Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Ahmet Can

Abstract

There is new knowledge that major depression disorder (MDD), specifically, is one of the most encountered mental health diagnoses assigned among older adult residents who live in a nursing home (NH) setting (Matos Queiros et al., 2021). Antidepressants are known to be the main improvement factor and optimal management for treating depression; however, consideration for other treatment modalities continues to be explored (Voineskos et al., 2020). Wellness counseling, which is known to foster a person-centered approach, may help NH residents develop coping skills to enhance both overall welfare and everyday functioning across multiple domains. Residents can be empowered as decision makers in their own lives and receive care tailored to individual needs, strengths, and preferences, which is part of person-centered care (PCC) (Vahdat et al., 2014). This dissertation utilized naturalistic inquiry to explore the therapeutic experience from eight licensed clinical professional counselors (LCPCs) who were currently providing therapy to adults with major depression and living in Chicago, Illinois NH. Each counselor was interviewed to understand how the Indivisible Self-Model (IS-WEL) of wellness entity, especially, was integrated as an intervention for treating MDD in this population. The research attempted to examine the clinician’s point of view around wellness counseling and identify their perspectives on care in a NH being tailored around PCC from their own wellness lens.

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