Psychotherapy, Counselling & Training

SEMINARS FOR HEALTH RELATED PROFESSIONALS

FACILITATION, MEDIATION, TRAINING FOR STAFF IN ORGANISATIONS

INFORMATION & HOSPITALITY FOR COLLEAGUES FROM OVERSEAS

(See the e mail facility in the left hand top corner of this site) _____________________________________________________
CAROL BOWDEN
BA, M Couns (Dist),
Dip STN, H Dip Tchg, MNZAC

Carol works with Roy in couples counselling and offers services from her own private practice. Carol is an experienced and qualified counsellor, a member of the NZ Association of Counsellors and has worked with couples, in groups and in teaching situations. Her experience includes counselling in a university setting, school counselling, social work, teaching and special needs advisory services.

Carol offers supervision for counsellors, trainees, school counsellors and RTLBs, agency managers and health and education professionals.

Carol and Roy teach together in parent education seminars and seminars for professionals working with couples.
________________________________________________________

ROY BOWDEN
BA, MSW (Hons), Dip Soc Wk,
Dip Theol Ordn, MNZAP

Roy is a former President of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists and is the Pacific-New Zealand board member
on the World Council for Psychotherapy.
His professional career has included appointments as the director of a family counselling centre, social worker, family court counsellor, corporate staff counsellor, mediator, social auditor and former clergyman. After ten years as a Senior Lecturer in Adult Education and in Social Work at Massey University he established the first private psychotherapy practice in Palmerston North where he practised for ten years. He was a founding tutor and then programme director for the first bachelor degree in counselling in Aotearoa, New Zealand. He trained relationship counsellors nationally and was Head of School (or faculty) in a New Zealand Institute of Technology where for fifteen years he pioneered the development of generic training for counsellors and therapists which was not dependent on preferred modalities. He still enjoys designing training for health professionals which discovers and develops the unique contribution each practitioner can make.

SEMINAR LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING:

Seminars, workshops and team or peer sessions which focus on training for people in the helping professions are available. Roy has taught across cultures and appreciated insights which come from close dialogue and the revision of his own training. He suggests a revolution is needed to re set traditional approaches to health and welfare services in Aotearoa.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH, COUNSELLING, PSYCHOTHERAPY AND RELATED PROFESSIONALS:

Enquire about opportunities for health related and personal assistance professionals (counsellors, social workers and therapists) who can work with Roy in individually focused seminar settings. The aim is to work together towards the establishment of creative relationships "in the moment". In these seminars every person has their unique professional learning needs met. There is no attempt to persuade participants that a particular way of working is preferable and no desire to establish adherence to a structured modality.

MANA PRACTITIONERS COLLEGE:

Mana Practitioners College was established to offer creative solutions for organisations, health professionals, therapists and counsellors in their search for effective ways to assist people. Roy proposes a new kind of training for practitioners which builds on their knowledge of themselves in their own country and their innate, unique skills. He does not suggest a method and prefers to draw on the potential in each person. "Method misses the person.The application of someone else's ideas or the use of manipulative instruments in the helping environment prevents immediacy and authenticity in relationships".

INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER - SUPERVISOR - EDUCATOR:

Roy is available as an educator,key note speaker seminar leader, consultant and supervisor to organisations, staff groups, international forums and community groups. He is presenting again at the World Congress for Psychotherapy when it meets in Beijing in October 2008. His paper is summarised in an abstract at the top of this page.If you e mail to caroy@paradise.net.nz we will e mail you a copy of this presentation after it has been presented in Beijing.

PARENTING SKILLS TRAINING SEMINARS:

These seminars are offered to organisations, groups and agencies. Carol and Roy discover the issues people wish to discuss and outline new strategies for closer relationships with children and adults, in different family settings. They employ a conversational approach with parents, adults who are parenting alone and people wanting to make new adult relationships succeed. These highly participatory seminars also focus on the way adults can establish new relationships after separation.

*Some feedback from our parenting seminars is listed in the highlighted box to the right of this column* >>

COUNSELLING:
FOR WOMEN - MEN - COUPLES RELATIONSHIPS:

Carol and Roy work with individuals on their own and are available to work with couples. Couples can be seen with both counsellors present in the session. This ensures the gender balance is maintained and both partners are attended to.
We can send you a document which describes the way we work with couples. (Use the contact facility at the top of this page)

ACCESSING COUNSELLING OR THERAPY AS A CLIENT IN NEW ZEALAND:

If you intend being a client of a counsellor or therapist anywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand there is a document at the foot of this page with pertinent advice.

