Spirituality and self-transcendence in the Counseling Profession: A Qualitative Analysis

Interviews with 10 counselors in Yazd province who had high career motivation and low burnout revealed five dimensions of spirituality and self-transcendence: personal (leading to personal growth and job satisfaction), social (improving client relationships through altruism), occupational (helping counselors enjoy their work despite challenges), ontological (creating a ripple effect on community and individuals), and divine (involving God's presence and religious principles). These dimensions enhanced counselors' quality of life both professionally and personally.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dimensions of spirituality and self-transcendence in consolers. The population of this qualitative study includes all consultants in Yazd province in 1398. The sample was purposely selected only in consolers who have with high career motivation and low career burnout. 10 consolers were interviewed; the sample size was based on theoretical saturation in qualitative research. The grounded theory approach including open, axial and selective coding was used. The results showed that dimensions of spirituality and self-transcendence in the counselors include 5 personal, social, occupational, ontological and divine dimensions. The personal dimension meant that the spirituality and self-transcendence witch reflected in counseling, provided an opportunity for the personal growth of the consolers and lead to job satisfaction. The social dimension refers to the relationship of counselors with clients, meant that counselors provide client satisfaction by going beyond self and altruism. The occupational dimension indicated that despite the career difficulties and challenges, counselors enjoyed their job because of the spiritual perspective and viewpoint. The ontology dimension refers to the rippling effect in consolers which happened because of their self-transcendence and spirituality, leading to an impact on the community and the fate of individuals. The divine dimension refers to the presence of God in the counseling profession and modeling of counselors on religious principles. Based on the results, it can be concluded that self-transcendence and spirituality in the counselors enhance their quality of life both in the job and in personal life.