Publication: Unconditional Acceptance in Crisis Work Based on the Lived Experience of Malaysian Counselors
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Global Academic Excellence
Abstract
Unconditional acceptance is one of the core attitudes in helping professionals
to establish successful therapeutic relationships. Despite unconditional
acceptance was accepted in most helping professional settings, it received less
attention in academic scientific research due to scholars' disagreement
regarding unconditional acceptance as a single separable construct from
empathy and genuineness as proposed in person-centred therapy. The
knowledge gap led to the implementation of this study, employing a qualitative
method, specifically descriptive phenomenology. It aims to describe Malaysian
counselors' experience exercising unconditional acceptance while
encountering clients from various backgrounds. The thematic analysis revealed
that unconditional acceptance encompasses acceptance of the client as a
person, acceptance of the client's reality experience as part of them, and
acceptance of the client's traumatic reaction. The findings indicate by years of
experience, Malaysian counselors show high competency in practicing
unconditional acceptance. It was found that unconditional acceptance requires
counselors to have empathy, increasing their ability to comprehend the clients'
situation and justify their emotional reactions. Counselors especially novice counselors need proper training and guidance to increase their ability to
unconditionally accept their clients, their life experience, and their traumatic
reactions. This study contributes to deepening the comprehension of
implementing unconditional acceptance in counseling settings. It also provides
new perspectives on improving the training curriculum for counselors in
Malaysia, specifically in strengthening their skills in exercising unconditional
acceptance and empathy attitudes.
Description
Volume 8 Issue 51 (September 2023) PP. 265-27
Keywords
Unconditional Acceptance, Counseling, Therapeutic Relationship, Malaysian Counselors
Citation
Mohd Hafiz, N. H., Zakaria, M. Z., Wan Razali, W. M. F. A., Mohd Sukor, N., Abdul Mutalib, M. M., & Othman, M. F. (2023). Unconditional Acceptance in Crisis Work Based on Lived Experience of Malaysian Counselors. International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling, 8 (51), 265-277