PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR - Mental Health Academy

More documents

Recommendations

Info

THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007In-Class Sessions not only informative but also apleasure to attend each week. Keren is lookingforward to meeting all of our In-Class students andcontributing to your learning experience soon.And speaking of In-Class Studies...If you haven’t already signed up for In Class Studiesthen this spring could be the perfect time to do so. Bythe end of the year many of us feel unmotivated andour attitude to study may need some ‘freshening up’.Attending an In Class Unit or Block of Units may helpyou ‘spring-clean your mind’ and give you renewedenergy and motivation towards your studies.Also, don’t forget that the graduation ceremony thisyear will be on the evening of Friday 23rd November.If you are planning to attend then you will need tomake sure all your assessments, including practicalsare completed and competent at least three weeksbefore this date.Good luck with your studies and if you have anyquestions then please give us a call at the MelbourneStudent Support Centre, we would love to hear fromyou!Katie, Lauren, Luisa and JillThe Melbourne Student Support TeamBrisbane, NorthernTerritory & TasmaniaHello and Welcome to this edition.Can you believe it’s the middle of October, beforewe know it will be Christmas time?I don’t know about you but this year for me hasjust flown by.A very warm welcome to students who are joiningus for the first time. I hope you find this and futureeditions a valuable part of your counselling resourcekit.We have had a very busy 2nd half of the year. I’vehad many students comment to me that they madeplans to get into studies at the start of the year andthey’ve stuck to those plans.Assessment has been flowing in and with the endof the year just around the corner I think the pressurewill be on for students to meet those end of yeargoals they set back in January.Talking about goals……I’ve got a challenge for you.Can you talk less for a change?Let me explain……We live in a culture that supports the tennis-volleyapproachto conversation: ‘You say something, andquickly, I say something next.’ This happens almostwithout pause or without us taking a breath.We are all guilty of formulating what we are goingto say next, even before the person speaking stopssharing their thoughts. What if the words you did notspeak were more powerful than the words you didspeak?Here’s a challenge for you next time you are in asituation were you are applying your counsellingskills:• Get comfortable with being still and don’t beafraid of silence. When you get good at this, thequality of your conversations and counsellingimproves enormously. Don’t be afraid of thestruggle some people might go through duringthe silence.• Quiet moments provide the ideal environment forgrowth and insight. Silence is where some of thebest growth happens and when some of the bestinsights appear that would have otherwise beenmissed during our chatter.• Without having to work very hard—and by justsettling into the silence—your friends or familymembers can suddenly leap into a new frame ofmind. Perhaps this is all they need to feel thetime you spend together has been inspiring.• Have fun playing around with that idea and putit to the test as soon as you can.Cindy made a comment to me last week about thenumber of students now submitting assessment via theOnline Resource Centre on our website. I’m gladstudents are finding this system works so well. If youhave access to the internet and have not tried theonline system yet, you may like to give it a go.Just call or email Cindy at Cynthia@aipc.net.au andshe will send you two word files to explain in simpleterms how to assess and submit your work this way.The online system does speed up the turnaround timeon assessment and saves you a bit of postage cost soconsider giving the system a test and see what youthink.Until next issue, continue to enjoy your studies andthe journey you experience along the way.All the best from,Rob, Bev, Cindy, Mikala, Belinda, Zahava,Leanne, Kathleen, David and Tony.Regional QLDHello everyone and a special welcome to all ournew students.The topic this month, Family Therapy, is veryrelevant to today’s counsellors. By its very nature,family therapy is different to individual counsellingbecause the therapist is working with a group ofpeople, each participant having individual needs andperceptions and history associated with other familymembers. As such, it can be a more challengingenvironment for the counsellor and family membersdue to the interrelationships involved and theemotional past.22
THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007Some of the causal factors giving rise to the needfor family counselling are divorce, child custody, childand/or adult abuse, introduction of new familymembers (foster care), extramarital affairs and so on.Often, participants are not aware of the needs ofother family members and the opportunity for groupwork is, in itself, valuable. It provides a means foropen dialogue and discussion. During family therapy,awareness of stakeholder issues and the intertwiningrelationships so crucial to family structure becomeapparent. Through the counsellor, participants canstart to comprehend family behaviour (i.e. group)patterns. Overall, the concern is more about patternsof communication, action and reaction in the familyenvironment, rather than those of individualparticipants.The Counsellor’s role is also one where recognitionis given to effective, functional behavioural patterns,helping to create a positive environment, rather thanjust focusing on the negatives. Therapists can alsointegrate with the family, showing genuineness andempathy, to the point of disclosing personalexperience to assist group members to open up andfeel OK in their own self-disclosure. Obviously,Counsellor self-disclosure should be minimal so itdoesn’t detract from the family’s own therapy. As thefamily’s interaction improves, the therapist can stepback and let the family learn to interact andcommunicate, becoming more self sufficient andindependent as a cohesive family unit.To reinforce learning and break ineffective habits,contracts can be written, where family members agreeto a certain course of action should certaincircumstances or barriers arise. Contracts assist familymembers to recognise there are consequences fromtheir actions (or inactions), to think carefully prior tothe action and to take responsibility for theconsequences.The theory is covered in Unit 16 of the Diplomacurriculum. Students enjoy its study because thetherapy is so relevant to the needs of today’s societyand, of course, counselling practice.Enjoy your studies.Regards,Peter KesperManager, Regional QueenslandSouth Australia‘WELCOME’ to all our new students and to all ourregular readers HELLO AGAIN; we hope this editionfinds you in good health, and we trust you and yourfamilies are enjoying life.WOW!! Can’t believe how fast the year is flying by.My Hubby and I had a great time in Coffs Harbour forour motorcycle club AGM. I had a great timeswimming with the Dolphins and a huge Fur Sealwhilst there. If you have recently been to a seminar Ihave probably bored you with my photos already.These breaks really fill my cup again, they form partof my personal burnout prevention plan. Haveyou got yours in place??Uni studies are still going well … Study seems to bea Permanent Part of My Life …Remember, if you feelstuck … I understand. Call me… maybe I can helpmotivate you to keep going. We have lots of supportto offer:- In-Class sessions, ASM Workshops & Tutorialsetc. If you want more - let us know … if you’reinterested in attending any sessions, simply call theAdelaide office and book your place, or discuss whatyour needs are and we will consider how we canhelp. We enjoy contact from students! Drop us a line -send us your ideas or comments - keep us informedof what your needs are.Assignments:We have had some “UNMARKED” assignmentsreturned lately due to students’ failure to readinstructions at the beginning of the workbooks… Takethe time now to open a workbook and read theinstructions for ASSESSMENT generally around page 6of the workbook. You will find further instructions forAssessment Procedures in your Student Handbookaround page 10 or 11. Please take particular note ofthe following points regarding AssessmentsTo avoid the disappointment of anunmarked/returned assignment, please note:• You are required to use BLUE or BLACK PEN tocomplete your assignments. Workbooks will notbe marked if completed in pencil.• You are required to include your ORIGINALcover sheet if posting the workbooks in formarking• Only the ORIGINAL cover sheet is to be includedfor marking. You may keep a copy for yourrecords, but are not to send a copy with aworkbook for marking• You are only permitted to send in ONE (1)workbook at a time…you must wait for its returnbefore sending in the next workbook formarking. {Unless given permission and a prioritycode or multiple submission code by themanager of your Student Support Centre}.• If submitting assignments by internet … your“Cover sheet” should be held by your StudentSupport Centre so results can be entered on theoriginal cover sheet.Final ReminderIf you enrolled before June 2005 and did notcomplete your study by 31st May 2007 you now needto upgrade into the new DPCC curriculum. The costto upgrade is $95.00. Call us now!! We have theSupplementary unit 4 in stock … we are able to haveyour upgrade processed quickly and will send you the23
Page 6 and 7: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007l
Page 8 and 9: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007K
Page 10 and 11: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007F
Page 14 and 15: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007S
Page 16 and 17: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007c
Page 18 and 19: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007G
Page 20 and 21: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007T
Page 26 and 27: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007r
Page 28 and 29: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007S
Page 30 and 31: THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR03 2007D

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR - Mental Health Academy

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?