Albert Bandura states it well when he says, “people are often inaugurated into new life trajectories through fortuitous circumstances” (2006, p. 2). This is true in my case. I was in the right place, knew the right person, and it was the right time in my life. I have always been a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Therefore, I know that every positive or negative situation I have faced in my life as a child and as an adult has guided me to the point of working with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Since I started working in Special Education I have been pulled towards wanting to help students with EBD. I believe that not enough is being done for this population of student in regards to nurturing their self-efficacy, or helping them academically, socially, and emotionally. As Pajares & Urdan state, “adolescence is a pivotal developmental period in which youth begin to form an enduring sense of personal identity and agency about themselves (2006, p. x). Students with EBD have a greater difficulty of developing an identity because of an emotional disturbance, a life altering situation, or developing a harmful habitual practice. As Albert Bandura points out adolescents need to understand that “they are contributors to their life circumstances not just products of them” (2006, pg. 3).

          Over the course of my Ph.D. program I want to dig deeper into the use of alternative therapies, especially a form of contemplative practice called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), to help students with EBD learn how to control and manage their thoughts, and therefore their actions. Through a contemplative mind adolescents are able to look at the world through a fresh lens in order to develop a deeper awareness of the world around them. Through a deeper awareness adolescents will be able to develop a sense of self, healthier relationships, and make more informed decisions. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of research of using contemplative practices with students with EBD. Over the course of the next year, I would like to continue to find literature related to alternative therapies, contemplative practices, meditation, and MBSR related to adolescents. In addition, I would like to get certified as a MBSR instructor in order to better understand the nuances of the program. I feel this is important in order to write a stronger grant proposal for future research. My hope is that over the course of the next year, I will be able to resubmit my mindfulness research proposal with a stronger understanding of MBSR practice and literature review.

          I plan on continuing to work with Dr. King-Sears and to keep studying the use of self-management with students with disabilities. Research has shown that “self-management strategies have been shown to effectively increase students’ independence and productivity” (Agran, King-Sears, Wehmeyer, & Copeland, 2003, p. 4). I believe her research in self-management is a powerful tool that can be incorporated with contemplative practices to further help students. With my continued work with Dr. King-Sears, I hope to complete a single-subject self-management research design over the course of the next school year and submit the results for publication. Finally, I would like to continue to explore the concept of self-efficacy.

          I know that my area of research is a relatively uncharted territory and will be a difficult road. However, I believe the education system needs to look at the education and treatment of students with EBD in a different light. I believe it is time to try something different. Through this different line of thought, I hope to show research-based evidence that contemplative based practices with adolescents with EBD is a valuable tool to help re-integrate these students back into the general curriculum or society.