The College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University has been at the forefront of research in the field of clinical mental health counseling. The college recognizes students and alumni who have published articles in academic journals. Additionally, Laura Shannonhouse has been instrumental in fostering their growth as scholars and professionals. This post shares a couple of recent publications and the work that Shannonhouse continues through her initiatives and the H.O.P.E. Lab
Racial Differences in Pain and Suicide Desire in Older Adults
Sebastian Franck Love, a master’s in clinical mental health counseling student along with counseling psychology alumna Jihee Hong, co-authored an article for the Journal of Applied Gerontology. Their research explores the relationship between pain and suicide desire among older adults focusing on racial differences. It also sheds light on the nuances of mental health issues in elderly populations, where pain and suicidal ideation often go overlooked.
Coping with Suffering Through Faith: Insights from Catholic Cancer Patients
Counseling alumna Jorge Lopez, who is pursuing his Ph.D. at Idaho State University, published an article in the Journal of Health Psychology. Lopez’s research, along with Dr. Laura Shannonhouse, examines how Catoloic cancer patients cope with suffering through their faith. More on this story can be found in Lopez, Shannonhouse Co-Author Article on Catholic Cancer Patients Use Faith to Cope with Suffering.
Laura Shannonhouse’s Impact and Work in Suicide Prevention
Laura Shannonhouse has been instrumental in guiding and nurturing her students in the H.O.P.E. Lab. Her dedication to advancing mental health research and suicide intervention strategies has garnered her recognition.
Recently, Shannonhouse was invited to Harvard University to provide training and findings from her research over the last decade in suicide intervention.
She said she was “thrilled to train with the EVP [executive vice president] of training and delivery from LivingWorks and meet with doctors, counseling center staff, the head of mental health at Harvard, etc.” This all supports their next steps after a student loss to suicide last fall.
Organizations Mentioned
LivingWorks — A leading organization in suicide prevention training that has been providing communities and organizations with suicide prevention solutions for over 35 years. Born out of Calgary, Canada, the organization now spans the globe.
The H.O.P.E. Lab — H.O.P.E. stands for “Helping Others Provide Empathy.” The lab centers on teaching, training and researching methods to help others to be who they need to be when their help is most needed by persons who are suffering. The themes explored include suicide intervention, research on religious/spiritual coping during a disaster and clinical outreach with disaster-impacted populations. The lab is run by Laura Shannonhouse out of the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services at the College of Education & Human Development.