Counseling Experience Research Articles

Embedding simulation in genetic counselor education from the first week of training: Learning outcomes, standardized clients, and students' satisfaction.

Health professional educators routinely utilize simulation to prepare students for practice. However, there is little evidence to show whether simulation enhances learning for genetic counseling students. This study aimed to (i) develop simulation learning outcomes and standardized clients for genetic counselor student education and (ii) evaluate students' experiences of learning from face-to-face and virtual simulation in the first week of training in an Australasian master of genetic counseling program. Using the principles of co-design, eight experienced genetic counselors from across Australasia attended an online discussion and one-to-one meetings to develop simulation learning outcomes and build detailed authentic standardized clients. Six learning outcomes were identified: establishing an effective counseling relationship, eliciting information, assessing need, delivering difficult news and helping clients cope with complex emotions, effective communication and facilitating adaptation. Standardized clients were mapped to the learning outcomes and other requirements of the program. Between 2019 and 2022, 106 first year students participated in face-to-face or virtual simulation workshops with two standardized clients on Day 5 of their training. Following the experience, 103 students completed an anonymous survey using a modified version of a validated satisfaction with simulation scale (n = 49 face-to-face in 2019 and 2020 and n = 54 virtual in 2021 and 2022). Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Mean satisfaction overall was 95.9% (SD 3.5), 96.2 (SD 4.0) face-to-face, and 95.8 (SD 3.7) virtual. Overall, responses indicated that simulation-based learning and working with standardized clients was a valuable learning experience (100%), developed communication skills and created a sense of reality (99%). For a minority of participants (n = 4), the simulation was too challenging. Key learning related to consolidation of counseling skills, reflective practice, and preparation for clinical placement. In conclusion, exposing novice student genetic counselors to authentic clinical scenarios using standardized clients in face-to-face or virtual classrooms enhanced clinical learning.

A Culturally Responsive Career Development Group for Minoritized Girls of Color

Career development plays a crucial role in the overall growth of K–12 students. However, it often lacks an intersectional approach to address students’ diverse needs. Consequently, there is a need for a comprehensive approach that recognizes students’ distinct requirements and offers practical solutions. This conceptual article addresses the unique strengths and challenges minoritized girls of color face in their career development. Given these challenges and others, we propose a group counseling experience that builds on the strengths of minoritized girls of color and fosters culturally responsive career development, including career decision-making self-efficacy.

변증법적 행동치료 기술훈련 집단상담 경험에 대한 근거이론 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences and changes of participants in a Dialectical Behavior Therapy(DBT) skills training group counseling.
 Methods To do this, a 12-week DBT skills training group counseling was conducted for 11 graduate students, and data from participant reflections recording data and reports were collected for each session, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The open coding, axis coding, process analysis and selective coding was conducted.
 Results The analysis resulted in a total of 154 concepts, 43 subcategories, and 19 categories. The central phe-nomena that emerged were ‘self-awareness and hope’ and ‘will for growth,’ while causal conditions included ‘emotional difficulties,’ ‘cognitive difficulties,’ ‘behavioral difficulties,’ and ‘self-identity difficulties.’ Contextual conditions encompassed ‘hesitancy about group participation,’ ‘confronting one's own inadequacies,’ and ‘difficulties in applying the skills.’ Mediating conditions included ‘group cohesion’ and ‘positive interactions within the group.’ Action/interaction strategies involved ‘opening the heart’ and ‘trying,’ and the outcomes included ‘e-motional change,’ ‘cognitive change,’ ‘behavioral change,’ ‘self-identity change,’ and ‘interpersonal relationship change.’ Process analysis revealed the stages of DBT skills training group counseling as ‘facing pain and in-adequacy,’ ‘willingness for change,’ ‘self-disclosure and mutual encouragement,’ ‘effort,’ and ‘growth and change.’
 Conclusions The study confirmed the group counseling experience and positive changes of the DBT skills training group counseling participants.

