C Track Presentations
Room A102
9:00am — 4:15pm
C Track Luncheon Buffet served on the Main Lawn 12:00pm—1:00pm
Zoom: Please register in advance
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcsceigqTIsGdctlaWCXNzGyKIGvTDiROFv
D Track Presentations
Room A101
1:00pm — 4:15pm
D Track Luncheon Buffet served on the Main Lawn 12:00pm—1:00pm
Zoom: Please register in advance
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEuceCppjMpHNTc1hxxlVmzXFDNfVWNJbxi
W Track Presentations
Room A101
9:30am — 12:00pm
W Track Luncheon Buffet served on the Main Lawn 12:00pm—1:00pm
Zoom: Please register in advance
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEuceCppjMpHNTc1hxxlVmzXFDNfVWNJbxi
V Track Presentations
Room A140
9:30am — 4:15pm
V Track Luncheon Buffet served on the Main Lawn 12:30pm—1:30pm
Zoom: Please register in advance
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqc-2uqD4vG9EYFIgjNT9m8TPu5MsaGaVr
All Community Closing Ritual
Barrett Center, 4:30pm
C Track Presentations
Room A102
Hosted by Gioia Jacobson, MA, LMFT, Director of Research
9:00am—4:15pm
Welcome and Introductions Gioia Jacobson, MA, LMFT
9:00-9:10am
Kaitlyn Allen
9:10-9:25am
A Journey Beyond the Interior: Exploring Shame and Traumatic Brain Injury in Women
Advisor: C.D. Taylor, PhD
Justine Andersen
9:25-9:40am
Assessing and Treating Postpartum Depression: A Multicultural Exploration of Before, During, and After Pregnancy
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
Danielle Sheridan
9:40-9:55am
Soil for the Starved Soul: Reclaiming the Roots of Desire in the Eating-Disordered Psyche
Advisor: C.D. Taylor, PhD
BREAK 9:55 – 10:05AM
Jillian Bourdon
10:05-10:20am
Boundaries of Self: A Conversation Between Individuation and Interconnection
Advisor: C.D. Taylor, PhD
James Brighton
10:20-10:35am
Creativity as Therapeutic Container for Transformative Falling Apart: A Healing Fiction
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
Gianna Cavallaro
10:35-10:50am
Nightscapes of the Tarot: An Artistic Method for Working With Nightmares
Advisor: Barbara Boyd, MA, LMFT, LPCC
BREAK 10:50 – 11:00AM
Paul Wilcox
11:00-11:15am
The Inner Realms: An Evolutionary Struggle Between Hope and Despair
Advisor: Barbara Boyd, MA, LMFT, LPCC
Karma Fry
11:15-11:30am
The Elephant in the Room: Psychological Defenses of the White Racial Identity
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
Arianne MacBean
11:30-11:45am
Ariadne’s Thread: A Depth Psychology Exploration of Liminal Immanence in Dance/Movement
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
Mary McDonald
11:45am-12:00pm
Exploration of the Unconscious Processes in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Advisor: Gioia Jacobson, MA, LMFT
C TRACK LUNCH 12:00 – 1:00PM
Shawna McGrath
1:00pm-1:15pm
The Psychopomp Function: Correlations Between Psychotherapists and Mythic Figures Who Guide Souls After Death
Advisor: Gioia Jacobson, MA, LMFT
Virginia Melin
1:15pm-1:30pm
A Parent–Child Circle: Fostering Conscious Connection to Earth as a Rite of Passage
Advisor: Gioia Jacobson, MA, LMFT
Nicole Mosher
1:30pm-1:45pm
Healing the War Within: The Bisexual Psyche in Sexual Assault and Hysteria
Advisor: Michael Elliott, PhD
BREAK 1:45 – 1:55PM
Sara Murdoch
1:55pm-2:10pm
Return to the Wild: Healing Patriarchal Wounds by Reconnecting to Natural Ways of Being
Advisor: Alonso Dominguez, MA, LMFT
Suzanne Nakamura
2:10-2:25pm
From a Grieving Heart: Creating Therapeutic Rituals
Advisor: Rebecca Pottenger, MA, LMFT
Felicia Romano
2:25-2:40pm
Resonance and Dynamic Selfhood in Psychotherapy: An Inquiry Into Values
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
BREAK 2:40 – 2:50PM
Annabelle Baskin
2:50-3:05pm
Proactive Couples Therapy: Soul-Work for Partners
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
Dylan Watson
3:05-3:20pm
Adventuring Into the Imaginal: The Therapeutic Function of Mythopoesis in Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
Brianna Dellinger Spencer
3:20-3:35pm
Regard for Reality Television: A Depth Perspective on Docusoaps
Advisor: C.D. Taylor, PhD
BREAK 3:35 – 3:45PM
C Track Presenter Panel
3:45-4:15pm
W Track Presentations
Room A101
Hosted by Jacquelyn Toth, MA, LMFT, Research Associate
9:30am—12:00pm
Welcome and Introductions: Jacquelyn Toth, MA, LMFT
9:30-9:45am
Dani Walker Kreutter
9:45-10:00am
Living Ways of Wisdom: The Spiritual Path of Motherhood
Advisor: Aaron Kipnis, PhD
James Kalupson
10:00-10:15am
Symphonies of Consciousness: A Depth Psychological Investigation Into the Role of Music in Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
Advisor: Barbara Boyd, MA, LMFT, LPCC
BREAK 10:15 – 10:30AM
Moriah Stapf
10:30 -10:45am
Restoring Vibrancy in a Soul-Sucking Society: Turning Toward Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy to Transform the Self
Advisor: Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT
Britta Leffler
10:45-11:00am
