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A Qualitative Analysis of Home‐Based Counselors' Experiences in a Rural Setting
Author(s) -
Bowen Jonathan M.,
Caron Sandra L.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of counseling and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1556-6676
pISSN - 0748-9633
DOI - 10.1002/jcad.12070
Subject(s) - preparedness , qualitative research , psychology , ambiguity , coding (social sciences) , medical education , nursing , applied psychology , medicine , sociology , social science , linguistics , philosophy , political science , law
This qualitative study sought to understand the experiences of home‐based counselors working in a rural setting. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 12 counselors who were asked to describe their experiences in the areas of preparedness, professional development, challenges, and gender‐specific experiences. Fourteen coding categories emerged from the interviews, which led to the findings of 3 overarching themes: shared isolation, ethical ambiguity, and the high‐intensity nature of the job. Recommendations for home‐based counselors, agencies, and professional counseling associations are discussed.