Counseling Practicum Students’ Experiences Working with Children with Learning Exceptionalities

Authors

Kathryn Babb, University of Central FloridaFollow
Viki Kelchner, University of Central FloridaFollow
Laurie O. Campbell, University of Central FloridaFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

Kathryn Babb: 0000-0002-1030-9613

Laurie Campbell: 0000-0001-7313-5457

Viki Kelchner: 0000-0002-9852-5758

Author Biographies

Kathryn Babb is a doctoral candidate in the Counselor Education and School Psychology department at the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include recruitment and retention of school counselors and improving counseling instruction.

Viki P. Kelchner is an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida in the Counselor Education and School Psychology department and Director of the Community Counseling and Research Center. Her research interest and publications focus on families, individuals/families with neurodivergence and supporting high needs youth and families through school-based family services and intervention programs.

Laurie O. Campbell, Ed.D., is an Asst. Professor at the University of Central Florida. She pursues research related to improving all aspects of education to support positive identity among underserved and underrepresented populations.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc059a8s

Abstract

School-based practicums provide opportunities for counselors-in-training to provide supervised counseling services to youth while providing authentic, immersive counseling experiences for the counselor. Children counseled may identify with or without exceptionalities. The researchers sought to understand the experiences of five counselors-in-training who counseled children with exceptionalities during a semester-long school-based practicum. In this phenomenological study, researchers thematically coded transcripts from a focus group about counseling children with exceptionalities. Three themes were identified: (a) counselors-in-training identity inclusive of anticipated counselor identity versus their practical identity, (b) acceptance inclusive of acceptance of self and acceptance of clients, and (c) worldview inclusive of culture shaping, personal experiences, and biases. The findings are relevant to counselor educators, counselors-in-training, and exceptional education departments.

Public Significance Statement

The findings of this study relate to practicum students' experience working with children with exceptionalities. Themes related to readiness and learning opportunities are presented, with implications applicable to counselor educators and supervisors.

Recommended Citation

Babb, Kathryn; Kelchner, Viki; and Campbell, Laurie O. (2023) "Counseling Practicum Students’ Experiences Working with Children with Learning Exceptionalities," Teaching and Supervision in Counseling: Vol. 5 : Iss. 2 , Article 3.
https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc059a8s
Available at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/tsc/vol5/iss2/3