A Phenomenological Inquiry on Counseling Processes with Internet-addicted Youths: Focusing on Counselors’ Experiences

The purpose of this study was to explore counselors’ lived experience of counseling processes with Internet-addicted youth. Eight participants who had at least 3 years of counseling experiences and met 10 Internet addiction youth clients were recruited and interviewed. Colaizzi’s phenomenological research method was used for analysis. As a result, four themes including ‘clumsy flapping in the first flight’, ‘meeting turbulence’, ‘flying little by little’, and ‘flying at a high altitude’. A total of nine relevant themeclusters were also found. To sum up, the participants experienced feelings of frustration, loss, and anger in the early stage of counseling, but also experienced feelings of achievement and pride due to small improvements of youth clients. They also described that youth clients grew and revitalized themselves as if a bird flying in the sky. Based on these findings, implications for counseling practice with Internet addicted youth and counselor education were discussed.