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Eight years ago in my Masters Program I read a book that spoke about Counsellor Centered Therapy. In the margins of the book, I made a note “This is ridiculous and so arrogant. What about Carl Rogers and client centered therapy every one in counselling community talks about?” I finished the book because it was assigned reading, but I did not understand or liked the messages in it and we did not spend much time discussing this idea in class. Today I am reconsidering the idea of being a Counsellor Centered Therapist. Very radical! I know. And its petrifying to to admit, but today I am daring greatly and following Brene Brown's wisdom, "Don't shrink. Don't puff. Just stand your sacred ground." Take a look at bios of a few therapists and you will find that the majority of these bios mention client or person centered approach to counselling. Client centered therapy is a flavor of today's therapy and counselling world. Given this predominant way of approaching healing, throughout my program I was taught to focus on the client, to enter the client’s world and help client make psychological adjustments to the world and resolve incongruences between reality and client’s perceptions. I will say (wit a lot of humbleness) that I am very good at being empathetic and I effortlessly enter client's world completely. I have been praised for this skills by supervisors and peers. But with more and more experience I found that when I entered client’s world completely and forgot about my own center, leaving my power, my experiences, my gifts and strength outside of the counselling relationship I got stuck with the client in their world of pain and misery and although client felt understood and genuinely cared for, we both sat in a muck of depression, anxiety, and grief unable to move to a more stable ground. Today I see myself as a much more helpful therapist because over the past 5 years I spent a lot of time taking a very close look at myself and devoted time and effirt into becoming more cognizant of my own healing process, my own gifts and power, as well as the responsibility in the use of this power. I realized that I bring this self into my office every single day. This self is present every single moment of my sessions with people who come to heal. And it’s that self, not the tools that I use, that is integral in people’s healing. Over the past nine months I have been a part of the integrative wellness center where I work in collaboration with Shiatsu Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists, Nutritionists and Naturopaths helping people heal physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. And I have learned so much from each one of these therapists. I saw that they pay equal respect to the needs of the client and their own intuition and the tools they use. Their treatments focus on clients, but the therapists do not leave integral parts of themselves outside of their treatment rooms, they bring their selves in, offering client their healing presence. I see these professionals offering their clients a center from which they guide a treatment process. And I am revisiting the idea of Therapist Centered Therapy (Counsellor Centered Therapy) where the therapist is centered and offers a stable, quiet center from which a client can gain strength, reclaim their power, and find the healing within. More thought on this to come. I must confess that I NO LONGER SEE DEPRESSED PEOPLE. I quit! Every time I used to see a “depressed person” in my counselling office I get stuck. Depressed people often see themselves as a problem and their loved ones often see them as a problem. And the goal of therapy is to fix the problem, to get rid of it, right? Well, no wonder so many depressed people have suicidal thoughts. If you are the problem, the only way to get rid of the problem, is to get rid of you. This is where I, as a therapist, got really confused. So I thought about it for a long while and now I am admitting to the world that I am a therapist with years of training and practical experience and I don’t really know how to work with depressed people! But I am not quitting my profession just yet, because I do work with people who STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION. People who struggle with depression have a problem. This problem is depression. And the way people cope with depression (ie., drinking, drugs, isolation) brings a lot of pain into their lives. But the good thing is that when I view depression as a problem that comes in to people's lives and robs them of joy, then a range of possibilities becomes available to help person find new ways of coping with this dark force. So, as a therapist when I see clients STRUGGLING WITH DEPRESSION (not depressed clients), I am much more equipped to help them find new ways of coping with depression and re-inviting joy, peace, and balance into their lives. This is why in my private practice I NO LONGER SEE DEPRESSED PEOPLE but I DO SEE PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION and this perspective makes me a more effective therapist! Katya Sivak, BA, MA Registered Clinical Counsellor BA, BSc, MA, M.Ed, MC, MSW, PhD, MA, M.Ed, MC, MSW.... what do all these mean? Choosing a right counsellor can be very confusing, especially if you are trying to understand what all the letters following counsellors’ names mean. First, it is important to note that at this time terms “counsellor”, “therapist” and “psychotherapist” are not regulated in British Columbia. This means that anyone is able to set up a private practice and call themselves a counsellor. Yes, absolutely anyone! So someone who calls themselves a counsellor or psychotherapist might only have high school deegree or they might posessss a doctorate degree, but their doctorate is in Experimental Physics! Things are changing