be a qualified counseller

Oh no disaster! I have finally concluded that couples counselling or family therapy are the two areas I would like to work in, only to discover that the biggest agency in couples counselling – Relate don’t do placements. Why, because they want potential counsellors to train with them, how bloody annoying.

Okay I do actually see their point, I just feel like jumping up and down and rolling around on the floor for a little while, oh well back to the drawing board.

Now this is a difficult process, they said they had links to various organisations who take trainee counsellors, turns out this is B.S, what they meant is we’ll give you a list and you go work it out yourself.

Anyway, this has set a question in my mind, as I have to think what area and age group I want to work with; I adore children and I really like the mentoring work I am doing with the young people but I worry if I go into this area of work that I may end up relating to ‘my children’ (read god-children and relatives) diffently as I do switch off when I am not in the environment; however, counselling does alter the way you think and view the world. I like the natural way I relate to the children and I don’t want to loose that so I am thinking that perhaps working with children is not the way to go, perhaps working with teenagers will suit me better. I also like working with adults, like drug & alcohol rehab units, as I have done that before and I enjoyed it or perhaps something like relate as I think I might enjoy that…..thinking…..mmmmmm….

This is feeling like a pretty loaded question at the moment. There is this session that happens for one hour, once a week in our class where we sit and people just talk about what they feel, what the things we’ve been learning has brought up for us; I find that because I have worked so hard at facing a lot of demons and removing some demons from my life that I am in much calmer, happier space. I am in a place of learning who I am and defining myself which is scary and exciting but in these session there are many who are in a space that I used to be in and so when I speak I feel the backlash of ‘she can’t be real, she’s hiding’ and I almost feel pressured into saying something sad and negative which defeats the process…....I think the best course of action is to say nothing in this weeks session as I don’t want to pretend. I spent my whole life doing that to please others and I refuse to play that game.

Been suffering from really bad headaches for the pass 8 days. Stressing is what I am doing as I picked up my books this weekend, read through my course handout and have started class journal. Feeling really lost, overwhelmed and I panicking about finance.
Ahhhhhhhhhh…...............

due to changes in the law, one has to be BACP registered. Which means a certain set of hours and levels have to be reached to be registered. Annoying, as the cost and time limit I had set for myself has gone up big time, however, I have successfully passed with flying colours the introduction stage, the foundation stage and certificate stage, I am onto the degree stage but may be able to skip the first year due to the fact that I have a degree already and the certificate course i did was pretty intense and covered the first year subjects, will know for sure next week Thursday. But I am, dear I say it, proud and fearful all at the same time.

is the day that i go for my interview. I am excited about this and can’t wait as I really want to start the next phase of this goal. Just can’t wait to say the words, “I am a qualified counseller”

i have got my applications as i have decided that i like integrative counselling and i also like psychodynamic counselling. I’ve applied to both styles and see which one is a go.

Still working on this goal. It is hard but rewarding and I enjoy every aspect of this work. I am at the stage of trying to decide what school of thought i want to practice; this is harder than i thought but i continue to research until i find the answer.

The class on unconditional positive regard was interesting as it placed an emphasis on valuing people as they are rather than liking them. Learning that liking someone, was limiting and was based on a lot of conditions made me realise that I am not as accepting of others as I thought and that a lot of my openess is based on a lot of sub-conscious commonality.

In a weird way it also helped me to write a thank you card I’ve been wanting to write but didn’t know how to express what I was thanking my friend for, she did a really beautiful thing for me by organising a surprise, that truly was wonderful and I throughly enjoyed it but I knew that I didn’t want to thank her for the surprise it was more that I wanted to thank her for making me feel valued, cared for,remembered and it was so nice taking a back seat and not being the one who has to be in control, organising stuff because usually in my world that is the way it usually works.

Had my first class. It was fantastic! I’m calm enough to write about it as I was so excited on Tuesday that I was a bag of nerves by the time I arrived.
It was cool meeting my class mates; though I hated the whole introducing yourself to the class, as I hate all eyes on me situations and had visions of myself disappearing into a hole.
Our lecturer is cool, a little eccentric but not to the point were she is frightening.

Yes! It feels so good, I’m on my way.