WHISPERS FROM COUNSELORS to CLIENTS: CULTURAL ASPECTS of SELF-DISCLOURE

Self-disclosure may be presented in many forms and serves many purposes as when and how it is used depends on the counselor’s theoretical orientation. Existing literature includes several discussions on the use and content of self-disclosure but the studies exploring self-discussion in our culture is relatively limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine self-disclosure from counselors’ perspectives in the cultural context. This study is qualitative in nature. By sending through emails, 12 volunteer counselors were interviewed. Each participant was asked to fill a questionnaire consist of open-ended questions and a demographic form. Additionally, a case was presented and the participants were asked whether or not they would disclose and how they would intervene. A descriptive and content data analysis procedure was utilized. As a result, participants seemed to accept self-disclosure as convenient to our culture by emphasizing Turkish people’s needs of “dertlesmek” (having a heart to heart talk) when having difficulty in their life. When participants asked about the cultural appropriateness of self-disclosure, nearly all of them responded that it is appropriate to the culture. Results and implications are discussed in the context of our culture.