Personal Preparation Plan for Trauma-Informed Practice - Discussing Racial Identity Respectfully

In Episode 311 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through this week's three topics:

Firstly, in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at creating your personal preparation plan for trauma-informed practice.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Sarah Henry about discussing racial identity respectfully.

And lastly, in 'Student Services', Rory and Ken talk about confidentiality laws for therapists.

Personal Preparation Plan for Trauma-Informed Practice [starts at 04:00 mins]

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Transference - an emotional time machine. Transference describes when you meet someone brand new, but experience feelings and emotions from a past relationship or encounter.

Parallel Process - classic parallel process is when a client is going through something similar to what you might have experienced and you begin to feel confused about whose frame of reference you're in, and what emotions belong to who. A more contemporary form of parallel process might be when you begin to enact client behaviours in supervision.

Be aware of what your own triggers are.

Recognise the work you're doing and the need to be present and well.

Work can make us fatigued and irritable - it's about planning how we'll deal with these scenarios.

What are you doing outside of your practice to relax and unwind?

Implement self-care strategies that are unique to you.

Use your supervisor to help you work through these.

Grounding techniques can also work for you, not just the client.

Personal therapy can be a great way to work through these feelings.

Peers - talk with your peers about what you might be feeling.

Personal reflection - understand how the self can influence how you are able to show up in the therapy room.

When it comes to working with trauma, it's important to look out for yourself as well as the client. In this section, Rory and Ken describe some of the things to consider when it comes to having a personal preparation plan, and why it's a good idea to have one in place:

Discussing Racial Identity Respectfully [starts at 30:18 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Sarah Henry about discussing racial identity respectfully.

The main points of this section include:

It's important to acknowledge differences and similarities in experiences because of race.

'Colourblindness', and treating everyone equally, while having positive intent, erases racial identity.

Finding common ground consists of the ability to both share and receive

There is a lot of fear around race: the fear of saying the wrong thing, fear of offending someone, and on the other side of the conversation, a fear of not being listened to, of daring to be vulnerable and that being exploited, and a fear of nothing changing.

It's important to make intentions clear, both in how something is delivered and in how it is received. Be open to understanding how something was received, regardless of the intent it was said with.

As a therapist, having the courage to acknowledge your own racial identity and be vulnerable to a client who might say 'actually, I'm not sure you're the right person to work with me', is a huge step.

Your client will let you know if they are comfortable working with you or not, create an environment where that can be discussed and considered.

Allow open communication, and be open to learning.

Recognise and become aware of the mundane ways everyday things are racialised, e.g. plasters.

Where do we fit in this racialised world and what impact does that have on us? Appreciate that there are people who are positioned differently in that structure.

Confidentiality Laws for Therapists [starts at 54:52 mins]

It can be daunting to learn about the laws around counselling...

Relational Depth in Trauma Therapy - Getting Your Reading List in Order

In Episode 310 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through this week's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at relational depth.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Dr Sonja Falck about the importance of personal development (PD) groups to a qualified practitioner.

And lastly in 'Student Services', Rory and Ken talk about getting your reading list in order for the academic year.

Relational Depth in Trauma Therapy [starts in 03:34 mins]

Relational depth is an important aspect of working with traumatised clients. In this section, Rory and Ken discuss how to build relational depth and its benefits:

Trauma isn't just a dysregulation of our thinking, but of our physical being.

It's important to offer a client compassion - sometimes we have to empathically suffer with the client.

Meet the client where they are with unconditional positive regard.

Relational depth requires a high quality of listening.

It's not just about listening to the words a client says, but thinking about their body language. What are their eyes/hands doing? How is their breathing?

Practice embodiment exercises - think about your posture, how are you sitting? Are your feet planted firmly on the ground to give you a grounding of self, being mindful in the moment?

Being aware of your own body, even focusing on the air as you breathe in and out, will help you keep yourself fully grounded in the here and now.

Be robust and regulated against projection.

Avoid rescuing tendencies - allow the client to process trauma without jumping in to 'fix' them.

Manage your personal regulation and recognise dysregulation.

Importance of PD Groups to Qualified Practitioners [starts in 20:37 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Dr Sonja Falck about the importance of PD groups to a qualified practitioner.

The key points of this discussion include:

People can have differing experiences of PD groups.

Being in a group is a powerful experience - evolutionarily, belonging in a group was safer than being on your own, helping each other to find resources and protect against predators.

