Volume 46 Number 3 May 2017

A Publication of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors

Our New President Inside: - Cork Conference, a resounding success - Launch of Core Competencies Manual - How Iceland copes with Teen Problems ORDER ORDER NOW! NOW!

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CAREERSPORTAL.ie THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

Cover photo: Former President Betty McLaughlin passes on the chain of office to Eddie McGrath at the Cork Conference. In this issue: The March of Folly, Brexit and Education...... 5 Cork Conference-the Speakers ...... 22 Message from the President...... 6 Cork Conference-the Researchers...... 23 Core Competencies & professional Practice Publication Lauch ...... 7 Cork Conference-The Attendees...... 24 Maynooth University breaks into top 50 Young Universities Colm Hayes: ‘Anxiety comes with the job. I don’t hold it in and I’m a in the world, #1 in Ireland...... 9 stronger person because of it’...... 25 Four neuromyths that are still prevalent in schools – debunked..... 10 General Anxiety: Helping students accept, not fight, their In Pole Position...... 11 negative thoughts...... 27 “How teaching happens matters” Teachers can play a particularly L- Notes by Brian Lennon ...... 28 important role in raising children’s self-esteem, motivation and Further Education and Training ...... 29 confidence by the way they organise teaching and learning...... 13 Looking for a career with a difference?...... 31 Iceland knows how to stop teen substance abuse but the rest GMIT leads the way with four exciting new degrees launched of the world isn’t listening...... 15 for CAO Change of Mind...... 32 The AGM in University of Limerick...... 19 Annual Donegal IGC Careers Fair in Ballybofey...... 33 Photos from the IGM in University of Limerick...... 20 Grief, Bereavement and Loss: Some Therapeutic Insights...... 34 Cork Conference-the Stands...... 21 Dr Bill Law, FRSA...... 42

Copy Deadline Contributions of articles can be sent to: The deadline for the next issue of Guideline Magazine is Fred Tuite, 14th September 2017. Articles (which may be edited) and 1 Loreto Park advertisements should be with the editor before that date. Troys Lane Kilkenny Guideline is published three times a year (October, March and Tel: 087-6698873 May) by the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. Contributions Email: [email protected] and advertisements are welcome. The Editors reserve the right to amend or abridge any contribution accepted for publication. Items for inclusion should preferably be sent in MS Word by For advertising contact email to the address below. Typeset articles or advertisements are best sent in high resolution Adobe Acrobat format. our Advertising Manager: Carmel Dooley, The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the PRWORKS, contributors and not necessarily those of the Editors or the 14 Ceannt Ave, Mervue, Galway Officers of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. Mobile: 087 2349903 Email: [email protected] Acceptance of advertisements does not constitute an Web site: www.prworks.ie endorsement of the products or services by the Institute.

Every effort has been made by the editors to ensure that the ie.linkedin.com/in/prgalway information is accurate, however no responsibility can be accepted by the Editors or the Institute for omissions or errors that may have occurred. www.facebook.com/prgalway

Editorial Board Fred Tuite, Mary Hosty, Gerry Reilly, Betty McLaughlin and Michael L. O’Rourke Institute of Guidance Counsellors, Head Office, 17 Herbert St., Dublin 2

Tel: (01) 676 1975 Fax: (01) 661 2551 Email: [email protected] Guideline Editorial Board: From left: Michael L. O’Rourke, Jennifer O’Rourke, Betty McLaughlin (President IGC), Mary Hosty, and Fred Tuite (Editor) 3 The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes applications for courses in Higher Education Institutions.

IMPORTANT DATES

AUTUMN 2017 CONFERENCES MAY CAO Change of Mind facility 5 opens at 12:00 noon

JULY CAO Change of Mind facility Cork 1 closes at 5:15pm

th Tuesday, 7 November AUG Round 1 offers will be online Rochestown Park Hotel

21 from 6am

Kilkenny

AUG Round 2 offerswill be online Wednesday, 8th November from 6am. Ormonde Hotel 31

Maynooth

Thursday, 9th November Glenroyal Hotel USEFUL RESOURCES

Monaghan Please visit the Information for Schools section of the CAO website for Tuesday, 14th November copies of important CAO Hillgrove Hotel correspondence and other useful Galway resources.

Wednesday, 15th November The Student Resources page of the Clayton Hotel CAO website contains a number of valuable resources for applicants Conference Registration including correspondence schedules, checklists, FAQs and CAO Video Guides. Advance registration for this year’s conferences will be compulsory - to The CAO: A guide for parents and register please go to the Information for guardians is available to download Schools section of the CAO website. from the Information for Parents Registration will open in September 2017. section of the CAO website.

Central Applications Office, Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway Tel: 091 509800 │ Visit: www.cao.ie THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

The March of Folly, Brexit and Education Fred Tuite

The March of Folly : From Troy to rise as EU students could be treated as international 4. Research collaboration and funding Vietnam By Barbara W. Tuchman is a fascinating students. This, along with a more complex visa a. Fewer opportunities for collaboration book that looks at the pervasive presence, through process, is likely to cause a drop in the free movement with corresponding impact on Irish H2020 the ages, of failure, mismanagement, and delusion of students. UK students trying to avoid high tuition targets; in government. There are a huge amount of examples fees and opting to study in other European countries b. Loss of UK contribution could have that it cites, from Montezuma s senseless surrender of could find that their tuition costs rise once we leave disproportionate impact on EU/H2020 budget; his empire in 1520 to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour. the EU. The visa process, again, is likely to become c. Effect on North-South collaboration In the book, Barbara W. Tuchman defines folly as the more complicated and less attractive for students programmes such as INTERREG; pursuit by government of policies contrary to their who are looking for the opportunity to live abroad and d. Departure of strong ally in policy own interests, despite the availability of feasible experience other cultures while studying. discussions; alternatives. In brilliant detail, she illuminates four e. Restrictions on UK research funding decisive turning points in history that illustrate the Whether this restriction on moving and studying programmes for non-UK based researchers; very heights of folly: the Trojan War, the breakup of abroad applies to Ireland or whether we can continue 5. CHALLENGES the Holy See provoked by the Renaissance popes, the the free movement of the common travel area is a. Ireland won’t have all opportunities to loss of the American colonies by Britain’s George III, something to be negotiated. itself, i.e. there will be competition from and the United States’ own persistent mistakes in other European countries with strong Vietnam. It is a book and a notion that keeps coming But how would Erasmus be affected? The BBC higher education and research sectors, English language provision, and good to my mind when I consider the folly of Brexit. Here continues: societal benefits; you have a situation where a small majority of voters Funded by the EU, Erasmus has been running for over b. Visibility in countries with which in a non-binding referendum, who, for a huge range 25 years and in that time over 200,000 British students traditionally associated are strong, but: - of reasons (few of which would have any economic have benefited from the superb opportunities on Profile poorer elsewhere – and perception legitimacy) have led to the British government offer. By living and studying in another country, in many countries is that Ireland is part of stubbornly refusing to listen to the voices of industry, students can embrace other cultures, gain essential UK and will be leaving the EU; reason and culture and ploughing ahead with an ill- life skills and truly understand the importance of c. Rankings influence international conceived notion of leaving the European Union. integration. perceptions of quality and reputation; So what could this mean for us in the education d. Other European countries seeking to attract space? Well, as with most of the Brexit debate, Once Britain leaves the EU, the access that British mobile talent, and flagship projects; nobody quite knows. It has however already had an students could have to this programme looks very e. Absorptive capacity - if students/ professionals previously choosing UK effect on applications from Ireland to UCAS which uncertain. Britain could face exclusion from this come to Ireland, there will be considerable are 20% down on previous years. Despite assurances scheme entirely, although students currently using pressure on facilities and accommodation. that students from the EU will be guaranteed the the programme are not at risk and there is some hope f. Historic lack of investment in the Irish higher same level of fees for all their degree if they start that membership of Erasmus could be maintained as education and research system. this year, a lot of Irish students are not taking any part of EU negotiations. 6. OPPORTUNITIES chances. There is some speculation that the students a. Feature Irish higher education and research who would have gone to the UK are now applying to The HEA report (Brexit and Irish Higher Education) as a key component of Ireland’s Brexit Irish colleges and they may push up the points. provides a list of Issues and Risks, a sort of SWOT strategy; list: b. Globally position Ireland as a distinctive The BBC (bbcactive.com ) reports that: high-quality international hub for higher At the moment there are over 120,000 EU students 1. Student mobility and residency rules education and research: c. Boost investment in HE and research to across the UK, equating to more than 6% of all full- a. Change in residency requirements, and send a strong message that Ireland is back time students in Britain’s universities tuition fees/student loans, likely factors influencing student choice; in business after a decade of austerity; d. Develop and support targeted initiatives Over the last few years, an increasing number b. Students studying in either jurisdiction may be classed as Non-EU students with to boost graduate and researcher of British students have chosen to study in other associated impacts on student assistance/ opportunities, experiences and European countries to avoid the whopping British disabilities funds and eligibility for SUSI collaborations; tuition fees and enhance their learning experience. In grants; e. Identify and develop new partnerships with Maastrict University, Netherlands, students pay just c. Impact on cross-border student mobility, other EU higher education institutions; £1,600 in tuition fees per year compared to the UK’s and recruitment; f. Attract large EU flagship projects/centres to £9,000. Current EU laws make this not only possible, 2. International educational programmes Ireland. but encouraged and relatively straightforward. a. Implications for joint programming/ g. Act as a talent magnate, attracting the best students, academics and researchers: The EU has also invested significant sums of money degrees, and other teaching and learning h. Attract and support UK and international into British universities, funding projects such as initiatives, especially those funded via EU programmes such as Erasmus+; students, staff and researchers seeking to Swansea University’s new innovation centre as re-locate to Ireland: well as considerable amounts of funding towards 3. Academic/professional mobility and i. Explore new contractual arrangements research. Over the last ten years, the UK received recruitment to encourage and facilitate Irish and nearly £8 billion in research funding from both the a. Restrictions/loss of important location international researchers. European Commission and the European Research for post-graduate qualifications/post You can read more from this report on the HEA Council. qualification experience; website, and as you follow the negotiations you can b. Implications for graduates and professionals decide if Brexit is a suitable candidate for inclusion of The report continues: training and early career opportunities, a revised version of The March of Folly. Once Britain officially leaves the EU, tuition fees may and respectively for employment/ unemployment in Ireland. 5 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Message from the President Betty McLaughlin

only do we need to reverse the cuts, we need at the same time to continue to grow Dear fellow IGC members the IGC in a powerful and effective professional body that best serves our members’ interests. It is your expertise and active participation that is crucial and that helps A Chairde, keep the Institute a vibrant effective organisation. As stated in our ‘Vision Document’, which outlines the current and serious challenges facing the Institute, we are resolutely When I was elected to my first term as National President of the Institute of Guidance pursuing legal recognition for our profession to safeguard the title ‘Guidance Counsellor’; Counsellors almost three years ago, guidance counselling in second level education and while at the same time we are working to ensure the highest standards of training, of colleges of further education in Ireland had been decimated and guidance counsellors professionalism and adherence to our code of ethics. around the country were struggling, on a daily basis, to deliver a guidance counselling service to the students of this country. We were working under the removal of ‘ex- While 400 ‘ex-quota’ jobs will be in place from September 2017, full restoration of quota’ hours, and I began my Presidency alongside, Mai and Eddie with an immediate the 600 roles is embedded in the “Confidence and Supply Agreed Programme for on-going focused campaign of lobbying politicians, managing the media and building Government”. We cannot, however, be complacent and we must be extremely active solid relationships with the Minister for Education & Skills and the key DES staff. Two in keeping the issue of guidance counselling at the fore in the media and with key and a half years on we have achieved the restoration of 400 guidance counselling stakeholders in education. It is not an easy job and it takes dedication and commitment, jobs, shifting the focus to final achievement of our objective of full restoration as and this is something that President Eddie and the National Executive will be forging promised in the supply and confidence agreement for government. The current Circular ahead and moving forward. enforces the Guidance Allocation to schools outside the regular quota of posts. The It was heartening to see so many familiar and new faces at our last three National IGC has however requested more clarification from the DES regarding the pro rata one Conferences in Limerick, Cork and Waterford. Over 450 Guidance Counsellors were in to one hours for guidance counselling in all schools.. Our President, Eddie along with attendance in UL, the highest number since the budgetary cuts in 2012. Your extremely myself and PJ Mc Gowan met with Mr Martin Hanevy, Assistant General Secretary , positive evaluation sheets confirm that you found the National Conferences to be very DES and Eamon Moran , Policy Official, DES, on the 9th April seeking clarification on positive and worthwhile experiences and that they sustain you for the challenges ahead. the Spring Allocation Circular. Eddie will circulate any clarification received from the I was delighted to meet so many members and to be able to thank you personally for DES as a priority to all members. I believed in 2014, as I do now, that continuity and your ongoing support and also to listen to your concerns. strong leadership is most important in ensuring that our members continue to have an influential voice at this level. My focus since 2014 has been to build on the themes of the National Conferences, “ Staying Positive in Guidance, Bígí linn” (South East Branch, 2014) ‘A Guiding Light: As mentioned to you in previous reports, the reason for my decision to terminate my Care, Education and Wellbeing for All” (Tipperary Branch, 2015), “Building Connections, second term of office early was that I applied for and was successful in being appointed Supporting Pathways to the Future” ( Cork Branch, 2016 ) and in doing so I am absolutely as full-time Team Leader for Wellbeing with the JCT, working to implement and embed clear about two things: Firstly, that there are few tasks in our education and skills system the new Wellbeing Guidelines in schools for all our students, and I look forward very that are more important than sowing the seed as early as possible that higher education much to working with you in this role. This is an important role that I believe in, one is the expectation, not the exception and secondly, that it is the role of Government to that puts our students center stage, and one where I can bring my broad experience, support all children to achieve their potential, through providing a universal entitlement expertise, and expend my energies into its successful rollout and implementation. To to guidance counselling support. Inequality of guidance service provision hampers that end it has been a pleasure for the JCT Wellbeing Team to roll out Wellbeing in inclusion for all young people, impacts on their future potential, exacerbates education Guidance Workshops to 11 of our 16 branches so far and indeed by the end of May inequality further, and ill-equips these students to face life challenges ahead as citizens 14 branches will have received this workshop. We will provide more workshops to the of tomorrow. This is detrimental to our young people, to the economy and to society at remaining branches in September 2017. The feedback from branches has been both large. Many young people do not lack aspiration, but what they do lack is the means heartening and encouraging. The IGC are to the forefront as always in embracing change to achieve their goals. This is where guidance counsellors come into their own, where and in their care for students in all educational settings. face to face guidance helps move students onto the right path. It has been an absolute honour and a privilege to serve as your President. I have loved every minute of it and have put my all into achieving the aims and objectives set During my tenure as your National President, I have never made one decision that I did out in my manifesto of 2014. Just to remind you, I have included them below. I am not firmly believe was in the best interest of the membership. The amazing calls, emails extremely happy with our achievements. I thank Mai and Eddie for their support and and letters I have received over the period have given me inspiration, strength and encouragement in our work. direction, and I will forever appreciate the support of my team, the National Executive and the membership at large throughout the most challenging times. • To reverse the cuts to the Guidance & Counselling service and restore ex-quota status; • To put the IGC and GCs at the heart of national debate on issues such as suicide, Have I any regrets since taking up the Presidency? My response to that is that I have mental health, pastoral care provision and related student issues; thoroughly loved serving the membership, and my only regret is the time not spent with • To use the latest ICTs to allow rapid communication with members in order to focus family and friends. I look forward to continued work with you going forward as I head up our collective wisdom on emergent challenges; an extremely dedicated and committed Wellbeing Team with the JCT and DES. • To commission evidence-based research to authoritatively enhance internal I wish President Eddie the very best and I know that the IGC could not be in a more research, furthering our campaign for improved supports for students; capable, • To develop the IGC as a strong, unified and vibrant Institute; committed or safer pair of hands. • To develop the current model for Guidance Counselling in the new era of Le grá, buíochas agus gach dea-ghuí, accountability which will enhance our role and clarify our skill set; • To seek appropriate registered status for the designation of “Guidance Counsellor”. Betty McLaughlin The IGC is a highly developed and respected organisation in the field of education. Our National President membership is the highest it has ever been, with 1350 members in our 40th year. Not Institute of Guidance Counsellors 6 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

CORE COMPETENCIES & PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE PUBLICATION LAUNCH on Tuesday 31st January 2017 at 7pm

