Research and Scholarship

    One of the most unexpected and rewarding aspects of this PhD program has been developing a genuine appreciation for research. As I progressed through the program, I strengthened my skills while gaining a deeper understanding of its significance in both counseling and higher education, reinforcing the importance of research as both an academic pursuit and a way to drive meaningful change. Along the way, I discovered the excitement of asking new questions, contributing to the field, and seeing the real-world impact of research. Being able to collaborate with peers who shared my passion for research allowed me to achieve meaningful milestones in presentations and publication submissions.

    As I reflect on the past few years of my academic and professional career, I can see how the Lord has guided me toward His desire for my professional pursuits. Clients, research projects, conversations with faculty and other counselors, and my own experiences continue to lead me toward furthering the counseling profession's knowledge and understanding of religious trauma. As I finalize my internship project and enter the dissertation phase of this program, I hope to advance the understanding of religious trauma and the experiences of counselors to improve supervision approaches for counselors in training.

CACREP Doctoral Competencies (2024):

A. Research designs appropriate to quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and action research questions or hypotheses

B. Quantitative data analysis methods

C. Qualitative approaches to data analysis

D. Models and methods of sampling relevant to research design

E. Models and methods of instrument design

F. Models and methods of program evaluation

G. Research questions or hypotheses appropriate for professional research and publication

H. Professional writing for peer-reviewed journal publication.

I. Professional conference proposal preparation

J. Development of research proposals for a human subjects/institutional review board review

K. Grant proposals and other sources of funding

L. Strategies for conducting culturally relevant and culturally competent research

M. Ethical considerations and strategies for conducting research
 

Artifacts 1-3 were completed during COUC 740 Advanced Research Design
“Professional Counseling is increasingly required to demonstrate the efficacy of its interventions and treatment strategies. Doctoral level counseling educators and practitioners must be able to appropriately consume and contribute to the current scientific research in the application and development of such treatments and other aspects of counselor education. A review of the process and method of developing and conducting research. Emphasis will be placed upon the application of methods for development and preparation of the doctoral proposal.” (Syllabus).
 

Artifact 1: Quantitative Research Proposal
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, C, D, E, G, H, M

    This benchmark assignment was developed as a proposal for quantitative research, including research design and methods, a discussion on validity, and the clinical significance of the research. A conceptual model of the proposal is included.
 

Artifact 2: Literature Review
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, H, L

    This assignment provides a review of the literature covering shame, sexual orientation, mental health, religious participation and trauma, component-based psychotherapy, and recommendations for future research.
 

Artifact 3: Citable Units
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A

    This paper provides a review of literature from fifty different articles relevant to religious trauma, shame, mental health, and clinical approaches to treatment.
 

Artifact 4 was completed during COUC 714 Supervision and Consultation
"The purpose of this course is to help counselors become aware of and trained in the process of counseling supervision and consultation with the purpose of protecting counselors-in-training from making or practicing unethical decisions or techniques. Supervision and collaboration are first and foremost helping relationships which have as their foundation the dignity and respect of the parties involved. The importance and role of supervision and consultation in counselor education is evident. First, clinical organizations promote ethical principles and competencies within the profession of counseling and often provide supervision to junior professionals. Second, accreditation and licensing requirements mandate that trainees be given adequate supervision to assist and ensure their professional development. Hence, supervision and consultation training are core elements incounselor education and supervision. Graduates are expected to have the capability to (a) provide theoretial and empirically based supervision to counselor trainees and consultation to various organizations, (b) provide supervision training, (c) conduct supervision-related and consultation-related research inquiry, (d) evaluate ethical and competent practice, and (e) see technology as a tool to assist professionals and organizations." (Syllabus)
 

Artifact 4: ACES Proposal
Research & Scholarship Competencies: I

    This proposal was written as practice proposal writing, but was used as a foundation for submissions to multiple professional conferences.
 

Artifacts 5 - 7 were completed during COUC 750 Qualitative Research
    "Qualitative research helps advance our understanding of effective solutions to the complex problems addressed in counseling. Therefore, counseling doctoral students need to understand the main qualitative methods of inquiry and when/how to appropriately use them. This course promotes understanding of the main qualitative research methods and their application to the counseling field. Selected qualitative research methods are explored, appropriate problems for qualitative inquiry delineated, and rigorous, ethical, and effective qualitative research strategies are applied to problems addressed in the field of counseling." (Syllabus)

Artifact 5: Medical Research Coding
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, C

    Engaged in coding process for the PhD and medical school programs regarding animal-assisted therapy. Worked together with a group of two colleagues to determine themes in the coding process and further areas to explore within the medical school group.
 

Artifact 6: Benchmark Qualitative Proposal
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, C, G, I

    Proposal completed at the end of COUC 750, titled Understanding the Experiences of Christian Counselors Treating Queer Individuals with Religious Trauma.
 

Artifact 7: Grant Proposal
Research & Scholarship Competencies: K

    This practice grant proposal was submitted for the course and was based on Artifact 6.
 

Artifacts 8 - 11 were completed during COUC 745 Advanced Multivariate Statistics and Quantitative Research
    "An examination of both quantitative and qualitative designs for research to assist the student in preparing a research proposal for discussion and critique in class. Each student will submit a formal written proposal." (Syllabus)

Artifact 8: Analysis Portoflio
Research & Scholarship Competencies: B, E, H

    This portfolio included multiple statistical analyses using SPSS on a set of data provided by Dr. Volk, including a discussion of the results. Analyses included Independent Samples T-Test, Paired Samples T-Test, One-Way Between Subjects ANOVA, Two-Way Between Subjects ANOVA, ANCOVA, and a Correlation Matrix.

