Narrative Analysis on the Experiences of Filipino Guidance Advocates in Online Counseling during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The study explores the experiences of guidance advocates during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on their attitudes and viewpoints on online counseling. It aids schools, administrators, parents, students, researchers, and professional associations in supporting efficient services. In telling their stories, eight (8) participants expounded their personal, positional, and ideological understandings of their experiences and the implications of life circumstances. Narrative analysis was employed to better comprehend the experiences and produced the following narratives: beginning—onset of online counseling; middle—building client-practitioner relationships and effective online counseling strategies; and end—closing the online counseling intervention. It further identified ten (10) themes that defined the participants’ collective experiences: (1) experiencing feelings of limitation and a sense of uncertainty; (2) experiencing feelings of openness, perseverance, and patience; (3) experiencing a sense of fulfillment, happiness, and hope; (4) perceived role as a beacon of hope in times of uncertainty; (5) perceived role as a formator of growth; (6) perceived role as a helping partner; (7) online counseling as an alternative support modality; (8) guidance advocates as aids in the formation of growth; (9) online counseling as an alternative mode and part of the holistic mental health services; and (10) guidance advocates stronger commitment amidst the challenges. Guidance advocates provide hope and support to clients, recognizing the importance of self-care, skill acquisition, and mental and physical preparation for service challenges.