Extract from the President’s speech: The second part of the document outlines for the Guidance Counsellor professional and ethical guidelines to practice. The basis for competent This is a very important publication for the IGC, in its ongoing journey to practice resides in the personal qualities, values and attitudes of each formalising Guidance Counselling as a profession. The Institute, in publishing practitioner and the development of professional competence is a life- this document is giving expression to two of the aims set out in an earlier long task, requiring ongoing commitment to the process of personal and discussion document published in October 2013, A Vision for the Future professional development. Practice of Guidance Counselling in Ireland namely, Enabling clients to see the world as it is, and empowering them to make - The promotion of a holistic model of guidance counselling and, their lives richer and more fulfilling, are some of the important challenges of - The articulation of a generic professional competency framework the professional role for the Guidance Counsellor. In the words of American for the profession. psychotherapist, Irvin Yalom, ‘To make the world a better place for others, that Guidance Counselling: Core Competencies and Professional is surely a powerful source of meaning” Practice aims to give a clear analysis of the competencies underpinning the I must congratulate the authors, members of the policy subcommittee, professional role and functions of the Guidance Counsellor. Maureen Maughan (Chair), Breeda Coyle, Patricia Wroe and P.J McGowan for Guidance counselling involves a collaborative professional relationship to their outstanding work in the compilation of this Professional Practice Manual. facilitate clients in their unique identification of strengths, skills, possibilities, I would like to thank Dr Michael O’Rourke, external reader in particular, for his resources and options at key developmental milestones through their lifespan time, expertise and assiduous care in his scrutiny of the document. It is a in areas relating to personal, social, educational and vocational concerns. fitting follow up to the “Vision for the Future Practice of Guidance Counselling The counselling process emphasises the establishment of a strong, empathic, in Ireland” produced earlier by this committee. trusting relationship between the guidance counsellor and the client. This is core to the counsellor’s effectiveness in the guidance counselling process. This earlier publication mapped out for the Institute the steps needed to be taken in the Institute’s journey to formalising guidance counselling as a The choice of strategies used by a guidance counsellor will depend on profession and registering the title ‘Guidance Counselling’. The most recent professional judgement, the client, the presenting issue and the specific client excellent competency framework document aims to give a clear analysis of the need and context. competencies underpinning the professional role and functions of the Guidance Personal issues and vocational educational concerns present concurrently Counsellor. in guidance counselling. This is why in Ireland the Institute of Guidance A draft version of the Core Competencies and Professional Practice was Counsellors has, since its foundation in 1976, evolved in the practice of, valued published on the Institute’s website in September 2016 and circulated to and promoted, a holistic model of guidance counselling, which sees the whole all IGC members for consultation and feedback. I thank all members and person of the client coming to bear on the decision making process. It has educational stakeholders who took the time to provide constructive and been argued that it is impossible to separate so distinctly career and personal useful feedback during the consultation process. issues. It is the person and the context, as well as the process and content orientation collectively, that provide the most complete picture of career This comprehensive articulation of the core competencies will be a major development. Guidance counsellors engage with the ‘client’s whole person contribution to the guidance counselling community in Ireland. I hope it will and his or her well-being. provide a curriculum for all involved in initial guidance counselling training and be a major resource of CPD for members The core competencies presented in the first part of the document arecounselling, assessment, including psychometrics, and guidance counselling practice. This document addresses the delivery and practice of a holistic model of The guidance counsellor integrates these core competencies in underpinning the Guidance Counselling which integrates the core competencies of counselling practice of personal, social, educational and vocational guidance counselling. and assessment, underpinning the practice of personal, social and educational

7 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

guidance counselling. This model accepts that all career choices are made in should be nothing less than a 100% response unless there are individual the context of the personal, social and educational experiences of the person extenuating circumstances. That is what ‘professional’ means. and is an ongoing process throughout the life span. 3. Greater attention in core competencies and professional practice to the organisational settings in which guidance counsellors work. As we have The document is aimed primarily at the guidance counselling professional seen from the cutbacks, the responsibility for guidance provision was but equally at all interested stakeholders, policy makers, key partners and devolved to schools. School management decides rather than the Education also the wider public who may wish to learn about the work of the Guidance Act provides. We also need clearer objectives and common objectives and Counsellor. benchmarks to be respected by all school management. The competence This is a challenging document and sets out the highest standards in terms of to manage oneself in any organisational environment is a key professional competency training and ongoing professional training. It outlines the skills competence. required by the Guidance Counsellor to address the challenges posed by 4. Knowing and understanding and being able to articulate the policy significant changes in the world of work. environment in which we work is also a core competence. Members of IGC have to be able to answer the questions: whom am I working for and This is a very significant publication for the IGC in its ongoing journey to why? Which institutional, and national and regional policy goals is my formalising professional accreditation and registered status for the Guidance work contributing to? Guidance counselling is a socio-political activity. Counselling profession. It contributes to social inclusion and social mobility to name some of these goals. The policy context of the work should not be glossed over or We hope this manual will clarify and help all stakeholders to understand ignored in initial training and in CPD. the pivotal and distinctive role the guidance counselling service provides in 5. By nature, a professional has the obligation to develop the profession Ireland and set out the clear professional benchmark required to deliver this as a profession by developing and sharing good examples of practice. service. In Ireland we have a huge volume of good practice in schools and in different conditions that only remains visible to that school community. The Extract from speech by Dr McCarthy Guideline newsletter has the potential to be a great resource for sharing Director of the International Centre for but is under exploited. Likewise, the IGC website can be developed for this purpose. Career Development and Public Policy. 6. Talking about the IGC website leads me to my next point: the digital (ICCDPP) competence of guidance counsellors, their competence to work online in a virtual space, their competence in blended learning using chat, telephone, After outlining some of the international developments in social media as well as face to face. It requires significant attention in both guidance practice and policies Dr McCarthy concluded his initial training and CPD. Guideline 9 of the EU Guidelines for Policy and presentation with a challenge: Systems Development for Lifelong Guidance should serve as an inspiration for this. Can it be improved? Like any position paper, it is not written in stone. Here are some things I would like to see added in its next iteration which are I now arrive at my final point. also some challenges for the Institute itself: 1. Greater emphasis on the learning outcomes from guidance counselling: The work that we are launching today is a product of volunteerism on the part educational, career and personal learning outcomes. The last thing that of its authors. Volunteerism has been a hall mark of IGC since its inception but the IGC wants to perpetuate is that career, educational and personal the workload load for a publication such as this has to be shared and younger counselling be characterised as “three interviews and a cloud of dust” to members nurtured to succeed our generation. We need the enthusiasm quote John Crites caricature of 1981. Specifying and recording learning and energy of youth to complement maturity and wisdom. Volunteering to outcomes from counselling make the goals of counselling clearer and undertake such a huge piece of work has to be acknowledged and recognised enable the outcomes to have visibility. and valued. 2. Greater attention to school, local, regional and national data collection in the work of practitioners. Data enables our work to become visible I wish to pay tribute again to the excellent work of Maureen, Breeda, PJ and and to make a case for our work. The power of words can only be used if Patricia, and to Michael who acted as external reviewer. This has been a we have descriptions. We still have a big black hole of ignorance of the labour of love on their parts and is a huge resource and support document activities of guidance counsellors in schools in Ireland, just as we had for their fellow professionals, and for the IGC as a professional organisation. prior to the cutbacks of 2012. Even more embarrassing is the response rate of members of IGC to the annual survey undertaken on behalf of the A lot, a lot of work has been undertaken to make this document perfect and I IGC which provides minimal data on hours’ allocation and their use. It congratulate all concerned.

8 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

Maynooth University breaks into top 50 Young Universities in the world, #1 in Ireland Maynooth University has been recognised reputation for teaching, numbers of PhDs awarded, the number and quality of scholarly papers and citations from staff and numbers of as one of the leading new universities in the international staff and students. Maynooth jumped 18 places since world with Times Higher Education (THE) last year and is ranked as the number one young university in Ireland. ranking it #49 in its latest Young University Commenting on the new ranking, Maynooth University President, Rankings. The ranking is the highest Professor Philip Nolan, said: “This is a huge endorsement of the position ever achieved by Maynooth, and University’s strategy and of the hard work, research impact, and is the highest position achieved by an Irish exceptional teaching on the part of the entire university community. university ever. “Maynooth University has tremendous momentum as an institution, and our success has been built upon a willingness to challenge the norms The success follows on from Maynooth’s extremely strong and assumptions of higher education in Ireland. Our researchers are performances in other recent THE rankings, including being named confronting some of the most difficult problems facing society today; among the top 400 universities in the world, the top 200 European we are a progressive force in addressing the pressures of the points universities, and being recognised as one of the top 200 universities race, offering a unique proposition to undergraduate and post graduate with strongest international connections and perspective in the world. students in Ireland; and we have grown into a global university with more than 1,500 international students from more than 85 countries. I In March this year, Maynooth University experienced its highest-ever think this achievement signals how well-placed we are to build on our level of first preference applications, with more than 3,400 students success for years to come as a leading international university rooted in selecting Maynooth as their university of choice for the 2017-18 and serving the needs of changing country and changing world,” added academic year. This figure represents a 5% increase on applications Professor Nolan. from 2016, which was itself a record-breaking year for Maynooth. Maynooth University’s Bachelor of Arts continues to be the most Tracing its origins to the foundation of the Royal College of St popular course in the country, with first preference applications Patrick in 1795, Maynooth University was formally established as an increasing by 2%. autonomous university in 1997. Maynooth is Ireland’s fastest growing university with more than 11,000 students, including almost 1,600 The Young University Rankings, previously the “Top 150 Under 50,” taught postgraduate and professional students and over 400 research are based on a range of criteria including research income achieved, students.

9 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

Four neuromyths that Neuroscience and psychology are complex, nuanced subjects that are still prevalent in come with many caveats schools – debunked

Bradley Busch. Psychologist @Inner_drive

It is no surprise that many teachers have an interest in neuroscience and In fact, he didn’t say most of the things that the internet claims he did. This psychology since areas such as memory, motivation, curiosity, intelligence and myth is alluring as it resonates with the very true fact that we can probably get determination are highly important in education. better at things and our potential is an unknown entity. Where next for the 10% myth? Hopefully, the overwhelming evidence But neuroscience and psychology are complex, nuanced subjects that come against this myth will drown it out. Unfortunately, as long as it keeps being with many caveats. Although progress is being made towards understanding linked to the concept of self-improvement and bettering yourself, it will what helps and hinders students, there is still a disconnect between the probably hang around for some time yet. research in labs and what happens in many schools. Right brain v left brain Many “neuromyths” are rampant in our classrooms, and research suggests The myth: 91% of teachers believe that difference between the left that people are often seduced by neuroscientific explanations, even if these hemisphere and right hemisphere explains individual differences among are not accurate or even relevant. Research also shows that explanations learners. This typically translates into people thinking you are left-brained if accompanied by images of the brain also persuade people to believe in their you are rational and objective or right-brained if you are intuitive and creative. validity, however random the illustration. The origins: In the 1960s, research on patients with epilepsy found that when the connection between the right and left hemispheres were broken, the Lia Commissar, a project manager at the Wellcome Trust, says there are two sides acted individually and processed things differently. This led to the several reasons why neuromyths gain traction: “They seem to persist because belief that the two hemispheres of our brain worked independently. This spoke they are easy to understand, fit everyday observation, are heavily promoted to the desire for us to categorise people and behaviours. It made the complex or are easy to implement. However, unfortunately they often have little or no simple; the confusing clear. evidence supporting the impact they will have on learning.” Where next for the right-brain/left-brain myth? Researchers have found that neither hemisphere is solely responsible for one type of Such myths are a drain on time and money, and it is important to explore and personality. It is a particularly damaging myth as it can lead to students not expose them. So which popular neuromyths exist in schools and how did they trying in certain subjects as they believe they don’t have the brain for it. catch on? Playing brain games makes you smarter Learning styles The myth: That playing brain-training games can help improve your The myth: Learning styles are often referred to as VAK – students are memory, concentration or intelligence. This is usually evidenced by people categorised as visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learners. This myth states that playing these games and getting better at them; however, the problem is that students will learn more if they are taught in a way that matches their preferred there is little to no transfer of these skills when tested in different contexts (ie style. Despite an absence of any evidence to support this claim, research in the classroom). carried out in 2012 found it was believed by 93% of teachers in the UK. The origins: This myth is mainly peddled by companies wanting to cash in How it caught on: Each student is unique and has a different personality, on the public’s interest in neuroscience. They may be fun to play, but research experience and genes. Teachers are often encouraged to differentiate to shows that popular brain games do not make you smarter or improve your ensure that each child is making as much progress as they can. This, combined thinking. with the fact that students may have a preference for how they are taught, has Where next for the brain game myth? There may be some benefit morphed into the belief that if you match your style to their preference, it will for a small percentage of the population (early research suggests it may be of lead to better grades. benefit in the fight against Alzheimer’s). However, one of the lead researchers Where next for learning styles? Teacher Tom Bennet recently drew into brain training games has concluded that there is “no evidence for any attention to the problem of this myth being taught in initial teacher training. generalised improvements in cognitive function following brain training in a On Twitter, and the hashtag #VAKOFF has been used to draw attention to this large sample of healthy adults”. neuro-nonsense. To highlight the lack of evidence behind this myth, $5,000 has been promised to anyone who can prove any such intervention helps. Advances Why teachers need a critical eye in research may help kill this myth, with findings indicating that teaching new The fields of psychology and neuroscience can aid us in helping students, but it information to students using a variety of senses results in stronger learning. is important to view claims with a critical eye. Is the claim being sold as a silver- bullet? What is the evidence behind it? Does it sound too simple? Hopefully, You only use 10% of your brain as these myths die out, they can be replaced with practical suggestions to best The myth: This myth states that people only use 10% of their brain. In a help students, that are backed up by credible research. survey of the general public in Brazil, this brain myth was one of the most Follow on Twitter via @GuardianTeach From The Guardian. prevalent. But it is completely untrue. We are able to examine the brain in better detail than ever before; if we were only using 10% of it, at least one scientist would have written about it but none has. The origins: Many people believe Albert Einstein first said this. He didn’t. 10 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER In Pole Position

Liam Harkin

In April, four guidance counsellors, Pauline Cudmore, Tom Farrell, Conor Hayes year is slightly longer than in Ireland, with students on campus until the and Liam Harkin participated in a short study visit organised by Medical end of June. It was fantastic to meet First Year student Lorraine Smith from Poland and the Polish National Tourist Office to view facilities at two Polish Mountmellick Community School in Laois and Second Year student Máirín- universities which have recently opened their doors to Irish students wishing Rua Ní Aodha from Gaelcholáiste Cholm in Cork, who have both settled in to study medicine and veterinary medicine through English. They were extremely well and who are delighted with the college and life in Wroclaw. I accompanied by Éanna Ó Caollaí from the Irish Times and Adam Krawczyk and asked if anyone in their class had dropped out due to homesickness and the Rafal Kostrzewa from Medical Poland. Here, Liam Harkin describes what they answer was a resounding no! One of the big advantages according to Máirún- learnt on the study visit. Rua is the small class sizes of less than 25 students, where the lecturers know each student by name. Lorraine told me that for under €50 per week, Medical Poland has helped dozens of British and Irish students embark on they can eat well, including in restaurants, and have a full social life, while their medical journey in Bydgoszcz, Poznan and Wroclaw. I visited two of their their Polish student card gives access to half-price travel throughout all of partner universities, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences Poland. When you do the maths, this means that taking into account the cost which specialises in Veterinary Medicine, and Collegium Medicum, part of the of fees, accommodation, food, a busy social life and five or six Ryanair return Nicholas Copernicus University in Bydgoszcz which offers Medicine (6-year flights, you should still have change out of €13,000, which compares very MD). All the degrees are taught and assessed fully in English, in parallel with favourably with the cost for a veterinary student residing on campus in UCD. their Polish degrees. The medicine degrees are fully recognised by the Medical SUSI maintenance grants have also been awarded to several students this Council of Ireland and the General Medical Council in the UK, while the year and last. Veterinary Medicine degree is recognised by the Veterinary Council of Ireland and the Royal College of Veterinary Science in the UK. In addition, Medical Wroclaw itself is a big bustling cosmopolitan city, with 160, 000 of its 650,000 Poland Application Support Service represents Polish medical universities residents being students. Everyone under 50 speaks excellent English. It was offering the opportunity to study Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy, Nursing, European Capital of Culture in 2016, and offers a huge array of artistic and all taught through English. cultural offerings, including an art-house cinema and a highly-ranked opera house. It has impressive sporting facilities and hosts the World Games in I witnessed the unique personalised and tailor-made service offered to June 2017, which is second only to the Olympics in terms of the number of students by Medical Poland, as we met up with three Irish Leaving Certificate competitors. Free public Wi-Fi spots and city-bike depots are everywhere in applicants who were over for interviews accompanied by their parents. They the city. told me how Medical Poland guided them through the decision- making and application process, and prepared them for the interviews. I saw how Medical Medicine Poland collected the applicants from the airport and brought them to specially Day two was spent visiting the Collegium Medicum faculty of medicine in discounted hotel accommodation. While I was there, all three Irish students Nicholas Copernicus University in Bydgoszcz. Bydgoszcz is a smaller, quieter received the news that they had successfully completed their interviews. city of around 350,000, in northwest of the country, with a lively, friendly and safe city centre. It is also known as M&M, for its medicine and its music. Here Veterinary Medicine I met First Year students Andrea Glennon who studied in Wilson’s Hospital The first day was spent in Wroclaw University of Environmental andLife School in Multyfarnham and Anita Rose Babu, formerly of Sacred Heart Sciences in southwest Poland, where I was extremely impressed with the School Tullamore. Andrea was gushing in her praise of the Medical Poland facilities in the veterinary faculty, which included multiple CT scanners, MRI Application Support Service, she said their personalised service and one-to- scanners and ultrasound facilities. Irish and international students who may one attention greatly eased the application process. They also helped her not have the three sciences in the Leaving Certificate are given an intensive prepare for her interview with Collegium Medicum and since she enrolled they two-week preparation course in Wroclaw to give them a solid foundation for have been available at the end of the phone if she had any issues throughout their degree studies. All international students also get basic conversational the year. Anita felt that the small class size was one of the most attractive Polish lessons during these first two weeks, to enable them to participate fully aspects of the course. There are only 44 students in her class, with 12 in in the day-to-day and social life of the university and city. tutorials and 6 students in practical dissections. They both reiterated that they do have to work hard, but not too hard. Continuous assessment is in Fees for Veterinary Medicine are €8,000 a year, payable in two tranches. High- the form of regular monthly or fortnightly exams where each question is a quality self-catering student accommodation in a single room is available on five-item multiple-choice one. This means that there are no long semester or campus for €195 per month including all bills and Wi-Fi, however the academic annual exams. I was shown a recent anatomy exam and the specific detailed

11 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

diploma in integrative counselling & psychotherapy

knowledge required to answer the questions was wide-ranging and very thorough. Practical laboratory anatomical work on a wide range of cadavers IICP offers a Diploma in Integrative commences in First Year for four hours a week and the group of Guidance Counselling and Psychotherapy tailored Counsellors was ‘privileged’ to experience a brief example of the detailed work to meet the requirements and timetables involved in dissecting and examining an amputated arm – not one for the faint- of career guidance counsellors. hearted I should add, but no one collapsed! Thankfully lunch came much later in the day! Fees for medicine in Nicholas Copernicus University, in Bydgoszcz Why choose this Programme? are c. €10,000 per year with brand new single-room accommodation costing € • Ideal for anyone looking to upskill or pursue in the region of 230. a career in counselling and psychotherapy. • Excellent mix of theory, skills and personal Each city has its own modern airport, and is served with regular Ryanair flights development. from Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Shannon. In addition, there are regular flights from • Clinical placement at Village Counselling Kerry and Knock to Wroclaw. The flights last roughly two and a half hours. Service and/or full support in locating Overall I have to admit that I was very pleasantly surprised at the extent and external placements with our partner quality of the teaching and learning facilities in both universities. The MRI / agencies around Ireland. CT / Ultrasound equipment in the Veterinary Faculty would put many an Irish • IACP recognised ensuring highest quality hospital to shame, while the clinical department we visited in the teaching content and delivery. hospital in Bydgoszcz would not be out of place in either the Hermitage or • Incredibly high levels of student support, Blackrock Clinics. Poland itself was a revelation, clean streets with zero litter, ensuring that learners are continually great food in modern restaurants, fantastic local craft beers and welcoming guided and supported. locals with smiling faces only too willing to practise their English with us. From • Competitively priced course fees with payment plans available. what I experienced, I will be recommending Medical Poland without hesitation, to any of my students considering Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Award: Physiotherapy and Veterinary degrees through English on the continent. Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, recognised by IACP. Open Days and interviews will be held in Dublin on 28th April and 30th August, for more info please contact Medical Poland at [email protected] or Starting: October 2017 0833833426 www.medicalpoland.ie Duration: For more information on Poland contact Polish National Tourist Office in 1 - 2.5 years, RPL possible. London at [email protected] and visit www.poland.travel/en Entry Requirements: Previous relevant training in Counselling and Psychotherapy, assessed on a case by case basis following an academic appraisal and interview.

