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The intuitive counselor: A study of development and training for the use of intuition in counseling
Abstract
Gaping holes are present in the professional literature in the responsible use of intuition: a vocabulary is not present for discussion, ethics are barely addressed, guidelines are not available for effective use of techniques either for practicing therapists or those in training. This study explores how a small number (7) of therapists discovered and developed their intuitive capacities, the types of intuition they utilize within the counseling milieu, and the ethical and other concerns which accompany its use. The study was designed to be a preliminary exploratory investigation, based on semi-structured in-depth interviews. Therapists were selected based on their purported use of intuition during therapy, and were contacted based on word of mouth referral. All are either in the process of licensing or fully licensed in the state in which they practice. Data is reported in profiles of each individual with a thematic analyzation of the material, in part, based on guidelines suggested by the interview. The most significant of the findings indicates the following: none of the therapists developed their intuitive abilities through traditional university settings; all felt that it is impossible to be a good therapist without the use of intuition; all use their intuition in responsible, ethical and professional manners which are individually established and monitored; the ability to use intuition for five of the seven, created some discomfort and image issues; major shifts in belief systems were created with the awareness of universal laws; there is a lack of consistency in vocabulary in professional literature; various types of intuitive techniques exist for each of the respondents; and the word psychic is pejorative. The conclusions suggested are tentative, yet do suggest areas in which future studies can be addressed.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Personality
Recommended Citation
Little, Janet Sue, "The intuitive counselor: A study of development and training for the use of intuition in counseling" (1991). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9120909.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9120909