and many counsellors hope that soon the name counsellor or therapist will be protected and only reserved for those with relevant education and experience. But at this point anyone can have a title of a counsellor, therapist or psychotherapist, even if they have no credentials, education, training, or experience. So it is important to be aware of counsellor’s education and professional designation. Finding a counsellor is not difficult but it can be overwhelming to find one who is right for you. My best suggestion is to invest some time in researching before you make your decision. Finding a good match with a counsellor can save you time, money, and disappointment. Understanding counsellor's education and training background is a first step in making an informed decision. Here is a brief guideline for deciphering the letters following counsellor's name. The first letters after counsellor’s name usually refers to counsellor’s degree and the following letters usually refer to counsellor’s professional designation. Counsellor’s Education… BA, BSc, MA, M.Ed, MC, MSW, PhD There are counsellors who have no degree or counselling education and some have a counseling-related diploma earned after high school. Many counsellors have a bachelor’s degree but most have a master’s degree in counselling psychology, education or social work. Some counsellors and most psychologists typically have a doctoral degree in psychology. College Education Community and private colleges offer diplomas in counselling. These can require between 6 month to 2 years to complete. University Education Counsellors with a bachelor degree might have the following letters behind following their name: BA, BSc BA – Bachelor of Arts. Many counsellors have a bachelor’s degree. It’s good to ask what they major was because it can vary from psychology to education to literature. BSc. – Bachelor of Science. Some counsellors have BSc in with emphasis on science coursework. Every university is different. You might want to ask the counsellor what their BSc is in. Graduate School Most counsellors hold a master`s degree. Master’s programs vary from 1-3 years in duration following the completion of a bachelor’s degree. Counsellors with a Masters degree might use the following letters after their name: MA, M.Ed, MC, MSW MA – Master of Arts. Most counsellors have an MA in Counselling or Clinical Psychology, but some might have an MA in English Literature. It is a good idea to ask, “What is your MA in?” M.Ed – Master of Education. This is a master’s degree that is earned the faculty of education. MC – Master of Counselling. This degree is usually awarded from universities outside of Canada. MSW – Master of Social Work. Social workers training is focused on improving the quality of life and well-being of individuals and communities through intervention, advocacy and direct practice. PhD – Doctor of Philosophy. Some counsellors will have a Doctorate`s degree, which is often another 4 years of research focused education following the Master`s Degree. Most PhD professionals in counselling field have a PhD in psychology, counselling psychology or social work. Still, it is important to ask ‘What is your PhD in?” as some with PhD following their name may hold a PhD in Marine Biology. Professional Designations... RPC, RCC, CCC, RSW, RMFT, R.Psych Therapists will have different credentials based on the education they have completed and supervised experience they have received. RPC – Registered Professional Counsellor. This is an experienced-based, rather than a degree-based designation. Counsellors do not need to have a specific counselling to hold this designation. However, many RPCs hold a diploma in the field, or other counselling credentials. Among other requirements, to meet the RPC requirement counsellors need to have a number of supervised years in the field, as well as other requirements. You might find that RPCs are referred to as master practitioners of counselling, but this term is not equivalent to a master’s degree. RCC – Registered Clinical Counsellor. This is a common counselling designation in BC. Practitioners with counselling-related master’s degrees and meeting other clinical standards such as experience and supervision hours are qualified to have this designation. RCCs are members of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. Counsellors who choose to be mebers of this association make a choice to abide by a code of ethics, and are covered by liability insurance. CCC – Canadian Certified Counsellor. Counsellors with varied counselling education backgrounds may possess this designation. RSW – Registered Social Worker. Social workers with Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in social work who meet other professional standards are able to have this designation. All RSWs are members of the BC College of Social Workers. RMFT – Registered Marriage and Family Therapist. These counsellors must extensive experience and training in couples and family therapy to be eligible for this designation. R.Psych – Registered Psychologist. In BC Psychologists must possess a PhD and pass a rigorous examination. See the BC College of Psychologists for further details. Do not be afraid to ask the counsellor about their education and professional designation. Having said this, someone can seem like a perfect ‘fit’ with all the right things credentials on paper, but if you don’t feel comfortable with him or her the therapeutic relationship is going to be hard to establish. Research shows that choosing the right counsellor is the key to a successful counselling experience. Stay tune for a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and a potential counsellor. Katya Sivak, BA, MA Registered Clinical Counsellor |
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January 2018
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