Analisis Manajemen Bimbingan Konseling Kelompok di SMA Negeri 1 Parigi

This research concerns the analysis of group counseling (BK) at SMA Negeri 1 Parigi. The aim of the research is to conduct an analysis of group counseling guidance management at SMA Negeri 1 Parigi. The research method used was qualitative with research subjects being three guidance and counseling teachers at SMA Negeri 1 Parigi. The research results show that group guidance and counseling services at SMA Negeri 1 Parigi are very necessary considering the absence of guidance and counseling hours in class and the large number of students. The group counseling program provides a significant positive impact, involving techniques such as problem solving and role playing. Even though there are supporting factors such as adequate facilities, experience of guidance counselors, and services via social media, there are still obstacles such as a lack of guidance counselor personnel, limited student openness, and problems with facilities and infrastructure. Evaluation of group guidance management is important, with the need for cooperation between guidance and counseling teachers, school personnel and the government. Supporting and inhibiting factors need to be managed holistically to ensure the effectiveness of the group guidance and counseling program at SMA Negeri 1 Parigi. Thus, this research is expected to provide comprehensive insight and strategic recommendations to improve the quality of Group Counseling Guidance services at SMA Negeri 1 Parigi.

메타버스 공간에서 집단상담 경험에 대한 질적 연구

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for counseling in the metaverse space by exploring the experiences of college students who have participated in metaverse group counseling. In this study, 36 students answered to a questionnaire asking group counseling experience in metaverse space, and the data were analyzed by a consensual qualitative research-modified(CQR-M). As a result, total 4 domains and 15 categories were drawn. 4 domains were ‘self within metaverse’, ‘metaverse space’, ‘content and goals of group counseling’, and ‘group counseling process’. Based on these results, implications for counseling in the metaverse space and suggestions for future research were discussed.

Legal age limits in accessing donor information: experiences of donor-conceived people, parents, sperm donors and counsellors

Research questionWhat are the lived experiences of donor-conceived people, parents, sperm donors and counsellors related to legal age limits on accessing donor information in the Netherlands? DesignA phenomenological study was carried out that included 20 donor-conceived individuals, 15 parents, 6 sperm donors and 5 counsellors. Data were collected through online qualitative in-depth interviews and focus groups. The data were analysed using Dahlberg's Reflective Lifeworld Approach. ResultsThe results show how: (i) age limits create challenges related to dependency, autonomy and loyalty to parents; (ii) donor information can be important for identity development, which looks different at different ages; (iii) inaccessible information can lead to unfair loss and may be perceived as negative; (iv) relational stability provides a good foundation for dealing with the (in)accessibility of donor information; (v) procedural barriers and age limits increase the inaccessibility of donor information; and (vi) comprehensive counselling is desired for donor-conceived individuals, parents and donors. ConclusionsThis study shows that legal age limits on accessing donor information can lead to several negative consequences. The age limits focus on one individual, which is not appropriate for questions about ancestry that always pertain to a relational network. Counselling should be tailored to the child's needs, and the child's family should be involved. Furthermore, the donor should receive independent counselling.

Teacher Experience of Guidance and Counseling in Treating Youth with Cyberbullying Case

Background: Cyberbullying in adolescents may cause depression, decreased academic achievement, withdrawal from the environment, family and the presence of suicidal ideation. The success of teachers in dealing with cyberbullying is unknown.Objective: To explore the Guidance and Counseling Teachers experience in dealing with adolescents with cyberbullying incidents.Methods: This study used a qualitative descriptive approach with a phenomenological approach and data were collected through in-depth interviews with 8 Guidance and Counseling Teachers who deal with adolescents with cyberbullying incidents. Data analysis in this study used the Colaizzi method.Results: In this study, there were five essential themes in this research including cyberbullying is not a serious problem, various problems faced in dealing with cyberbullying, emotional responses to cyberbullying victims, cyberbullying victims are weak emotional mentality students and lack of coordination between parents, teachers subjects and Guidance and Counseling teachers.Conclusion: The problem of cyberbullying has considered as unserious problem and there is a lack of coordination between parents, subject teachers and guidance and counseling teachers. So that special training is needed to deal with cyberbullying, there are guidelines, clear cyberbullying prevention strategies and the existence of government agencies that specifically handle cyberbullying case.

