2021 Counselling Guide 2021 Pact Counselling Guide PACT Counselling Guide .2 2021 Pact Counselling Guide Contents Brisbane South West Queensland Central West Queensland Brisbane - Inner City Shire of Balonne Barcaldine Region 10 Brisbane - North 28 Shire of Bullo 32 Shire of Barcoo Brisbane - East Maranoa Region Shire of Boulia Brisbane - South Shire of Murweh Shire of Diamantina Brisbane - West Shire of Quilpie Longreach Region Shire of Paroo South East Queensland North Queensland - Other Wide Bay - Burnett Whitsunday Region 17 Scenic Rim Region Bundaberg Region 35 Mackay Region Lockyer Valley Region 28 Fraser Coast Region City of Townsville Somerset Region Gympie Region Ipswich City South Burnett Region Moreton Bay Region Gulf Country Region Logan City City of Mount Isa Redland City Central Queensland 37 Charters Towers Region Sunshine Coast Region Shire of Burdekin City of Gold Coast Central Highlands Region 30 Gladstone Region Shire of Hinchinbrook Rockhampton Region Shire of Cloncurry Shire of Livingstone Palm Island Darling Downs Goondiwindi Region Stanthorpe Region 26 Far North Queensland Toowoomba Region Cairns Region 40 Cassowary Coast Region Tablelands Region Shire of Torres Shire of Carpentaria PACT Counselling Guide .3 2021 Pact Counselling Guide Therapy, counselling or psychotherapy - different names with generally the same purpose; having a trained professional Counselling help someone deal with the trauma they experienced, move beyond the past and be ready to start building a new future. For you, the person being helped is likely your child who has been the victim of, or witness to, a crime. There are many misunderstandings about what counselling actually is and there are lots of stereotypes about what’s involved. This brief guide gives you an overview and introduction so you can better support your child. The research is clear - children who have serious trauma can have significant lifelong effects from it. Some children will make a full recovery without counselling and have no lasting effects, but many aren’t so lucky. For those who don’t recover, the emotional damage is quietly carried around with them, reappearing through adulthood which can prevent them from leading a normal, happy and healthy life. For many, things may appear to be alright on the surface, only for issues to reappear later in their lives. As a PACT client, it’s likely your child has experienced serious trauma, so we hope this overview answers some of your immediate questions and gives you the information to decide whether your child would be helped by having counselling. PACT Counselling Guide .4 2021 Pact Counselling Guide What is Counselling? What Happens in a Are there Different Types Counselling helps children understand Counselling Session? of Counselling Sessions? what happened to them and deal with the Most counselling sessions are about Technically, there are many different types effects of their trauma. It’s about helping a 50 minutes and the focus is on the of therapy, although most will involve the child put into words what they are feeling, counsellor listening to your feelings, counselor and child talking through most helping them think differently, recover thoughts and fears. of the session. from their ordeal, remove any feelings of guilt, give a different perspective on what During the first session, the focus is Some of the more common types are: on getting to know each other and for happened and begin to work towards their • Artistic or Creative. Here the child the first 15 minutes the counsellor will own goals. uses painting, drawing and/or music speak with both the parent/carer and the as a way to explore and communicate child together. This helps the counsellor their feelings. understand more about their background, why you’ve come to see them and • Cognitive. Explores what the child provides information on what you’re trying thinks and what thoughts they have to achieve. about things. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely After 15 minutes of chatting together, used forms of therapy and helps the counsellor then meets with the child, your child to understand their feelings, building a connection so that over time recognise and solve problems and your child is comfortable talking about handle unhelpful thoughts. themselves in an open and honest way. • Person-centered. Where the child Most counsellors at the end of the first focuses on their own strengths and session have a chat with the parent/carer insights, encouraging personal growth. to give an overview of their initial ideas and This type of therapy can guide families how they are planning to help. through relationship issues, self-esteem problems and encourage your child to see their strengths. • Solution-focused. Looks at what the child wants to achieve in future rather than exploring past experiences. PACT Counselling Guide .5 2021 Pact Counselling Guide Counsellor, Psychologist and Psychiatrist - What’s the Difference? Clinical Counsellors Psychologists Psychologists Psychiatrists Can have many Are registered with a Have done further Are medical doctors different backgrounds professional body, usually education in the field who also take further and may not have formal after completing a Bachelor’s of psychology and have qualifications to specialise in education in the field. degree in a relevant field. specialized training in the area of mental health. An accredited counsellor Generally they focus on human how to help with more Because of their medical is someone who has behavior and how people feel, complex problems training, psychiatrists completed a Diploma think, learn and behave. such as depression, understand the human or higher degree Most psychologists use psychosis, PTSD body and are also able to in counselling. “talk-therapy”, which helps and insomnia. prescribe medication if the child to understand their required (which counsellors emotions, why they feel the and psychologists are way they do and how to unable to do). change their thinking so they can lead the life they want. PACT Counselling Guide .6 2021 Pact Counselling Guide Free Counselling with a Mental Health Care Plan A Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) ensures your child can receive 10 therapy sessions each calendar year. Many counsellors and psychologists will “bulk bill” their session fees if you have a Mental Health Care Plan. Some may charge above the Medicare rates so you have to pay ‘a gap’, although this will often be waived if you ask. If your child has been the victim of a crime - like most of the children PACT supports - the fee may be reduced so there is no out-of-pocket expense for you. Getting a MHCP can be a simple process. • Book an appointment with your GP and let them know in advance you want to discuss a MHCP. • If you or your child have already decided on a specific counsellor or psychologist, let your GP know and have the details with you (name, contact number, email and website). • The GP will ask a series of questions about your child’s emotional state using a standard questionnaire. • The GP will ask you or your child to fill out a “K10” form, which is a standard checklist to measure symptoms to see if there is any depression and/or anxiety. Remember, the GP is not there to assist with your child’s mental health. They are trying to establish if there are any mental health issues or pressures, so they can authorize the MHCP. For this reason, mental health symptoms do not need to be severe to qualify for a MHCP, but if you can explain the situation it will help the GP understand why the MHCP is needed. PACT Counselling Guide .7 2021 Pact Counselling Guide Children who have support from parents and family don’t need a therapistt Many parents and carers feel they should be the ones to help when their child is going through something stressful or emotionally painful. While you as a parent/carer are an important source of support, counsellors are better able to teach a child how to deal with their trauma and manage it in a way that lets them build a better future. Children often frequently respond better to counsellors, simply because they understand what their role is, don’t have Common Myths about family dynamics involved and know the counsellor is there only to support them. Counselling If you’ve got kids, you already know they often listen to someone else more, even though you’ve been telling them the same thing for years! Parents and counsellors both play an important role in the child’s overall well- being. But the difference in roles can make a huge difference and having both types of support is critical for the child’s future. PACT Counselling Guide .8 2021 Pact Counselling Guide Therapy is for people who are not smart or strong enough to cope Many people worry that going to counselling means they are “weak” and that they should be able to figure things out on their own. But counsellors and psychologists will often have a lot of knowledge about what your child is going through. They give a new perspective and can teach you and your child coping strategies, such as what to do when your child is feeling overwhelmed. People from all walks of life benefit from therapy. If you or your child are dealing with anxiety, stress or trauma, finding a therapist may be one of the strongest and smartest decisions you can make. There is no need to suffer in silence or “put up with”, “cope” or “make do”. You’ve already been through enough - let people help, because everyone needs help at some point. Counselling is for “crazy” people Everyone has challenges in their lives. It is normal for stress, grief, loss, and traumatic events to have an impact on your child’s mental health.