counsellors..who are they/

[johnizere]

after any tradgedy, it is nearly always announced that victims/witnesses are offered counselling......who are these 'specially trained counsellors'...what do they do the rest of the time? Are they kept under wraps until needed, like in waiting rooms or something like that? I'm just curious.

[Lonnie]

I wouldn't know the answer to your question, and i've been counselled, personally, I wouldn't give you Tuppence for most of them, they end up giving you more stress and problems than you started with. there are some good ones around, but they are few and far between,

[Clanad]

They're usually in private practice... at least here in the U.S. They can be full doctors or often are trained professionals with at least a Master's Degree or perhaps a Phd., usually in family counselling. I would concur, in the most part, with Lonnie with the exception of my oldest daughter, of course...

[vehelpfulguy]

You seem to think people only need councelling at time of a large tragedy.

How about "small" personal problems, they need councelling as well.

Death of a close family member, divorce, coping with a serious illness, loss of job, depression, alcolholism, drug taking, maybe having a limb aputated, or after a stroke or heart attack.

There are all sorts of "small" issues that affect people.

[ianess]

It really is amazing and infuriating that "counsillors" seem to be available at the drop of a hat whenever a tragedy occurs, BUT it is virtually impossible to obtain the services of one when dealing with a traumatised child in foster care.

[johnizere]

ok vehelp.........perhaps I should have put it another way. However big or small the issue is, my question is...WHO are these people?. Clanad went some way to answering my question, albeit refering to USA issues.

[Carakeel]

Well johnizere, counsellors are usually people who have studied to varying degrees psychology and or psychotherapy or specific counselling courses and have been trained to help those who are affected by a diverse range of problems, from drug abuse to loss of a child, war etc etc. They are trained to help victims of these traumas and disasters find their way through the issues surrounding their experiences, usually by gently guiding them to finding their own answers to the questions at hand, not by telling them how they should react to these situations. Many counsellors are people who have "been there done that", i.e. have been through difficult situations themselves and have learned through their own experiences how to find much needed answers allowing them to cope and deal with the situation at hand. This is especially the case with people who are specialists in precise areas of counselling, i.e. loss of a child, bereavement, specific disorders etc.

[Scylax]

Counselling is a bandwagon onto which many people have jumped, correctly thinking that this is a gravy-train.
Many psychiatric nurses (RMNs) saw the advent of counselling as being a way to justify themselves as the big mental hospitals closed in the UK, and being a Counsellor does sound important, doesn't it ?
It's a great outlet for any 'trendy-Wendy' who wishes to set up shop as a 'Specialist', or 'Consultant' with lots of emotional kudos.
Oh, Johnizere, counselling is the latest 'in-thing' these days.
Gullibility rules, OK ?