A Autobiographical Narrative Exploration of the ‘Counselor-Becoming’ of Counseling Trainees Through Peer Support Group

Abstract

Objectives This study was conducted to understand the experiences and meanings of counseling trainees' ‘counselor-becoming’ through peer support group. Methods For this, the autobiographical narrative inquiry method of Clandin and Connelly was used. Researchers simultaneously played the role of research participants and explored the empirical meaning. It was intended to secure the validity of the study through recording of experiences, transcription of speech, social text, and SNS data, and in-depth writing and cross-analysis of three researchers. Results As a result of the study, the participants had the following experiences through peer support group. First, they experienced the process of embodying counseling knowledge through intellectual discussion and relationship dynamics. Second, by opening themselves up in the field of experiment called relationship, they experienced the experience of discovering ‘I’ and building introspection toward each other. Third, they experienced being a counselor by experiencing personal and professional care together within peer support group. Conclusions In the conclusions and suggestions, based on the derived research results, the implications of the ‘counselor-becoming’ experience in which cognition, emotion, and relationship skills are integrated through peer support groups and the significance of the study were derived. It also presented tasks on how counseling trainees, including research participants, can use peer support groups more effectively.