SERVICE FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION AND RELATED PROFESSIONALS FROM OVERSEAS:

Overseas visitors may be accommodated short term and, if they wish, be introduced to health, social service, education and related professionals in Aotearoa.
Information on places to visit in New Zealand is also available.
Write to caroy@paradise.net.nz for details

CIVIL UNION CELEBRANT AND MARRIAGE CELEBRANT:

Roy is available as a Marriage Celebrant and as a Civil Union Celebrant. He has over thirty years experience as a celebrant for different kinds of family, relationship and personal ritual occasions and encourages people to write their own ceremonies with his guidance.

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A CAREER IN COUNSELLING OR THERAPY:

We can send you a document outlining training opportunties for people who wish to become counsellors or therapists in Aotearoa New Zealand. This is a guide to training and professional opportunities which reflects Roy's knowledge of the field and his views on appropriate ways to assist people. It is very important to choose training which allows you to enhance your unique contribution as a professional person.
Ask for this information by writing to caroy@paradise.net.nz

(Other papers can be viewed at
http://groups.msn.com/CounsellingandPsychotherapyAotearoa)

JOIN OUR MSN DISCUSSION GROUP "COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY AOTEAROA" WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED AT THE FOOT OF THIS WEB PAGE

WORLD COUNCIL FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY

Roy is one of two Australasian representatives on the Board of the World Congress for Psychotherapy.His keynote paper at a regional WCP Congress in Canada in 2003 titled "Choosing to Cross by Sea" has been an encouragement to health professionals working cross culturally and can be downloaded by clicking here.

*EXCITING NEWS FOR PRACTITIONERS FROM NEW ZEALAND AND THE PACIFIC*:

THE WORLD CONGRESS WILL BE HELD IN BEIJING IN 2008 AND IN SYDNEY IN 2011

The Sydney, Australia Congress will be jointly hosted by the New Zealand and Australian Associations of Psychotherapy. The Congress theme, 'World Dreaming' reflects an interest in the way traditional therapeutic approaches can meet with cultures in the South Pacific. News from the Congress planning committee will appear on this site from time to time.
**A BOOK FOR HEALTH RELATED PROFESSIONALS, COUNSELLORS, THERAPISTS AND TRAINERS**

This book (top of this page) has been reviewed as
"The best book of its kind to come out of Aotearoa-do not miss this book" (George Sweet, New Zealand counsellor and consultant)

The book is a textbook in counsellor training programmes and contains a new perspective for therapists and other professionals

To order Roy's book use the contact box at the top of this page.
Book price: $30.00 NZD plus postage.

Published by Caroy Publications, 31 Sunset Parade, Plimmerton, Mana, New Zealand

Join Counselling and Psychotherapy Aotearoa

XtraMSN Groups

BEING A CLIENT IN NEW ZEALAND

Making a decision

Professionals in New Zealand have a good reputation through history and are highly motivated to assist you with care and sensitivity. Most accept the view that your wishes are paramount and ‘the way you want to change’ is the prime consideration. It is advisable to make a first appointment and see whether the professional (or their approach) suits you. You may want to take a support person with you to the first appointment. There is no reason why you should not meet one or two counsellors or therapists first before deciding who establishes the most effective relationship with you. Counsellors and psychotherapists in Aotearoa advertise their services in a variety of ways. It is important the service you receive is based on a healthy personal relationship with the professional you have consulted. Most helping professionals believe that the person and the way they view themselves comes first. The management of any difficulties is woven into therapy keeping the person in focus. Other counsellors and therapists are ‘method specific’ or ‘issue specific’ and this means you will be ‘counselled’ according to the specific training the professional has had.

Specialist services

There are specialist services available for specific difficulties. It is important to check whether the counsellor or therapist has the required training in specific arenas (for example sexual abuse) before working with them on an issue or problem. (For example, counsellors and therapists approved by the Sensitive Claims Unit of the Accident Compensation Corporation have additional training in order to manage sexual abuse problems). Other issues such as violence in the home, addictions, or family separation may be best managed by someone who has specific training or experience in these areas. Ask your counsellor or therapist to tell you their history with regard to training or experience for important issues. If that is not easy for you to do ask your general practitioner to question the professional you are about to see.

Individual, couple or family services

You can access counselling or therapy as an individual, a couple, or as a family. Traditionally one counsellor is available to see one or more persons. In most agencies (or private practices) resources do not stretch to having more than one counsellor present. In some family based services (particularly those which make family therapy available) two counsellors often see the family together. While couple counselling can be highly successful with one counsellor present there are real advantages in having two counsellors and often it is important to have each gender represented by the counsellors.
It is possible to ask for two counsellors to be present but bear in mind that most agencies will have difficulty providing this service due to limited financial resources. My view is that it is preferable for a couple to have two counsellors present and when families are in therapy it is even more important for there to be more than one therapist. In situations where culture is important more than two people may want to attend the sessions and your health professional or counsellor can provide facilities for this to happen.