Telesupervision in genetic counseling education during COVID-19 and beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic led healthcare organizations to pivot to telemedicine, precipitating the shift to telesupervision, defined as supervision over video-conferencing platforms and telephone, for genetic counseling students. This study aimed to (1) characterize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on genetic counseling supervision, (2) ascertain genetic counseling supervisor experiences with telesupervision, and (3) examine the association between years of genetic counseling experience and preferences related to supervision modality. Certified genetic counselors were recruited through the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), Pennsylvania Association of Genetic Counselors (PAGC), and Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD) listservs and by purposive sampling via emails to Genetic Counseling Program Directors in program-rich regions. An investigator-created survey was administered online to elicit descriptions of supervision during the pandemic, including modifications to rotations, changes to the number of students supervised, and mode of supervision preference. The survey was completed by 122 genetic counselors. The 54-question survey included multiple-choice, ranking, and open-ended questions. The majority (95.9%) of the participants were female, with an average age of 32 years. Most (86%) of participants reported changes in their supervision practices due to COVID-19, including sole use of telesupervision (54.4%), decreases in rotation lengths (25.4%), and delays in rotation start dates (24.6%). Interestingly, 19.3% (22/114) supervised more students than before the pandemic, and 18.4% (21/114) of participants supervised fewer students. Approximately two thirds (67.5%) of supervisors preferred supervising students in-person, while 2.6% preferred telesupervision, and 29.8% had no preference. Those who preferred to supervise in-person had fewer years of experience than those who had no preference (median = 4 years vs. median = 7 years respectively, Wilcoxonp-value = 0.0418, effect size rpb = 0.19, small). Given the persistence of telemedicine beyond the pandemic, telesupervision may be necessary to train genetic counseling students. However, additional research is needed to determine the effectiveness of telesupervision in facilitating student skill development and attainment of the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) Practice-Based Competencies (PBCs).

Improving counseling effectiveness with virtual counselors through nonverbal compassion involving eye contact, facial mimicry, and head-nodding

An effective way to reduce emotional distress is by sharing negative emotions with others. This is why counseling with a virtual counselor is an emerging methodology, where the sharer can consult freely anytime and anywhere without having to fear being judged. To improve counseling effectiveness, most studies so far have focused on designing verbal compassion for virtual counselors. However, recent studies showed that virtual counselors’ nonverbal compassion through eye contact, facial mimicry, and head-nodding also have significant impact on the overall counseling experience. To verify this, we designed the virtual counselor’s nonverbal compassion and examined its effects on counseling effectiveness (i.e., reduce the intensity of anger and improve general affect). A total of 40 participants were recruited from the university community. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of two virtual counselor conditions: a neutral virtual counselor condition without nonverbal compassion and a compassionate virtual counselor condition with nonverbal compassion (i.e., eye contact, facial mimicry, and head-nodding). Participants shared their anger-inducing episodes with the virtual counselor for an average of 16.30 min. Note that the virtual counselor was operated by the Wizard-of-Oz method without actually being technically implemented. Results showed that counseling with a compassionate virtual counselor reduced the intensity of anger significantly more than counseling with a neutral virtual counselor (F(1, 37) = 30.822, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.454). In addition, participants who counseled with a compassionate virtual counselor responded that they experienced higher empathy than those who counseled with a neutral virtual counselor (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that nonverbal compassion through eye contact, facial mimicry, and head-nodding of the virtual counselor makes the participants feel more empathy, which contributes to improving the counseling effectiveness by reducing the intensity of anger.