It's in our DNA to want to belong in a group and seek safety and acceptance.

On the flip side, this can evoke fears of rejection, being disapproved of, and/or being excluded.

There are 3 main aspects to a successful PD group for counselling practitioners: clarity, safety, and skill.

Clarity - what is the purpose of the group? What are you doing and how are you going to do it? How do individuals participate? There needs to be an understanding of these things within a group for it to succeed.

Safety - create conditions where people start to build trust with other members of the group. This allows them to feel like they can take risks and express themselves without something disastrous happening.

Having safety doesn't mean no one will ever feel uncomfortable - it's creating safe discomfort.

Skill - there needs to be the skill of the facilitator in helping to create this feeling of safety. How do you manage when someone feels uncomfortable or triggered by what somebody has said and ongoingly create and maintain clarity?

They should be able to model good interpersonal interactions and encourage them.

For neurodivergent counsellors in PD groups, it can be really useful to make things very explicit, e.g. when you react in X way, it might be understood/received in Y way.

Can you express or communicate things such as, 'I want to say something, but I'm worried it will take up too much time', etc.

Encouraging people to share what's really going on for them can be incredibly useful.

There can be different types of PD groups: a closed group over a fixed period of time, or an open, ongoing group with no end date.

Online Trauma Therapy - Exploring Neurodivergence Creatively in Therapy

In Episode 309 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through this week's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at online trauma therapy.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Amy Peters about exploring neurodiversity creatively.

And lastly,in 'Student Services', Rory and Ken talk about how to recognise vicarious trauma.

Online Trauma Therapy [starts at 03:10 mins]

Online and telephone counselling have become increasingly popular in recent years, making it even more important that we're aware of the challenges that can come from working remotely. In this section, Rory and Ken take us through some key things to be aware of when working online:

You should look into doing some training before working online - it comes with its own challenges and considerations that don't apply to in-person counselling.

The DisinhibitionEffect - sometimes, people act a certain way online or say things that they wouldn't say in a normal face-to-face interaction.

The Black Hole Effect - what happens if a client just disappears? Was it their internet or their choice? There are more unknowns when it comes to working online, compared with working in-person.

Fantasy Attachment - clients can build a fantasy of you in their minds. They might experience transference or fantasise about a different form of relationship with you.

For telephone counselling, allow your client to put a face to the name by having a picture of your listing if possible. This can help minimise the risk of the disinhibition effect or fantasy attachment.

You will need to have your client's location and emergency contacts, ideally someone aware the client is receiving therapy - this is something you might not consider necessary for in-person therapy.

Utilising mental health questionnaires can help a client see their own progress through the arc of their therapy.

They can also serve as a good safety protocol to assess risk.

Click here to read more about Online Trauma Therapy

Exploring Neurodivergence Creatively in Therapy [starts at 25:21 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Amy Peters about exploring neurodiversity creatively.

The key points of this discussion include:

There are still stereotypes around working with autistic and ADHD clients.

People who are late-diagnosed/late-identified can sometimes find it hard to explore that newfound neurodivergence just by talking.

It might be more beneficial to work with them creatively.

Art, music, and games can transcend communication differences.

Being able to use a client's passions, interests, or hyperfixations can be a great way to really engage them within therapy.

Masking - if a client has been masking for many years, there will be a lot of suppression. There might be a lot of things there to uncover during sessions.

It can be really beneficial to use creative methods to externalise something that's been suppressed for so long and hidden from the self.

Russian nesting dolls can be used to look at layers of masking.

Be flexible and open to change, what is the client comfortable with?

Creating emotional safety within the therapy room is really important.

Ask about and make any sensory considerations or adaptations.

Use creativity as an outlet or relief.

How to Recognise Vicarious Trauma [starts at 41:22 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken take us through vicarious trauma. How can we recognise it in ourselves and others and how can it impact us?

Vicarious trauma is trauma that a helper can experience when listening to, or working with, clients with trauma.

As a therapist, you can hear very difficult stories, and these can stick with you.

Even the brief mention of something can bring up past experiences for you,

Writing Creatively in Therapy - Trauma: What Counselling Students Need to Know

In Episode 308 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through this week's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at grounding techniques for trauma.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Dr Jessica J. Clapham about writing creatively in therapy and its benefits to well-being.

And lastly in 'Student Services', Rory and Ken talk about trauma, and what to know as a counselling student.