@ @ @ @ for further information @ @ Photo @ 01 466 4205 / 086 049 9154 From L to R: Tom Farrell, Conor Hayes, Prof. Michal Szpinda, Adam Krawczyk, Liam Harkin, Éanna Ó Caollaí, Prof. Grazyna Odrowaz-Sypniewska (vice-rector Collegium Medicum), Prof. Arkadiusz@ @ [email protected] www.iicp.ie@ Jawien,Pauline Cudmore

12 @ @ THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

“How teaching happens matters” Teachers can play a particularly important role in raising children’s self-esteem, motivation and confidence by the way they organise teaching and learning. (Skills for Social progress OECD from Junior Cycle NCCA Wellbeing Guidelines.2017 p.32)

“Caring is the bedrock of all A strong focus of the workshop is to make connections Every subject on the formal curriculum can contribute to between wellbeing and aspects of school planning and the wellbeing area of learning. From September 2017 successful education…” “Students school self-evaluation that schools are already required students will receive 300 hours of timetabled tuition learn best in a caring environment. to engage with. across the three years of their junior cycle made up of They listen to people who ‘matter to the following: The contents of the spring wellbeing leadership PE minimum 135 hours them’ and ‘to whom they matter’...” workshop includes the following: CSPE minimum 70 hours • Exploring wellbeing in the junior cycle SPHE minimum 70 hours (The Challenge to Care in Schools, Noddings, 2005) • Examining the multi-faceted nature of wellbeing in education. Guidance will also form a core part of the new wellbeing All schools are currently, on foot of the publication of the • Considering the four aspects of the wellbeing area of learning. Guidance related learning is referenced NCCA Wellbeing Guidelines in January 2017, and the programme that are inextricably linked to school on pages 48 and 49 of the new Wellbeing Guidelines, recent DES Spring Circular, 0015/2017 working towards policies and curriculum planning, school culture and along with the Guidance learning outcomes on page 57. a shared vision of Wellbeing and a set of indicators ethos, and relationships. The Wellbeing programme will increase to 400 hours for which describe what is important for young people • Exploring the most recent DES Spring circular letter students entering first year from September 2020. and their Wellbeing. On this basis six indicators have 0015/2017 and the junior cycle of achievement. been identified as being central to Wellbeing, namely, • Considering next steps for the school in designing, Schools can include units of learning for and about ensuring that students are: Active, Aware, Connected, planning and implementing their wellbeing programme wellbeing such as: Transition from Primary, Staying Safe Respected, Responsible and Resilient in our schools. Online, Friends for Life, Getting involved in my school It is hoped that School Leaders will come away from the and local community, Healthy Eating- Healthy Living, These indicators will make what is important explicit wellbeing workshop with valuable insights for starting Developing Positive Coping Skills, Cyber Bullying and to students, teachers, parents and the wider school out on the wellbeing journey and indeed building on Young Social Innovators to name but a few! community. The wellbeing indicators show what schools the excellent wellbeing practices that are already well are striving to achieve for the young people in their established and flourishing in schools. As students learn for and about wellbeing in all their school. They serve as a shared language for all partners. subjects, and participate in the wellbeing programme, They can be used in several ways: to review current Much research concludes that positive relationships they will become aware of and be supported in practice and to plan teaching and learning programmes. between teachers and students, students and their developing the six wellbeing indicators. How teaching They can also act as a self-assessment tool to evaluate a peers, along with a sense of connectedness to school, happens really matters and teachers play a central and school’s approach to wellbeing. are key influences on a child’s sense of wellbeing in a significant role by ensuring that students are enjoying school. Emer Smyth’s research from “the growing up in and are actively and inclusively involved in their learning. Shortly, there will be a new poster unpacking these six Ireland survey” (wellbeing and school experiences, 2015) indicators circulated by NCCA and JCT to schools to take found that the quality of teacher-student relationships The goal of wellbeing is human flourishing and flourishing up a prominent position all schools. It is envisaged that the emerge as a key influence on child self-image. rests on the following: Wellbeing indicators will be the bedrock of all classroom • Positive emotion activities and interactions, the touchstones for all A positive caring quality relationship between teachers • Engagement teachers, students and ancillary staff. A postcard will also and students leads to: • Relationships issue to school principals from NCCA and JCT indicating • Improved student outcomes… • Meaning the link to the Wellbeing Section of the newly redesigned • Socio-emotional wellbeing • Accomplishment JCT website to be launched in the coming weeks. • Engagement in school work (Seligman, M. from the NCCA Wellbeing Guidelines • Feeling a sense of belonging in school 2017) The JCT Leadership and the Wellbeing Teams have just • Decreased levels of discipline problems completed their work on the Spring 2017 Workshop for • Academic achievement The JCT Wellbeing and Leadership Teams look forward all School Leaders. Indeed, it will be rolled out nationally to working with all school Principals and Deputy across March, April and May. This workshop aims to Connectedness to school is realised and promoted Principals over the next six weeks in our collaborative bring Leaders on a collaborative journey where, together, through the quality of relationships experienced in the journey towards building on the excellent wellbeing we will explore all aspects of the wellbeing guidelines school environment and through the values and culture practices that are already established in schools and for Junior cycle. This workshop aims to support school experienced on a dayto-day basis. embedding the six indicators in our schools and making leaders in introducing the Junior Cycle Wellbeing them visible for staff, students, parents and the wider Wellbeing is important for successful learning and all Guidelines in their school. It will focus on equipping community. school leaders with ideas and strategies for planning a students need to feel cared for, connected and respected wellbeing programme. in school and beyond. Wellbeing matters in the here and Betty Mc Laughlin, now. A positive state of wellbeing can lead to better Wellbeing Team Leader, It is important to establish that this is only the start of the educational outcomes for students and can influence journey and the purpose of our CPD is to support school young peoples’ outcomes as adults. Learning for and about Junior Cycle for Teachers, A Department of Education leaders in their understanding of the guidelines, and how they wellbeing enables students to realise their abilities, take and Skills Schools’ Support Service might use them in planning a wellbeing programme for their care of their physical wellbeing, to cope with the normal school. Wellbeing is a process, a community endeavour and stresses of life and to have that all-important sense of as such the programme will evolve and change over time. purpose and belonging to a wider community.

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T: + 353 61 204929 / + 353 61 204348 F: + 353 61 204903 E: [email protected] www.mic.ul.ie THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

Iceland knows how to stop teen substance abuse but the rest of the world isn’t listening

clubs for music, dance or art. Or they might be “Any college kid could say: why do they In Iceland, teenage on outings with their parents. start? Well, there’s availability, they’re risk- smoking, drinking takers, alienation, maybe some depression,” Today, Iceland tops the European table for the he says. “But why do they continue? So I got and drug use have cleanest-living teens. The percentage of 15- to the question about the threshold for abuse and 16-year-olds who had been drunk in the and the lights went on – that’s when I had my been radically cut previous month plummeted from 42 per cent version of the ‘aha’ experience: they could be in the past 20 years. in 1998 to 5 per cent in 2016. The percentage on the threshold for abuse before they even who have ever used cannabis is down from took the drug, because it was their style of Emma Young finds 17 per cent to 7 per cent. Those smoking coping that they were abusing.” cigarettes every day fell from 23 per cent to out how they did just 3 per cent. At Metropolitan State College of Denver, The way the country has achieved this Milkman was instrumental in developing the it, and why other turnaround has been both radical and idea that people were getting addicted to countries won’t evidence-based, but it has relied a lot on changes in brain chemistry. Kids who were what might be termed enforced common “active confronters” were after a rush – follow suit. sense. “This is the most remarkably intense they’d get it by stealing hubcaps and radios and profound study of stress in the lives and later cars, or through stimulant drugs. 17 January 2017 of teenagers that I have ever seen,” says Alcohol also alters brain chemistry, of course. Milkman. “I’m just so impressed by how well It’s a sedative but it sedates the brain’s It’s a little before three on a sunny Friday it is working.” control first, which can remove inhibitions afternoon and Laugardalur Park, near central and, in limited doses, reduce anxiety. Reykjavik, looks practically deserted. There’s If it was adopted in other countries, Milkman an occasional adult with a pushchair, but the argues, the Icelandic model could benefit the park’s surrounded by apartment blocks and general psychological and physical wellbeing The main houses, and school’s out – so where are all of millions of kids, not to mention the coffers principle was that the kids? of healthcare agencies and broader society. drug education Walking with me are Gudberg Jónsson, a It’s a big if. local psychologist, and Harvey Milkman, an doesn’t work American psychology professor who teaches “I was in the eye of the storm of the drug because nobody for part of the year at Reykjavik University. revolution,” Milkman explains over tea in his Twenty years ago, says Gudberg, Icelandic apartment in Reykjavik. In the early 1970s, pays attention to it teens were among the heaviest-drinking when he was doing an internship at the youths in Europe. “You couldn’t walk the Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital in New York “People can get addicted to drink, cars, streets in downtown Reykjavik on a Friday City, “LSD was already in, and a lot of people money, sex, calories, cocaine – whatever,” night because it felt unsafe,” adds Milkman. were smoking marijuana. And there was a lot says Milkman. “The idea of behavioural “There were hordes of teenagers getting in- of interest in why people took certain drugs.” addiction became our trademark.” your-face drunk.” This idea spawned another: “Why not Milkman’s doctoral dissertation concluded orchestrate a social movement around We approach a large building. “And here we that people would choose either heroin or natural highs: around people getting high on have the indoor skating,” says Gudberg. amphetamines depending on how they liked their own brain chemistry – because it seems to deal with stress. Heroin users wanted obvious to me that people want to change A couple of minutes ago, we passed two halls to numb themselves; amphetamine users their consciousness – without the deleterious dedicated to badminton and ping pong. Here wanted to actively confront it. After this effects of drugs?” in the park, there’s also an athletics track, a work was published, he was among a group geothermally heated swimming pool and – of researchers drafted by the US National By 1992, his team in Denver had won a $1.2 at last – some visible kids, excitedly playing Institute on Drug Abuse to answer questions million government grant to form Project Self- football on an artificial pitch. such as: why do people start using drugs? Discovery, which offered teenagers natural- Why do they continue? When do they reach a high alternatives to drugs and crime. They Young people aren’t hanging out in the park threshold to abuse? When do they stop? And got referrals from teachers, school nurses right now, Gudberg explains, because they’re when do they relapse? and counsellors, taking in kids from the age in after-school classes in these facilities, or in 15 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER of 14 who didn’t see themselves as needing analysis revealed clear differences between parties, not to buy alcohol for minors, and to treatment but who had problems with drugs the lives of kids who took up drinking, smoking keep an eye on the wellbeing of other children. or petty crime. and other drugs, and those who didn’t. A few factors emerged as strongly protective: These agreements educate parents but also “We didn’t say to them, you’re coming in for participation in organised activities – help to strengthen their authority in the treatment. We said, we’ll teach you anything especially sport – three or four times a week, home, argues Hrefna Sigurjónsdóttir, director you want to learn: music, dance, hip hop, total time spent with parents during the of Home and School. “Then it becomes harder art, martial arts.” The idea was that these week, feeling cared about at school, and not to use the oldest excuse in the book: ‘But different classes could provide a variety of being outdoors in the late evenings. everybody else can!’” alterations in the kids’ brain chemistry, and give them what they needed to cope better “At that time, there had been all kinds with life: some might crave an experience of substance prevention efforts and State funding that could help reduce anxiety, others may be programmes,” says Inga Dóra, who was a was increased after a rush. research assistant on the surveys. “Mostly for organised sport, they were built on education.” Kids were At the same time, the recruits got life-skills being warned about the dangers of drink and music, art, dance and training, which focused on improving their drugs, but, as Milkman had observed in the other clubs, to give thoughts about themselves and their lives, US, these programmes were not working. and the way they interacted with other “We wanted to come up with a different kids alternative ways people. “The main principle was that drug approach.” to feel part of a group, education doesn’t work because nobody pays and to feel good, attention to it. What is needed are the life The mayor of Reykjavik, too, was interested skills to act on that information,” Milkman in trying something new, and many parents rather than through says. Kids were told it was a three-month felt the same, adds Jón Sigfússon, Inga using alcohol and programme. Some stayed five years. Dóra’s colleague and brother. Jón had young daughters at the time and joined her new drugs, and kids from In 1991, Milkman was invited to Iceland to Icelandic Centre for Social Research and low-income families talk about this work, his findings and ideas. Analysis when it was set up in 1999. “The received help to take He became a consultant to the first residential situation was bad,” he says. “It was obvious drug treatment centre for adolescents in something had to be done.” part. Iceland, in a town called Tindar. “It was designed around the idea of giving kids better Using the survey data and insights from State funding was increased for organised things to do,” he explains. It was here that research including Milkman’s, a new national sport, music, art, dance and other clubs, he met Gudberg, who was then a psychology plan was gradually introduced. It was called to give kids alternative ways to feel part undergraduate and a volunteer at Tindar. Youth in Iceland. of a group, and to feel good, rather than They have been close friends ever since. through using alcohol and drugs, and kids Milkman started coming regularly to Iceland Laws were changed. It became illegal to from low-income families received help to and giving talks. These talks, and Tindar, buy tobacco under the age of 18 and alcohol take part. In Reykjavik, for instance, where attracted the attention of a young researcher under the age of 20, and tobacco and alcohol more than a third of the country’s population at the University of Iceland, called Inga Dóra advertising was banned. Links between lives, a Leisure Card gives families 35,000 Sigfúsdóttir. She wondered: what if you could parents and school were strengthened krona (£250) per year per child to pay for use healthy alternatives to drugs and alcohol through parental organisations which by recreational activities. as part of a programme not to treat kids with law had to be established in every school, problems, but to stop kids drinking or taking along with school councils with parent Crucially, the surveys have continued. Each drugs in the first place? representatives. Parents were encouraged to year, almost every child in Iceland completes attend talks on the importance of spending one. This means up-to-date, reliable data is Have you ever tried alcohol? If so, when did a quantity of time with their children rather always available. you last have a drink? Have you ever been than occasional “quality time”, on talking to drunk? Have you tried cigarettes? If so, how their kids about their lives, on knowing who Between 1997 and 2012, the percentage often do you smoke? How much time do you their kids were friends with, and on keeping of kids aged 15 and 16 who reported often spend with your parents? Do you have a close their children home in the evenings. or almost always spending time with their relationship with your parents? What kind of parents on weekdays doubled – from 23 per activities do you take part in? A law was also passed prohibiting children cent to 46 per cent – and the percentage who aged between 13 and 16 from being outside participated in organised sports at least four In 1992, 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds in every after 10pm in winter and midnight in summer. times a week increased from 24 per cent to school in Iceland filled in a questionnaire It’s still in effect today. 42 per cent. Meanwhile, cigarette smoking, with these kinds of questions. This process drinking and cannabis use in this age group was then repeated in 1995 and 1997. Home and School, the national umbrella plummeted. body for parental organisations, introduced The results of these surveys were alarming. agreements for parents to sign. The content “Although this cannot be shown in the Nationally, almost 25 per cent were smoking varies depending on the age group, and form of a causal relationship – which is a every day, over 40 per cent had got drunk in individual organisations can decide what good example of why primary prevention the past month. But when the team drilled they want to include. For kids aged 13 and methods are sometimes hard to sell to right down into the data, they could identify up, parents can pledge to follow all the scientists – the trend is very clear,” notes precisely which schools had the worst recommendations, and also, for example, Álfgeir Kristjánsson, who worked on the data problems – and which had the least. Their not to allow their kids to have unsupervised and is now at the West Virginia University 16 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

