An Ironic Pairing: Enlisting Technology to Bring the Benefits of Nature to Counseling Students

Abstract

This qualitative and phenomenological study investigated the experiences of eleven counselors-in-training (CITs) exposed to four live computer-projected scenes and sounds of nature (running stream, snowy mountain landscape, campfire in the forest, and ocean setting) at the start of their practicum classes. The researchers sought to explore the subjective experiences of the CIT’s exposed to the technology-driven natural environment at the beginning of four consecutive practicum meetings. The findings suggest that technology can be harnessed to catalyze many of the same benefits that prior counselor education-based research indicates can be derived from engagement with the natural world: a decrease in negative emotional states that block learning and engagement, an increased sense of connectedness to class peers, and an enhanced recognition of the importance of self-care and personal wellness. Implications for counselor education programs, counselor educators, and counseling students are explored.