Experiences of Spanish Speaking Counseling Students: Implications for the Profession

Authors

Melissa Alvarado, St. Edward's UniversityFollow
Eunice Lerma, University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Javier Cavazos Vela, University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Autumn Wright

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Bilingual, Counseling, Spanish

Subject Area

Counseling, Counselor Education

Abstract

Due to the rise of predominate Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States, there is an increased need to provide bilingual counseling services. Understanding the experiences of bilingual counseling students is imperative for the training of bilingual counselors and overall service delivery. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences of students who provide counseling services in Spanish yet trained in an English-language counselor education program. This study attempted to expand and specify the unique challenges and needs of this student counselor population. Analyses revealed that there are some unique challenges in bilingual counseling service delivery. Four overarching themes emerged: difficulty with translation, change in self-efficacy, differences in language, and lack of resources. Implications for counselor education programs and best practices for training Spanish-speaking counselors are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Alvarado, M., Lerma, E., Cavazos Vela, J., & Wright, A. (2019). Experiences of Spanish Speaking Counseling Students: Implications for the Profession. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 12(4). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/jcps/vol12/iss4/1