Counseling
At some point in our lives, in some respect, we all face situations
where we feel unhappy about something and experience the need
to talk to some one about the issue. We often find that a ‘huge
weight’ is lifted off our shoulders if we get a chance to talk
to someone that we can confide in. Talking about our past unveils
a lot regarding our present personality.
What is counseling?
Counselling
takes place when a counsellor sees a client in a private and confidential setting
to explore a difficulty the client is having, distress they may be experiencing
or perhaps their dissatisfaction with life, or loss of a sense of direction
and purpose. It is always at the request of the client as no
one can properly be 'sent' for counselling.
By listening attentively and patiently the counsellor can begin
to perceive the difficulties from the client's point of view
and can help them to see things more clearly, possibly from a
different perspective. Counselling is a way of enabling choice
or change or of reducing confusion. It does not involve
giving advice or directing a client to take a particular course
of action. Counsellors do not judge or exploit their clients
in any way.
In the counselling sessions the client can explore various aspects
of their life and feelings, talking about them freely and openly
in a way that is rarely possible with friends or family. Bottled
up feelings such as anger, anxiety, grief and embarrassment can
become very intense and counselling offers an opportunity to
explore them, with the possibility of making them easier to understand.
The counsellor will encourage the expression of feelings and
as a result of their training will be able to accept and reflect
the client's problems without becoming burdened by them.
Acceptance and respect for the client are essentials for a counsellor
and, as the relationship develops, so too does trust between
the counsellor and client, enabling the client to look at many
aspects of their life, their relationships and themselves which
they may not have considered or been able to face before. The
counsellor may help the client to examine in detail the behaviour
or situations which are proving troublesome and to find an area
where it would be possible to initiate some change as a start.
The counsellor may help the client to look at the options open
to them and help them to decide the best for them.
(Definition adopted from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
Counseling is not about criticizing or giving advice to the
client, it attempts to help the client find ways within him/her
self to cope with the challenges and difficulties they encounter
in life.
Counseling Service
The Child and Family Protection Services (CFPS) provide counseling
services for children and families including victims of sexual,
emotional, physical abuse and neglect and those with disabilities.
It also offers counseling services to children in conflict with
the law, facilitate rehabilitation, and assist in reintegrating
them back into the community.
When children are troubled, they generally behave in one of
four ways:
- Acting Out: Abusive,
violent, disruptive, aggressive, cruel behaviors
- Withdrawal: Fears,
depression, refusing to talk, acting younger than their age
- Defensiveness: Lying,
cheating, manipulating others, avoiding others
- Disorganization: Out
of touch, disconnected thinking or irrational behavior
It's difficult to know for sure when a child is troubled. Here
are a few warning signs to watch for:
- Trouble sleeping, headaches
- Loss of interest in activities and
relationships
- Declining performance in schoolwork
and/or attendance
- Aggressive or hurtful behavior
- Suicidal talk or action
- Resistance in complying with rules
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