The counsellor will not give advice or tell the child what to do. My role is to provide a space in which the child can explore their feelings, thoughts and I will listen carefully to make sense of their situations.
Some issues that may come up in counselling include, relationship difficulties, lack of self esteem, destructive behaviour, self harm, bereavement, loss, depression, health issues, Autism, ADHD, OCD, adoption, fostering, neglect, bullying and learning difficulties.
I understand that some children find it difficult to express themselves for a variety of reasons and I have various forms of expression available such as play dough, art and drawing materials, animals, dolls, action figures, games, sand, books and puppets.
It is important to note that all counsellors follow the Ethical Framework For Good Practice In Counselling and psychotherapy as outlined by the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) It is also a requirement that all counsellors attend confidential supervision in order to maintain ethical and professional standards of practice thus ensuring the highest possible standard of care to the children.