How people draw on spirituality to heal physically and mentally is the crux of Gockel’s current work. Her ongoing research explores consumer contributions to the provision of health and mental health services, spiritual coping and mindfulness-based interventions. 

Gockel’s related areas of interest include mental health consumer narratives, social work education and training, and mindfulness in clinical training and community-based interventions.

At Smith, Gockel teaches Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families in the M.S.W. program, advises first- and second-year students and clinical supervisors during field internships, and advises second-year students conducting thesis research. She chairs the social work practice sequence. She also coordinates the foundational practice course and serves on the field internship committee and the curriculum committee.

Listen to Gockel's November 2016 presentation “Practicing Presence: A Curriculum for Integrating Mindfulness Training into Direct Practice Instruction," part of the School of Social Work - University of Buffalo inSocialWork® Podcast Series.

Publications

Kimmell, A., & Gockel, A. (in press). Embodied connections: Engaging the body in group work. Qualitative Social Work.

Gockel, A., & Deng, X. (2016). Mindfulness training as social work pedagogy: Exploring benefits, challenges, and issues for consideration in integrating mindfulness into social work education. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 35, 222-244.

Gockel, A. (2015). Teaching Note-Practicing Presence: A curriculum for integrating mindfulness training into direct practice instruction. Journal of Social Work Education, 51, 682-690. doi: 10.1080/10437797.2015.1076275

Gockel, A., & Burton, D. (2014). An evaluation of pre-practicum helping skills training for graduate social work students. Journal of Social Work Education, 50, 101-119. doi: 10.1080/10437797.2014.856234

Gockel, A. & Burton, D. (2013). Can God help? Religion among adolescent male sex offenders. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma. 6, 274-286. doi: 10.1080/19361521.2013.836584

Gockel, A. (2013). Telling the ultimate tale: The merits of narrative research in the psychology of religion. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 10, 189-203. doi:10.1080/14780887.2011.616622

Gockel, A., Cain, T., Malove, S., & James, S. (2013). Mindfulness as clinical training: Student perspectives on the utility of mindfulness training in fostering clinical intervention skills. Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 32, 36-59. doi: 10.1080/15426432.2013.749146

Gockel, A. (2011). Client perspectives on spirituality in the therapeutic relationship. Humanistic Psychologist, 39, 154-168. doi: 10.1080/08873267.2011.564959

Gockel, A. (2010). The promise of mindfulness for clinical practice education. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 80, 248-268. doi: 10.1080/00377311003784184

Gockel, A. (2009). Spirituality and the process of healing: A narrative study. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 19, 217-230. doi:10.1080/10508610903143248

Russell, M., Harris, B. & Gockel, A. (2008).  Canadian lone mothers describe parenting needs:  European solutions explored.  Canadian Social Work Review, 25, 169-185

Gockel, A., Russell, M., & Harris, B. (2008). Recreating family: Parents identify worker-client relationships as paramount in family preservation programs. Child Welfare Journal, 87(6), 91-113

Russell, M., Harris, B., & Gockel, A. (2008). Parenting in poverty: Perceptions of high risk parents. Journal of Children and Poverty, 14, 82-98

Harris, B., Russell, M., & Gockel, A. (2007). The impact of poverty on First Nations mothers attending a parenting program. First Peoples Child and Family Review, 3 (3), 21-30

Russell, M., Gockel, A., & Harris, B. (2007). Parent perspectives on intensive intervention for child maltreatment. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 24, 101-120. doi:10.1007/s10560-006-0068-3

Russell, M., & Gockel, A. (2005). Recovery processes in a treatment program for women. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 5(4), 27-46. doi:10.1300/J160v05n04