Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Rehabilitation Counseling

First Advisor

Noreen Graf

Second Advisor

Ralph Carlson

Third Advisor

Irmo Marini

Abstract

The essence of being human is realized by our discovery of meaningful purpose throughout each important stage of our lives. If we perceive that we lack this meaningful purpose in our lives, it could become a distressful source of suffering to our sense of well-being emotionally, cognitively and perhaps, spiritually. A strong indicator of well-being comes from a good evaluation we ascertain as to how well we believe outcomes in our lives are consistent with our goals and values, which is also known as satisfaction with life. Research findings indicate that the more someone experiences repeated negative life events, the higher correlation there is toward reduced life satisfaction outcomes. Physical pain reported by patients is not easily detected or diagnosed by doctors. Pain must be considered by doctors from a broader philosophical context rather than strictly a clinical/medical context. The two main types of pain people experience are psychological/emotional and physical pain. Through psychological/emotional and physical pain, people must learn to strive through pain and conquer suffering. If pain persists long enough, it will be classified as chronic pain. Counseling and psychological interventions can help them overcome their negative outlook derived from the chronic pain. Positive psychology is a strengths-based approach that someone experiencing chronic pain might benefit from. Positive psychology can help a chronic pain patient by reinforcing optimism and helping them focus upon their strengths and positive attributes.

Comments

Copyright 2025 Timothy Michael Curtis. All Rights Reserved.

https://proquest.com/docview/3246863782

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