School of Public Health in the US. “Protective While Jón and his team offer advice and factors have gone up, risk factors down, and information on what has been found to work Three hundred substance use has gone down – and more in Iceland, it’s up to individual communities consistently in Iceland than in any other to decide what to do in the light of their and twenty-five European country.” results. Occasionally, they do nothing. One million people versus predominantly Muslim country, which he 330,000. Thirty-three Jón Sigfússon apologies for being just a prefers not to identify, rejected the data couple of minutes late. “I was on a crisis call!” because it revealed an unpalatable level of thousand gangs He prefers not to say precisely to where, but alcohol consumption. In other cities – such versus virtually it was to one of the cities elsewhere in the as the origin of Jón’s “crisis call” – there is world that has now adopted, in part, the an openness to the data and there is money, none. Around 1.3 Youth in Iceland ideas. but he has observed that it can be much million homeless more difficult to secure and maintain funding young people versus Youth in Europe, which Jón heads, began in for health prevention strategies than for 2006 after the already-remarkable Icelandic treatments. a handful. data was presented at a European Cities Against Drugs meeting and, he recalls, No other country has made changes on the After our walk through Laugardalur Park, “People asked: what are you doing?” scale seen in Iceland. When asked if anyone Gudberg Jónsson invites us back to his home. has copied the laws to keep children indoors Outside, in the garden, his two elder sons, Participation in Youth in Europe is at a in the evening, Jón smiles. “Even Sweden Jón Konrád, who’s 21, and Birgir Ísar, who’s municipal level rather than being led by laughs and calls it the child curfew!” 15, talk to me about drinking and smoking. national governments. In the first year, there Across Europe, rates of teen alcohol and drug Jón does drink alcohol, but Birgir says he were eight municipalities. To date, 35 have use have generally improved over the past 20 doesn’t know anyone at his school who taken part, across 17 countries, varying from years, though nowhere as dramatically as in smokes or drinks. We also talk about football some areas where just a few schools take Iceland, and the reasons for improvements training: Birgir trains five or six times a week; part to Tarragona in Spain, where 4,200 are not necessarily linked to strategies that Jón, who is in his first year of a business 15-year-olds are involved. The method is foster teen wellbeing. In the UK, for example, degree at the University of Iceland, trains five always the same: Jón and his team talk to the fact that teens are now spending more times a week. They both started regular after- local officials and devise a questionnaire time at home interacting online rather than in school training when they were six years old. with the same core questions as those used person could be one of the major reasons for in Iceland plus any locally tailored extras. the drop in alcohol consumption. “We have all these instruments at home,” For example, online gambling has recently their father told me earlier. “We tried to get emerged as a big problem in a few areas, and But Kaunas, in Lithuania, is one example of them into music. We used to have a horse. local officials want to know if it’s linked to what can happen through active intervention. My wife is really into horse riding. But it other risky behaviour. Since 2006, the city has administered the didn’t happen. In the end, soccer was their questionnaires five times, and schools, selection.” Just two months after the questionnaires parents, healthcare organisations, churches, are returned to Iceland, the team sends the police and social services have come Did it ever feel like too much? Was there back an initial report with the results, plus together to try to improve kids’ wellbeing and pressure to train when they’d rather have information on how they compare with other curb substance use. For instance, parents get been doing something else? “No, we just had participating regions. “We always say that, eight or nine free parenting sessions each fun playing football,” says Birgir. Jón adds, like vegetables, information has to be fresh,” year, and a new programme provides extra “We tried it and got used to it, and so we kept says Jón. “If you bring these findings a year funding for public institutions and NGOs on doing it.” later, people would say, Oh, this was a long working in mental health promotion and time ago and maybe things have changed…” stress management. In 2015, the city started It’s not all they do. While Gudberg and his As well as fresh, it has to be local so that offering free sports activities on Mondays, wife Thórunn don’t consciously plan for a schools, parents and officials can see exactly Wednesdays and Fridays, and there are certain number of hours each week with their what problems exist in which areas. plans to introduce a free ride service for low- three sons, they do try to take them regularly income families, to help kids who don’t live to the movies, the theatre, restaurants, hiking, The team has analysed 99,000 questionnaires close to the facilities to attend. fishing and, when Iceland’s sheep are brought from places as far afield as the Faroe Islands, Between 2006 and 2014, the number of 15- down from the highlands each September, Malta and Romania – as well as South Korea and 16-year-olds in Kaunas who reported even on family sheep-herding outings. and, very recently, Nairobi and Guinea- getting drunk in the past 30 days fell by about Bissau. Broadly, the results show that when a quarter, and daily smoking fell by more than Jón and Birgir may be exceptionally keen on it comes to teen substance use, the same 30 per cent. football, and talented (Jón has been offered protective and risk factors identified in a soccer scholarship to the Metropolitan Iceland apply everywhere. There are some At the moment, participation in Youth in State University of Denver, and a few weeks differences: in one location (in a country “on Europe is a haphazard affair, and the team after we meet, Birgir is selected to play for the Baltic Sea”), participation in organised in Iceland is small. Jón would like to see a the under-17 national team). But could the sport actually emerged as a risk factor. centralised body with its own dedicated significant rise in the percentage of kids who Further investigation revealed that this was funding to focus on the expansion of Youth take part in organised sport four or more because young ex-military men who were in Europe. “Even though we have been doing times a week be bringing benefits beyond keen on muscle-building drugs, drinking and this for ten years, it is not our full, main job. raising healthier children? smoking were running the clubs. Here, then, We would like somebody to copy this and was a well-defined, immediate, local problem maintain it all over Europe,” he says. “And Could it, for instance, have anything to do that could be addressed. why only Europe?” with Iceland’s crushing defeat of England in 17 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER the Euro 2016 football championship? When 4,300 deaths among under-21 year olds often mean kids are simply given information asked, Inga Dóra Sigfúsdóttir, who was voted every year. A national programme along the about the dangers of drugs and alcohol – a Woman of the Year in Iceland in 2016, smiles: lines of Youth in Iceland is unlikely to be strategy that, he agrees, evidence shows “There is also the success in music, like Of introduced in the US, however. One major does not work. Monsters and Men [an indie folk-pop group obstacle is that while in Iceland there is long- O’Toole fully endorses the Icelandic focus on from Reykjavik]. These are young people who term commitment to the national project, parents, school and the community all coming have been pushed into organised work. Some community health programmes in the US are together to help support kids, and on parents people have thanked me,” she says, with a usually funded by short-term grants. or carers being engaged in young people’s wink. lives. Improving support for kids could help Elsewhere, cities that have joined Youth Milkman has learned the hard way that in so many ways, he stresses. Even when it in Europe are reporting other benefits. In even widely applauded, gold-standard youth comes just to alcohol and smoking, there is Bucharest, for example, the rate of teen programmes aren’t always expanded, or even plenty of data to show that the older a child suicides is dropping alongside use of drink sustained. “With Project Self-Discovery, it is when they have their first drink or cigarette, and drugs. In Kaunas, the number of children seemed like we had the best programme in the healthier they will be over the course of committing crimes dropped by a third the world,” he says. “I was invited to the their life. between 2014 and 2015. White House twice. It won national awards. I was thinking: this will be replicated in every But not all the strategies would be acceptable As Inga Dóra says: “We learned through the town and village. But it wasn’t.” in the UK – the child curfews being one, studies that we need to create circumstances He thinks that is because you can’t prescribe parental walks around neighbourhoods to in which kids can lead healthy lives, and they a generic model to every community because identify children breaking the rules perhaps do not need to use substances, because life they don’t all have the same resources. another. And a trial run by Mentor in Brighton is fun, and they have plenty to do – and they Any move towards giving kids in the US that involved inviting parents into schools for are supported by parents who will spend time the opportunities to participate in the kinds workshops found that it was difficult to get with them.” of activities now common in Iceland, and them engaged. so helping them to stay away from alcohol When it comes down to it, the messages and other drugs, will depend on building on Public wariness and an unwillingness to – if not necessarily the methods – are what already exists. “You have to rely on the engage will be challenges wherever the straightforward. And when he looks at the resources of the community,” he says. Icelandic methods are proposed, thinks results, Harvey Milkman thinks of his own Milkman, and go to the heart of the balance country, the US. Could the Youth in Iceland His colleague Álfgeir Kristjánsson is of responsibility between states and model work there, too? introducing the Icelandic ideas to the state citizens. “How much control do you want the of West Virginia. Surveys are being given to government to have over what happens with Three hundred and twenty-five million people kids at several middle and high schools in the your kids? Is this too much of the government versus 330,000. Thirty-three thousand gangs state, and a community coordinator will help meddling in how people live their lives?” versus virtually none. Around 1.3 million get the results out to parents and anyone else In Iceland, the relationship between people homeless young people versus a handful. who could use them to help local kids. But and the state has allowed an effective it might be difficult to achieve the kinds of national programme to cut the rates of Clearly, the US has challenges that Iceland results seen in Iceland, he concedes. teenagers smoking and drinking to excess – does not. But the data from other parts of and, in the process, brought families closer Europe, including cities such as Bucharest Short-termism also impedes effective and helped kids to become healthier in all with major social problems and relative prevention strategies in the UK, says Michael kinds of ways. Will no other country decide poverty, shows that the Icelandic model can O’Toole, CEO of Mentor, a charity that these benefits are worth the costs? work in very different cultures, Milkman works to reduce alcohol and drug misuse in This https://mosaicscience.com/story/ argues. And the need in the US is high: children and young people. Here, too, there iceland-prevent-teen-substance-abuse article underage drinking accounts for about 11 per is no national coordinated alcohol and drug first appeared on https://mosaicscience. cent of all alcohol consumed nationwide, prevention programme. It’s generally left to com Mosaic and is republished here under a and excessive drinking causes more than local authorities or to schools, which can Creative Commons licence.

18 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER The AGM in University of Limerick Fred Tuite

This was the first year that the AGM was passed. This is to avail of charitable status and the Board decoupled from the Conference and was of Directors (National Executive) will in turn be answerable to the AGM as clarified in amendments to this motion. held on 6th May in the University of Limerick. Other motions sought to assert that the ex-quota hours be In the past we had the conference in March assigned to qualified Guidance Counsellors, that the cuts and an inservice or Continuous Professional to Adult Guidance be restored and that we keep an audit Development day in May. There were some on the external services (study skills, coaching, personal memorable workshops given in St. Patrick’s counselling etc.) be monitored. While most motions were got through several were referred to the National College Drumcondra or UCD before the May Executive for consideration. session was dropped but it now makes a re- appearance linked to the AGM. So then we broke for lunch in a lovely restaurant overlooking the river in the college. University of Limerick The morning began with Officer Training and I went along sponsored the lunch and it was delightful. Refreshed and to the PRO one which was very well presented and run replete we trooped back for the inservice fearful that by journalist Andrew Carey. He gave some very relevant we might fall asleep. These were swiftly dismissed by details on clarity, style and effective language in writing and Law lecturer Shane Kilcommins who spoke with great presenting pieces. He went into details on appearing on radio animation, interest and wit on the topics of Privilege, and television and coping with interviews. It was all very Disclosure and Mandatory Reporting. So just how interesting and relevant. I’m sure the same applied to the confidential are your dealings with clients, who has a right other workshops on Supervision coordinators and Treasurers. to see your notes and who can subpoena you or them and in what circumstances? He also looked at when and how Break time followed and then we trooped back for the you have to report incidents and concerns and to whom. AGM. There was some frantic counting to make sure there It was a fascinating presentation and thought provoking. was a quorum present but once we were assured that there Immediately after it I asked if he could contribute an article was we continued on. Genuinely held beliefs on both sides to Guideline to inform all the members and he promised he have led to some tetchy exchanges at recently AGMs but would, so watch this space. these were thankfully few. The minutes of the EGM and the Financial Report were all passed. You’ll be glad to hear that So then it was time to leave Limerick (unless you were the motion to raise the membership fee was withdrawn as lucky enough to have tickets for the rugby match) and drive we discovered we were in better financial health than we home. So will the decoupled AGM continue? Well, they thought. The contentious motion “that all the members, took a survey of those that were there but did not supply assets, liabilities and reserves of the Institute, together any results so maybe you could give your thoughts to your with all activities, business and operations previously National Executive representative or to Head Office. But performed by the Institute be transferred to the Institute on the evidence of this one hosted by the University of of Guidance Counsellors Ltd. (company no 540185)” was Limerick it was a very worthwhile exercise.

19 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Photos from the IGC AGM in University of Limerick

20 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Cork Conference -the Stands.

21 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Cork Conference -the Speakers.

A standing ovation for President Betty McLaughlin after her address to delegates 22 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Cork Conference -the Researchers.

23 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Cork Conference -The Attendees. THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Colm Hayes: ‘Anxiety comes with the job. I don’t hold it in and I’m a stronger person because of it’ Much has been done to combat the stigma around anxiety and depression by initiatives like Cycle Against Suicide, writes Colm Hayes.

Colm Hayes Noel Curran DG of RTÉ hit the klaxon my health. As part of the build up to this, I MET CYCLE Against Suicide founder Jim breath was taken away and I shed a tear. the #SchoolsGoOrange selfie campaign Breen back in 2012 after I had interviewed has caused well-known Irish faces from him on my radio show. He spoke to me Making a difference Joe Duffy to Nadia Forde, and from passionately about the stigma surrounding A peloton of 2,000 cyclists snaked through Gerry Adams to Dustin The Turkey to “Go mental health and how we had to change RTÉ and out onto the Stillorgan dual Orange” on social media. it. He spoke my language, for years I had carriageway, beginning the journey across been a strong advocate for positive mental Ireland. It was stunning, mesmerising and It’s been a rollercoaster four years, an health. at that moment I truly believed we could amazing journey that’s helped me through and would make a difference. my own dark days. In my business, anxiety I witnessed many times how silence was comes with the job. I’ve learnt to deal with the killer and talking quite often the cure. Since that day we have successfully it much better because of Cycle Against We dealt with issues of mental health on completed four annual cycles. People have Suicide. I don’t hold it in, I talk about it and I the radio show and received many emails opened their homes and their hearts to us. believe I’m a stronger person because of it. and letters from people who had really Schools have danced, sang and made more benefitted from our conversation. sandwiches than I thought was humanly We have a message, a simple message possible. And the important thing, we got but a strong message in Cycle Against There’s a reason why, as a society, we Ireland talking. Talking about mental health, Suicide: have such expressions as “It’s good to talking about suicide, anxiety, depression talk” or “A problem shared, is a problem and bullying. Talking about fixing it. It’s OK not to feel OK and it’s absolutely halved.” Talking works. We got Ireland talking OK to ask for help. Mobilising support But we weren’t finished. We then created the Student Leaders’ Congress. It started Trust me it works. The big challenge for the fledgling charity in 2013 in a radio studio in RTÉ with 40 was the first Cycle Against Suicide around students speaking about issues that Colm Hayes is the CEO of Cycle Against Ireland. It would take place in April 2013, affected them. It was inspiring to hear Suicide. As a broadcaster, he has over would last 14 days and we would cycle them talk and we realised they needed a 30 years’ experience working in radio 1,400kms, but would anyone sign up? bigger forum to talk and be proactive. and television. Cycle Against Suicide’s mission is to spread the message that, We rolled out a campaign across RTÉ This year, 2017, the Student Leaders’ “it’s OK not to feel OK; and it’s absolutely 2FM, we visited schools all across Ireland Congress took place in University Limerick, OK to ask for help,” so, together, shoulder and we encouraged people to open up attended by 6,000 students. We had to shoulder, we can break the cycle of their homes and give a bed for a night to motivational speakers such as Pat Lam and suicide on the island of Ireland. Today a cyclist. It was organised like a military music from the likes of The Strypes and hundreds of schools take part in Cycle operation but we were missing one thing, Orla Gartland, with the students, singing, Against Suicide’s #SchoolsGoOrange Day the soldiers. dancing, laughing and crying. I was proud for mental health awareness. to be the MC for the two days. Two days I On first morning we gathered in RTÉ and will never forget in my entire life. To find out more visit our hearts soared as over 2,000 cyclists www.cycleagainstsuicide.com. arrived to begin the very first cycle. The #SchoolsGoOrange campaign campus was buzzing, the smiles radiated And there’s more. Today, hundreds of Cycle Against Suicide can be found on across south county Dublin. The bikes Twitter @CASuicide. were shiny, the coffee warm and when schools across the island of Ireland will “Go Orange” to promote positive mental 25 Dundrum College of Further Education (Dundrum CFE) offers a wide variety of full time courses leading to QQI validated awards at levels 5 and 6. We have a long established reputation for delivering excellent courses with strong progression links to Higher Education. The College provides certified training and educational opportunities to a diverse community of students in a supportive and professional environment.

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We are a Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) centre Direction… of excellence. The College is also an approved Google GSuite centre, providing students with Courses commencing in September the best of learning devices and technologies 2017 include: available today. Students are invited into a learning r Business / office Administration partnership with teachers and support personnel r Computing helping them to achieve their goals. r Nursing & Healthcare The College is proud of its students’ success. It is r Early Cildhood Care & Education a real alternative for a school leaver, where they r Social Studies can expect a supportive, professional and quality r Art, Craft & Design educational experience. r Horticulture

For further information and to apply online, visit: www.cfedundrum.com THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

General Anxiety: Helping students accept, not fight, their negative thoughts. Stewart Geddes

Having met numerous Guidance Counsellors at various Psychotherapy workshops and CPDs down through the years, it strikes me that many feel, rightly or wrongly, that they do not have sufficient skills or tools to deal with a lot of the mental health related issues teens are presenting with, and anxiety in particular. Anxiety among young people seems, anecdotally anyway, to be at an all- time high, and this certainly seems to be the case with the number of young people presenting for counselling.

