Examining the Views of School Counselors on the Solution Focused Counseling

Abstract

This study investigates school counselors' perspectives on the implementation of solution-focused counseling within educational settings. The research involved ten school counselors (six female and four male) employed across various educational levels—primary, middle, and high schools—in Izmir. A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized for this study, and participants were selected through a snowball sampling technique. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview protocol developed by the researchers. Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed two main categories: theoretical and practical. Within the theoretical category, the identified themes included problem areas, strengths, and limitations of solution-focused counseling. The practical category encompassed themes such as functional use, techniques, and application preferences. The counselors reported employing solution-focused counseling in their schools and deemed it effective. They also highlighted the challenges posed by large caseloads and substantial workloads, noting that the solution-focused approach significantly aids in addressing these issues. The results are discussed in relation to existing literature on solution-focused counseling and its application in school settings.