I'm Going to be a Psychologist – A Qualitative Studyof Psychology Students on Lay Psychology and Lay Counselling

Lay psychology is a common part of everyday interpersonal life. Psychology students encounter it not only as recipients but also as informal providers of psychological support. Exploring these experiences offers valuable insights into how students perceive the boundaries between lay and professional help and how these experiences contribute to the formation of their professional identity. A total of 191 undergraduate psychology students participated in a qualitative study using a non-standardized questionnaire with five open-ended questions. The responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with the aim of capturing students’ personal experiences and reflections on lay counselling. Students demonstrated a high degree of ethical awareness, recognized the limits of their competence, and were able to identify situations in which professional help should be recommended. They viewed lay helping as a meaningful context for developing key counselling skills, such as empathy, active listening, and respect for the autonomy of others. Findings suggest that lay counselling provides a natural space for learning helping competencies. It may be understood as an initial step towards professional psychological practice, where ethical sensitivity and responsibility for psychological support begin to emerge. Psychology education should reflect these experiences and support students in learning how to respond safely and ethically when placed in informal helping roles.