COUNSELOR READINESS AND CHALLENGES IN PROVIDING LGBT COUNSELING IN MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.5142Palabras clave:
LGBT, Counselor Readiness, Counseling Challenges, Multicultural Counseling, Counselor CompetenceResumen
The growing visibility of LGBT issues in Malaysia has increased the demand for counseling within this community, presenting significant professional challenges for counselors. This qualitative study was conducted to explore the readiness and challenges faced by counselors in managing LGBT-related cases in Malaysia. A total of eleven (11) registered counselors with experience in handling LGBT clients participated as study respondents through in-depth interview sessions. Data were analyzed using NVivo 15 software to identify key themes related to readiness and challenges in conducting counseling with LGBT clients. The findings indicate that counselor readiness is influenced by initial reactions in case management, counselor acceptance and openness, multicultural counseling knowledge, understanding of LGBT concepts, and the development of experience-based competency. The study also revealed several challenges, namely the absence of reference models and limited LGBT counseling training, client characteristics, limitation in conducting session and ethical dilemmas regarding the counselor's personal values. The results of this study are expected to serve as a guide for training institutions and professional bodies in developing intervention training, practical guidelines, and a counseling practice framework that is more effective and sensitive toward LGBT clients in Malaysia
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