A Study Exploring Elementary School Counselor’s Experience of Self-Efficacy

School Counselors are vital to a healthy school system. However, due to the multifaceted nature of the work, the role of an elementary school counselor can be challenging to define. This increases the likelihood for role ambiguity in the workplace which can lead to a lowered sense of efficacy. Because not much research exists on the internalized process of efficacy with elementary school counselors, the purpose of this study was to explore how elementary school counselors manifest self-efficacy in the workplace. Findings suggest that the efficacy of the elementary school counselors interviewed was primarily based on the quality of the relationships between the counselor and stakeholders within the school system such as: teachers, children, administrators, and parents. Efficacy was also affected by the overall school climate, the level of perceived support and trust from administration, and the counselor’s sense of professional respect from the other school agents. Efficacy for those interviewed was also affected by negative mental health stigmas from outside and within the school system. It is the hope that such information can be used to inform the practice of school counselors as well as inform the training of future school counselors. Recommendations for further research are included

We Set the Climate: Implications for Rural School Counselors in Creating LGBTQIA-affirming Schools

This phenomenological qualitative study examined a Southern regional sample (N=9) of rural school counselors’ perspectives of the procedures and processes that contributed to their ability to create safe zones in an effort to make their schools more LGBTQIA-affirming. The researchers identified five key themes and twelve subthemes. The key themes were: (a) organized support system, (b) collaborations with school leadership, (c) addressing challenges, (d) utilization of professional development resources, and (e) adherence to professional ethics

The Effects of COVID-19 on Counselor-in-Training Resilience: A Case Study

Contemporary literature in counseling suggests that resilience is a protective factor in preventing burnout among counselors and counselors-in-training. The strategies that counseling students have historically relied on to learn resilient habits have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the implications for students are still unknown. This qualitative case study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 17 counselors-in-training, their adjustments through a resilience lens, and students’ perspectives on the response of their program in support of pandemic-related challenges. Findings of the current study pinpoint specific causes of counseling students’ psychological distress, as well as the social and academic ramifications. Findings also highlight coping strategies that may increase resilience among counselors-in-training. Implications and recommendations for counseling programs are included