The pressure to achieve seems to be much higher than you feeling somewhat helpless yourself. 2) Naming the thought pattern. it was in my day, and certainly the pressure coming With students like this, I have found that challenging If we worry a lot, we probably still only worry about a from within their own peer group was not as obvious the validity or relevance of their thoughts, with a CBT set number of things, just to excess. So, there may when I was doing the Leaving Cert. The obsession with approach, does little to help. The person doing all the be thousands of worrying thoughts firing, but they appearance, the drive to be skinny, fit, attractive, etc., thinking has been fighting, resisting, or avoiding their are probably variations of the same ten, say, stories. has always existed for young people, but never like it thoughts for a long time, and it has done little to ease If you can get the student to recognise the different does today, with Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, the pain, and may have only served to heighten the sense groups, so they can say to themselves something like, and all other forms of social media constantly pushing of helplessness. Often, it is the exact opposite approach “Ah, here come the failure thoughts” (or the “future image as all important. It’s hard enough to get away that needs to be taken. Acceptance and Commitment worries”, or the “not good enough thoughts”, or the from all the perfect celebrities, but with their peers now Therapy (ACT) proposes that instead of trying to push “I’m a loser thoughts”, or the “I can’t cope story”). Once presenting an online fantasy version of themselves, unpleasant thoughts away, it is much better to let go of they acknowledge the story, ask them to just let it be, where they look amazing all the time, and appear to be struggling with them, and try to see them for what they don’t fight or resist it, and try and put energy into doing living the picture-perfect lives, I do not envy our younger are…just words. something they value. generation’s task of being ok in their own skin. ACT sees the entanglement with our thoughts, and the 3) Singing the painful thought subjugation to their manipulative power as ‘Fusion’. We Couple this pressure with an apparent lack of resilience, This one can sound silly, but I have found it to be very often see our thoughts as coming from us, therefore, they coping skills, and ability to be self-reliant, and it is not effective. In fact, often an element of play, or light- are us. If you can help a student see that they are not hard to see the problems this may cause. We, as a heartedness in a session can be quite a tonic. If you get their thoughts, this would be a very helpful starting point. society, seem to be doing too much to solve children’s your student to bring one of their troubling thoughts to mind, Their thoughts are not facts, or things that must be done. problems before they arise, removing all obstacles, and repeat it to themselves a few times and notice what They are not necessarily important, or wise, or truthful, and paving the way for them to have things as easy happens. Next, in their head, sing it to themselves a number or threatening. They are just words. Therefore, we need and trouble-free as possible, but in doing so, we have of times to the tune of ‘Happy Birthday’ (“I don’t deserve to help them defuse from their thoughts. foisted learned helplessness on this young generation. any success”), or say it 25 times in a funny voice. Now say With fusion, we react to words like “I’m stupid” as if we When met with a problem (real or imagined), they appear it again normally and see if it still has the same potency. to have no idea what to do, or how to cope, and this actually are stupid, or “nobody likes me” as if that were becomes a space where anxiety can thrive. fact. Defusion is not about removing these thoughts, Defusion can be a very powerful technique to learn, and but disentangling ourselves from an unhelpful thought if it can be coupled with curiosity and self-compassion, it Our brains are wired to be anxious, and we all have anxious processes in order to see our thinking as just a story. can go a long was to easing a troubled mind. thoughts from time to time, but when they are so persistent There are three key strategies which I have found useful Further reading on the subject: “The Happiness Trap”, by and intrusive that we cannot function at a necessary when working with clients. Russ Harris level, this can be a real problem. I have had countless clients present to me with anxiety, and oftentimes, a few 1) “I’m having a thought that…” Stewart Geddes is a Psychotherapist and Counsellor sessions of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and a With fusion, you are so enmeshed with your thoughts working in private practice in Dublin (both Lucan and re-acquainting with their existing coping skills can help that it is easy to be overwhelmed. A thought like “I’m no Sandyford). He specialises in anxiety in young people them be better able to deal with their difficulties. However, good”, can be quite distressing. By putting the unhelpful and runs anxiety management courses in schools in the when someone whose thoughts are so invasive and all- thought into the sentence “I’m having a thought that Dublin area http://www.themoodlab.ie/school-program consuming, and whose coping mechanisms are insufficient, I’m no good”, it can take the full power out of the story, is sitting in front of you, and they are desperate for you to instantly giving you some distance from the thought. Email: [email protected] help, their anxiety can often be transferred to you, leaving Phone: 0876343647 27 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER L- Notes by Brian Lennon Review by Gerry Reilly

Brian Lennon’s L-Notes is almost the find it difficult to biography of a Guidance Counsellor. Every engage. They display possible aspect of our work from the behavioural, emotional, ‘Induction of First Years’ to the last days attendance difficulties of Leaving Cert and beyond are covered in etc (you know who this what I can only describe as a manual I mean!!) Brian’s for guidance. Many of the chapters provide advocacy strategy for theoretical underpinnings for what we do these students is based supplemented by worksheets on how to put on replacing what has this into action. Brian’s passion for guidance been missing in the and his obvious care for students and their child’s life by developing wellbeing fill every single page. At the heart a nurturing professional of this book is the establishment of good relationship with working relationships with each and every ‘One Good Adult’ who student This is not the kind of book that operates within the you read from front to back (you might just school but outside the do that first), but can be dipped into at any individual classroom. stage of the year or your own career. I have This need not be the used some of the ideas in L-Notes to freshen Guidance Counsellor up some of things that I had been doing on but is coordinated by the automatic pilot. It has contributed to a more Guidance department. reflective practice on my part. Other times Some of these students I have drawn on some of the theoretical will probably have been chapters to recharge myself, to challenge suspended at some Brian introduces us to a new word: myself, and renew my love for what I do. stage and Brian points out the reconnecting DYSTRAXIA. We all know what this looks L-Notes will enrich the ‘doing’ and ‘being’ of with them on their return to school is vital. like. Some students lack the “cognitive the Guidance Counsellor. Choice Theory is He says “It would be folly to assume that ability to perceive outside of their present covered in great detail in the middle part of the child will always return with improved experience”. They have a sort of short- the book and would be an excellent place to behaviour and attitudes”. Indeed “if you sightedness a mental myopia. (Straight start your reading. always do what you’ve always done you’ll away on reading this I thought of a number always get what you’ve always got”. This of students in my school). Brian says that The book begins with a section on Induction section contains practical ideas and support these students are possibly at “the most of New Students. Brian makes the point that on how the student can be re-integrated. serious educational disadvantage of all”. He establishing a sound relationship from the Later in the book there is a section on “Fresh explores the causes of dystraxia, how to spot very first minutes makes it much easier to Starts”. I would recommend this section to it and how then to work with the student. I relate to students in later weeks and years. everyone in the school community. gleaned many useful ideas from this section He follows this up with practical examples on how to help this group of students of how to do this. Choice theory (Reality In the section on Standarised Testing Brian exercise their “abstraction muscle”. Therapy) comes through very clearly, as it affirms and confirms the role of the Guidance does in all of the sections of the book. Helping Counsellor as the person best placed within The final section in my book has been a students to be the best possible version of the school to give feedback to students. section I have returned to time and again themselves relies on getting the relationship Feedback needs to take place within a in the run up to the Easter holidays as my right. From a student’s very first contact with positive relationship where the student’s energy waned. Keep the section on “The the school the practical suggestions in this whole way of being is taken into account. Strengths of the Guidance Counsellor” to section will help them know, really know, “Their great value (Standardised Tests) is in hand in the coming weeks. that you are on their side. Essentially the helping young people identify problem areas “how” of establishing firm, fair and friendly rather than in quantifying the problem, a task In conclusion this isn’t just a book, it’s a Black relationships is explored through how best to best left to a counselling session” and Decker WorkMate! cater to the many diverse needs of our new students by helping them develop a sense of There is a good exploration of exam L-Notes is available as a Kindle download or belonging in their new school. preparation, homework, student stress, paperback from any Amazon site. There is an excellent section on bringing study skills, exam techniques as well as a on board that 5% or so of students who substantial section on career preparation.

28 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

The Apprenticeship option Further Education & The traditional view of apprenticeship in Ireland is of the plumber, carpenter, mechanic, etc., male dominated occupations linked almost exclusively to the construction Training and engineering fields. Up to now that has been the case, however the establishment of the Apprenticeship Council in 2014 seeks to change this landscape and -providing pathways, extending options bring Ireland into line with our European colleagues, where significantly more roles and occupations are Until recently, the Further Education and Training in a terminal examination, rather that it should allow for entered through the apprenticeship route. In Germany, sector was the largely unknown piece of the education their interests, skills and aptitudes to be explored and which has over 300 recognised apprenticeships, nearly “jigsaw”. Few, apart from the people directly involved developed in a manner that ensures job and personal two thirds of all school leavers enter an apprenticeship with the sector, either as providers or learners had any satisfaction. after completing their formal education. The range of real understanding of the possibilities that could be occupations that apprenticeship leads to is extremely made possible through further education and training, For young people leaving school there are two main varied, including doctor’s assistant, banker, dispensing possibilities that can make a real difference to the lives Further Education and Training options that are likely to optician, to name but a few. of individuals, the communities they live in or wider be of interest and value to them: Post Leaving Certificate society. Even describing it was usually done on the basis courses and apprenticeships. The Apprenticeship Council sought submissions of what it was not, being neither post primary or higher and proposals from a wide range of bodies towards education. The Post Leaving Certificate option developing new apprenticeships here, from the eighty Developed initially over thirty years ago, the Post six submissions received, the Council approved twenty The establishment of the Education and Training Boards Leaving Certificate sector (PLC) delivers a broad range five as being suitable to go forward for development in 2013, coupled with the establishment of SOLAS in that of courses designed to provide the learner with the and delivery. These new apprenticeships cover a same year, heralded a new era for Further Education and skills and knowledge necessary to enter directly into the broad range of occupations, from financial services to Training (FET). The first strategic plan for the sector was world of work or to progress on to further studies. From accountancy technicians, from commis chef to computer developed by SOLAS and published by the Department of Accountancy to Veterinary Nursing, the range of courses network technician. They will all lead to awards on Education and Skills in the summer of 2014. Underpinning available is sure to provide an option for any learner. the NFQ, at levels from 6-9, with significant on and off the strategy was the commitment to build an integrated Placed at levels 5 and 6 on the National Framework the job training requirements. Unlike the traditional sector that is capable of meeting the needs of individual of Qualifications (NFQ), PLC courses are delivered in apprenticeships, which were all of four years duration, learners and national economic policy. The “Further standalone colleges or centres attached to post primary the new apprenticeships range in length from two to four Education and Training Strategy 2014-2019” sets out five schools, generally allowing learners to access these years. As with the traditional craft apprenticeships, the strategic goals for the sector, including: programmes in, or close to, their communities. apprentice enters into a contract with the sponsoring employer and receives an apprentice payment from the • ensuring that the skills needs of the economy are outset. met Too often in the past, PLC courses have been seen as • provision that recognises and supports social the alternative to college for some learners who failed to To date, only two of the new programmes have inclusion across communities and society at large achieve the requisite number of points for college entry. commenced recruitment, the Insurance practice • enhancing the quality of FET programmes This narrow view ignores the fact that many school apprenticeship and the Industrial Engineering • development and implementation of an integrated, learners are unsure of what they would like to do, and/or apprenticeship, however many more of the new responsive planning and funding model for FET are not yet ready for the significant step into what is very programmes will commence recruitment later this year • That the standing of FET and its potential and value often an unknown environment of the third level college, as they pass QQI’s validation requirements. be presented in a manner that enables any learner to where the responsibility for learning rests almost The Department of Education and Skills recently identify a pathway of learning that meets their needs completely with them. PLC courses allow the learner launched its “Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship and requirements. to gather experiences and insights that will serve them well if they subsequently wish to progress to third level. and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020”. It projects, perhaps somewhat conservatively, that apprenticeship The role school guidance counsellors play in influencing While this can be said to apply to all learners, the value registrations across the combined existing and new and shaping the choices of young school leavers is of the PLC experience can be best seen with students programmes will grow from 3,472 in 2016 to 9,000 in considerable, second only to the influence of their peers who may have achieved reasonably, but not spectacularly 2020. and parents. With the national preoccupation with the well in their leaving certificate (circa the 200-300 points CAO point’s race, and the attendant focus on progression range) and who progress onto a college course where the to college, guidance counsellors face a difficult task in points requirements for entry are quite low. What is very Providing pathways, extending options No one underestimates the challenges for the education attempting to present other possibilities and options. often overlooked in such cases is that while the entry system in Ireland and the Further Education sector in The higher value placed by Irish society on third level requirement may be low, the level of the programme is particular in attempting to broaden and expand the range education, with nearly 53% of 30-34 years olds having either a level 7 or 8 degree and the expectations of all of appropriate options for school leavers and to address tertiary education qualification in this country compared students is that they will be able to work at that level. For the preoccupation with a single form of post second level to an EU average of 27% highlights this preoccupation. a significant minority, that is not the case and they drop education engagement. While the focus for many is In putting the case for Further Education and Training out and fail to complete even their first year. While more still likely to be a CAO college offer, we, the practitioners options to be considered equally as real and accessible research is required in this area, third level colleges are in Further Education and Training and you, the members possibilities for young people leaving school, those indicating that students, who have the benefit of a PLC of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors must continue involved in the sector recognise that there are significant course behind them, will generally have higher retention to work together to highlight the other pathways and hurdles and misconceptions to be overcome, and that it and attainment outcomes. As more and more third options for young people that can provide them with will take a fundamental change in Irish society in order level institutions come to recognise the value that can challenging and rewarding careers and lives. to achieve this. Those involved in the FET sector believe accrue from PLC programmes, the extent of progression that an individual’s career path and opportunities should links between the institutions and the PLC sector are not be based solely on the number of “points” achieved developing and expanding. 29 Careers in the Irish Seafood Industry

BIM invites applications for full time and part time NFQ Level 5 certificate training in Commercial Fishing, Aquaculture and Marine Engineering. Commercial Fishing Fishing Vessel Engineering This is held at BIM’s National Fisheries This course is held at BIM’s National College of Ireland, Greencastle, Co. Fisheries College of Ireland, Greencastle, Donegal and is accredited by Quality and Co. Donegal and is approved by the Irish Qualifications Ireland (QQI), leading to Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport the QQI Level 5 Certificate in Commercial (DTTAS) as leading to the Engineer Officer Fishing. This programme includes modules (Fishing Vessel) Certificate of Competency on Fishing Gear Maintenance and Repair, Class 3. Modules include Material Science, Fishing Vessel Operations and Navigation Engineering Drawing, Marine Engineering and Stability. The course prepares and Workshop Processes. Students students to work safely on a commercial are given a thorough grounding in light fishing vessel. The course includes work engineering skills that prepares them to practice on the BIM training vessel MFV work on board a fishing vessel. There are “Lough Swilly” at the college. options to progress to through DTTAS Course Start Date: September 2018 qualifications at class 2 and 1 following periods of sea service approved vessels. Aquaculture More details are available on www.bim.ie This course is held at BIM’s National where course brochures and applications Fisheries College of Ireland, may be downloaded. Castletownbere, Co. Cork and is accredited by Quality and Qualifications Course Start Date: September 2018 Ireland (QQI), leading to the QQI Level 5 Contact Certificate in Aquaculture. The programme BIM, Training Services Section, includes modules on finfish, shellfish and Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. fish hatchery production. This course will you find work in an existing aquaculture Tel: +353 1 2144100 business, offer progression to further Fax: +353 1 2144254 training at third level or assist you setting Email: [email protected] up your own aqua business. www.bim.ie Course Start Date: February 2018 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER LOOKING FOR A CAREER WITH A DIFFERENCE? IRELAND’S FISHING INDUSTRY MAY HAVE THE CAREER CHOICE FOR YOU Are you struggling to find a career that you feel suits you? A career that is training is mandatory for all fishing industry personnel. hands-on and rewarding? How about a career in the Irish Fishing Industry? Courses are held at BIM’s National Fisheries College of Ireland, Greencastle, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, the state agency Co. Donegal, BIM’s National Fisheries College of Ireland, Castletownbere, with responsibility for developing the Irish Sea Fishing and Aquaculture Co. Cork, on BIM’s two mobile Coastal Training Units and at other coastal (fish-farming) industries provides an extensive programme of training in the locations. catching, aquaculture and seafood processing areas. So, whether you find the BIM’s Enhanced Safety Training Scheme is a 1-day course designed to provide role of skipper or engineer on board a commercial fishing vessel an exciting the skippers and crews of registered fishing vessels with up-to-date training option or being part of Ireland’s growing fish-farming business is of interest in personal survival techniques, first aid, fire prevention and health and safety to you; BIM has a course that will provide you with the relevant skills and in the workplace. qualifications to make your dream career a reality. Those successfully completing the course or new entrants successfully completing BIM’s 3-day Basic Safety Training can avail of a special incentive The courses offered by BIM’s National Fisheries College of Ireland, under BIM’s Safety Equipment Scheme. This provides grant aid of up to 60% Castletownbere, Co. Cork are all certified training courses including: towards the cost of purchasing Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) fitted with an integrated Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). The 1-day Enhanced Safety Deck Officer (Fishing Vessel) Certificate of CompetencyD ( epartment Training Scheme is open to the skippers and crew members of all vessels of Transport) registered on the Fishing Boat Register. Those who have chosen a career in fisheries and have a minimum of 2 years sea service can progress to command positions through the acquisition of BIM offers equal training opportunities to all and safety, conservation and Deck Officer Certificates of Competency. These highly practical courses teach sustainability issues are addressed throughout. To view the careers profile of a range of navigation and safety skills to those whose ambition is to become BIM’s students, check out www.careersportal.ie a skipper or mate of a commercial fishing vessel.

