Counselors frequently encounter crises in practice with various factors shaping crisis management. However, limited preparation and training combined with personal and situational characteristics affect a counselors’ ability to properly handle a crisis. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors that could potentially affect the ability to handle a crisis in session among counselors-in-training and add to the understanding of self-efficacy in crisis counseling. The study consisted of participants enrolled in a practicum pre-service course in a CACREP accredited program. Results were analyzed through a narrative research approach, specifically a categorical-content narrative analysis, theory-driven thematic analysis and cross-case analysis was used to compare and contrast each point to identify common themes. Four predefined source of self-efficacy themes identified were performance experience, vicarious performances, verbal persuasion, and imaginal performance as well as three themes derived from narrative analysis: crisis management, practice self-care, and personal characteristics. Findings indicated participants’ exposure to a crisis in a counseling session demonstrated increases in perceived ability to effectively manage and work with a client experiencing a crisis. Participants, who attended to a real or fictional crisis, expressed a positive impact on their crisis counseling self-efficacy. Implications for counselor education and practitioners are discussed