Children and Young Persons

Children and young persons are often referred to counselling or therapy services. The most important question to ask before this happens is whether the child is being seen as ‘the problem’ because of their behaviour or their expressed feelings. Usually the ‘problem’ is ‘systemic’ which means the influences of the parents, siblings, school, or peers are crucial in the way the child is feeling or behaving. My view is that parents need to present for counselling first, discover more about the way they relate together and review their parenting agreements before deciding to place a child or a young person in counselling, therapy or treatment. It is seldom the case that a child or young person is the ‘cause’ of any difficulties. The causes lie in the system, the environment and the whole of life setting within which the young person lives. Make sure you obtain a variety of opinions regarding any interventions suggested for a child or young person as they may not have access to choices which can only be made when all information is to hand. Having said that, there are highly skilled child psychotherapists and counsellors who can help children and young people face changes, trauma, and challenges in ways that parents or other people cannot manage.
Counsellors who are members of the NZ Association of Counsellors or the NZ Association of Psychotherapists may assist young persons. Ask them to describe their training and experience in working with young people. Counsellors and social workers in schools are able to assist young people and their families within school communities and can usually access helpful agencies to refer young people or families to. For children and young persons, psychotherapists who belong to ‘The New Zealand Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists’ have had specialist training, adhere to a code of ethics and have helpful links with other professional groups.

Professional Issues

For adults, counsellors and psychotherapists who are registered with NZAC or NZAP are the most appropriate to see as these professionals are bound by a code of ethics and there is a complaint system in place for clients. (See http://www.nzac.org.nz or http://www.nzap.org.nz)

You are entitled to see copies of the codes of ethics and complaint systems. You are also entitled to have fee structures explained to you, receive receipts for any fees paid and make your own decision as to how many sessions you need.

If you wish to have support persons present ask about arrangements for this to happen.

If the counselling or therapy is about relationships you have with people ask whether those people (for example partners) can be seen with you and expect the focus in those sessions to be on the way the relationship functions more than a focus on specific 'problems'. Ensure each partner feels they are being given equal attention in the counselling process.

Sessions with counsellors and therapists begin with a careful listening time which allows you to tell your story in detail. Then the professional is there to explore ways ahead with you and help you make your own decisions. Your counsellor or therapist may be trained in a ‘method’. Methods on their own do not make the difference. What makes the difference is the relationship between counsellor and client. Ask for techniques or methods to be explained and ask why the counsellor or therapist believes those techniques will make a difference to your particular situation. Before taking part in a method based approach find out exactly what you are being asked to do, whether you can have a support person present and whether you can first speak with someone who has been through a similar process. You may want to consult the internet and read different assessments of the method being used.

My belief is that each person has the potential to change and, unless there is some neurological, ‘mental’ or physically centred impairment present, people can be helped through the establishment of effective relationships with counsellors or therapists. A healing relationship will eventually help you discover your own resources for change and a new quality of life. The healing relationship that eventually moves you forward may be with a professional person. On the other hand it may be with someone you know and trust who is close to you in other ways.

Psychiatric services are available and counsellors and therapists are trained to refer you on to a mental health professional if they decide with you that your difficulties may need medication or you are at risk of harming yourself or someone else. Mental health professionals may provide therapeutic services alongside medication.
When consulting mental health professionals ask for clear information about each step in the process and ask to see any records kept regarding your progress. You can also ask to see referral letters containing information about you.

Confidentiality is paramount in all services and it is important to ask for copies of referral letters and reports made about you at any stage in the helping process. Confidentiality may be put to one side if there is a risk of harm to you or another person and your counsellor or therapist will explain that process to you.

New Zealand counsellors and therapists are required to have an annual practising certificate, be in supervision with a colleague and keep up membership in their associations.

Culture

Cultural differences are in focus in Aotearoa and if your culture is different from that of your counsellor or therapist it is important you expect them to take that into consideration and be culturally appropriate and sensitive. Culturally based resources should be taken into consideration as these may be significantly helpful. Counselling or therapy from someone within your own culture may also be available if you do some research through NZAC or NZAP.

Your life

You do not need to have a specific problem or issue before consulting a counsellor or therapist. You may want someone to listen while you celebrate something in your life. You may just feel vaguely uneasy. If you do, your counsellor can help you discover more information leading to understanding feelings of confusion, stress, loss or lethargy.
If your health professional asks you to attend sessions regularly or at defined intervals (such as weekly) ask for the reasons behind such planning. You may want to attend some sessions this year or this month and some the next. Use therapy at your own pace and take charge of the way you want to be helped.

It is important you are in charge of your own healing process and your future.

A. Roy Bowden