L3CiCS Reflective Diary – 10th April 2020

Research is an interesting aspect of counselling and psychotherapy, and I think it is very important. It is essentially a sphere of knowledge that exists parallel to your own body of knowledge as a person and as a counsellor, and overlaps in places. Research, or “finding out what works” has created talking therapies and its different modalities and theories, and…

L3CiCS Learning Log – 28th February 2020

This week we looked at the role of supervision in counselling, and its importance. I understand that supervision in counselling is of the upmost importance as it provides another layer of safety for both the client and counsellor. Clinical Supervision in Counselling is when a counsellor meets with another, more experienced counsellor to review their casework and the way they…

L3CiCS Reflective Diary – 1st February 2020

This week we talked in small groups about how we could use counselling theory to understand our own personality, or apply ideas found in the theories we have covered this year so far to increase our self-awareness, and reflect on ways in which one or more theories have helped us understand ourselves. For me, the concept of congruence, and being…

L3CiCS Reflective Diary 31st January 2020

This week we looked at why theory is important in counselling work. Through a group discussion we identified several key aspects of why it is important, and I was quite surprised by the amount we came up with. First though, I think it’s important that I reflect on what is meant by the word “theory”. A theory is generally a…

L3CiCS Reflective Diary – 10th January 2020

Over the past few weeks we’ve been learning about three very different counselling theories – Person-centred counselling, Psychodynamic counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – with very different methods, glossaries and philosophies that ultimately all work towards the same goal, which is helping people. They each offer a different language, and a different way of understanding our personality or self,…

L3CiCS Learning Log 10th January 2020

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the current culmination of several other therapies, in particular: • Cognitive therapy – focusing on a client’s thoughts and how they feel on the inside • Behavioural therapy – focusing on how a client acts and reacts to certain situations The philosophy behind CBT is that the client’s problem is not the problem itself; the…
Femininity

Femininity

Like last weeks word, I have to admit that I have had thoughts about this keyword. I couldn't really not think about it, with femininity being the polar opposite of masculinity. There are elements to this piece that have been going around in my head for a while, but this is the first time I've published these ideas on my…

Slacking

I finished my level 2 Counselling Skills course back in August, but I couldn't take the assessment because we had already booked to go on holiday. I went in to college and took it last night, and it felt great to be back in a learning environment. Being driven to college in a taxi in the dark, the smell of…