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Contemplative Pedagogy: a Grounded Theory of the Integration of Contemplative Practices and Perspectives Within Counselor Training

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Contemplative Pedagogy: a Grounded Theory of the Integration of Contemplative Practices and Perspectives Within Counselor Training University of Northern Colorado Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC Dissertations Student Research 12-2020 Contemplative Pedagogy: A Grounded Theory of the Integration of Contemplative Practices and Perspectives Within Counselor Training Clarissa B. Cigrand Follow this and additional works at: https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Cigrand, Clarissa B., "Contemplative Pedagogy: A Grounded Theory of the Integration of Contemplative Practices and Perspectives Within Counselor Training" (2020). Dissertations. 726. https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/726 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. © 2020 CLARISSA B. CIGRAND ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO Greeley, Colorado The Graduate School CONTEMPLATIVE PEDAGOGY: A GROUNDED THEORY OF THE INTEGRATION OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES AND PERSPECTIVES WITHIN COUNSELOR TRAINING A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Clarissa B. Cigrand College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Department of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education Counselor Education and Supervision December, 2020 This Dissertation by: Clarissa B. Cigrand Entitled: Contemplative Pedagogy: A Grounded Theory of the Integration of Contemplative Practices and Perspectives Within Counselor Training has been approved as meeting the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in College of Education and Behavioral Sciences in the Department of Counselor Education and Supervision Accepted by the Doctoral Committee ______________________________________________________ Linda L. Black, Ed.D., Research Advisor _______________________________________________________ Jennifer L. Bishop-Murdock, PhD, Committee Member _______________________________________________________ Jennifer A. Fulling-Smith, PhD, Committee Member _______________________________________________________ Faye Hummel, PhD, Honorary Committee Member _______________________________________________________ Cindy Wesley, PhD, Faculty Representative Date of Dissertation Defense: November 3rd, 2020 Accepted by the Graduate School ____________________________________________________________ Jeri-Anne Lyons, Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate School Associate Vice President for Research ABSTRACT Cigrand, Clarissa. Contemplative Pedagogy: A Grounded Theory of the Integration of Contemplative Practices and Perspectives Within Counselor Training. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2020. While there is a growing evidence on the value of contemplative practice within counselor preparation (Christopher & Maris, 2010; Leppma & Young, 2016; McCollum & Gehart, 2010), research to date has focused on studying specific contemplative practices and their benefits to clients and CITs rather than guidelines of implementation. As a field, we are lacking information on how contemplative practice informs pedagogical strategies and approaches. Scant research exists on how contemplative practices and perspectives inform the roles of counselor educators, their way of being in the classroom, and how they situate contemplative practices and perspectives into student learning. This dissertation study addresses this gap in the literature through a constructive grounded theory exploration of 17 counselor educators’ experiences on the integration of contemplative practices and perspectives in the training of counselors. Results indicate that this integration involves several distinct components, including contemplative pedagogy as a way of being, contemplative elements in the classroom that do not involve direct practice, and the use of contemplative practices in the classroom. These results informed an emergent theory that details authenticity, teaching presence, relational teaching, components of a contemplative environment, and pedagogical approaches and strategies that are supported by contemplative practices and perspectives. These findings support implications for counselor educators who wish to integrate contemplative practices into their pedagogy. Specific recommendations for counselor educators who are interested in using contemplative practices in the classroom are included. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr. Wesley, you have my upmost gratitude and appreciation. Thank you for signing onto this endeavor in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. To have your insight and perspective on this dissertation is a real blessing. Thank you for being the remarkably kind, scholastic, and reverential person you are. Dr. Hummel, I am so delighted to have connected with you! It is a real rarity for me to show my true self to people so immediately and you had that effect on me. I really loved the times we were able to meet up and I am ever so grateful for your conviction, curiosity, enthusiasm, and sprite-like energy. Thank you for seeing what you see in me. Dr. Smith, thank you for teaching me what minimized power differentials can look like. Holding this capacity the way you do is awe-inspiring. You’ve been such a mentor to me in navigating faculty roles, demonstrating gentle strength, and living deep seated social justice advocacy. All of these things have stayed with me as I’ve navigated my early years as an educator. I look forward to many more conversations and moments together. Dr. Murdock-Bishop, being your student and doctoral supervisor was a supreme highlight of my life. It was a thrill to be in your classroom, where I felt the love of learning come alive. I deeply appreciate your many forms of intelligence and thank you being who you are. Your capacity to inspire devotion is such a gift to experience. Dr. Black, you have carried so many roles with me. You’re my Iowa comrade, military informed rebel, Buddhist co-traveler, lifelong learning partner, mentor, advisor, and Coach. Your rigor, integrity, tough love, charisma, jokes, and discerning intelligence have all made a v lasting mark on my psyche. While I know I will follow my own path in life, there are many qualities and capacities you possess that I aspire to. Thank you for your wide and ever- expansive influence on me. May we continue to generate that which is in service to all beings. To my loving family, Dad, Mom, Jackie, Charlie, Maria, Odessa, and Theresa. I love you all so much and am always grateful to call you my family. It’s the moments I have with you that feed me to the fullest. To my husband Drew. Thank you for putting up with my less than savory aspects and for all of your care, love, and support. You mean the world to me and I can’t wait to see what’s next for us. To my dogs Apollo and Luna. You were both so important to this dissertation process! Any many thank yous to my friends, colleagues, and cohort mates. Particularly Lauren, Xochitl, Maya, Reka, Jason, Sam, and Blaine. I have felt blessed to spend so much time with you all in this journey. And finally, thank you to my participants. Thank you for your generosity of wisdom, insight, knowledge, and skill. You’ve deeply informed my role as a counselor educator and I know your influence has benefitted countless others and will continue to influence countless others. Thank you. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………...1 Background of the Problem Statement of the Problem Purpose of the Study Research Questions Significance of the Study Assumptions Delimitations Conclusion Definitions of Terms II. REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE………...……………………….…..15 Contemplation Working Definition Nature of the Mind Witnessing Principle Detachment Presence Contemplative Epistemology and Contemplative Knowledge Convergence with Transpersonal Psychology Distinction from Reflection Contemplative Practice Contemplative Practices Within Counselor Education What is Needed to Further Develop the Use of These Practices: Pedagogical Theory Pedagogy and Counselor Education Conclusion III. METHODOLOGY………………………………………………...…………….53 Constructivist Grounded Theory Research Questions Role of Researcher: Positionality and Researcher Bias Methodology Ethical Considerations Conclusion vii IV. RESULTS……………………………………………………………..…………71 Participants Contemplative Pedagogy as a Way of Being Contemplative Elements That Do Not Involve Direct Practice Direct Use of Contemplative Practice V. DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………..…162 Research Questions Overview of Findings Findings in the Context of the Literature Emerging Theory Description Implications Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research REFERENCES…………………………………………………………...…….………217 APPENDIX A. INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL……………….………245 B. JOURNAL ARTICLE……………………………………….….……..…….247 C. INFORMED CONSENT……………………………………………………287 D. INTERVIEW GUIDE…………………………………...…………………..290 viii LIST OF FIGURES 1. The Act of Contemplation: A Visual Aid………………………………………………..21 2. An Overview of Contemplative Pedagogy……………………………………………..203 ix 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION For many counselors-in-training (CITs), working with clients for the very first time is fraught with difficulties. Gripping experiences like anxiety, self-doubt, and a desire to be perfect may take the foreground to the detriment of working with clients. Developmental theorists on counselor development have observed that beginning counselors are
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