Objective: School counseling services constitute an essential component of educational systems and play a significant role in supporting students’ academic, psychological, and social development. The present study aimed to explore students’ lived experiences of school counseling services.
Method: This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and a phenomenological method. Participants consisted of 12 high school students in Soltanieh, Iran, during the 2024–2025 academic year, who were selected through criterion-based purposive sampling until data saturation was achieved. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method.
Findings: Data analysis led to the extraction of 121 initial concepts, 9 sub-themes, and 3 main themes: (1) influence of the school counselor (positive influence of the school counselor, influence of the counselor's guidance, negative influence of the school counselor); (2) counselor competencies (ethical competencies of the counselor and academic/professional competencies of the counselor); and (3) effects of using school counseling services (students' thoughts before contacting the counselor, students' emotions before contacting the counselor, students' thoughts after contacting the counselor, and students' emotions after contacting the counselor). Students perceived school counselors as a valuable source of academic, emotional, and social support and considered their guidance beneficial in academic, family, and interpersonal matters. However, some participants reported experiences of feeling misunderstood and concerns regarding confidentiality.
Conclusion: The findings indicated that establishing a relationship characterized by trust, empathy, and professional competence plays a crucial role in students’ acceptance of and perceived effectiveness of school counseling services.