A Qualitative Examination of Graduate Advising Relationships

Abstract

Nineteen counseling psychology faculty members were interviewed regarding their advising relationships with doctoral students. Advisors informally learned to advise from their experiences with their advisor and their advisees and defined their role as supporting and advocating for advisees as they navigated their doctoral program. Advisors identified personal satisfaction as a benefit and time demands as a cost of advising. Good advising relationships were facilitated by advisees' positive personal or professional characteristics, mutual respect, open communication, similarity in career path between advisor and advisee, and lack of conflict. Difficult relationships were affected by advisees' negative personal or professional characteristics, lack of respect, research struggles, communication problems, advisors feeling ineffective working with advisees, disruption or rupture of the relationship, and conflict avoidance. Implications for research and training are discussed.