Campus Access Only
All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of University of the Pacific. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.
Date of Award
2009
Document Type
Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Educational and School Psychology
First Advisor
Dennis Brennan
First Committee Member
Rachelle Hackett
Second Committee Member
Thomas Nelson
Third Committee Member
Timothy McHargue
Abstract
This study was designed with an interest for the healing of emotional distress shared by the disciplines of psychology, philosophy, and spirituality. It sought to merge these disciplines into a coherent therapeutic context for human interaction that could be grounded in the shared human condition, the essential need for meaning, freedom, and relationship. This study also sought to examine the importance of spirituality across the lifespan to the practice of psychotherapy and particularly to explore the spiritual experiences of the adolescent male and discover the meaning and healing effects those experiences have for them, especially those who have experienced significant emotional or relationship difficulties in their lives. Using a phenomenological methodology for the qualitative data analysis, 10 interviews were conducted with young adult males who had participated in a unique spiritual retreat while in high school and during a particularly troubled time in their lives. An exhaustive document review took place. Two distinct phenomena emerged: Lost in Suffering, a state of life prior to the retreat and Found in Redemption: the results of a four day experience of bonding, healing, and transformation, each experience containing five distinct themes. The result is a deep understanding of the lived experience of the participants and a powerful implication regarding the place of spiritual experience in psychotherapeutic healing.
Pages
253
ISBN
9781109085624
Recommended Citation
Seishas, Paul C.. (2009). The meaning and perceived effects of a spiritual retreat for adolescent males with personal/interpersonal problems. University of the Pacific, Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2387
To access this thesis/dissertation you must have a valid pacific.edu email address and log-in to Scholarly Commons.
Find in PacificSearch Find in ProQuestIf you are the author and would like to grant permission to make your work openly accessible, please email
Rights Statement
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