Enhancing the Counseling Process: The Significance of Counselor's Personality Traits

This paper examines the significance of counselor's personal qualities in the counseling process. The research highlights the impact of counselor's personality on counseling attitudes and behaviors, emphasizing the counselor's role in establishing a strong counseling relationship. The study draws on a literature review of selected articles and scientific papers to explore the relationship between counselor's personal qualities and the effectiveness of counseling services. The findings indicate that the success of the counseling process is highly dependent on the counselor's personal characteristics, which include empathy, respect, acceptance, appreciation, and honesty. Furthermore, the quality of the counseling relationship, characterized by the interaction between the counselor and the individual seeking guidance, plays a pivotal role in achieving positive counseling outcomes. The research underscores the importance of counselor's personal qualities in shaping the counseling experience and highlights the need for counselors to possess desirable character traits. The implications of this study extend to counselor training programs and professional development, emphasizing the significance of nurturing and enhancing counselor's personal qualities to provide effective counseling services.

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Students’ Understanding and Experiences of Counseling: A Qualitative Pilot Study

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Students’ Understanding and Experiences of Counseling: A Qualitative Pilot Study

Factors Related to Submission of Tracing Reports Regarding Cancer Chemotherapy by Pharmacy Pharmacists

In Japan, use of a report for providing information from pharmacies to medical institutions called as "tracing report (TR)" is not widespread especially in the field of cancer chemotherapy. Identification of the factors related to submission of TRs could enhance the necessity of TRs. The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors related to submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy through a questionnaire survey. A questionnaire survey was conducted at the live web-based seminar regarding cancer chemotherapy held for pharmacists in January 2023. After the questionnaire survey, the participants were divided into those who had submitted at least one TR regarding cancer chemotherapy within one month before the seminar (TR group) and those who had not (non-TR group). The multivariate analysis was conducted to identify factors related to submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy. Of 118 participants, the responses from 93 pharmacy pharmacists involved in dispensing drugs who agreed to participate in this study and fulfilled all questionnaire were analyzed. TR group included 21 participants and non-TR group included 72. As a result of multivariate analysis, "Years of experience in counseling and following-up with patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy (odds ratio: 4.81, p=0.02)" and "Types of workplaces (odds ratio: 3.79, p=0.02)" significantly increased the incidence of submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy. It was revealed that experience of intervention in cancer chemotherapy cases and an environment in which prescriptions for cancer chemotherapy can be handled on a daily basis are important for submission of TRs regarding cancer chemotherapy.

A Qualitative Study of Buddhist Counseling on Traumatized Clients: Counseling Practices of Seven Experienced Buddhist Counselors

In the past decade, a number of contemporary psychotherapy approaches for trauma have extracted Buddhist ideas and practices into their treatment models. However, there has been growing criticisms that are primarily rooted in the concern that these practices have been taken out of their original Buddhist context, necessitating the implementation of holistic Buddhist knowledge among mental health professionals. In response, this qualitative study aims to explore the treatment of traumas by utilizing a Buddhist counseling approach that incorporates the wisdom and principles of Buddhism. Seven experts with advanced training in Buddhism and experiences in Buddhist counseling for trauma were interviewed. The results indicate that Buddhist counseling facilitates the development of concentration, enabling clients to cultivate wisdom in addressing their rigid attachment to self-identity or self-notion. Various specific Buddhist counseling interventions were discussed. Initially, the research question aimed to explore the Buddhist conceptualization of trauma. However, the participants encountered difficulties in understanding the Western construct of trauma. To them, trauma was simply suffering associated with concepts such as grief, loss, and challenging life experiences

Peer counseling for perinatal depression in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review.

