Unveiling the Perceptions of Counselor Candidates: Metaphorical Perspectives into Mental Health and Self-Care Skills

The goal of this study was to discover counselor candidates' perspectives on the concepts of "mental health of counselors" and "self-care skills of counselors." In this study, metaphor analysis, a discourse analysis method, was employed. The study included 106 third and fourth-year psychological counselor candidates (86 females, 26 males). A brief questionnaire consisting of two sentences was provided and counselor applicants were instructed to complete the statements using metaphors. Content analysis revealed five sub-themes, including analogies about mental health. The sub-themes are as follows: health and balance, diversity and individuality, elegance and sensitivity, strength and resilience, and movement and change. Five sub-themes about self-care skills were discovered. The sub-themes are as follows: Care and attention, artistic understanding and diversity, elegance and sensitivity, cleanliness and order, and energy and renewal. The findings revealed that counselor candidates addressed a wide range of mental health and self-care concepts. The variety of metaphors demonstrated how counselor applicants perceived and appreciated these concepts on a multifaceted and personal basis.