Linking Adverse Childhood Experiences and Chronic Health Issues: Implications for Clinicians
Advisor: Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT
Vanessa Flores
11:00-11:15am
Finding Healing, Acceptance, and Comfort in Grief: A Journey Through Dreams, Symbols, Signs, and Spirituality
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
BREAK 11:15 – 11:30AM
W Track Presenter Panel
11:30am-12:00pm
D Track Presentations
Room A101
Hosted by Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT, Research Associate
1:00—4:15pm
Welcome and Introductions: Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT
1:00-1:05pm
Logan Billingsley
1:05-1:20pm
Hearing Nature’s Voice: Archetypal Roots of the Split Between Western Culture and the Natural World
Advisor: Rebecca Pottenger, MA, LMFT
Agnes Cartry-Jacobsen
1:20-1:35pm
Dynamic Voicing: Nonverbal Expression as Perceptual Bridge From Unconscious to Conscious Awareness
Advisor: Rebecca Pottenger, MA, LMFT
Minnie Goode
1:35-1:50pm
The Bisexual’s Ever-Revolving Closet Door: Identity Formation in a Monosexist Society
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
BREAK 1:50 – 2:00PM
Carrie McConnell
2:00-2:15pm
Maladaptation as Resilience
Advisor: Alonso Dominguez, MA, LMFT
Claudia Hammerschmidt
2:15-2:30pm
The Impact of Grief on a Secure Attachment Style
Advisor: Michael Elliott, PhD
Jessica Hyatt
2:30-2:45pm
The Whore Complex: An Archetypal Analysis of United States Perspectives on Female Sex Workers
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
Anthony Musick
2:45-3:00pm
Interconnected Metamorphosis: Spiritual Awakening and Addiction Recovery
Advisor: Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT
BREAK 3:00 – 3:10PM
Allison Rees
3:10-3:25pm
Enter the Dungeon: Exploring the Crucible of the Dark Erotic Imagination
Advisor: Michael Elliott, MA, LMFT
Kai Tilley
3:25-3:40pm
Treating Young Lesbians of Color: The Intersectional Queer Affirmative Therapeutic Model
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
Catiflor Wright
3:40-3:55pm
Pain as a Portal: A Feminine Quest for Individuation
Advisor: Kathee Miller, MA, LMFT
Jen Antill
3:55-4:10pm
Growing Rooted: The Psychological Impact of Creating Attachment to Place
Advisor: Joanna Walling, MA, LMFT
D Track Presenter Panel
4:10-4:30pm
V Track Presentations
Room A140
9:30—4:15pm
Hosted by Joanna Walling, MA, LMFT, Research Associate
Welcome and Introductions
Joanna Walling, MA, LMFT
9:30-9:45am
Catherine Taylor
9:45-10:00am
Nature as Divine Mother: A Depth-Oriented Ecopsychological Approach to Treating Binge-Eating Disorder
Advisor: Rebecca Pottenger, MA, LMFT
Sam Cohen Paz
10:00-10:15am
Finding Healing Through Humor in Gay-Affirmative Therapy
Advisor: Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT
Gabriella D’Urso
10:15-10:30am
In Search of Wholeness: The Journey to Self through Astrology and Individuation
Advisor: Ifat Peled, PhD
BREAK 10:30 – 10:45AM
Alexandra Dolce
10:45-11:00am
Facing Shadow in The Eyes of The Lover: A Ceremonial Approach to MDMA-Assisted Couples Therapy
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
Jennifer Emblom Castro
11:00-11:15am
Exploring the Ancient Mysteries of the Pineal Gland: A Doorway to Expanded States of Consciousness
Advisor: Ifat Peled, PhD
Nicole Pascavis
11:15-11:30am
Doubt as a Doorway to Self-Determination: Exploring Clients’ Doubt in Psychotherapy as Therapeutic Opportunity
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
BREAK 11:30 – 11:45AM
Elizabeth Haley
11:45am-12:00pm
On Ritual: Individual Growth and Cultural Change
Advisor: Ifat Peled, PhD
John Jack Litterst
12:00-12:15pm
The Ecological Subject
Advisor: Rebecca Pottenger, MA, LMFT
Yoni Klein
12:15-12:30pm
Tunnels Through the Unconscious: An Exploration of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
V TRACK LUNCH 12:30 – 1:30PM
Leeza Legg
1:30-1:45pm
Wounded Goddess: Fragmentation and the Female Psyche
Advisor: Joanna Walling, MA, LMFT
Michaela Mujica-Steiner
1:45-2:00pm
The Double-Headed Goddess: Re-Membering the Lost Archetype of Feminine Wholeness
Advisor: Jacquelyn Toth, MA, LMFT
Preyanka Gulati
2:00-2:15pm
Intricate Realms of the Erotic and Dance: Historical Themes and Archetypes Under India’s Brahminical Patriarchy
Advisor: Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT
BREAK 2:15 – 2:30PM
Crystal Carson
2:30-2:45pm
Descent to the Depths: A Mythopoetic Approach to Grief
Advisor: Jacquelyn Toth, MA, LMFT
Jalene Vincent Welch
2:45-3:00pm
Increasing Affordances for Outdoor, Unstructured, Risky Play as a Response to Children’s Pandemic-Related Stress
Advisor: Elisabeth Gonella, MA, LMFT
Shannon Algeo
3:00-3:15pm
Soul Retrieval: Poetry Therapy for Recovery of the Lost Self from Smartphone Attachment
Advisor: Thomas Steffora, MA, LMFT
Lena Firestone
3:15-3:30pm
Individuation and the Symbolic Support of Weaving One’s Own Chrysalis
Advisor: Joanna Walling, MA, LMF
BREAK 3:30 – 3:45PM
V Track Presenter Panel
3:45-4:15pm