This book is the first implementation of research by the School of Human Ecology. Sujata Sriram is Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Human Ecology at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
Counselling in India: An Introduction to the Volume
Psychotherapy and Counselling in India
Much of the training for counselors in India is based on Western models and therapies. While the need for consultants and advisory services is felt across the country, the profession is only just gaining ground in the hinterlands.
The Papers in This Volume
In their study, counselors and teachers emerged as key players, with 'the power to influence and inspire health-seeking behaviour' (p. 154). While most of the papers in this volume examine counseling in the face-to-face mode, the paper by Sriram, Joshi and Sharma titled 'Telephone Counseling in India: Lessons from iCALL' provides insights into the process of counseling through a distance mode to use.
On the Methods Used
One of the main criticisms of qualitative research relates to the problem of generalizing findings. The ten articles in this book bring together current issues relevant to the development of the counseling profession in India.
In addition, targeted sampling of participants is carried out, where the respondents are selected because they best represent the research design and the study's strengths and limitations (Patton 2002). In addition to qualitative approaches, some of the studies in this volume use mixed methods, where efforts are made to combine the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
Counsellor Characteristics and the Counselling Experience
The Role of the Counsellor
In 1997, the American Counseling Association (ACA) adopted the following definition of professional counseling: 'The application of principles of mental health, psychological or human development through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic intervention strategies that address well-being, personal growth or career development, as well as pathology' (as cited in Marini and Stebnicki 2009, p. 16). Counselors help clients reach 'their optimal level of psychosocial functioning through resolution of negative patterns, prevention, rehabilitation and improvement of quality of life' (Hershenson and Power 1987, as cited in Marini and Stebnicki 2009, p. 16).
Counsellor Experiences in the Field
They also noted that personal and professional interpersonal experiences are important sources of influence on professional development. Other literature focuses on the possibility of experiences of extreme stress and the possibility of burnout in therapists (e.g. Figley 2002).
Counselling in India
However, not much relevant research has been done on counseling and psychotherapy in India. The fact that there is no common curriculum for counseling or psychotherapy training in India compounds the problem of lack of regulation of the profession.
Studying Counsellor Characteristics and Experiences
The interview guide ensured that the same basic lines of inquiry were followed with each interviewee allowing the conversation to flow freely within the time available. The conversations were audio-recorded, with the consent of the participants, to maintain an accurate summary of the conversation, including elements of tone and emphasis with minimal interference in the interview situation.
The Self of the Counsellor
Each participant was interviewed face-to-face for 1.5 to 3.5 hours in their work environment, home, or both. In labeling the categories, we tried to use words or phrases used by the participants in the study.
Counsellor Characteristics
- Professional Characteristics
- Personal Characteristics
- The Narrative Experience of Being a Counsellor
- Satisfaction
Most of the participants expressed a desire to help people and to work closely with them. The participants were asked about the values they believed were an essential part of the counseling process.
The Totality of Being a Counsellor in India
In accordance with the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics, participants demonstrated a need for continuing education. The participants' approach was shaped by the values of the profession and the Indian socio-cultural context and reflected the culturally specific structure of counselling.
Challenges Experienced by Novice Counsellors
- Psychotherapy Research
- Novice Counsellors
- Challenges During the Novice Counsellor Phase
- Novice Counsellors in India
- Counsellor Profile and Practice Characteristics
- Challenges Encountered
- Organization Related Challenges
- Practice-Related Challenges
- Profession Related Challenges
- Attributions
- Coping
- Coping Strategies Related to Others
- Coping Strategies Related to the Self
- The Experience of Being Novice Counsellors
- Implications
One of the other organization-related challenges faced by counselors was insufficient monetary reimbursement. Many of the counselors in the study worked with other counselors who were also novices.
Synergies Between Personal
- The Counselling Process
- The Effectiveness of the Counsellor
- The Personal and Professional Development of the Counsellor
- The Synergy of the Personal and the Professional Life
- Studying the Synergy of the Personal and the Professional
- The Personal Life of Counsellors
- Impact on the Self
- Influence on Health
- Influence on the Family
- Professional Roles Versus Personal Roles
- Current Professional Practice .1 Professional Development
- Professional Identity
- The Road Ahead
- Conclusions
The study aimed to explore and understand the impact of the counseling process on the counselor's personal life and current professional practice. Third, the effect of interpersonal experiences in one's personal life on the professional development of a counselor was demonstrated by Ronnestad and Starkey (2003).
