LIVED EXPERIENCES OF GUIDANCE COUNSELORS IN DELIVERING VIRTUAL COUNSELING AMIDST PANDEMIC

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of guidance counselors in delivering virtual counseling amidst the pandemic. Purposive sampling was utilized in selecting the three registered guidance counselors from the different universities and colleges in Lucena City. The study used the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) by Husserl and peer debriefing to ensure the credibility of the results. Moreover, the data were gathered using an interview guide and question prompts. Results reveal that the registered guidance counselors, despite being experts in the field, had experienced challenges in delivering virtual counseling. The absence of nonverbal cues, which is very vital for their reflection skills, is the major challenge. The guidance counselors can also be considered optimistic and understanding since they also see the positive impact of the online setting. Moreover, the co-researchers made sure that they are taking care of themselves as they value the goal of being help-giving professionals.