הייעוץ החינוכי בעת משבר הקורונה ולפניו: השוואה בין תפיסותיהן של יועצות חינוכיות בשתי נקודות הזמן

The restrictions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic created a unique opportunity to examine various aspects of the field of school counseling. The study focused on school counselors’ perception of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing it to the time period that immediately preceded the pandemic. The eleven school counselors who participated in the study were interviewed about various aspects of their work during COVID-19: the enforced routine of life during the pandemic, their feelings about several characteristics of their profession, and the extent of change from before the start of the pandemic. The study’s findings indicated that the counselors were under considerable pressure due to the consequences of the quarantines and online learning. On the other hand, their work became more systematic in nature and was limited to training and support for teachers, which they perceived as an improvement in comparison to the period before the pandemic. They were also provided with extensive support from psychological counseling services and professional peer groups, which they described as a positive change that provided substantial help in dealing with the situation. The study concludes that COVID-19 led to a reformulation of the profession of school counseling. This conclusion further accentuates the image of school counseling as a flexible profession that moves across a systemic/ individual scale and adapts according to the circumstances and needs of the educational setting.