Beginning the Journey: What Motivates Therapists to Join the Profession?
- What Motivates Therapists to Join the Profession?
- Studying Therapist Motivations
- Entering the Field of Psychology
- The Story of Ameesh
- Interest
- Personal Qualities
- Personal experiences
- Personal needs
- Destiny and chance
- Life stage
- Gender issues
- Conclusion
Beatty (2012) reported that 60% of respondents cited their experiences with personal therapy as a motivating factor for entering the profession. Some therapists discussed how they were destined to study psychology and practice as a therapist.
Exploring Values of Therapists in India
Introduction
Furthermore, Hart mentions that, as the therapist develops, psychotherapy moves from being seen as 'What I do' to being perceived as 'Who I am'. 2009) also claim that it is a common view that the therapist's most valuable tool is his or her 'self'. In recent years, however, therapist variables such as the therapist's personality and coping patterns, level of emotional well-being, values, beliefs and cultural attitudes have received research attention.
Understanding Values
Nonetheless, several reviews of the literature have found that therapeutic factors such as therapist experience level, training, expectations, and intervention style are inconclusively and poorly related to therapy outcomes (Beutler et al. 2004). In the field of psychotherapy, there is a lack of research and understanding of the role of aspects of the therapist's self, such as personal values, regardless of their impact on therapy outcomes.
Values in Psychotherapy
Practitioners often choose a theoretical orientation based on the congruence between the theory's philosophy and values with their own values and philosophy. Research has shown that therapists usually choose a theoretical orientation that is compatible with their own values and beliefs, and how the theoretical orientations can in turn help shape and define the therapists' values and beliefs (Myers 2013; Demir and Gazioglu 2012). .
The Experienced Therapist
However, much of the research focus has been on studying psychotherapy and not psychotherapists. According to Carlsson and Schubert (2009), psychotherapy has mainly been studied as a set of methods, techniques or procedures that are effective in themselves, regardless of the therapist who uses them.
Studying Therapist Values in India
Safety: The defining goal was safety, harmony and stability of society, relationships and of the self. Tradition: The defining goal was respect, devotion, and acceptance of the customs and ideas offered by one's culture or religion.
Profile of the Participant Therapists
The quantitative and qualitative data obtained from the study were an in-depth and rich account of the therapist's values and a first-hand description of the role values played in the participants' therapeutic practice. Another striking feature of the sample of respondents to the study was that all the participating therapists were women.
Personal and Professional Values
- Benevolence
- Honesty
- Self-direction
- Universalism
Thus, the narratives of the participating therapists reflected the key role honesty played in their lives as individuals and practitioners. As therapists, study participants reported that they strived to bring this value into their practice by continually empowering their clients.
A Summary of Therapist Personal and Professional Values
They reported that the value of loyalty and faithfulness is one of the important values they uphold both professionally and personally, including the value of commitment. Consequently, the next section will examine in more detail the different sources of values that the participating therapists reported in their narratives.
Sources of Values
- Family
- Training
- Clients
- Religion and Spirituality
Some of the respondents, such as Shreya, Sonali and Vinita, also reported that their supervisors and trainers, in addition to training, also contributed to their value of growth as therapists. Shreya described the degree of connection she shared with her clients and how important they were in helping her understand the value of engagement in her life.
The Model
Although the mainstream scientific community may regard values in psychotherapy with caution, despite the availability of substantial research to prove otherwise, there is no denying that therapist values play a significant role in not only professional practice but also in personal interactions . . As established in the present study, values such as benevolence (caring and compassion), honesty, self-directedness (growth and respect) and universalism (equality and justice) influence not only the choice of therapeutic methods, but also style. of interaction and the quality of the therapeutic relationship.