Perinatal depression is associated with adverse maternal, newborn and child health outcomes. Treatment gaps and sociocultural factors contribute to its disproportionate burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Task-sharing approaches, such as peer counseling, have been developed to improve access to mental health services. We conducted a scoping review to map the current literature on peer counseling for perinatal women experiencing depression in LMICs. We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, Global Health and EMBASE for literature with no date limits. We included 73 records in our analysis, with most being systematic reviews and meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials and qualitative studies. Most studies were conducted in India and Pakistan and published from 2020 onward. The Thinking Healthy Program (THP) and its Peer-Delivered (THPP) adaptation were the most common interventions. Studies suggested effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability and transferability of peer counseling, particularly within the THPP, for perinatal depression. Studies indicated that local women, as peers and lay counselors, are preferred and effective implementation agents. Gaps in the evidence include those relating to understanding perinatal depression (e.g., contextual understandings of the etiology, comorbidity and heterogeneity and social conditions of psychosocial distress including long-term impacts on relationships and children's development) and understanding and improving implementation. Further research on the adaptation, scaling up and integration of peer-delivered approaches with other approaches to improve impact are needed. There are also gaps in understanding the perspectives and experiences of peer counselors. Evidence gaps may stem from an emphasis on conventional public health approaches and measures derived from Western psychiatry, such as randomized controlled trials. There is relatively little research or implementation that prioritizes peer counselors in terms of understanding their perspectives and experiences (e.g., of professionalization), despite them being central to peer-delivered models. Task sharing has the potential to both empower peer counselors through mental health benefits and professional opportunities but also render peer counselors susceptible to vicarious exposure to traumatic stories and difficult situations amid limitations in available support. Better understanding counselors' and perinatal women's experiences can help decolonize the evidence base and improve implementation.

Lived Experiences of Counselors on Online Counseling

Lived Experiences of Counselors on Online Counseling

What Happens in Pre-Marriage Counseling Rooms? Examining the Process of Pre-Marriage Counseling from the Perspective of Its Recipients

The rising divorce rates and declining marriage rates have increasingly highlighted the necessity of pre-marriage counseling. The aim of the present study was to conduct a qualitative examination of the pre-marriage counseling process from the perspective of individuals who received such counseling in the city of Isfahan. This qualitative research was carried out using thematic analysis (Braun &amp; Clarke, 2006). The study population consisted of individuals who had received pre-marriage counseling at counseling centers in Isfahan. The participants were purposively selected from those who had received pre-marriage counseling and had subsequently married based on that counseling. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews containing questions related to the pre-marriage counseling experience. Qualitative data from the interviews were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase method. The results revealed that pre-marriage counseling comprises four main categories: assessment, education, advice, and conclusion, each containing subcategories, and these categories occur in a systematic process during counseling. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that although counselors may use different materials, tools, and methods in the pre-marriage counseling process, a specific pattern dominates the counseling process.

고등학교 유형별 상담경험 유무와 마음챙김 수준에 따른 학교상담기대의 차이

The purpose of this study was to find out what differences there are in school counseling expectations depending on the presence or absence of counseling experience and mindfulness level of students by type of high school. For this purpose, 492 students(246 general high school students, 246 specialized high school students) in J City were surveyed using the Mindfulness Scale and Counseling Expectations Questionnaire, and the major findings are as follows. First, there was no significant difference in school counseling expectations, but there was a significant difference in mindfulness according to counseling experience. Second, the mindfulness of the group without counseling experience was significantly higher than that of the group with counseling experience for both general and specialized high school students. Third, in the case of general high school students, students with high levels of mindfulness showed significantly higher scores in the total score and all sub-factor scores of school counseling expectations than students with low levels of mindfulness, whereas students in specialized high schools showed significantly higher scores in the total score of school counseling expectations as well as acceptability, confrontation, directiveness, and truthfulness, nurturing, professionalism, and concreteness subfactors. Fourth, in the case of general high school students, regardless of whether or not they had counseling experience, students with a high level of mindfulness were found to be significantly higher in the total score and all sub-factor scores of school counseling expectations than those with a low level of mindfulness. On the other hand, for students at specialized high schools, there was no significant difference between students with high and low levels of mindfulness in the total school counseling expectation score and all sub-factor scores, regardless of whether or not they had counseling experience. These findings can be used as basic data to develop measures to improve mindfulness and improve school counseling expectations depending on the type of school.

