Supporting English as Additional Language Counseling Trainees With Foreign Language Anxiety: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Many English as an additional language (EAL) students in US counseling programs face foreign language anxiety (FLA), affecting their academic and social success. This phenomenological study, based on interviews with 20 EAL counseling trainees, highlights coping strategies and institutional support needs. Themes include social support, mindset shifts, behavioral strategies, faculty recommendations, fostering inclusion, and the need for more institutional support, offering valuable insights for counseling programs to better support EAL students' academic and social outcomes.