Grounding Techniques for Trauma [starts at 03:43 mins]

Grounding techniques are an essential skill when working with clients affected by trauma. In this section, Rory and Ken discuss when we can put grounding techniques into action, and their impact:

What do you do when your client dissociates? This means your client is taken back to the past, this could be a traumatic event or conversation they have experienced.

Grounding techniques are a way to bring your client back to the here and now.

If you know a client might touch on something traumatic in a session, you can use grounding techniques before you start to help bring them into a more relaxed state.

Disclose to the client that they might experience dissociation when speaking about trauma - psychoeducation can be really helpful in normalising a client's responses to their trauma.

Take notice of body language and voice etc. to recognise when intervention might be necessary.

Look out for fight-or-flight, or shutdown in your client.

Be a regulating, calm influence within the therapy room.

There are six different grounding techniques that you can try with clients to find the most effective for them.

Teach a client these grounding techniques for trauma so that they know how to use them when needed - maybe suggest they practice them at home.

Writing Creatively in Therapy [starts at 26:01 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Dr Jessica J. Clapham about writing creatively in therapy and its benefits to well-being.

The key points of this discussion include:

Writing is a process that allows us to organise our thoughts and to record and recognise our feelings.

Clients can explore their own feelings in response to either a piece of poetry or an image.

It can help clients to access the subconscious and explore feelings they might find difficult to articulate.

Dr Clapham's group process usually follows these steps:

Identifying themes within a poem or image.

Exploring your feelings in writing, without caring about punctuation etc.

Juxtaposing - listening to other perspectives if people feel comfortable sharing.

Re-framing - put positive change into action in light of new information.

This exercise can help people to find their voice.

It places focus more on the journey than the destination.

Encourages clients to develop self-compassion.

Trauma: What Counselling Students Need to Know [starts at 44:18 mins]

Trauma is something that isn't focused on during the foundations of counselling studies, but during placement, it's possible you might come across it. In this section, Rory and Ken give an overview of the importance of gaining knowledge about trauma in the therapy room:

Simple things can trigger trauma for clients, it could be as simple as recounting a walk to work.

Learn how to recognise when trauma presents in clients.

Be aware of vicarious trauma - being exposed to a traumatic event, even second-hand, can take its toll on you.

Practising self-care is important, do your best to recognise when you might be experiencing vicarious trauma.

Utilise supervision and take any concerns to your supervisor.

Consider personal therapy if something comes up in a session with a client that triggers something for you.

Links and Resources

Trauma-Informed Grounding Techniques: Essential Tools for ...

Special Edition: The Importance of Human Connection in Counselling Training

In this Special Episode of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your host Rory Lees-Oakes speaks with Kelly Budd from the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB), and Meg Moss from the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) about the integrity of counselling training.

Both the CPCAB and the NCPS are coming together to tackle the increase in digital distance learning and stress the importance of human connection in counselling training through their campaign: Therapeutic Relationships: the Human Connection.

The key takeaways of this week's podcast include:

Certain places online offer 'counselling training' that requires no tutor-led or in-person training. Unfortunately, this training won't qualify you to advance to the next level.

There are also new chatbots and apps being marketed as accessible alternatives to traditional therapy.

Counselling is all about human-to-human connection. It is two people in a room for the benefit of one person, and the training for this should reflect that.

Core counselling training requires tutors, in-person practice, feedback, and peer communication - it's this human connection that forms the foundations of your learning.

By bringing attention to the importance of human connection in counselling training and provision, it's not only protecting clients in need from meeting with an untrained counsellor, but also protecting the individuals who genuinely want to become counsellors from being misled and wasting their time and money.

The CPCAB and NCPS are campaigning for the government to:

Prioritise human practitioners in public funding and policies for mental health support, including policies that increase access to trained therapists and prioritise the therapeutic relationship.

Establish guidelines and transparency for digital tools, ensuring service providers disclose the use of AI or digital tools.

Commit to investing in research and infrastructure to allow for effective, human-centred therapy to be delivered timely.

Improve regulatory scrutiny on the delivery of live guided learning hours in accordance with regulatory definitions.

While AI and digital tools offer potential as supportive resources, they cannot be used as a replacement for face-to-face counselling.

People looking to become counsellors should make sure they do their research before signing on to a course - what is the progression route of this course? Will it allow you to get where you want to be? Does it offer in-person practice sessions and tutor-led teaching with opportunities for feedback?

