Philippine E-Journals

Counseling Services Delivery during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines: A Phenomenological Study

Charlotte Leigh | Lisa Anna Gayoles | Eugene Lucerna II

 

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed some challenges in the delivery of counseling services. The present study aims to describe, explore, and interpret the lived experiences of guidance counselors as they delivered counseling services during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. This study utilized the phenomenological research design. The participants are guidance counselors from a private university in Iloilo City, Philippines. Individual interviews were used to gather the qualitative data for this study. Common themes for the lived experiences of these guidance counselors as they delivered counseling services during the COVID-19 pandemic are: struggling with Internet connectivity; coping with the absence of nonverbal cues; increasing efficiency due to the work process flow; enhancing counseling through the in-person platform; improving performance through teamwork, and fulfilling personal and professional aspirations. There was a change not only in the conduct of counseling but also in the attitude toward technology in counseling, in the way to understand and support clients, and dealing with the stress of being a guidance counselor in times of tremendous changes. This study contributes to the existing literature on distance counseling in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will have implications for the delivery of counseling services as the Philippines transitions to the new normal post-pandemic.