A Counselling Journey
On my counselling journey, the challenges of tackling mental health issues can often be seen as waves constantly washing over us, then gradually receding to disclose new potential opportunities
The Importance of Grounding
Grounding is a key concept in counselling, helping us to establish strong roots in the here and now, focusing on the present, to help us manage and respond to disassociation and negative emotional situations
The humanistic approach
Reflecting on counselling, the pioneering work of our Godfather of humanistic counselling, Carl Rogers and his daughter, Natalie, still resonates with me. Their acceptance of self-directed change, inspired by the client through a trusting, collaborative therapeutic alliance, is as important as ever. It allows therapists and clients to look through the window of each other’s […]
The Journey of life’s challenges
Since opening my eyes in this world, I have always been surrounded by music. Along the journey of life’s challenges, music has always provided grounding, relaxation, and most importantly, reflection together with the sheer enjoyment that comes with music. The power of music can lift the soul and create happiness through our happy chemicals that […]
Ut serviam (in Latin, that I may serve you)
As part of the human race, I have always loved to consider why we are on this planet, and that is to help one another. As we all know, we live in a very hectic world where survival of the fittest seems to be the trend, and those who are disadvantaged seem to fall by […]
Understanding the brain in counselling
The underlying principles of offering “counselling” guidance and support can be traced back to ancient times, using storytelling, rituals, and community support to address personal challenges. Since the mid-20th century, counselling approaches have focused on behaviour, emotions, and feelings without fully understanding the one part of our anatomy that drives everything: the brain. Over the […]
Gratitude and empathy in counselling
Yesterday, the word ‘gratitude’ was lingering in my mind. It always makes me wonder about the lack of comprehension and empathy, which is often and unfortunately shown towards people who are challenged in society. Yes, I know some of you may be unwilling to engage with a person with a ‘disability’ and you may struggle […]
Disability, acceptance and empowerment
Living with a disability does not mean you are any less of a person without a disability. It simply means that whatever your disability, it is a feature of you and makes you no less a valuable human being than anyone else. As part of encouraging disability-responsive practices, it is important that a sense of […]
A feeling of welcoming and belonging
Working with people who have a disability, and seeing how many in society respond to their circumstances, makes me really wonder how far we have come since Australia was a founding signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Across society, while we promote diversity and inclusion, it seems to me […]
Bias and discrimination in society
While reading the newspaper this morning, I came across an insightful article about how societies treat people with disabilities. A reflection lingered in my mind, contemplating a question which I am certain many of you have previously considered. Why do we react differently when we see a person who, through no fault of their own, […]