Description

Amanda is an established counsellor, teacher and Justice of the Peace in Western Australia. She has been practicing for several years and shares her knowledge across generations and demographics - from primary school kids to CEO's pursuing a vocation change. Her ability to explain complex concepts in simple and practical ways is inspired.

In this conversation we explore the importance of counsel and its distinction from psychology and psychiatry. Amanda unpacks Cole Rogers' core conditions of empathy, compassion, curiosity, congruence, unconditional positive regard, as well as how to practice them in day to day life. Becoming more self-aware by listening to our bodies, observing our emotions and thoughts, particularly when presented with triggers.

Amanda shares her vision of including counselling in our school curriculum as a means of equipping children, teenagers and young adults with a tool for life. This is an incredible vision and one that she is actively working towards. As someone who is only just starting to learn about counselling and its impact, I believe it will be invaluable on the individual and societal level going forward. The seeds that were planted in my garden from this conversation were:

1. The importance of seeking a lifelong partner in counsel. Not a family member, not a friend ,but a qualified unbiased third party to provide support. Someone that you are comfortable around and you can let into your internal world. If you do not find the person you resonate with on your first or even fifth time, try, try again! A good counsellor is worth their weight in gold.
2. Be congruent, let your yes be yes and your no be no . Say what you mean and mean what you say. Fear of judgement, rejection and ostracism are our biggest obstacle to congruence. If you cannot say something without offending someone, rather say nothing at all - don't be incongruent or disingenuous.
3. It just takes one person to show kindness to change someone's trajectory that might be on a path of self destruction. One person to notice. One person to ask are you ok? One person to see beyond whatever they might be presenting to the world. One person to model self-love and show them that they too are worthy of self-love.

References:

American Counseling Association (ACA)

Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)

Erikson's Stages of Development

Somatic Self Care Practices

Transference & Countertransference

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