Join the conversation by taking part in this industry-wide survey here:

Human Connection - Industry Survey

Find out more about the Therapeutic Relations: The Human Connection Campaign below:

Therapeutic Relationships - CPCAB

Therapeutic Relationships: The Human Connection

Links and Resources

Counselling Skills Academy

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Shop

Facebook group

Website

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course

Growing and Evolving as a Counsellor - Reflecting on Your Counselling Training Journey

In Episode 307 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly are back with this week's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at growing and evolving as a counselling practitioner across the arc of our practice.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Amy Peters about neurodivergent-affirming therapy practice.

And lastly in 'Student Services', we look at reflecting on your counselling training journey.

Growing and Evolving as a Counsellor [starts at 03:10 mins]

As a counsellor, we want to be constantly improving ourselves and our practice. In this section, Rory and Ken go through some steps you can take to continue growing and evolving:

Take feedback and reflect on it. Is there anything you can change to improve?

Continual professional development (CPD) - become an expert in your field, whether this be a niche that you have a particular interest in.

Consider an area you might want to specialise in.

Look at your client retention and reflect on what could improve.

Partake in self-reflection and awareness.

How can you develop yourself within the therapeutic relationship? How can you speak more freely and integrate yourself with the client to develop deeper relational depth?

How are you applying your knowledge through communication?

Create a network of like-minded people.

You can gain valuable insights from colleagues.

Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy Practice [starts at 25:17 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Amy Peters about her lecture on neurodivergent-affirming practice.

The key points of this discussion include:

Your client could be late diagnosed - this means they could be looking back on all of their experiences through a different lens, reshuffling them to gain understanding.

It's important for a client to recognise it as a difference, not something 'wrong'.

Consider intersectionality and how this affects the unique experience of each individual.

We're not trying to get rid of these neurodivergent traits in our clients, but we're looking at how they can learn acceptance, self-compassion, and reduce possible self-blame.

To see if we are providing neurodivergent-affirming therapy, reflect on how accommodating and flexible our practice is. Can we offer movement breaks or provide fidget toys?

It's important to use non-pathologizing language.

Don't dismiss the challenges or struggles of a client.

For further reflection on how we can provide neurodivergent-affirming therapy, let's identify our own internal biases.

Reflecting on Your Counselling Training Journey [starts at 47:35 mins]

As important as it is to look to the future, there is also much to be gained from reflecting on the past. In this section, Rory and Ken share some of the benefits of thinking back on your own counselling training:

Taking time to reflect is important for self-development.

Where are you on your journey? What comes next? Who are you now?

Take a moment to let everything wash over you.

Look back at your own growth and development.

Reflect on how much you've changed.

Your outside relationships - it's important to understand that they haven't been through the same experiences you have, and while your worldview might have changed, theirs remains the same.

Links and Resources

Amy Peters

Counselling Skills Academy

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Shop

Facebook group

Website

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course

Unmasking Neurodivergence and Ethnicity Using Digital Tools - Giving Feedback to Your Tutors

In Episode 306 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through this week's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at recognising suicide risk in your therapy clients.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Lesley Simpson-Gray about unmasking neurodivergence and ethnicity using digital tools.

And lastly in 'Student Services', Rory and Ken talk about how to give feedback to your tutors.

Recognising Suicide Risk in Therapy Clients [starts at 03:41 mins]

Supporting a client who is at risk of taking their own life can be very challenging as a counsellor. In this section, Rory and Ken discuss some ways of recognising if your client is high risk, and the steps you can take to prepare for this:

It's time to make a shift away from prediction-based risk assessment and towards an emphasis on therapeutic engagement.

We should be aiming to engage with these clients who may be thinking of taking their own life and working on it within the therapeutic relationship.

This is a subject that requires continuous CPD.

Risk assessments can be very useful - but they're not foolproof.

To recognise suicide risk in your therapy clients, you need to be thinking about the dynamic nature of a client and how this might present.

Detecting suicidality requires holistic evaluation, detailed enquiry, and checking context.

This is a subject with a lot of personalisation - it could present itself differently in different clients.

Neurodivergent clients could be at a higher risk.

Do you need to break confidentiality? Can you take a collaborative approach with an involvement of support systems around the individual?

To help yourself recognise suicide risk in your therapy clients, make sure you're doing the training around this subject.

Unmasking Neurodivergence and Ethnicity Using Digital Tools [starts at 19:09 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Lesley Simpson-Gray about unmasking neurodivergence and ethnicity using digital tools such as video games.

