The effective counselor from the perspective of Filipino practitioners and clients

• Main Author: Guarino, Aime Tubigon
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2005
• Subjects: Counselor and client; Interpersonal relations; Counseling; Counseling Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/82
• Institution: De La Salle University

This qualitative research study investigated the qualities of effective counselors from the perspective of Filipino practitioners, clients, and counselor educators in Metro Manila. The first phase of the study explored the counseling stakeholders' view of effective counselors. Ninety-three counselors, 317 student clients, and six counselor educators who teach graduate courses in counselor education participated in the exploratory stage. Based on the responses that were content analyzed and categorized, the researcher constructed the Empirically derived Model of Effective Counselors and compared it to Jennings & Skovholt’s (1999) CER Model of Master Therapists, which was used as the initial framework of this study. Similarities and differences were noted. The empirically derived model yielded four thematic clusters: knowledge and attitude, affective, interpersonal and spiritual qualities. Phase Two examined how these identified qualities operate among effective counselors. These qualities were then validated through a case study among exemplar counselors. Ten effective counselors nominated by their peers served as subjects of the case study. The researcher interviewed previous clients and peers of each nominated effective counselor about their experiences and observations regarding the counselor's delivery of counseling services. All nominated effective counselors possessed the qualities identified in the Empirically derived Model of Effective Counselors. The study found that Filipinos view effective counselors as possessing an integrated set of cognitive, affective, interpersonal, and spiritual qualities. It was noted that all qualities of effective counselors are interdependent with one another. The researcher noted the implications of the findings and proposed several recommendations.