Martina Bauer, in fulfilling the requirements for a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision program, Antioch University Seattle, has written and published a dissertation titled, Exploring the Lived Experience of Grief in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Using a descriptive-interpretive phenomenological approach, Bauer examined the experiences of adults diagnosed with ADHD who had lost a loved one within the past five years. She recruited participants through social media, email, and flyers using a snowball sampling method. Eight individuals met the study criteria and completed semi-structured interviews.
Thematic analysis revealed key patterns, including disruptions to routines and attention, challenges in maintaining responsibilities, emotional responses to loss, tendencies toward avoidance and distraction, the importance of social support, and strategies for managing both grief and ADHD symptoms. Bauer’s findings include recommendations for future research and offer practical guidance for counselors, supervisors, and counselor educators supporting clients, supervisees, and students facing similar challenges.
Based in Washington State, Bauer provides virtual counseling for adults, specializing in anxiety, depression, and trauma-related concerns. As teaching faculty at Antioch University, she fosters critical thinking and reflexivity, creating experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to work ethically, skillfully, and compassionately with diverse communities.
Read Bauer’s dissertation, Exploring the Lived Experience of Grief in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, here.
