English as an Additional Language Counsellor Trainees' Experiences and Coping Strategies of Foreign Language Anxiety: A Phenomenological Study

ABSTRACT Introduction With growing linguistic and cultural diversity in the United States, there is a critical need to train counsellors who can provide linguistically and culturally responsive services. English as an Additional Language (EAL) counsellor trainees possess the potential to offer multilingual counselling but frequently experience Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA), which can hinder their counselling self‐efficacy. Methodology This study employed a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of EAL counsellor trainees who encounter FLA. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants to understand how these trainees perceive and manage their language‐related anxiety within counselling settings. Findings The analysis revealed four key themes: (1) trainees' appraisal of their FLA experiences, (2) the reframing of FLA by emphasising the advantages of bilingual/multilingual identities, (3) the use of specific coping strategies to manage anxiety, and (4) the outcomes of these strategies on their confidence and professional growth. Conclusion Findings highlight the complex emotional and cognitive processes EAL trainees undergo when navigating FLA. Implications are discussed for counselling programmes, educators, and supervisors to better support EAL trainees through culturally attuned training practices that foster resilience and multilingual competence.