"Sitting on both sides of the screen": online counselling experiences of clients and counsellor candidates in Turkey during the Covid-19 pandemic

ÜLKER TÜMLÜ G.

BRITISH JOURNAL OF GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/03069885.2025.2480283
  • Dergi Adı: BRITISH JOURNAL OF GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, CINAHL, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Psycinfo, Social Sciences Abstracts
  • Anadolu Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study investigated the experiences of counsellor candidates and their nonclinical undergraduate student clients who provided online counselling services under supervision during the Covid-19 pandemic in Turkey. A qualitative approach was employed to explore the nuanced, lived experiences of participants. The research utilised an interpretive phenomenological design with the qualitative framework. The study involved approximately 10 online counselling sessions within 14 supervision sessions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thirteen participants, including six clients (one male, five females) and seven counsellor candidates (one male, six females), were included in the study. Data were collected through online individual interviews, and the analysis followed the steps of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results reveal that online counselling during the Covid-19 pandemic presented various opportunities, challenges and facilitative factors for both clients and counsellor candidates. The study highlights the significance of training mental health professionals and providing counselling support during challenging life conditions.