Aquaculture Training Courses For further information on all courses and to apply, please These courses range from a very basic module aimed at giving new entrants visit www.bim.ie, email: [email protected] or call 01-2144100 a foundation in fish farming methods to higher skilled training mentioned below for those who have some experience of fishing or fish farming and who wish to learn or improve their knowledge of fish and shellfish aquaculture techniques. Practical engineering, boat handling and safety at Training Programme Dates for 2017 sea skills are also taught to facilitate employment on fish farms. BIM offers aquaculture courses at QQI level 3, 4, 5 and 6. 3 day Safety Training-on-going.

Safety Training 1- day Enhanced Safety Training-on-going. BIM also run ongoing safety training courses covering Personal Survival Techniques, Elementary First Aid, Fire Prevention and Safety Deck Officer (Fishing Vessel) Certificate of Competency (Department Awareness. These courses form part of the basic syllabus of all other of Transport)- September 2015 courses, and are offered independently to those already in the industry. This

31 GMIT leads the way with four exciting new degrees launched for CAO Change of Mind GMIT has recently added four new degrees Biomedical Engineering – Level 7&8 to CAO, just in time for students considering This three/four year degree is designed to equip graduates with a broad range of biological and engineering skills their course choices during the CAO Change of necessary to develop a career in MedTech sector. With Mind period. over 29,000 people employed in the MedTech sector in Ireland, employment prospects with this degree look All four courses are available at Level 8, in response to bright. This degree is being offered at GMIT Galway demand from school leavers whose CAO choices in recent campus (CAO Code GA674/GA682). years indicate a growing preference for honours degree programmes. Three of the degrees are also available at Agricultural Engineering – Level 7&8 Level 7, offering students the flexibility to first complete a This new three/four year degree focuses on design, Level 7 degree and then progress to a Level 8. manufacturing and agricultural sciences. Students are based between GMIT’s campuses in Mountbellew and Galway city. Graduates can work as engineers in the The new courses are: agricultural industry in Ireland or overseas (CAO Code GA675/GA683). Public Health Nutrition – Level 8 This is a new four year, honours degree which prepares These new courses are in addition to GMIT’s degrees in graduates to work in the growing area of public health International Tourism Management, International Hotel nutrition and health promotion. It is the first degree of Management and Early Childhood Education and Care its kind in the West of Ireland, and is available at GMIT which were launched earlier this year. Galway campus (CAO Code GA791). Students, teachers and parents interested in finding out Culinary and Gastronomic Sciences – Level 7&8 more about these courses, and GMIT’s other courses, are This exciting new three/four year degree combines food invited to come to GMIT’s “CAO Change of Mind” Open and science. Graduates will have the knowledge and Morning on Saturday, 6th May, 2017. The Open Morning skills to work in food research and development, or work is taking place at GMIT’s two Galway city campuses, and as a chef – the choice is theirs. This degree is available at will have all five campuses represented. GMIT Galway campus (CAO Code GA378/GA382). See www.gmit.ie/cao for all CAO Change of Mind updates. THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Annual Donegal IGC Careers Fair in Ballybofey a huge success.

Jackson’s Hotel in Ballybofey was the excellent venue for the annual Careers Fair organised by the Donegal Branch of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.

Approximately 1500 students from all the secondary schools across Co Donegal attended throughout the day where up to 40 further and higher education institutions from across Ireland and the UK gathered to inform the students on the myriad of options available to them after their Leaving Certificate.

The Finn Suite in Jackson’s was a hive of activity as the eager masses collected their pamphlets, prospectuses (as well as the odd free pen!) from the universities and colleges. Questions were answered, details were taken and seeds were planted into the students’ minds in what was a hugely successful day.

The event is the flagship day of the Donegal IGC calendar and has gone from strength to strength over the years and is testament to the amount of hard work being done in our schools by the Guidance Counsellors. A highlight this year was the large display of apprenticeships available from Donegal ETB.

The event organisers, Mr Rory White Finn Valley College, Stranorlar, Ms Georgina White, St Columba’s College, Stranorlar and Ms Mairead Mc Gurren, Colaiste Colmcille, Ballyshannon would like to thank all the institutions for attending the event, Kelly, Claire, John and Dylan for their help and Rhonda, Hugh and the staff at Jackson’s Hotel.

33 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Grief, Bereavement and Loss: Some Therapeutic Insights by Dr Michael L. O’Rourke

“The changes wrought by death are in themselves because of the high value placed by twentieth century Western so sharp and, and so final, and so terrible and so culture on happiness and romantic love, both of which are undermined melancholy in their circumstances, that the thing by death. It is true to state that only a minority of people die in stands alone in man’s experience, and has no the familiar surroundings of their homes. Consequently, the dying parallel on earth. It outdoes all other accidents patient is estranged from the emotional security of the family and because it is the last of them. Sometimes it leaps the familiar at the point of greatest emotional trauma. Indeed, Aries suddenly upon its victims, sometimes it lays a wrote as far back as 1985 that people who are dying are nowadays regular siege and creeps upon their citadel during relegated to a side- ward in hospitals so as not to disturb the other a score of years. And when the business is done, patients (Aries,1985, p68). He considers that the twentieth century there is some havoc made in other people’s lives, is the first in Western civilisation to have abandoned a public visual and a pin knocked out by which many subsidiary iconography of death. In fact, death itself is usually referred to only friendships hung together. There are empty chairs, euphemistically in major segments of our society and children are solitary walks, and single beds at night. Again shielded from knowledge of it, as if it were some unnatural event. in taking away our friends, death does not take For Aries, “death is now relegated to the secret private space of the them away utterly, but leaves behind a mocking, home or the anonymity of the hospitals, thus death no longer makes tragical, and soon intolerable residue, which must any sign” (Aries, 1985, p.266). Death is a closeted subject. Thus, be hurriedly concealed.... We live the time that a Mellor’s 1993 phrase is apt and appropriate: “death is publicly absent match flickers; we pop the cork of a ginger-beer bottle, and the earthquake swallows us on the but privately present”. William Worden (2000, p4) reminds us: instant. Is it not odd, is it not incongruous, is it not, in the highest sense of human speech, incredible, People have been grieving for thousands of that we should think so highly of the ginger-beer, years-long before the advent of the mental health and regard so little the devouring earthquake? The professional. Nonetheless, the empirical reality is love of Life and the fear of Death are two famous that people seek the counsellor out for help with phrases that grow harder to understand the more their grieving. This may be, in part, because of we think about them” (Stevenson, 2001, p68). the secularization so common in this age. Earlier, people would have looked to religious leaders Aes Triplex is an essay written by Robert Louis.Stevenson and and religious institutions for help with their grief, is commonly regarded as a masterpiece of literary exposition on but because so many people no longer belong to the themes of life and death. Stevenson’s cheerful optimism was formal religious organisations, they often turn constantly shadowed by the thought of death and in Aes Triplex he to the mental health worker. Also, the excessive gives free rein to his fancies on this universal theme. Human mortality mobility of our society lends itself to this change of focus. In the past, extended families were close for him may not be denied, for death is the common end to all life. To and neighbourhoods provided a cohesive bonding the individual of traditional faith, death is not an end but a transition which helped people to cope with loss. But now from one state of human existence to another. Yet, while we may be that sense of community may no longer exist to willing to accept the ultimate effect of this transition with equanimity, provide immediate support, nor is the extended the process of dying is fraught with many anxieties that cannot be family as available. Therefore, people turn to the easily resolved. “It is of course a truism that death is part of the health care system and the counsellor for support natural order and must be accepted as such, but its denial is often and for care that previously would have come from a major emotional problem for the subject, the family concerned, other sources. and even the physician. What must be comprehended by all is that this element of life’s circumstances is inevitable, although at times it People lack the practical skills of dealing with death and comforting may be postponed temporarily” (Kubler-Ross, 1995, p.38). Indeed, one another. Modern day practices rarely offer the bereaved an attitudes towards death have changed utterly during the course of the adequate space for the expression of grief. The funeral has become last century. Up until fifty or sixty years ago, death was looked upon a one day affair and armbands or black clothing are not usually worn as a next door neighbour in Ireland. Families were large and death unlike in the past. In previous generations it was usual for the corpse was expected regularly in the tide of life. Homes were prepared so to be kept in the house, for relations and friends to call, to visit the that “the parlour” would always be the place for the dead to return bereaved family and to pay their last respects to the dead person. As to. Philippe Aries in his influential text, The Hour of Our Death (1985, a society, we are, in essence, renouncing death. Yet, it is precisely p64) has claimed that death is now “forbidden” in modern society rituals and customs that assist the grieving process.

34 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

In more recent times a body of literature has been given particular The bereaved person is thus faced with the struggle to sever ties attention, most notably Joan Didion’s two texts, Blue Nights (2011) and detach energy invested in the deceased person. It was Freud’s and The Year of Magical Thinking (2012); Colm Tobin’s Nora Webster view that “grief is a job of psychological work that we neglect at our (2014), Philip Roth’s Everyman (2006), Tony Judt’s The Memory Chalet peril” (Stroebe et al, 2001, p.7). Reviewing the past and ruminating (2008) and Clive James’ book of wonderful poems, Sentenced to Life on the lost relationship, in order to detach, is a process he called (2014) are worthy of note. James’ poem, Japanese Maple, became a “decathexis” – only when the bereaved re-invest all the energy and sensation when it was first published in The New Yorker. These are a emotion in some other ways e.g. work, community activity, other collection of books that are heartbreakingly honest and forthright and relationships, sport, travel, can mourning begin to be eased. It is are a wonderful resource for therapists and for those dealing with important to note that grief is the emotional reaction to loss for Freud; grief and loss. Judt is scorchingly honest about what will soon follow: mourning is the outward manifestation of grief. Mourning normally “Loss is loss, and nothing is gained by calling it by a nicer name. My manifests itself in four key areas of experiencing: feelings, thoughts, nights are intriguing; but I could do without them”. Didion, Judt, Roth physical sensations and behaviours. Freud suggests: and James speak truths that the rest of us recognise but are unable to articulate. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in her memoir The Wheel of Life Although mourning involves grave departures (1998) offer us a more hopeful insight: “Dying is nothing to fear. It from the normal attitude to life, it never occurs to can be the most wonderful experience of your life. It all depends on us to regard it as a pathological condition and to how you have lived. Death is but a transition from this life to another refer it to medical treatment. We rely on its being existence where there is no more pain and anguish. Everything is overcome after a certain lapse of time, and we bearable when there is love. My wish is that you try to give more look upon any interference with it as useless or people more love. The only thing that lives forever is love.” even harmful (Doka, 2007, p.44).

Frued tried to differentiate normal grief responses from melancholia Freud attempted to differentiate and concluded that with one exception, the same traits are met in mourning. Grief may look like depression or develop into depression, between grief and depression, but the melancholic displays “an extraordinary diminution in self- suggesting that grief was a normal regard, an impoverishment of his ego on a grand scale. In mourning it is the world which has become poor and empty; in melancholia reaction to the loss of a loved person, it is the ego itself”(Ainsworth-Smith and Speck, p106). What is object or abstraction which had taken the interesting to note is Freud’s observations of when grief goes wrong. He reminds us that those who mourn may mimic madness place of a loved person. Mourning, like to the observer’s eye. Whilst a normal grief reaction may, in Freud’s melancholia, involved profoundly painful words, mimic madness there are times when the grief process does not progress naturally towards resolution. In these instances, dejection, a loss of capacity to adopt new rather than mimicking madness, it may actually lead to psychiatric love objects, a reduction or withdrawal of illness and the need for professional help (Ainsworth-Smith and Speck, p106). Delay is the most common abnormal reaction and activity not connected with thoughts of the postponement of grief may be a short one, or may be delayed the loved person, and a loss of interest in for years. Prolongation of grief can be another common problem in that any aspect of the normal grief process may persist for an the outside world. excessively long time resulting in the person becoming ‘stuck’ in one particular part of their lives. Denial, anger, guilt, self-blame or idealization may persist for many years and loneliness and social Bereavement, Mourning and Loss-The Work of Sigmund Freud: isolation often heighten these problems. Freud drew our attention to what is called projection and identification. Identification can Thanatology, otherwise known as the scientific study of death in the manifest itself in the adoption of personality traits of the deceased twentieth century, can be traced back to Sigmund Freud. In Mourning and with the illness symptoms of the deceased. In such cases and Melancholia (1917), Freud advanced the notion that melancholia the pain experienced physically is real enough even though the or depression was a pathological type of grief, similar to normal grief cause may be psychological (Ainsworth-Smith and Speck, piii). or mourning but with anger turned inwards instead of directed towards When grief goes wrong the good counsellor should be aware of the deceased. Freud attempted to differentiate between grief and the importance to re-stimulate the grieving process by taking the depression, suggesting that grief was a normal reaction to the loss of person back to look at the events and feelings prior to the death and a loved person, object or abstraction which had taken the place of a at the time of the death. Stroebe et al suggest that Freud’s grief loved person. Mourning, like melancholia, involved profoundly painful work concept remains a powerful analytic tool for understanding dejection, a loss of capacity to adopt new love objects, a reduction the way people adapt to bereavement. “It captures at least part or withdrawal of activity not connected with thoughts of the loved of the essence of coming to terms with loss, at least in our own person, and a loss of interest in the outside world. Freud was of the culture” (Stroebe et al, 2001, p.385). view that the bereaved struggle to accept the reality of their loss and continue for some time to relate emotionally to the deceased as if Beyond Decathexis: The Work of Kubler-Ross, Worden, they were still alive. Freud suggested that only when the bereaved Neimeyer, Stroebe and Stroebe. re-invested all of the emotion in some other loved object, work or task, could mourning be completed. This notion of detachment is very much “He that conceals his grief finds no remedy for it”—An Old Turkish evident in the work of Colin Murray–Parkes and William Worden, two Proverb. distinguished theorists and writers on thanatology. 35 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

Perhaps, the best known early theorist in thanatology is the five-stage detachment. Worden considered that he had been misunderstood model of psychiatrist, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Her celebrated work, in its promulgations and argued that bereaved people do not need On Death and Dying (1969) was based on a series of two hundred to withdraw emotional energy from the deceased and reinvest in interviews which focused on the psychosocial reactions of people who new relationships, friendships, work, travel, shopping and so forth. were dying. Kubler-Ross developed her five-stage model as follows: Rather Worden suggests that the need to find an “appropriate place for the deceased in their emotional lives is necessary, what (i) Denial is a natural coping mechanism to manage shock initially; he calls an enduring connection or “continuing bonds” with the (ii) Anger towards medical staff, family, and God is a necessary deceased in the midst of embarking on a new life”(Worden, 2001, stage; p35).A reconstruction of meanings is necessary in what Worden (iii) Bargaining with God to negotiate a cure; refers to as a reconfiguration or rather a reorganisation of life’s (iv) Depression when the truth becomes more real; processes. (v) Acceptance marks the final stage as the patient faces the inevitable. Grieving is a phenomenon with tremendous interpersonal variability, with strong individual differences in the intensity of affective reactions, Judy Tatelbaum in The Courage to Grieve (1983) holds the view that the degree of impairment, and the length of time a person experiences Kubler-Ross was instrumental in helping people to come to terms the painful affect of the loss according to Worden and it is very much with a denial of death and her model improved enormously our the duty of counsellors to interpret this variability to the family who understandings of grief, bereavement and death. Kubler-Ross was expects everyone to grieve the same way(Worden, 2001,p66). The of the view that not everyone will progress through all five stages Task Concept is much more consonant with Freud’s notion of “grief or experience them in the same order. However, her model implies work”. The tasks approach gives the mourner some leverage implying that the failure to complete any one of the five stages could result that mourning can be influenced by interventions from the outside. in incomplete healing. Grief does not exist in some linear fashion Mourning is a process and takes time since it involves not only an but reappears again and again to be dealt with in varying degrees intellectual acceptance but also an emotional one. Research in more of emotional intensity. Indeed, it should be noted that Kubler-Ross in recent decades tends to focus on a reconstruction of meanings describing the different stages gives many examples of people who following a loss and represents a shift away from an emphasis on do not follow the sequential process but it is a very convenient way grief’s devastation towards a realisation that grief’s consequences of classifying what people may be experiencing (Letting Go, 1982, are not necessarily all bad. Finding meaning and the ‘silver lining’ p.31). “Unfortunately, some people have referred to these stages represents a shift towards a more existential philosophical approach as a normal sequence of events and inferred that any deviation from to grief understandings. These more recent theoretical models this pattern is abnormal. Such does not seem to have been Dr. Kubler- encompass both positive and negative emotions in what is sometimes Ross’ intention” (Letting Go,p.31). What Kubler-Ross was offering termed “loss-oriented” and “restoration-oriented” processes. In this was a useful way of identifying people’s feelings without dictating regard, major findings stand out in a growing array of research studies a set order. “She was not offering people a framework within which by Robert Neimeyer (2002), Margaret Stroebe & Wolfgang Stroebe the person was allowed to die” (Letting Go, p.31). The stages of dying (2001). are not necessarily chronological and we do not have to follow ‘the Neimeyer considers: prescribed pattern’. (i) Many bereaved people say that they have learned to appreciate In 1982, William Worden devised and introduced his Task Oriented the value of life more than they ever did before; they have learned Model which moved theory away from stages to tasks that must be that life is special and precious and that it has to be lived in the undertaken by the mourner.The idea of tasks seems more appropriate moment as much as possible. It is a view similar to Irvin Yalom’s as anyone who has suffered grief, or seen the suffering of another can existential view. testify that this is hard work. Worden’s model has been very influential (ii) Secondly, they report becoming stronger as a result of surviving and is widely used by those involved in grief and bereavement the pain of death and stepping forward to handle things that were counselling. Worden’s Tasks of Mourning Concept (2001, p25-37) was previously done by the deceased person. greatly influenced by Freud’s notion of grief work and relate to four (iii) Thirdly, the cliché that “tragedy brings people together” seemed to major concerns: be significant for many who found themselves much closer to their loved ones and family than before the death. Many reported that (i) Worden contends that it is important to accept the reality of the they no longer took loved ones for granted; loss and unless this task is completed, the bereaved cannot move (iv) Fourthly, there were a small but noticeable minority of those on. “Belief and disbelief are intermittent while grappling with this interviewed whom the deaths had left significantly worse off task”(Worden,2001, p30). than before. They felt devastated by their loss and lonelier. (ii) To experience and work through the pain of the loss. Many people “Such reactions are not unusual in the early and middle phases try to escape this but Worden suggests that this second task is of grief, and they often diminish with time but not for everyone in necessary and that the pain may be physical as well as emotional relearning the world, making and finding meanings” according to and behavioural. Worden was of the view that avoidance or Neimeyer (2002, p 33). suppression of pain merely prolongs the course of mourning. (v) Fifthly, it was heartening to note that in Neimeyer’s studies, (iii) To adjust to an environment after the loss of a loved one to ninety-six per cent of the people said that “they had done things death. External adjustments relate to how death affects one’s to help themselves that worked and made at least some positive functioning in everyday life. Internal adjustments involve how the difference in coping with their loss”.On the one hand, they faced death affects one’s sense of self. Spiritual adjustments are part of their grief, felt it, expressed it and strove to keep their loved this process and refer to how death affects one’s beliefs, values one’s memory alive. On the other hand, they avoided it, throwing and assumptions about the world. themselves into work, school, travel, volunteer work, hoping to (iv) Task four is very much based on Freud’s concept of the need for push it to the back of their minds, at least for short periods. “The 36 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

