The Creative Counselor: Using the SCAMPER Model in Counselor Training

Abstract

This study examined the experiences of counseling students in learning and applying the SCAMPER model for creative thinking. Counseling students from three universities (N = 54) participated in a training intervention on the SCAMPER model and applied the model in eight weekly task group experiences. Participants' journals, which were completed after each group meeting, were analyzed using qualitative methods. Three themes emerged: a) SCAMPER model as a method to “stretch our thinking”; b) value of “structured creativity”; and c) shifting from “right or wrong” application to flexibility and “flow.” Implications for the training of counseling students in creative methods are discussed.