The main points of this discussion include:

There are so many layers to identity.

People have different ethnic experiences and that shape their perception of the world.

This can also change how mental health is viewed.

Neurodivergence is yet another layer to identity - some difference may be seen as threatening to those less accepting.

Learning difficulties can often be dismissed as behavioural issues.

Video games can be used as a way for the autistic community to practice social skills and have a space that sometimes feels safer than the real world in terms of social relationships.

Finding characters they can relate to, and gaining power through that.

Allowing them to be themselves in a way that helps people to see it and accept them.

Tools for communication and figuring out identity.

A co-created environment to allow the client to feel comfortable and invite you into that space.

Giving Feedback to Your Tutors [starts at 44:04 mins]

It's common to receive feedback from your tutor, but sometimes you get the opportunity to give them feedback - and you should use it! In this section, Rory and Ken discuss how to give helpful feedback, particularly to your tutor:

Giving honest feedback can require us to have courage and be congruent.

Feedback should never be given with the intention to hurt someone - it should be aiming to help.

There can be an element of power imbalance in tutor-student relationships, but giving feedback can help to rebalance this slightly.

Useful feedback offers suggestions for improvement.

Try to think of a positive, then state what your challenge/struggle was, and then say what could have made that better for you - what works, what doesn't, how can that improve?

Couples Counselling - What to Do about Gifts from Clients

In Episode 305 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through today's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at the Equality Act and reasonable adjustments in counselling.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Claire Ratcliffe about her observations of being a couples counsellor.

And lastly in 'Student Services', Rory and Ken discuss what to do about gifts from clients.

Reasonable Adjustments in Counselling [starts at 02:55 mins]

When working with certain clients, we may need to consider making small adjustments to our practice that can have a huge impact on their experience.

The main points of this section on reasonable adjustments in counselling include:

Some neurodivergent clients might want to bring noise-cancelling headphones to sessions to help mute background noise. Some may also prefer to wear sunglasses for light sensitivity.

Small adjustments like this can make the experience much better for clients.

Think about whether you might need to make adjustments to session structure, such as factoring in a break.

To know what reasonable adjustments in counselling might be needed, take advanced preparation - gain this knowledge about your clients as a part of your intake process.

Normalise requests for reasonable adjustments to help a client feel more comfortable asking for these things, and reduce their anxiety.

Partake in constant CPD to ensure you're not using outdated vocabulary or language.

Couples Counselling [starts at 27:46 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Claire Ratcliffe about her work as a couples counsellor.

The key points of this discussion include:

Due to a reduction in stigma, there is now a large amount of inquires from couples looking for more support.

The relationship dynamic of your parents can have a large impact on your own relationship.

Clients can understand themselves more through transactional analysis.

You're working with them to discover their own individuality and being able to express their own feelings and needs.

What do they want their relationship to look like and how far away from that are they?

What to Do about Gifts from Clients [starts at 53:25 mins]

Receiving a gift can be a lovely thing, but it can be complicated when the one gifting it is a client. In this section, Rory and Ken suggest some actions you might want to take if you receive a gift from a client:

Ask your agency/organisation if they have any policies on gifts.

Check with your practice manager.

Receiving a gift, especially as a student, can be affirming.

Recognise when a gift is inappropriate within its context, e.g. being added to a will, or a particularly expensive gift.

Have a clear policy in your mind of what to do when you receive a gift - this will prevent you being put on the spot.

Discuss with your supervisor.

Links and Resources

Claire Ratcliffe

Counselling Skills Academy

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Shop

Facebook group

Website

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course

Psychotherapeutic Needs of Mothers Returning to Work after Maternity Leave - Taking a Course during the Summer Break

In Episode 304 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly are back for this week's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', Rory and Ken go through what to look for in an autism-informed supervisor.

Then in 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Cathy Sansom about the psychotherapeutic needs of mothers returning to work after maternity leave.

And lastly in 'Student Services', we look at things to consider when taking a course over the summer break between your studies.

What to Look for in an Autism-Informed Supervisor [starts at 03:08 mins]

Neurodivergence awareness is constantly rising, and that should be reflected in our practice. In this section, Rory and Ken go over some things to consider when looking for an autism-informed supervisor:

If you are working with a neurodivergent client group, you will want an autism-informed supervisor.

You want them to have a commitment to ongoing CPD.

