New article for Morrow

Congratulations to Danielle Morrow, counsellor in Nipissing University’s Student Counselling Services, on the recent publication of an article she contributed to in the Journal of Systemic Therapies.

Titled Externalizing Metaphors Therapy: Outcomes Related To A Three-Session Treatment Model for Anxiety and Depression, the article appears in Volume 36, Fall 2017 Issue.

Here’s an abstract: Although effective treatments exist for transitional-aged youth presenting with dysphoria, treatment protocols often take much longer than the typical psychotherapy that clients receive. The authors proposed a three-session treatment protocol with an emphasis on the process of externalizing and shifting problem-focused identities using concrete metaphors. Trained clinicians from four post-secondary student counseling centers in Ontario, Canada, implemented externalizing metaphors therapy (EMT) to 50 participants who presented with anxiety and/or depression. Participating clients completed two self-report measures of dysphoria (DASS-21, STAI) before beginning and at the end of treatment. The results were then compared to a small sample of participants who engaged in treatment as usual (TAU). Differences on the DASS-21 between baseline and post-intervention revealed significant reductions in self-reported stress, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, data showed a significant and large reduction in trait anxiety on the STAI. No statistically significant differences were found between EMT and TAU, with limitations discussed.