An investigation of the consultation needs of the people who work in psychological counselling and guidance and the quality of the resources and the consultation service that they receive

This study aims both to explore the consultation needs and resources of those who work as a psychological counsellor in primary, secondary and high school within the body of Ministry of National Education and to ascertain the quality of counselling services that are provided. Study group of this study consists of 15 psychological counsellors who work in primary school (5), counsellors in secondary school (5) and psychological counsellors in high school (5) in Kahramanmaras. In this study, phenomenology as a qualitative research design was adopted. The data used in this study was obtained with semi-structured interviews. The data analysis method that was used was content analysis. According to the results obtained from the analysis; it has been revealed that the counsellors in primary, secondary and high schools needed consultation in a variety of subjects and they met those needs from different resources. Those who work in primary schools needed consultation mostly in those main categories; special education, intervention in case of a crisis, educational guidance, being updated in counselling and individual-social themes, respectively. Those who work in secondary schools needed consultation mostly in those main categories; individual-social guidance, being updated in counselling, intervention in case of a crisis, special education, professional guidance and educational guidance, respectively. As to those who work in high schools needed consultation mostly in those main categories; individual- social guidance, intervention in case of a crisis, being updated in counselling, educational counselling, professional guidance and special education. Another result that was obtained from the data was the resources that the psychological counsellors use. In primary schools, the counsellors mostly based on their consultations by benefiting from counselling and research centre, a group of colleagues, social media, professionals in psychological support, books and academics, respectively. Secondary school counsellors, on the other hand, based their consultations mostly on counselling and research centre, colleagues, social media, academics, books related to consultation and professionals in psychological support, respectively. Lastly, high school counsellors based their consultations mostly on colleagues, counselling and research centre, social media, professionals in psychological support, books related to consultations and academics, respectively. When asked about the contribution of consultation services to school counselors, school counselors evaluated positive and positive but insufficient. 75% of school counselors stated that consultation resources positively contributed to solving problem situations. And 25% of them evaluated positive but insufficient. There are several suggestions in parallel with the results that gained from the research. Key Words: Consultation, school counselor, phenomenological approach.