Counselling is an interactive learning process contracted between counsellor(s) and client(s), be they individuals, families, groups or institutions, which approaches in a holistic way, social, cultural, economic and/or emotional issues.
Counselling may be concerned with addressing and resolving specific problems, making decisions, coping with crisis, improving relationships, developmental issues, promoting and developing personal awareness, working with feelings, thoughts, perceptions and internal or external conflict.
The overall aim is to provide clients with opportunities to work in self-defined ways, towards living in more satisfying and resourceful ways as individuals and as members of the broader society. (European Association for Counselling definition of counselling adopted AGM 1995)
Community Based Counselling:
- Has over 30 years' experience of serving our local communities.
- Is trusted and has made itself accessible to all in the community.
- Provides a highly professional counselling service that is low cost and not-for-profit.
- Identifies the needs of the community and adjusts its services to meet those needs.
- All agencies operate from an ethos that promotes equality, diversity and social justice.
- Works through strong interagency relationships and partnerships, including the HSE, Local Community Services, GP's,Solicitors,Gardai and Social Workers.
- Provides professional counselling and support services meeting the wide and varied needs and presenting issues of children, young people,individuals,couples and families.
- All agencies have fully qualified,accredited professional therapists who are well trained and equipped to meet the complexity of presenting issues that come their way.
- Have a high percentage of highly qualified professional therapists who work in a voluntary capacity and are committed to giving back and supporting our communities.
- These agencies have continued to work hard even having sustained a 46% cut to their funding over the past three years. These cuts happened at a time when there is a greater demand and extra challenges on their services.
- Community- Based Counselling, through all of the above, is a unique and vital Specialist Service.
