Counseling Practicum Students’ Experiences Working with Children with Learning Exceptionalities

School-based practicums provide opportunities for counselors-in-training to provide supervised counseling services to youth while providing authentic, immersive counseling experiences for the counselor. Children counseled may identify with or without exceptionalities. The researchers sought to understand the experiences of five counselors-in-training who counseled children with exceptionalities during a semester-long school-based practicum. In this phenomenological study, researchers thematically coded transcripts from a focus group about counseling children with exceptionalities. Three themes were identified: (a) counselors-in-training identity inclusive of anticipated counselor identity versus their practical identity, (b) acceptance inclusive of acceptance of self and acceptance of clients, and (c) worldview inclusive of culture shaping, personal experiences, and biases. The findings are relevant to counselor educators, counselors-in-training, and exceptional education departments

The counselor as a human being: A personal perspective

The purpose of this paper is to elicit careful consideration regarding life-experience and personal mental health on the part of counselors and counselors-in-training. Counselors-in-training can gain much insight by considering their motivation for entering this profession. They need to assess their ability to enter the counseling relationship with a priority on the client’s empowerment, and not personal fulfillment. Careful consideration must be given to the client as a multicultural being, requiring the counselor to have an awareness and willingness to invest themselves in their client’s experience. Counselors-in-training should strive for personal mental wellness and an ongoing pursuit of emotional expansion

The Relationship between Empathy and Theoretical Orientation of Counselors-in-training

This study examined the relationship between theoretical orientation and empathy levels of a group of 166 counselors-in-training. Participants’ responses to the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) and the Theoretical Evaluation Self-Test (TEST) were collected and analyzed. Only individual items from the TEQ were found to have a relationship with the theoretical orientation inclination responses on the TEST. However, a trend between humanistic theories and counselors-in-training theoretical orientation inclination seems to exist. The study concluded that counselors-in-training might need to develop self-awareness before selecting a theoretical orientation that fit. Incongruences were found between theoretical orientation selected in the demographic questionnaire and the results of the TEST. Implications for counselor educators and future research recommendations are discussed

The Relationship between Empathy and Theoretical Orientation of Counselors-in-training

This study examined the relationship between theoretical orientation and empathy levels of a group of 166 counselors-in-training. Participants’ responses to the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) and the Theoretical Evaluation Self-Test (TEST) were collected and analyzed. Only individual items from the TEQ were found to have a relationship with the theoretical orientation inclination responses on the TEST. However, a trend between humanistic theories and counselors-in-training theoretical orientation inclination seems to exist. The study concluded that counselors-in-training might need to develop self-awareness before selecting a theoretical orientation that fit. Incongruences were found between theoretical orientation selected in the demographic questionnaire and the results of the TEST. Implications for counselor educators and future research recommendations are discussed

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

Experiences of Heterosexual-Identified Counselors-in-Training With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Couples in Relation to Perceived Training and Self-Efficacy

Research has indicated that lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual (LGB) couples seek mental health counseling far more than heterosexual couples. Using identity development theory and family-of-choice frameworks, a review of the literature revealed that there are a multitude of considerations in working with LGB couples. The use of self-determination theory and social cognitive theory also uncovered many considerations for counselors and counselors-in-training. The purpose of the current study was to add to the lacking empirical data regarding counselors-in-training by exploring their experiences in working with LGB couples. More specifically, this study aimed to understand perceptions regarding the educational training and self-efficacy of heterosexual-identified counselors-in-training who work with LGB couples. Through the use of a phenomenological interview approach, a purposive sample of seven counselors-in-training shared their experiences of working with LGB couples as well as their perceptions of their education and self-efficacy during their postgraduate work. Data interpretation, through the use of coding and a discovery-oriented approach, uncovered 10 themes that counselors-in-training shared. While the overarching theme was that every couple is to be treated similarly, regardless of sexual orientation, there were also very definite issues that were specific to LGB couples. The study\u27s findings and recommendations can benefit those in the mental health fields as well as educators to continue to work toward consistency in educational programs and accreditation standards. The application of these findings can aid in implementing social change that embrace student and client needs in both classroom settings and hands-on field experience

Keeping up with the Times: Improving the Modern Counselor through Professional Identity Development, Technological Policy, and Positive Risk Taking

Awareness of ‘best practices’ and ‘critical issues’ assists counselors-in-training as they attempt to navigate the expectations of their programs and prepare for their future careers. This article identified the development of a professional identity as a significant goal for counselors-in-training and a curriculum responsibility for counselor educators. The authors also identified two critical issues that counselors-in-training and working professionals face currently. The first critical issue addressed is how technologies fit into counseling practices and their impact on the counseling process. The second critical issue is the potential impact of counselor-client willingness to take a risk with therapeutic options. New and seasoned counselors alike will be met with challenges as they develop and grow in their professional identity. Counselors can support their own professional development by understanding ‘critical issues’ that have the potential to impact professional identity as well as gleaning the knowledge of ‘best practices’ for ethical decision-making

Implications for Wellness‐Based Supervision and Professional Quality of Life

This study evaluated the efficacy of the wellness model of supervision (WELMS; Lenz & Smith, 2010) for promoting changes across the perceptions of counselors‐in‐training (CITs) regarding professional quality of life. Three female participants (1 Caucasian, 2 Hispanic) were enrolled in a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Results of a single‐case research design with multiple baselines indicated that the WELMS was efficacious across client–CIT interactions on professional quality of life

Counselors’-in-training perceptions of gendered behavior

This study utilized Q methodology to examine counselors’-in-training (CIT) perceptions of gendered behavior. Findings supported that most CITs adhered to a traditional view of gender. To work effectively with couples and families, it is suggested that counselors need to address and explore potential biases and socialized stereotypes of gender