Have they had experience working with this client group?

Have extra consideration for the language you use when working with neurodivergent clients.

There is a lot to keep up to date with - even legislation.

Every neurodivergent client is a unique individual.

Your client may be undiagnosed.

Psychotherapeutic Needs of Mothers Returning to Work after Maternity Leave [starts at 24:00 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Cathy Sansom about the psychotherapeutic needs of mothers returning to work after maternity leave.

The main points of this discussion include:

It can be overwhelming to return back to work and be met by changes. These can be both big and small.

Feelings of anxiety may occur if you don't know what you're returning to.

More support, contact, and communication should be given.

Returning mothers would benefit from structure and planning.

It is very common for mothers returning from maternity leave to have feelings of anxiety and guilt.

There may also be feelings of a loss of self-identity.

There are certain expectations that might be presented by social media.

These women now have a duel role, both as a parent and as an employee.

There can be many mixed emotions - they are carrying both the positive and the negative at the same time.

Taking a Course during the Summer Break [starts at 41:49 mins]

Over the summer break, you might find yourself looking for something to fill your time. In this section, Rory and Ken discuss some of the ways you can prepare for your next level of study.

Some people might want to keep their momentum going over the break.

Do some CPD, look at courses to do over the summer - be careful not to do courses that stray out of your modality as this may confuse your theory when you get back into study.

Look into a retreat or meditation, practice self-care and charge your own batteries.

Revisit and refine your counselling skills.

Links and Resources

Counselling Skills Academy

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Shop

Facebook group

Website

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner's Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course

Supporting Frontline Workers: Interview with Frontline19 CEO - Getting Books and Resources for the Next Leg of Your Studies

In Episode 303 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly are back with this week's three topics:

Firstly in 'Ethical, Sustainable Practice', we look at safeguarding clients in online or phone therapy.

Then in 'Practice Matters' Rory speaks with Claire Goodwin-Fee about her role as CEO of Frontline19, an organisation that provides confidential psychological support for people working in the NHS and other frontline services in the UK.

And lastly in 'Student Services', Rory and Ken offer some tips on how you might go about getting the best books and resources to prepare for the next leg of your studies.

Safeguarding Clients in Online or Phone Therapy [starts at 02:55 mins]

Counselling online or via telephone comes with many considerations different to those of working in the room with a client. In this section, Rory and Ken discuss some of the steps you can take to ensure you have appropriate safeguarding in place for your client:

Find out essential details about your client before you begin working with them - where they are, what happens in an emergency, whether they can nominate an emergency contact that knows they're having therapy.

To safeguard clients in online or phone therapy, it's important to:

Understand the necessity of risk management.

Identify the components of an effective risk management plan.

Recognise the challenges associated with online and telephone counselling in assessing risks.

Think about how you can develop strategies for managing risk when working remotely - look for resources local to your client that might be useful to them.

Ask a client if they have any risks - revisit and review this regularly to see if it changes.

Confidentiality - this can differ from working with a client in the room or for an agency. Make sure the terms of your confidentiality are outlined in your contract.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best - you should be prepared and have a plan for what to do in the case of an emergency.

Share with the client that there are limitations to online counselling - if a client is presenting stress through body language that is off screen, you will be unable to identify this.

Another way to safeguard clients during online or phone therapy is to make sure you are always aware of where your client is during a session - are they in the same place every time?

Supporting Frontline Workers: Interview with Frontline19 CEO [starts at 18:52 mins]

In this week's 'Practice Matters', Rory speaks with Claire Goodwin-Fee about her role as CEO of Frontline19, providing confidential psychological support for people working in the NHS and other frontline services in the UK.

The key points of this discussion include:

Frontline19 offers support to those who support us.

They help to raise awareness for the traumas frontline workers witness on a daily basis, and the effect this can have on them.

So many frontline workers need support with their mental health.

There can often be feelings of shame around reaching out for help.

The organisation works with volunteers who offer much needed counselling and support to these frontline workers.

Working to get more support from the government for our frontline workers.

Getting Books and Resources for the Next Leg of Your Studies [starts at 34:33 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken discuss some of the ways you can fill your time waiting for the next step of your studies, and where to look for useful resources:

Keep an eye out for cheaper, second hand books - there's nothing wrong with buying an older edition of the books on theory, the only one you want to have the latest book on is ethics as they're constantly changing.

Ask your tutor for a recommended reading list.