Counsellors’ lived experiences of COVID-19 in Malta

Abstract

As the focus point of this study was to explore the lived experiences of counsellors who were practicing in Malta, during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The research questions focused on exploring whether, and if so how, their practice was affected by the pandemic, as well as delve into what possible challenges and other difficulties counsellors faced. Six semi-structured interviews were held with counsellors practicing in Malta for data gathering whereby the qualitative methodology applied was the Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). From the findings, five themes emerged. The themes discuss the emotional difficulties of both counsellor and client, the rise in demand for mental health services, the rise of online counselling and the lessons learnt from COVID-19. This research found that counsellors practicing in Malta had similar challenges to cope with COVID-19 as the clients they had been working with. Counsellors found that there was a higher demand on mental health services and all the participants commented about utilising online counselling in their practice as to promote easier access to counselling for clients. It also helped to ensure that counsellors could feel safer from risk of exposure to COVID-19 and avoid restrictions such as the need for masks in sessions. Counsellors felt they managed to adapt to the new reality by seeking out more supervision, personal therapy and peer support, and recommended that other counsellors expand their social network so that they can be emotionally supported. Counsellors also recommended that future training is held on online counselling, and recommended that the use of online counselling is not seen as a specialisation but rather a tool which has to be utilised cautiously, so it does not replace face to face counselling.