성폭력 상담자들의 현장 경험에 관한 합의적 질적 연구: 개인적ㆍ전문적 영역을 중심으로

This study aimed to explore the field experiences of sexual violence counselors. It included 11 sexual violence counselors, and the research was conducted from March to June 2019. Data were analyzed using the Consensus Qualitative Research(CQR) method. The results revealed 5 central concepts, 13 domains, 39 categories. In the personal domain, psychological exhaustion due to various factors, efforts to continue the work, and the driving force of 'sense of mission' were identified. In the professional domain, the importance of multifaceted efforts as professionals, assistance needed for professional improvement, and the recognition of the connection between sexual violence and socio-cultural structures were emphasized. Through this, it was evident that sexual violence counselors experienced psychological burnout in the personal domain due to vicarious trauma, competence gaps, limitations of specialized counseling, heavy workloads, and recruitment challenges due to low pay and high turnover. Although counselors overcome these challenges through a sense of mission, sustaining work for an extended period is challenging through individual efforts alone, challenging work environments. In the professional realm, there was a consensus that continuous personal efforts are being made for professional improvement, but it was emphasized that social support should accompany these individual endeavors. Therefore, active support on a societal level is necessary, and improving their working conditions is crucial. This study is significant as it delves deeply into the experiences of sexual violence counselors, laying the groundwork for improving their professionalism.

상담전문가의 소명에 대한 현상학적 연구

Objectives This study was conducted to identify the essential elements of experience by understanding the experience of professional counselors' perception of calling and clarifying the structure of the experience.&#x0D; Methods Interviews were conducted with professional counselors who recognized their job as a calling and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological study. The participants were six people; all of them were expert counselors with 7 to 23 years of counselling credentials and the age group ranged from in their late 30’s to the early 50’s. The period for collecting the data was from January to March 2020, and interviews were conducted once to twice for each participant.&#x0D; Results As a result of the analysis, 32 themes, 16 themes clusters, and 4 categories were derived. The results of each study result can be presented as follows. First, the origin of calling was ‘guidance of transcendental being’ and ‘occurrence of an individual's inner self’. Second, the process of forming a calling appeared to be ‘positive prior experience’, ‘altruistic motivation as a wounded healer’, ‘strong interest, curiosity, and talent’, ‘the desire to master and passionate immersion’ and ‘arduous process to find the meaning of life in work’. Third, the results of the calling were ‘peak experience in the counseling scene’, ‘healing and growing for interaction with the client’, ‘exercising a good influence on the world’, ‘changing the client is the top goal’ and ‘finding the meaning of life in work’. Finally, the change of the calling were ‘change and expansion of the subject’, ‘repeating acceleration and degradation’, ‘promotion and reinforcement through the management of counselor tools’ and ‘exhaustion and deterioration due to the limitation of time and physical strength’.&#x0D; Conclusions Through the results of the study, the counselor's experience of calling was confirmed, and based on this, basic data for future related research and intervention were provided.&#x0D;

청소년 상담자가 체험한 조기 종결에 관한 현상학적 연구

Objectives The purposes of this study is to find out the difficulties that youth counselors face in Dropout, the termination factors they recognize, and coping strategies.&#x0D; Methods As a research method, Giorgi's phenomenological research method was applied, and nine counselors who experienced Dropout in youth counseling were recruited to conduct in-depth interviews and analysis.&#x0D; Results As a result of the analysis, 95 central meanings, 24 subcategories, and 8 upper categories were derived. Experiencing an Unprepared, But Expected dropout, Dropout result in negative and confusing emotional responses., Continuous rumination on self-blame and unsolved tasks occurs, Counselor factors that influenced dropout, Client, parent, and external factors that influenced dropout, Attempting various efforts through supervision and external assistance to overcome dropout, In order to avoid repeating dropout, new attempts and environments are created based on dropout experience, and Dropout becomes a time of acceptance and ventilation for the counselor’s growth.&#x0D; Conclusions In youth counseling, the counselor's Dropout experience was confirmed, and their experience, termination factors, and countermeasures against termination were suggested.&#x0D;