Counselor Trainees' Views on Their Forthcoming Experiences in Practicum Course

Abstract

Problem Statement: The counseling profession requires specific education and training to equip counselor trainees with necessary knowledge and skills. Therefore, they are required not only to acquire theoretical knowledge but also to integrate it into practice. Especially, the integration of theoretical knowledge into practice is optimally possible with practicum. Although practicum provides a context such integration, it also leads to some negative thoughts and feelings among trainees. Experiencing anxiety and other feelings of incompetence impedes their professional development. Therefore, the critical task is to enable them to cope with negative feelings and experiences such as anxiety during their training process. In this context, taking account trainees’ experiences and feelings as counselors during the formal education process makes important contributions to their personal and professional development. Purpose of Study: To support the development of counselor trainees and make their educational and training processes fully functional, understanding the nature and antecedents of these negative experiences and feelings becomes critical. This study was conducted to understand the counselor trainees’ predictions about their experiences as counselors during practicum course and to reveal the sources of feelings related to these predictions. Methods: This research was a qualitative study based on focus group interviews. The researcher and two research assistants conducted interviews with two groups consisting of a total of 13 trainees taking an Individual Counseling Practicum Course. Open-ended questions were