Artifact 9: CITI Training
Research & Scholarship Competencies: J, L, M

    This training is provided by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative and included guidelines for ethical research in social and behavioral sciences. This training provided access to complete IRB submissions for the university.

Artifact 10: Shame, Faith, & Mental Health Article
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, B, D, E, G, H

    This article is still in the draft stage as a part of this course, and included collaboration with three other peers: Hannah Murch, Janita Daggy, and Jonathan Smith. This article is in its final stages of review for submission to Mental Health, Religion, & Culture.

Artifact 11: Model Rational Assignment
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, B, G

    This assignment was the first stages of Artifact 10, prior to feedback and approval from Dr. Volk. This work included collaboration with two other peers: Janita Daggy and Jonathan Smith, and included a research question, research rationale, and a general model for the research design.
 

Artifacts 12 & 13 were completed during COUC 999 Research Internship
    "The doctoral internship is designed to provide students with supervised experiences that reflect the activities of a regularly employed professional in the field of counselor education. All doctoral interns must have internship experiences in supervision, teaching, and one additional doctoral competency (counseling, research or leadership/advocacy). Under the guidance of faculty and supervisors, the primary focus of this internship is to help doctoral students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for ethical and competent practice as a counselor educator in counseling, research, or leadership and advocacy." (Syllabus)

Artifact 12: Liberty University IRB Submission
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, C, J, L, M

    This IRB submission was completed for my research project, Experiences of Religions Residents in Counseling Working with Clients Who Have Experienced Religious Trauma with Dr. Lilley.

Artifact 13: Informed Consent, Recruitment Survey, and Focus Group Questions
Research & Scholarship Competencies: A, C, L

    These forms were submitted to the IRB for approval to use during the research study. All forms were approved for use.

Artifact 14: Grant Funding
Research & Scholarship Competencies: K

    This request for grant funding was completed for training in Component-Based Psychotherapy. This three-day training was completed at Richmont University in Chatanooga Tennesse, conducted by Dr. Jana Pressley and Dr. Joseph Spinazzola.

 

Research & Scholarship Competency F:

    I completed all course evaluations during this degree, providing feedback on the professor, course materials, and my overall learning during the course.

Scholarly Presentations 

Taylor, N., & Ford, K. (2025, October 7-12). Navigating crises of faith in supervision: Burnout, ethical dilemmas, and religious trauma [Presentation]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision 2025 Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Daggy, J., & Taylor, N. (2025, April 25; Invited Presenter). Giving a face to your action [Presentation]. World Creativity and Innovation Day Celebration, Virtual.

Daggy, J., & Taylor, N. (2025, March 27-29). Emergency medical technicians: The battle for mental health [Roundtable]. American Counseling Association 2025 Conference, Orlando, FL.

Taylor, N., & Daggy, J. (2025, March 27-29). Religious trauma and counselor burnout: A component-based approach to supervision [Roundtable]. American Counseling Association 2025 Conference, Orlando, FL.

Daggy, J., & Taylor, N. (2024, November 14-15). Giving a face to your action [Presentation]. Association of Creativity in Counseling, Virtual.

Taylor, N. (2024, November 14-15). Revitalizing the spirit: Enhancing supervision through religious exploration in the sand [Presentation]. Association of Creativity in Counseling, Virtual.

Taylor, N. (2024, October 4). Let's unpack this: Supervising religious counselors working with religious trauma [Presentation]. Central Virginia Counselor Development Symposium, Virtual.

Taylor, N. (2024, October 4-5). Supervising cases of religious trauma in the LGBTGEQIAP+ community: A component-based approach to supervision [Pre-Conference Presentation]. Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE) 2024 Conference: Elevating Advocacy, Golden, CO., Virtual.

Taylor, N. (2024, September 13, Proposal Submitted). Religious trauma and counselor burnout: A component-based approach to supervision. American Counseling Association Professional Practice Summit, Virtual.

Taylor, N. (2024-2025, Proposal Submitted). Supervising cases of religious trauma in the LGBTGEQIAP+ community: A component-based approach to supervision. American Counseling Association Continuing Education Series, Virtual.

Smith, M., Parker, D., & Taylor, N. (2024, April 27). Immersive healing: Reshaping the contours of therapeutic training [Presentation]. Chi Sigma Iota Pennsylvania Statewide Conference, Slippery Rock, PA.

Taylor, N. (2024, April 15). Let's unpack this: Supervising religious counselors working with religious trauma [Presentation]. Liberty University Research Week, Lynchburg, VA.
 

 

Scholarly Publications:

Chamberlin, B., Ford, K., Taylor, N., Conley, C. (2024). Religious Trauma. In K. Burton, R. Simmons, & B. Chamberlin (Eds.), Crisis and Trauma: Strategies for Resilience and Recovery (1st ed.). Kendall Hunt Publishing.

Vaile, C. S., Daggy, J., Taylor, N., Alvey, L. M., Nelson, C., Bowman, K. Counseling conference presentations: From concept to proposal. (In Progress)

Hannor-Walker, T., Bohecker, L., & King, J. (2024) Marriage and family: God's design. [PowerPoint Development]. Kendall Hunt Publishing.

Taylor, N. Religious identity and counselor burnout: A component-based approach to supervision. Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Newsletter (In Progress).
 

 

Proposal Reviews:

Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). 2025 Conference, Philadelphia. Proposal review.

Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES). 2024 Conference, Dallas. Proposal review.

Central Virginia Counselor Development Symposium. (Fall 2024). On the path forward: Navigating challenges and embracing opportunities within the counseling profession. Proposal review.

National Board of Certified Counselors. (2024-Present). Continuing education proposal reviews.

Mental Health Summit. (Spring 2025). Liberty University. Proposal review.