Guidance counsellors’ perceptions and experience of creativity in their professional practice and the impact of this creativity on their work with students

This study explored Irish post-primary guidance counsellors’ perceptions and experiences in relation to the use of creativity in their own professional practice, and the perceived impact of this creativity on their work with students. The ever-changing macro and micro climate of the twenty-first century (especially COVID-19) is a particularly challenging one for students to navigate at post-primary level. As a result of this evolving uncertain and dynamic economic landscape, students require sustained support and guidance concerning their futures. The literature acknowledges that is more difficult for the students of today to ‘choose a career and then pursue it’ than it has been heretofore (Lengelle and Ashby, 2017, p.404). The old way of ‘doing careers’ no longer adequately serves the needs of today’s students (Reid and West, 2016, p.573). For these reasons, there is a requirement for guidance counselling to be inventive and creative in how the service responds to the new way of engaging with third level and evolving work practices. An interpretivist paradigm was implemented using semi-structured interviews from nine qualified post-primary guidance counsellors practising in Irish schools (Thomas 2013). The findings were interpreted using Braun and Clarke’s (2012) system of thematic analysis. The findings indicate that creativity plays an integral role in guidance counsellors’ professional practice on a day-to-day basis. When it comes to employing creative methods within the classroom and in the one-to-one sessions, ‘one size does not fit all.’ The use of creativity fosters respectful and trusting relationships between guidance counsellors and students. The findings also indicated that having a safe space where students can express themselves is considered important by students. Finally, the research highlights a need for CPD in the area of creativity among guidance counsellors in professional practice. The research concludes with a number of recommendations in relation to policy, practice and research.