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Guide to Empathy
Counselling is a tough career. We all admire those people who can listen to and help the most troubled of souls. As a counsellor, you're an ear and an empathy to all types of human crises and emotions. You may also, of course, be a career guidance counsellor, no less demanding and responsible a job. After all, not many people get to influence the course of whole careers and life-times.
Most careers guidance services - and jobs - are education-based and located within educational institutions. In schools, the system largely demands full-time guidance counsellors. Schools and universities also require psychological counselling for students. This latter form of counselling, plus addiction and relationship counselling, are the largest sources of employment for qualified counsellors today.
There's also a big need currently for guidance counsellors to work with long-term unemployed adults through the Local Employment Services (run by the Department of Enterprise and Employment). There's currently a big development of guidance services in FÁS and vacancies will exist there. Local health and welfare boards have begun training local (Department-employed) Youthreach staff in non-formal counselling of troubled youth. They have also begun training teachers and counsellors for adult education guidance services, and there's an increasing provision of teacher counsellors in primary schools. Remember, these are all new avenues so career prospects are good. You'll either work in one of these positions or, with the right qualifications and experience, you could actually be training the aforementioned people.
There are several ways to get your counselling qualifications, depending on how much time you have to spare. Bear in mind from the outset, however, that the one-year full-time post-graduate diploma in guidance, presently available in UCC and NUI Maynooth, or a MEd in Guidance (TCD), is required by the Department of Education if you want to work in second level schools.
There is a part-time alternative, if you've got the will but not the time for the latter courses. This option is a Master of Science Degree in Counselling, provided by the Marino Institute of Education in association with Iona University, New York. This programme lasts 3-4 years and is recognised for employment in second level schools.
The University of Limerick, meanwhile, has a Graduate Diploma in Guidance Counselling course, established since 1997 which can be taken part-time over 2 years. This course also has Department of Education recognition for employment in second level schools. The course is presented on-campus in Limerick and also held in Carrick-on-Shannon.
VEC courses, taken in the evening, will get you a Certificate or Diploma in counselling. These courses are available in most of the main VEC venues. Check with your local VEC centre for times etc.
Yet another option is now available with the Centre for Adult and Continuing Education, Maynooth, now offering postgraduate diploma, diploma and certificate courses in adult guidance.
Here are some useful contacts if you're interested in taking a course in counselling:
1. The Psychological Service
Department of Education and Science
Marlborough Street
Dublin 1.
Phone: (01) 873 4700
2. FAS - Training and Employment Authority
27 / 33 Upper Baggot Street
Dublin 4.
Phone: (01) 607 0500
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
The Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC)
17 Herbert Street
Dublin 2.
Phone: (01) 676 1975
Details: The Institute was established in 1968 and is the professional body representing over 700 practitioners in educational institutes. The Institute's regular newsletter and annual Journal are both well worth perusing. You can get them by contacting the Institute.
Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
21 Dublin Road
Bray
Co Wicklow
Phone: (01) 272 3427
Details: Established as a registered charity in 1981, IACP is an organisation that promotes therapeutic counselling and represents counselling interests throughout Ireland
REPRESENTATIVE BODIES WHO EMPLOY OR TRAIN COUNSELLORS:
1. The National Rehabilitation Board
25 Clyde Road,
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4.
Phone: (01) 6684181
E-mail: nrb@iol.ie
2. Youth Information Resource Unit
Department of Education and Science
Hawkins House (Floor 11)
Hawkins Street
Dublin 2.
Phone: (01) 878 8595
INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR TRAINING RECOGNISED BY SCHOOLS:
1. Department of Applied Psychology
University College Cork
Cork.
Phone: (021) 902 410
2. Department of Higher Education Studies
Trinity College
Dublin 2.
Phone: (01) 608 1723
3. Education Department
NUI Maynooth
Maynooth
Kildare.
Phone: (01) 628 5222
4. Marino Institute of Education
Griffith Avenue
Dublin 9.
Phone: (01) 833 5287
E-mail: mie@iol.ie
5. University of Limerick
Second Level Education Section
Limerick.
Phone: (061) 202 700
FURTHER RESOURCES:
Irish Institute of Counselling & Hypnotherapy (IICH) Education Ltd.
118 Stillorgan Road
Dublin 4.
Phone : (01) 260 0118
Fax / Data: (01) 260 0115
E-mail iich@therapy.iol.ie
Details: Courses Offered Through IICH Education include a two-year Diploma Course in Counselling, NLP and Ericksonian Hypnotherapy. There's also a Foundation Skills Certification Course in Counselling, Hypnotherapy and NLP. So too, a Counselling Skills Course leading to a European-recognised EdExcel Certification. The group also organises training in Clinical Supervision (for Counsellors and Therapists) and graduate certification in Counselling Studies.
If you'd like to contact us about this or any other article, you can phone on (01) 496 2484 or e-mail info@nightcourses.com
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