Abstract
ABSTRACT Counselors make important contributions to the counseling relationship, and their attachment organizations can influence the strength, quality, and effectiveness of the working alliance (Bucci et al. 2015). This study explored first year counselor education doctoral students’ (n = 7) experiences of being interviewed with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI; George et al. 1996) as a means of supporting self-awareness and fostering effective counselor-client working alliances. Four superordinate themes emerged: (a) reactions to the AAI interview process, (b) process with AAI feedback, (c) AAI and intrapersonal process, and (d) AAI and interpersonal process. Findings suggest that the AAI is an effective tool in supporting counselor self-awareness regarding attachment strategies and can provide multiple personal and professional benefits, such as increased awareness of conflict and stress management strategies. Implications for clinical practice, counselor education, and future research are discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
