Professional identity development and qualities of community counselors in India: A qualitative inquiry

• Main Author: Varghese, Sebastian Puthen
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Subjects: Counselors > India; Counseling Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/523
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study explored the qualities of Indian community counselors at different point of their careers in terms of what they consider to be professional identity development. It aimed to understand how community counselors with 5, 10 and 15 years of experience and describe the ideal qualities of a community counselor in India their capacities of integration, immersion and individuation, and the factors that foster and weaken their development. Thirty counselors from Bangalore, India participated in the study. Through consensual qualitative research, eight domains were identified. It is not merely the years of experience that fostered development of counselors but the quality of their emotional, cognitive and relational experiences along with their capacity to integrate, immerse and individuate that determined their development. It was found that spiritual convictions and social commitment provide meaning and purpose for the professionals to pursue and progress in their profession as counselors. Family support emerged as the firm foundation for professional engagement. In general, community counselors in India are in the journey of personalizing a congruent and competent professional self by learning, self reflection and transformation. Implications to counseling training and development are discussed.