Development Process of Emotional Intervention Skills Experienced by Novice Counselors

This study aims to explore and describe the experiences of novice counselors as they learn and develop emotional intervention skills. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 novice counselors with less than three years of experience. Using grounded theory, data were analyzed through open and axial coding, leading to a paradigm model. The core phenomenon identified was "experiencing client resistance and failure due to immature emotional interventions." As novice counselors progressed through a cycle of learning, practice, and reflection, they developed intersubjective attunement to clients’ emotions, improving their judgment and regulation of emotional interventions. This process also deepened their self-awareness and professional identity. Based on these findings, recommendations for training and educating counselors in emotional interventions and suggestions for further research are discussed. This study provides insights into novice counselors' internal and external experiences developing emotional intervention techniques, offering implications for counselor education and development.