Implications for Psychotherapy Practice
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA, March. Extending the cross-cultural validity of the theory of basic human values with a different measurement method.
Training in Counselling: Trainers’
Perspectives
Counselling Training in India and Issues Thereof
The duration of the programs varies from short-term programs of a few months to longer programs of 1 to 2 years. There are currently no regulations in India for the nature and content of the training programs.
Ground-Level Issues Related to Counselling Training
Personal Development: This section included items about personal development of the student, if it was part of the program, ways to carry out personal development, etc. Evaluation: This consisted of questions about method used for evaluating performance, views of the most effective way to evaluate performance, etc.
Programme Details
The curriculum scope for the degree programs was greater than that of the short-term programs, but less than that of the 2-year degree program. Specifically, there was a demand for trainers in some of the programs, as expressed by the participants.
History
The target group for the courses varied according to the nature of the course. One of the diploma programs had 2-4 male students in each group of 20 students, a short-term program estimated women-.
Admissions
In one of the graduate programs, while admission was open to people from various specializations, an unwritten preference was given to students with a psychology background. In all programs, the majority of students were female, confirming the reality that counseling is a female-dominated profession.
Content, Structure and Revision
It turned out that there was a similarity in the course content, but the titles of the courses were different. All diploma programs introduced aspects of the counseling process and skills, accompanied by theoretical perspectives on therapy and intervention.
Teaching
The revisions concerned the addition of components that were felt to be lacking in the existing curriculum; aspects such as disability are included. Three institutes spoke of revisions in program content, emphasizing supervised internships and more rigorous practice components.
Fieldwork
For the short-term program that did not have fieldwork, the assumption was that the lack of fieldwork did not adversely affect the quality of the program. Here we learn the techniques that should only be learned in the presence of the trainer.
Personal Development
Evaluation
The training used case presentations, in addition to workshops and book reviews. An appealing response from a teacher in a diploma program was: 'Evaluation must match the objectives.
Placement Opportunities
One of the trainers of the short-term program said, “In the advanced training in cognitive behavioral counseling, we tell the students to record the case and write the transcript of the entire recording as it is and submit it to us, and than it is evaluated'. Although the methods of evaluating performance differed between the programs, it was noted that emphasis was placed on the practical application of the theory and the effectiveness of students in handling the theory and learning from it.
Experience as Practitioners
A similar concern was raised by one of the instructors in the 2-year study program, where she said,. If a change in attitude is to be achieved, it does not have to happen within the limited time duration of the programme; it was hoped that some seeds of change would be sown during the programme.
Future of Counselling as a Profession
Poor income in the beginning was one of the factors that made new trainees reluctant to enter the field. Writing about counseling in newspapers helped spread awareness about the nature and scope of the field.
The Road Ahead
There is no rationale in the design of the fieldwork modules across institutes and universities. Most of the therapeutic interventions referred to by the trainers in the study derive from the Western models of theory and practice.
Exploring Expressions: Therapists’ Use of the Creative Arts in Therapy
History of Creative Arts Therapies
In Greek civilization, Apollo, the god of medicine, was also the god of music. Professional associations were formed, universities began to offer degrees in art therapies, and journals publishing the effectiveness of these therapies were circulated in the academic environment.
Creative Arts Therapies and Their Effectiveness
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, creative arts therapies are firmly established as an important part of complementary medicine for psychological and physiological ailments. Art therapies are being used in every aspect of medical practice such as hospitals, hospices, other health care facilities and private practices (Pratt 2004).
Creative Arts Therapies in India
It is based on a variety of approaches, including art as therapy, art as psychotherapy, and the use of art for traditional healing (Knill et al. 1995). The use of an intermodal approach is effective in improving communication and social skills, improving emotional expression, improving motor movements, stimulus perception and memory, and reducing impulsive behavior among individuals in a rehabilitation home for adults with mental disorders and a discharge center (The World). Foundation Center for Creative Learning 2010).
Researching Creative Arts Therapies in India
Theory of Change
- Body Mind Connect
- Alternate form of Communication and Catharsis
Stimulation of the brain through sound vibrations regulated the brain in a balanced way, which turned out to be therapeutic. There is a transfer of information, as well as simultaneous activation of both sides of the brain.
