Godfrey D’Sa sdb
MUMBAI, MAY 3, 2010: On April 30, 2010, at a function in the Youth Services Hall, Matunga, Rev. Fr. Michael Fernandes SDB, the Salesian Provincial of the Mumbai Province, gave certificates to 18 participants who successfully completed the 9 month Advanced Diploma Program in Counseling Psychology. This is the Second batch of students completing the training program organized by Prafulta Psychological Services, Andheri, in order to meet the growing need for professional counselors in the city of Mumbai.
The main focus of this training program is to impart hands-on counseling skills through practice sessions and supervision. Another important aspect in this course is its focus on self work. It is the person of the counselor that has the greatest impact in the counseling process and unless the counselor works on renewing the self, the process remains mediocre. Besides learning the basic and advanced skills in counseling, participants were also experientially introduced to Group Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Somatic Therapy, Art Therapy, and Marital Therapy. Special Issues like sexuality, spirituality, career guidance, addiction, learning disabilities, and academic underachievement were also dealt with.
One of those who graduated expressed herself in these words, “I must say that this journey of nine months has been a very enriching experience. I had my moments of joy and challenges, but this course has changed my life in a beautiful way. I can see a sea of difference in myself as a person and a counselor. I am now able to acknowledge and accept my own feelings. I can stay with the feelings of another without being uncomfortable and also challenge the person to move forward in life. This is what I have always wanted to do – make a difference in the lives of others.”
Prafulta is committed to train many more counselors in the coming years and thus reach out to people in need.
The main focus of this training program is to impart hands-on counseling skills through practice sessions and supervision. Another important aspect in this course is its focus on self work. It is the person of the counselor that has the greatest impact in the counseling process and unless the counselor works on renewing the self, the process remains mediocre. Besides learning the basic and advanced skills in counseling, participants were also experientially introduced to Group Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Somatic Therapy, Art Therapy, and Marital Therapy. Special Issues like sexuality, spirituality, career guidance, addiction, learning disabilities, and academic underachievement were also dealt with.
One of those who graduated expressed herself in these words, “I must say that this journey of nine months has been a very enriching experience. I had my moments of joy and challenges, but this course has changed my life in a beautiful way. I can see a sea of difference in myself as a person and a counselor. I am now able to acknowledge and accept my own feelings. I can stay with the feelings of another without being uncomfortable and also challenge the person to move forward in life. This is what I have always wanted to do – make a difference in the lives of others.”
Prafulta is committed to train many more counselors in the coming years and thus reach out to people in need.