Date

8-6-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Catherine Packer-Williams

Keywords

rural, trauma, resilience, recovery, adaptive

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the ways in which adults who live in rural communities in the Southeastern United States convalesce from trauma within the framework of barriers and limited access to mental health services. Garmezy’s (1991) developmental psychology approach to resilience, which highlights internal and external protective factors, guides this study as personal resilience, and how it contributes to trauma recovery in underserved settings, is explored. Ten participants aged 32 to 49, engaged in semi-structured interviews as they shared their lived experiences of coping with, and healing from, trauma. Five principal themes were reach in analyzing the data through an inductive and thematic approach: (1) myriad pathways to care, including counseling and faith-based alternatives; (2) barriers to recovery such as stigma, avoidance, and substance use; (3) the emotional distress of trauma, including fear and low self-esteem; (4) the protective factors that the role of rural settings and trauma disclosure provide; and (5) coping strategies centered on faith and community. Discoveries revealed that while there was sometimes limited use of mental health services, many interviewees demonstrated resilience through other support factors such as spirituality and cohesive personal networks. The study adds to the expanding body of research on trauma and resilience by emphasizing specific protective factors within its context and providing real-world implications for various stakeholders such as counselors, religious leaders, and policymakers seeking to aid trauma recovery in rural communities.

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