Nature of Therapeutic Relationship in Creative Art(S) Therapies
One of the art therapists, Claire, believed that the role of the therapist was to be the higher voice guiding clients to paint in a style that could heal them. She spoke of an implicit hierarchy in the therapeutic relationship whereby the therapist ultimately guided the clients so that the painting became therapeutic and the nature of the colors began to have a healing effect on them.
The Counselling Process
- Publicity and Referral Mechanisms
- Preparation for the Therapeutic Session
Before beginning a session, she created a space conducive to the client's needs. The space created by the therapist was as much a part of the therapeutic process as the interactions that took place in the later part of the session.
Therapeutic Assessment
One of the therapists (Theresa) talked about using storytelling as an art form for this purpose. The specific language that was communicated served as a basis upon which the therapist could assess the client's needs and set appropriate goals.
Creative Art(s) Therapies and Goal Setting
It gave them qualitative information about the customers, allowing them to understand the customer's position, as well as the core issues and design interventions that could be beneficial to the customer. However, the therapists spoke of achieving these goals as a means of establishing complete balance in the person.
Creative Art(s) Therapies and Intervention Strategies
- Warm Up
When they entered the common room, they were given the responsibility of clearing the space and arranging the materials for the session. Theresa, also an expressive therapist, identified herself as a counselor and started a therapy session by structuring the session—session timing, frequency, payment, and the like.
Theme-Based Techniques
- Relaxation Techniques
- Reflecting Techniques
- Use of Metaphors
The theme of the session would be to use the color to complete the exercise described by the therapist. Theme building of the session in music therapy involved direct administration of the music to the client.
Closure of the Session
They contain multi-layered meanings and can have a strong influence on an individual on a conscious and subconscious level. Metaphors provide a connection between the artwork, the client and the therapist, which allowed the session to flow together and not dissolve into abstractions.
Termination and Follow-Up
With music therapists, the duration of therapy depended on the client's resources and availability. They understood the last session as a celebratory event: 'The whole atmosphere is created by preparing for it in advance.
The Scope of Creative Art(s) in Therapy
Based on the assessment of the person(s), the goals were formulated by the therapist and the client. An investigation into the use of group music therapy techniques for the treatment of depression in adolescents.
The Role of a School Counsellor
- The Role of the School Counsellor
- The Innovative School Leader
- The Collaborative Case Consultant
- The Responsive Direct Service Provider
- The Administrative Team Player
- School Counselling in India
- My Understanding of the Role of the School Counsellor
- An Emphasis on the Systemic Perspective
- The Ecosystem of the Child and the School Counsellor
- Child in the Community .1 Role of the School Counsellor
- The Child in the Family
- Role of the School Counsellor
- The Child in the School: The Role of the School Counsellor
- The School Environment and Culture
- Working with Teachers
- Teacher Attitudes: Prejudices and Beliefs
- Labelling
- The Student–Teacher and the Student–Counsellor Relationship
- Clarifying Misconceptions
- The Child: Role of the School Counsellor .1 Identifying
- Assessing
- Raising Awareness About the Nature and the Need for Counselling
- Mapping the Way Forward
The role of the school counselor had to be explained to the teachers, along with the distinction between the counselor -. Identifying children who need counseling becomes an integral part of the school counselor's work (Kodad and Kazi 2014; Sinha 2006).
Marital Counselling in India: Perspectives from Family Court Counsellors
The Implementation of the Family Courts Act, 1984
- Marriage Counsellors in the Family Court
Another intention of the central government of India in the establishment of family courts was to provide an inexpensive remedy for family disputes and problems. TISS was instrumental in setting up the Matrimonial and Family Counseling Department in Mumbai, first as a pilot project and then as a permanent establishment (Agnes 2001).
Themes that Emerged
- The Implementation of the Family Courts Act
- Nature of Issues and Types of Cases Handled
- Good Practice Models—Techniques and Practices
One aspect of the discussion concerned the types of cases handled by the various courts. When there was a delay in the return of the spouse, the likelihood of extramarital involvement increased.
