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Wisdom from Korean Reentry Counseling Professionals: A Phenomenological Study of the Reentry Process

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Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the common experience of Korean counseling professionals who returned to South Korea after obtaining their doctoral degrees in the United States. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten Korean counseling professionals to understand their cross-cultural experience. The data were analyzed by phenomenological methods of inquiry. Seven themes emerged from the analyses: Reminiscence, Differences and Comparisons, Benefits, Challenges, Coping, Application and Modification, and Meaning. The findings suggested how the setting and context in which the reentry process occurred contributed to the participants’ experience as well as the essence of the reentry process. Implications of the results are discussed in the light of cross-cultural counseling and for future research and practice.

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Notes

  1. The term ‘counseling professionals’ is intentionally used here to refer to individuals with a doctoral degree in counseling and counseling-related areas, such as counseling psychology, counselor education, school counseling, and family therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri, 16 Hill Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Ae-Kyung Jung, Hang-Shim Lee & Alejandro Morales

Authors
  1. Ae-Kyung Jung
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  2. Hang-Shim Lee
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  3. Alejandro Morales
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ae-Kyung Jung.

Additional information

Ae-Kyung Jung and Hang-Shim Lee contributed equally to this work.

Appendix

Appendix

Interview protocol

  1. 1.

    Tell me about your current work.

  2. 2.

    What made you decide to reenter your home country?

  3. 3.

    As a professional with cross-cultural experience who trained in the States, what are the benefits to coming back to South Korea?

    1. a.

      Is there any benefit in research?

    2. b.

      Is there any benefit in teaching and advising?

    3. c.

      Is there any benefit in practice?

  4. 4.

    Can you tell me about your challenges to coming back to Korea?

    1. a.

      Is there any challenge in research?

    2. b.

      Is there any challenge in teaching and advising?

    3. c.

      Is there any challenge in practice?

  5. 5.

    How did you cope with those challenges?

  6. 6.

    As a female/male professional, how has cross-cultural experience and training in the States affected you?

    1. a.

      Is there any advantage?

    2. b.

      Is there any disadvantage?

  7. 7.

    Can you tell me how you dealt with the challenges?

  8. 8.

    In the process of coming back to Korea, how has your family affected you?

  9. 9.

    What is it like for you to come back to Korea as a professional?

  10. 10.

    What suggestions, if any, would you recommend to future counseling psychologists who are preparing for their re-entry?

  11. 11.

    After reflecting on your experience, what three words would you use to summarize and describe your overall experience?

    1. a.

      How do you define the word ‘ ________ ?’

  12. 12.

    Is there anything else we did not talk about that you feel would be important for me to know?

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Jung, AK., Lee, HS. & Morales, A. Wisdom from Korean Reentry Counseling Professionals: A Phenomenological Study of the Reentry Process. Int J Adv Counselling 35, 153–171 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-012-9174-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-012-9174-4

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