ones who best cope with death may be those who both embrace capable of death. Only a man dies, the animal and avoid grief, at times feeling the pain and at times finding perishes. It has death neither ahead of it nor ways not to” (Neimeyer, 2002,p 33). behind it. We now call mortals mortal-not because their earthly life comes to an end, but because This Dual- Process Model or Embrace-Avoid Model and the findings they are capable of death as death (Malpas & of Neimeyer are corroborated in studies by Stroebe & Stroebe Solomon, 1998, p.134). (2001). They argue that both the emotional experience of grieving and the attempt to pull oneself together and carry on are necessary In Irvin Yalom’s Love’s Executioner (1989) themes of death, freedom, components of a healthy bereavement process.The balance between isolation and meaning are central to his paradigm of existential tearful, emotive falling apart grief work and the suppression of the psychotherapy. These are what he calls “the givens of human feelings, coping and reinvesting in work or activity may be a barometer existence” and are explored similarly in another major work, Existential of how well a bereaved person will come through the process. As Psychotherapy (1980). For Yalom the fear of death plays a major role Neimeyer (2002,p 50-52) suggests:“Good copers may be persons who in our internal experience.”The fear of death plays a major role in can permit themselves to experience sadness and emotional upset our internal experience: It haunts as does nothing else; it rumbles caused by grief while still maintaining a variety of cognitive and continuously under the surface; it is a dark unsettling presence at the emotional skills in their daily repertories”. Neimeyer considers: rim of consciousness” (Yalom,1980, p27-28). At the beginning of his discussion of death in Existential Psychotherapy, Yalom states that Grieving is a journey of the heart that brings us there are two key propositions which he says have major implications to the fullness of life in the flesh and blood, here for the practice of counselling and psychotherapy in terms of dealing and now, and into the future with those who still with major existential concerns. share the earth with us. In this life, we still have places in our hearts for our families, friends and (i) Life and death are interdependent; they exist simultaneously not communities. We can and often do make places consecutively; death whirs continuously beneath the membrane for others who enter our lives later. And we have of life and exerts a vast influence upon existence and conduct room in our hearts for self-love and the many (Yalom, 1980.p27-28). cases that make us unique and distinct individuals (ii) Death is a primordial source of anxiety and, as such, is the primary (2002, p52). fount of psychotherapy.

It is interesting to note that in terms of the efficacy of bereavement This awareness of our mortality and aloneness helps us realise that interventions, Stroebe and Stroebe advise that early interventions our actions do count, that we do have choices concerning how we may well have less effect because the emotional, social and practical live our life, and that we must accept the final responsibility of how consequences of the loss still need to take their natural course. “Early well we are living. An awareness of death provides us with a catalyst interventions could also interfere with support from the natural social for the human search for meaning in life. Yalom considers that our environment and trigger family and friends to withdraw. Bereaved knowledge that we will die can encourage us to ask ourselves whether people are probably also more inclined to accept help offered early we are living by values that create a meaningful existence. Yalom is of after a loss, because they are distressed and in need of support. But the view that “boundary experiences”, as Karl Jaspers, called them, the other side of the coin may be that early interventions prevent enable us to face our freedom and nothingness and be anxious in the people from finding their own solutions and ways of dealing with face of them, using this existential anxiety to face life’s conditions and the problems they encounter”(2002,p732). There is here the clear choices. He considers how death enhances life and states: implication that a counselling process may well prove to be more effective at longer duration when the full rigours of the grieving Keep in mind the advantage of remaining aware process has had time to sear into consciousness. of death, of hugging its shadow to you. Such awareness can integrate the darkness with your spark of life and enhance your life while you still Existential and Other Counselling Perspectives: The Work of have it. The way to value life, the way to feel Irvin Yalom, Viktor Frankl and Carl Rogers. compassion for others, the way to love anything with greatest depth is to be aware that these Modern philosophers have faced the challenge of finding meaning in experiences are destined to be lost (Yalom, 2008, human lives who were confronted with tragedy or loss. The theme of p147). death is central to an exploration of human existence in the work of existential philosophers, Camus, Sartre, Nietzsche, Heideggar, Frankl Irvin Yalom witnessed the positive effects of encounters with death and Yalom. For Camus, the question of death leads to what he calls many times in his clinical work. He considers that “the time of the absurd, which is defined as our demand for meaning, and the facing death is one of sadness and mourning, but it is also a time of indifferent world’s refusal to hand us one on a platter. If there is to reorientation and a time of reconsidering one’s values, one’s priorities be meaning in the universe, we must like artists create it. Camus, and one’s sense of meaning in life” (Existential Psychotherapy 1980, like Sartre considered that we should accept the finitude of death p.35). Yalom suggests that new priorities and new rearrangements believing that it is only through such acceptance that true freedom in of life’s priorities emerge. Many members acquired a sense of life can be fully realised. For Heideggar, “the human being is, after importance and found new meaning in their lives in the sense that all, a being towards death” (Heideggar, 1962, p.296). He considers how they lived the remainder of their lives and how they died came that it is not life but death that makes us human: to seem significant. They realised that they had something to teach others and that other group members, their families and their friends The mortals are human beings. They are called were looking to them as an example. This helped to lessen the mortals because they can die.To die means to be inevitable sense of meaninglessness in dying (Yalom, 1980, p.243-

37 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER

44). Indeed, Yalom remarks that the Chinese pictogram for “crisis” you bring to life, not so much by what happens to you as by the way is a combination of two symbols: “danger” and “opportunity” and your mind looks at what happens to you”. notes that patients often use their crisis, and their danger as an opportunity for change. Yalom notes many examples of inner change Carl Rogers in his Person-Centred Model stresses the importance of and refers to a rearrangement of life’s priorities: a trivialising of the the therapeutic relationship to heal. This relationship is established trivial, an enhanced sense of living in the immediate present, a vivid in a non-judgemental, non-interventional manner and Rogers reminds appreciation of the simple things of life become more pronounced. us that when accurate empathy is combined with genuineness Indeed a football match, trees, flowers, a sunrise, the changing and warmth, it provides the ultimate in psychological safety. For seasons, friendships, the last Christmas and so forth are other notable over forty years in this existential- humanistic orientation, Rogers features of a more reflective existential way of being. Yalom advises held firm that if the counsellor proves able to offer a relationship that counsellors should go beyond the usual focus of grief work, where congruence, acceptance and empathy are all present then although he does acknowledge the importance of it. Bereavement, therapeutic change, adaptation, and movement will invariably occur. dealing with the death of the other, is a boundary experience whose These core conditions of friendship, non-possessive warmth, with power is too rarely harnessed in the therapeutic process. He states in a high degree of accurate empathy, are so essential in this deeply (Gift of Therapy, 2003, p128): caring, human meeting especially so in the initial stages of grief and bereavement counselling. Establishing empathy is a key core Too often in bereavement work we focus condition in the Rogerian model. Native American Indians have a extensively and exclusively upon loss, upon term to describe empathy as “walking in another’s moccasins”. It is unfinished business in the relationship, upon the indeed interesting to note that Rogers was of the view that empathy task of detaching ourselves from the dead and must be established in the second counselling session. Where there entering again into the stream of life. Though all is low empathy, Rogers believes that this can lead to a deterioration these steps are important we must not neglect in the client’s behaviour. It is important to remember the significance the fact that the death of the other also serves of the therapeutic act rather than the word in this Rogerian approach. to confront each of us, in a stark and poignant Rogers’ model is full of positivity, a positive view of human nature, manner, with our own death. deep faith in the potentiality of people to overcome adversity and to develop and grow in a positive, constructive manner. Rogers is in the Viktor Frankl was a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps from 1942-1945, where he lost his parents, brother, wife and children, and countless thousands of friends and colleagues. Frankl had only begun his medical practice a short time when Hitler’s troops marched But if what we are attempting to into Vienna and were welcomed by thousands of Austrian citizens, change is ourselves, our deeper who cheered, threw flowers and screamed “Heil Hitler”, “Kill the Jews”. Vienna became the scene of concentrated violence against personality, then this can be painful indeed the Jews and Frankl was permitted to see Jewish patients only and can mean a lot of suffering and his medical practice was shorn of its former respectability and affiliations (Kilngsberg, 2001, p50). Already a practising psychiatrist when he was taken prisoner, Frankl observed his own and his fellow mainstream of the phenomenological tradition, which holds to the prisoners’ reactions to life under the appalling camp conditions and belief that “each of us behaves in accordance with our subjective out of these sufferings he developed what he called logotherapy. The awareness of ourselves and of the world we inhabit” (Thorne, literal translation of logotherapy is “therapy through meaning” which 1995,p25). Rogers’ importance lies in his single-minded application is the very reverse of the traditional concept of psychotherapy which of this belief to the task of therapy. “In his clinical practice, he could be formulated as “meaning through therapy” (Frankl,1978,p19). increasingly became convinced that it is always the client who knows Frankl noticed that man is ready and willing to shoulder any suffering what hurts and in what direction he or she needs to proceed if healing as soon and as long as he can see a meaning in it. Frankl sums up is to take place. The therapist’s function is to aid the client in the this notion by quoting Nietzsche who stated: “He who has a why to exploration and discovery of his or her own inner resources”(Thorne, live for can bear with almost any how”. This is the belief on which 1995, p25). He believed that experiential learning was a far more logotherapy is based. Frankl quotes Dostoyevsky as saying: “there is powerful approach to personal understanding and change than an only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings”(Frankl, endeavour resting upon intellectual understanding.“He believed that 1985,p88) and by exercising one’s human freedom and choosing to individuals have within themselves an actualizing tendency, an inbuilt bear one’s suffering with courage and dignity, one can achieve this proclivity towards growth and fulfilment” (Rogers, 1995, pxii). This is worth. He witnessed those, who accepted the difficulties of the hell a very positive view of human nature if you accept the belief in the that was the concentration camp “as tests of their inner strength. existence of a formative impulse in all organic life and in this regard, They rose to the challenge of finding meaning in their lives”(Nelson- Rogers was influenced by Living Systems Theory and the work of the Jones, 2001, p221). It was Frankl’s belief that, if there is meaning in Russian scientist and Nobel Prize Winner, Ilya Prigogene. Furthermore, life, there must be meaning in suffering, as it is an ineradicable part Rogers considered that there must be a commitment to suffer and of life. Without suffering and death, human life cannot be complete. change. This is a key therapeutic principle but perhaps, it is the most Logotherapy is thus a wonderful model of counselling in dealing with important principle and the one most likely to be missed. Any change, grief, bereavement and loss. It is not pessimistic, as it facilitates any new learning, involves some pain. But if what we are attempting the individual in transforming despair into triumph. It does this by to change is ourselves, our deeper personality, then this can be painful distinguishing between different attitude formations and attempting indeed and can mean a lot of suffering. If the client you are dealing to aid an individual in changing his attitudes (Frankl, 1959, p157-165). with doesn’t realise the part that suffering plays in the process, then The Lebanese poet, Kahlil Gibran, once remarked: “Your living is to put it bluntly, you can have all the skills and training you like and be determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude the greatest therapist in the world but you will be absolutely helpless 38 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER to do anything to help. Hemingway puts it succinctly “when you get whole person is so broad, all the parts are attended to and integrated the damned hurt, use it and don’t cheat!” or as Goethe reminds us: – verbal behaviour, non-verbal behaviour and emotional feelings. “There is no predicament that we cannot ennoble either by doing or Techniques are prominent in Gestalt Therapy but are not done in enduring.” This is an orientation that initiated a shift in focus from the isolation; they are all directed towards the integration of the whole client being the object of investigation to him or her being the subject person (Clarkson, Gestalt Counselling in Action, 1989). The most or architect of himself. Person-centred therapy is an ideal counselling prominent Gestalt techniques used in grief counselling are referred model for grief, bereavement and loss and seeks to liberate and to as “The Letter” and “The Empty Chair” and “If I had Six Months to empower the client to deal with whatever suffering , grief or pain Live” as a means of bringing to awareness what you value and what that must be encountered; it is an approach which is full of hope and you want for yourself. In letter writing the client reflects feelings optimism. The counsellor is thus cast in the role of an enabler, mid- as well as experiences with the deceased for example, and this wife, a confident companion. particular exercise can be very helpful in enhancing awareness of self or increasing awareness of other people. The dialogue with oneself, The existential view in counselling then is that clients are entitled often using another chair, is a means of becoming aware of different to a practitioner who has grappled with the essential issues and parts of oneself. Enacting, that is playing out parts of oneself or questions that life raises; hence, it is important to put one’s own others, can be a dramatic Gestalt experiment to bring about change. psychological house in order. Living is seen as an art and an existential Self-dialogues can be done by having an individual take each role of therapeutic session is very much like an art tutorial. However, Frankl the polarity and express it from his/her chair. However, it is more later surmised that the counsellor and the logotherapist included is common to use the two-chair method. As the individual changes roles, “neither a teacher nor a preacher, nor should he be compared with a she moves to the other chair. The therapist may call attention to what painter. By this I wish to say that it is never up to a therapist to convey has been said or how it was said. The purpose of all these techniques, to the patient a picture of the world as the therapist sees it, but rather “The Letter,” “The Empty Chair,” “My Obituary”, “Writing a Eulogy”, “If to enable the patient to see the world as it is. Therefore, he resembles I had six months to Live”, drawings, memory book and memorabilia, is an ophthalmologist more than a painter”(Frankl, 1961, p5). In the to encourage the fullest expression of thoughts and feelings regarding literature the existential counsellor is described as a mentor, sage, the loss and to help the family to reminisce and eventually to mourn a tutor. The notion of the sage who is deeply interested in piecing the more realistic image of the dead person. Furthermore, the dreams of puzzle of life together suggests a counsellor in a specific age category the bereaved frequently mirror the mourning process and often reflect who has experienced a full life. the particular task of mourning that the grieving person is struggling with (Worden, p113). Dream research shows that dreams can help to In short, existentialism and logotherapy offer the bereavement integrate difficult affects into the persons’ life. It is not unusual for counsellor a useful spirituality which holds that God is very much the dreamer to experience the deceased returning to proffer advice a God of the inner human being, a God of the heart. Martin Buber on ways to deal with a particular problem. “Having such advice from reminds us that man cannot reach the divine by reaching beyond the the “other side” can help attenuate anxiety and move the mourner human, he can approach Him by becoming human. Patrick Kavanagh toward some possible solutions”( Worden,p113). Like all therapeutic likewise suggests that “men build their heavens as they build their interventions, much depends on the relationship that exists between circles of friends/God is in the bits and pieces of everyday” and for the client and counsellor. Irvin Yalom, God is the altruism of man attempting to make the world a better place for others which for him must surely be a powerful Bibliotherapy and the Healing Power of Books: source of meaning. There are those who would say that logotherapy is a faith, a philosophy of life, a secular religion rather than a school of Finally, it should be remembered that Irvin Yalom was a good example psychotherapy. However, Frankl considers logotherapy to be a religion of the psychotherapist’s use of literature to illustrate major issues with for the therapist and draws on Einstein’s definition which states:“To his patients in the process of resolution. We have long used books be religious is to have found an answer to the question, what is and stories for centuries to make people think and wonder, laugh and the meaning of life”(Frankl, 2000,p153). He backs up his position cry, resolve and act. Indeed, the term bibliotherapy originates from by drawing on Wittgenstein who also stated: “To believe in God is the Greek words “ biblion”, meaning book and “therapeio” meaning to see that life has a meaning”. Frankl considers thus: “As you see, healing. Yalom represents the best example of the bibliotherapist Einstein, the physicist, and Wittgenstein the philosopher, as well as who draws on great works of literature to structure an interaction I myself as a psychiatrist, arrived at definitions of religion that are between the facilitator and patient. Yalom draws on Dickens, overlapping each other”(Frankl, 2000, p153). Whether a prophet, guru, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Robert Louis Stevenson, Melville, Hawthorne, preacher or disguised as a psychiatrist, Frankl’s therapy is a valuable Sherwood Anderson and others, when dealing with bereavement spiritual and philosophical “meaning therapy” for those of us as issues including imminent death. For example, Ivan in The Death of bereavement counsellors who seek answers to the key questions of Ivan Ilyitch, Pierre in War and Peace, Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles human existence for our clients. Dickens, Yalom draws on all of these central characters to show that they have been able to alter their lives up to the last moment and add Gestalt Therapy and Bibliotherapy: Some Valuable Insights a deeper significance to life, death and meaning. We are reminded how a confrontation with death transformed Dickens’ character Gestalt Therapy, developed by Fritz Perls in the 1940s, is rooted also in Scrooge and permitted him to see his own death and funeral. This existential philosophy. Gestalt therapists agree with Carl Rogers and approach produced a miraculous change of heart and turned him into place considerable emphasis on empathy. The empathic responding of a totally different and more worthy human being. Yalom suggests the therapist provides continuing support to the client. Indeed, Martin that this is what Scrooge learned. “The pattern of his transformation Buber’s discussion of the “I-Thou” relationship has been important in consisted of a systematic reversal of his insulting misdeeds of the understanding the Gestalt view of the dialogic relationship in order to previous day: he tipped the caroller he had cursed, he donated money bring about healing and growth through greater awareness. Perls was to the charity workers he had spurned, he embraced the nephew he a great admirer of Buber’s work. Because the Gestalt focus on the had scorned, he gave coal, food and money to Cratchit whom he had 39 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER tyrannised”(Yalom, 1980, p28). Pierre in War and Peace discovered Conclusion: the preciousness and joy of life only when confronted with imminent death. Pierre is captured by Napoleon’s troops and is sentenced to “I don’t like people who have never fallen or stumbled; their virtue is death by firing squad. Sixth in line, he watches the execution of the lifeless and it isn’t of much value. Life hasn’t revealed its beauty to five men in front of him and prepares to die-only,at the last moment, them.” to be unexpectedly reprieved. The experience transforms Pierre, who – Boris Pasternack. now decides to live his life zestfully and with purpose. “He is now able to give himself in his relationships to others, to be keenly aware of his The death of someone you know and love can indeed be a devastating natural surroundings, to discover a task in life that has meaning for experience in which a part of one’s self is lost. The process by which him, and to dedicate himself to it (Yalom, 1980, p33). Ivan in Tolstoy’s we seek to fill the gap in our lives and to find a new equilibrium is The Death of Ivan Ilytich just hours before his death had an experience described as grief. Sorrow and pain are essential ingredients of grief which totally alters his attitude to both his life and death. Ivan realises with an associated pining for the world that has been lost. “It is as if that there is still time to redeem the situation. He starts for the first an important point of reference has disappeared in our lives and we time to think of others, feeling tenderness for those around him- are adrift until we can establish new landmarks” ( Ainsworth-Smith previously he is a self-absorbed, arrogant bureaucrat, preoccupied & Speck, 1982, p.1). To describe grief as a process, as the research with prestige, appearance and money. Yalom remarks that Ivan Ilyitch has shown, implies that we are thinking of something occurring over “transformed himself and was able to flood retrospectively, his entire a period of time in different stages and that its nature will change as life with meaning”(Yalom, 1980,p208).Yalom explains that Ivan comes we engage in certain tasks with time. We noted in the study how grief seems to run a more or less constant course but its expression may be modified by various factors or tasks. The abruptness of the loss The death of someone you know and and the opportunity given to us to prepare for the loss are important. Sometimes the grief will enable us to use the time to grow closer to love can indeed be a devastating those who are around us, but for some it has the opposite effect in that experience in which a part of one’s self it isolates and seems to push us away from other people. “In a similar way people may either grow closer to God or alienate themselves is lost. The process by which we seek to from him when they are faced with such a crisis” (Ainsworth-Smith fill the gap in our lives and to find a new & Speck, 1982,p12). The opportunity for growth is there as this study has accentuated in the Dual-Process Model, but we may not always equilibrium is described as grief. Sorrow be able to grasp it. Tolstoy’s advice then is noteworthy: “ Only people and pain are essential ingredients of grief who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals with an associated pining for the world them”.

