Iain Douglas Stewart

L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 17th January 2018

By Iain 17 January 2018Qualifications courseworkNo Comments

This week was a bit more abstract and self-exploratory than usual, in that we carried on exploring our understanding of the relationship between our personalities and our helping work by asking ourselves various introspective questions (Unit 5.1), and we also considered the ways in which our life history has impacted on our behaviour and life choices (Unit 5.2). Because of…

Smudge

By Iain 17 January 2018ReflectionsNo Comments

Smudge died today. Jane sent me a message while I was at work. She'd been off for weeks, coming up for more cuddles and being very clingy, but I never thought it was this bad, that would come to this. Jake and I had a lovely long cuddle with her yesterday. We were on the sofa and she came up…

L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 10th January 2018

By Iain 10 January 2018Qualifications courseworkNo Comments

Today we explored personal blocks to listening, which are external or internal factors that interfere with a counsellor’s ability to be present in the room and utilise active listening. One internal block to listening that I feel could be pertinent to me, especially at this early stage of my counselling journey, is me wanting to give advice. So often in…

L2CiCS: Learning Log – 10th January 2018

By Iain 10 January 2018Qualifications courseworkNo Comments

Today we explored personal blocks to listening, which are external or internal factors that interfere with a counsellor’s ability to be present in the room and utilise active listening. Pat introduced us to six broad categories. The first is Mind Reading. Psychic abilities are not real, and a counsellor supposing they know what a client’s problem is before it has…

L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 13th December 2017

By Iain 13 December 2017Qualifications courseworkNo Comments

This week Sally did a presentation on the rising level of anxiety in kids. She explained that although the level still was quite low, it was more widespread and nearly all children she came into contact with displayed anxious traits. Like Gloria’s talk last week, it was very eye-opening with respects to the level of support there is nowadays for…

L2CiCS: Learning Log – 13th December 2017

By Iain 13 December 2017Qualifications courseworkNo Comments

This week we discussed the use of silence in counselling, how it can be used and what it could represent. Silence is defined as the complete absence of sound. Silence in counselling is harder to specifically pin down in a concise and succinct sentence. Silence can be used by a counsellor to demonstrate patience; it can also show their anticipation…

L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 6th December 2017

By Iain 6 December 2017Qualifications courseworkNo Comments

This week Gloria did her presentation on loss and bereavement in children, and it was quite eye-opening. I would have loved that level of help and support when I was a youngster. She did a great job, the talk was very informative and I felt very inspired by her. She is in a protective role every day, doing what she…

L2CiCS: Learning Log – 6th December 2017

By Iain 6 December 2017Qualifications courseworkNo Comments

This week we were learning about the structure of counselling, in particular the Beginning, the Middle and the End, in relation to both single sessions and full courses of therapy. The first session in a therapeutic relationship is usually an initial assessment. If the counsellor works for an agency then this could be carried out by a trainee or someone…

Looking back at 2005

By Iain 3 December 2017Internet, Reflections, Site Related, VideogamesNo Comments

I'm just going back through all my old posts on the old blog as I work to transfer them to this new domain (iaindstewart.net), and I can finally see why I was depressed all those years ago. It's as clear as day now I have some insight into what depression is and how it affects you. I was essentially staying…