that has been lost. Grief is thus a very complex process and so it is not surprising, therefore, that for some it continues for a long time or is never really to a stunning truth: he is dying badly because he has lived badly. completed whilst for others it seems to progress gradually without However, he realises that there is still time to redeem the situation. the need for any sort of intervention except for a sensitive listening Likewise, Robert Louis Stevenson in Aes Triplex reminds us: ear (Ainsworth-Smith & Speck, 1982, p.14).Indeed, active support for the bereaved may not continue for very long. Following the funeral And even if death catch people, like an open pitfall, and life must go on and very often the bereaved is alone and isolated with in mid-career, laying out vast projects, and planning their own thoughts and feelings. They must now return to the needs monstrous foundations, flushed with hope, and their of work and their own families. “Full incorporation of the bereaved mouths full of boastful language, they should be at back into the community is parallel to the final phase of grief which once tripped up and silenced: is there not something we described as resolution. We are, therefore, thinking in terms of a brave and spirited in such a termination? And does not period of time nearer to eighteen months than the two or three months life go down with a better grace, foaming in full body that people usually allow”(Ainsworth-Smith & Speck, 1982, p.94). over a precipice, than miserably straggling to an end in sandy deltas? When the Greeks made their fine saying In terms of a counselling model Rogers’ therapeutic core conditions that those whom the Gods love die young, I cannot help are imperative for grief therapy to succeed. Indeed, the most precious believing they had this sort of death also in their eye. gift to the world of therapy in the Rogerian model must surely be its For surely, at whatever age it overtakes the man, this is tested belief in the capacity of one human being to offer another a to die young (Stevenson, 2011, p41). relationship of such quality that transformation and healing can occur. These lessons from literature form the basis of Yalom’s bibliotherapy, Logotherapy was chosen as a preferred orientation for an intermediate a method he uses with good effect, to allow clients to confront stage of grief counselling since it deals pertinently with unavoidable existential issues vicariously. He considers that the task of the writer suffering and pain. Here the logotherapist, not able to change the is like that of the therapist to provide healing for the reader, to de- facts that have caused his client to suffer, refocuses the attention of repress, to reacquaint the individual with something he or she has the sufferer to meanings attainable by a change of attitude – away known all along. “This is precisely the reason that many of the from what cannot be avoided and towards human possibilities still leading existential thinkers, Sartre, Camus, Unamuno, Buber, prefer available under the circumstances. For those who prefer a technique literary exposition rather than formal philosophical argument” (Yalom, oriented model, Gestalt Therapy offers some very powerful techniques 1980, p16). for the skilled counsellor. Frankl’s logotherapy and Yalom’s existential model of therapy offer a more philosophical and spiritual “meaning therapy” for those who seek answers to the key questions of human

40 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER existence. Finally, Yalom’s bibliotherapy is highly commendable for Bibliography those who have a love of literature and who may wish to process their grieving by drawing on particular novelists and poets. Ainsworth-Smith, Ian (1994) Letting Go. London: SPCK. Aries, Philippe (1985) The Hour of Our Death. New York: Knopf Press. Currently, in most schools and organisations, death is a crisis Best, Ron; Lodge, Caroline; Lang, Peter (1995) Pastoral Care, Personal-Social Education. which is managed often reasonably well, sometimes not at all well, London: Cassell. frequently at considerable emotional cost to some teachers and Brill, A.A. (1995) The Basic Writings of Sigmund Freud. New York: The Modern Library managers. While we can never be totally prepared, we can set up Publishers. frameworks and procedures, known and understood by everyone in Clarkson, Petruska (2002) Gestalt Counselling .London: Sage. the school/organisation which will help us when a death occurs. In a society which has ‘swept death under the carpet’, it is unsurprising Didion, Joan (2011) Blue Nights. London: Harper Collins. that teachers/managers feel uncertain, unconfident and sometimes Didion, Joan (2012) The Year of Magical Thinking. London: Harper Collins. reluctant about this aspect of their role. Clearly, high quality training Doka, Kenneth (2007) Death, Dying & Bereavement. New York: Routledge. . and support is needed for staff who can enact a Critical Incidents Frankl, Victor(1984)Man’s Search for Meaning. London: Hodder & Stroughton. Plan and who can act as a resource to other colleagues when a death occurs in the community. We experience losses throughout our lives, Frankl, Victor (1986) The Doctor & The Soul. London: Hodder & Stroughton. and yet we tend not to acknowledge these losses except when they Frankl, Viktor(2000)Man’s Search for Ultimate Meaning. New York: Basic Books. are significant, such as death or the breaking-up of an important Gay, Peter (1998) Freud: A Life for Our Time. New York: Simon and Schuster. relationship. Indeed, death and loss are an area in which many of us Klingsberg, Haddon (2001). Already a Practicising Life Calls Out to Us. New York: in western society feel deskilled and unconfident. “By ignoring the W.W.Norton. effects of small losses we miss out on understanding the processes Konigsberg, R. (2001) The Truth About Grief: The Myth of its Five Stages & The New involved, so when the losses are much bigger, we feel in unfamiliar Science of Loss. New York: Simon & Schuster. territory. At a time of major loss the degree and intensity of the loss Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth (1998)The Wheel Of Life: A Memoir of Living and Dying.London: and the grieving which occurs can be psychologically overwhelming Bantam Books. and emotionally devastating” (Best, Lang, Lodge & Watkins, 1995, Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth (1983) On Children and Death. New York: MacMillan. p.208). For the grieving child or grieving adolescent, it is imperative to Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth (1995) Death: The Final Stage of Growth. New York: Simon & have inputs on bereavement and loss in the Pastoral Care Programme Schuster. of the school. English literature, history, art and science subjects, Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth (1969) On Death & Dying. New York: Simon & Schuster. can all provide opportunities to explore death related issues. By the end of secondary school, the young person should understand in Lewis, C.S. (1988) A Grief Observed. London: Faber & Faber. more depth and breadth the processes involved in change; the young Malpas, G & Soloman, K (1998) Of all the Great Occasions in A Person’s Life. New York: person should understand loss and the phases of grief and be able Harper Collins. to help a bereaved person through the difficult stages of mourning. Neimeyer, Robert (2002) Meaning Reconstruction & the Experience of Loss. “The guiding principle for us working in this area is death as a part Washington: APA Press. of life and loss as part of life and death, and bereavement as part of Norman, James (2004) At the Heart of Education. Dublin:Veritas. a curriculum about change and loss” (Best, Lang, Lodge & Watkins, Noumen, Henri(2004)The Wounded Healer. London: Darton, Longman & Todd. 1995, p.87). O’Donohue, John (2015) Walking on the Pastures of Wonder. Dublin: Veritas. Death is the key to the door of life as Kubler-Ross reminds us (Kubler- Oates, Martha (1993) Death in the School Community. VA: ACA Press. Ross, 1995). It is through accepting the finiteness of our individual Raphael, Beverley (1984) The Anatomy of Bereavement. London: Collins Press. existences that we are enabled to find the strength and courage to Stevenson, R.L.(2010) Essays of Robert Louis Stevenson. Milton Keynes: Hard Press reject those extrinsic roles and expectations and to devote each day Publishing. of our lives – however long they may be – to growing as fully as we Stroebe, Margaret & Stroebe, Wolfgang (2002) New Handbook of Bereavement. are able. We must learn to draw on our inner resources, to define Washington: APA Press. ourselves in terms of the feedback we receive from our own internal Tatelbaum, Judy (1987) Courage to Grieve. London: Vermilion Press. valuing system rather than trying to fit ourselves into some ill-fitting Worden, William (2000) Grief Counselling & Grief Therapy. New York: Bruener- stereotyped role. It is the denial of death that is partially responsible Routledge. for people living empty, purposeless lives; for when you live as if Yalom, Irvin (1989) Love’s Executioner. London: Penguin. you’ll live forever, it becomes too easy to postpone the things you Yalom, Irvin (1980) Existential Psychotherapy. New York: Harper Collins. know that you must do. “You live your life in preparation for tomorrow Yalom, Irvin (2008)Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Dread of Death. San Francisco: or in remembrance of yesterday, and meanwhile each today is lost” Jossey Bass. (Kubler-Ross 1995, p.164). When we fully understand that each day we awaken could be the last, we take the time that day to grow and Journals: to become more of who we really are and to reach out to other human Frankl, Viktor. “Logotherapy and the Challenge of Suffering,” Review of Existential Psychology and Psychiatry,Vol 1 No1, 1961. beings. The final words we leave with the Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore: Professor M.L.O’Rourke is a lecturer in the School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, and the Education Department, Maynooth University. He is also a lecturer at The Military “On the day when death will knock at thy door College, The Curragh, and the Institute of Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy What will thou offer him? (IICP). Dr O’Rourke’s most recent publications include: Life-Span Development and Career Regeneration; Biographical and Educational Reflections in the Life and Times I will set before my guest the full vessel of my life. of Irish Novelist, John McGahern; Specific Kinds of Loss-Teenagers and Children; An I will never let him go with empty hands. . . “ Unfathomable Loss-The Psychology and Aetiology of Suicide. Dr O’Rourke is a Visiting Professor at the University of Indiana and External Examiner at the University of Strathclyde and ICPS Institute of Psychotherapy, Athens.

41 THE INSTITUTE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS NEWSLETTER Dr Bill Law, FRSA

On April 8th last, Bill Law one of the most creative thinkers about what people inwardly seek or what they are in a in the careers field and arguably Britain’s greatest career position to find. theorist died peacefully in Cambridge following a short illness. Bill, a prolific and disciplined writer, regularly In 1996, Bill subsequently put forward a synthesis brought exciting new ideas and insights to the field of of major career theories when he introduced Career careers work and gave guidance counsellors new tools and Learning Theory - a dynamic concept of learning over perspectives to help them guide their students and clients. time. While the original DOTS framework remains viable and influential, Bill took into account the on-going change A qualified secondary school teacher and guidance and parallel developments in career theory, and extended counsellor, early in his career Bill taught for 12 years, four DOTS, pointing to the importance, not only of information- of which were as a school-based guidance counsellor. coverage, but also of learning-processes and emotional- His doctorate was awarded for his research into role and-social influences. re-definitions associated with introducing careers-work programmes into education. He joined the University of Since 1992 Bill has been an independent education Reading in 1972 as a Lecturer in Education and trained consultant - working in the UK and abroad, researching, careers advisers and teachers in masters programmes. writing-up, running workshops and delivering lectures. His website, The Career-Learning Café (www.hihohiho. In 1975, Bill was invited to apply for the first Senior com) is a treasure trove, the fruits of his research and Fellowship of the newly established National Institute writings. In 2013 he was awarded a Fellowship by the for Careers Education and Counselling - NICEC (UK). Royal Society of Arts. He designed, set up and disseminated the Institute’s development work. Its materials were substantially based Bill will be remembered for his ability to empower others on the influential ‘self-opportunity-decision-transition’ to develop their own strengths, beliefs, and personal (DOTS) analysis of careers-work coverage. attributes. As a mentor, he was unreservedly supportive and unfailingly helpful. As a scholar, he was pioneering, It was in the 1977 publication ‘School, Careers and breaking new ground with novel concepts, and could do Community’, that Bill along with Tony Watts introduced so without relinquishing the clarity of language which DOTS. Written at a time when careers education was a was the hallmark of his writing. relatively new term, and in Bill’s own words “careers work usually ranked as an ancillary service - alongside lost- In summary, Bill created a framework for conceptualising property and fire extinguishers” the book described a very the complex nature of career development and his different approach, focusing attention on student learning influence on the theory, research, and practice of career not on the diagnostic skill of the guidance counsellor. counselling and intervention has been monumental.

Four years later ‘Community Interaction Theory’ was May he rest in peace. introduced by Bill into what was, and still is, an ongoing debate about whether career management is mainly Loretta Jennings

42 DIT offers purpose-driven, practice-based programmes at Level 6/7 and Level 8 in Arts & Tourism, Business, Engineering & Built Environment, and Sciences & Health. At the heart of Dublin City for generations, DIT is developing a major new campus at Grangegorman, within easy walking distance of the city centre Visit and served by public transport, including the new Cross-City Luas line. www.dit.ie IICP Education and Training

Summer Series of 1-day Workshops SPECIAL 6 CPD hours for each workshop OFFER

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. 3 for 2 FREE course when Saturday 10th June: ACT is a mindfulness based approach, which helps us to live more in the present moment. you pay for two • Dealing with Clients in the Wake of Suicide. Saturday 1st July: This workshop will help you understand and explore this complicated grief process. • Dealing with Harmful Sexual Behaviours in a Family Context. Saturday 8th July: Gain an understanding of the complexities for a family where there has been a disclosure of sexually harmful behaviour.

• Caring for the Carer. Saturday 15th July: Exploring the risks in helping others, and how helpers can move from personal risk to resilience by using core dimensions of self care.

• Mindfulness in Supervision. Saturday 22nd July: This workshop will explore the use of mindfulness in supervision. Attendees will learn mindfulness practices to bring to their own work and lives.

• Revisiting Counselling Skills. Saturday 29th July: This workshop will provide an opportunity to revisit and further develop the core counselling skills. • Social Media Impact on Minors. Saturday 12th August: This workshop will outline a five step approach to keeping young people safe on social media.

• Solution Focused Brief Therapy – Introduction day. Saturday 19th August: This workshop will provide an introduction to Solution Focused Brief Therapy.

• Solution Focused Brief Therapy – Advanced day. Sunday 20th August: This workshop will look to deepen your understanding of and to practice the skills and methods of the SFBT approach.

• Psychoanalysis in Practice. Saturday 26th August: This workshop aims to offer participants ways of incorporating psychoanalytic thinking into clinical practice.

For further information Contact the IICP office on01 4664205 or visit iicp.ie