Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2013. / Domestic violence is rife in South Africa and the negative impact thereof is brought by survivors into their homes, communities and workplace settings. Trauma counsellors often take on the work responsibility of intervening in cases of domestic violence to meet the needs of the survivor. Adopting a qualitative research design, the researcher explored the perceptions of trauma counsellors in their workplace setting regarding intervention strategies used when providing services to survivors of domestic violence. Purposive sampling was used to identify 13 adult lay trauma counsellors, both male and female employed by a non-government institution operating as a 24-7 hour Crisis Hotline in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area. The researcher gathered data by conducting personal, semi-structured interviews with research participants. Data analysis took the form of Thematic Content Analysis. The researcher identified that the participants seemed not to be aware of workplace systems and procedural guidelines, and tended to adopt a personalized approach in dealing with survivors of domestic violence. Most participants managed cases utilising ‘early crisis intervention models’ as a once-off trauma intervention strategy although they did not perceive it as being effective. It is thus recommended that such stand-alone intervention strategies should not be implemented unless further follow-up or after-care support is offered to the survivors of domestic violence.

Student Number : 0204770E - MEd research report - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / The present study investigates a bereavement training programme with a group of volunteer lay counsellors. In South Africa, the number of orphans resulting from an increase in parental deaths from natural causes, such as AIDS and nonnatural causes, for example violence, is increasing rapidly. The increasing number of bereaved children is creating a demand for professional support services that cannot be met by the present number of trained professionals. To address this imbalance, the training of lay counsellors is proposed. It is thus relevant to train those who are willing to help with the necessary knowledge and skills in a bereavement training programme. The present study involves ten volunteers from a Community Centre. Qualitative research methods are employed to analyse the data that is gained from the preand post-training responses to the interviews and Case Examples. Content analysis is used to elucidate the themes that emerge from the collected data. The results of the present study indicate that perceptual and developmental changes have occurred within the volunteers following the training programme, however, it is evident that further training is necessary because of the limited ability that the volunteers demonstrate in practically transferring the knowledge to new cases. In terms of this finding it is clear that factors such as language, age, educational level and personal experiences of death are important criteria to consider in the selection of volunteers for a bereavement training programme. Furthermore, traditional African perspectives of death, cultural differences and HIV/AIDS awareness need to be incorporated into future bereavement training programmes. In terms of the outcomes of the study, a positive outcome is the revision of the Bereavement Programme for children, taking cognisance of cultural sensitiveness, to make it more applicable within the local context. The results of the study also highlight the limitations and implications of the present research, which are discussed and recommendations for future research are made.

The aim of the study was to examine the knowledge that school counsellors in Swedish schools have about young women with anxiety disorders. The study also examines how the counsellors act when there is a suspicion or a case of anxiety in a female student. With a qualitative approach eight school counsellors were interviewed. The theoretical approach that was used is the sociology of knowledge. Some of the study’s conclusions are that anxiety disorders are frequent among young girls. School counsellors have different types of education and work experiences which can affect their understanding of anxiety disorders. There are similar opinions among the school counsellors regarding the definition of anxiety and that it is a serious condition where the affected needs some sort of support or help to handle it. The results and conclusions confirm and extend the previous research made on the subject.

Föreliggande studie undersöker hur idrottspsykologiska rådgivare arbetar och om det i deras klientarbete finns metoder eller modeller som kan vara tillämpbara inom studie- och yrkesvägledning. Syftet var att se hur idrottspsykologiska rådgivare arbetar och vilka skillnader det finns i de båda yrkesgruppernas arbetssätt samt att se om vissa delar i rådgivarnas arbetsformer kan vara tillämpbara eller bara vara kompletterande till studie- och yrkesvägledarnas modeller. Den metod som valdes för forskningen var kvalitativ, med personliga intervjuer. Resultaten som visade att respondenterna arbetade på ett liknande sätt där dialogen med klienten var det primära arbetssättet. En skillnad var att rådgivarna oftast arbetade med sökande som är motiverade till förändring samt att de arbetade processinriktat och hade mer tid för varje klient. Vi anser att det skulle vara möjligt för studie- och yrkesvägledare skulle kunna använda delar av rådgivarnas arbetssätt för att öka och utvidga sina egna framtagna modeller samt för att förnya sina arbetsredskap. / This study examines how sport psychology consultants are working and whether their client work are methods or models which may be applicable in career counselling. The research questions that are answered in this paper are about the sport psychology consultant’s work and what differences there are in the two professional groups. And to see if certain parts of the advisers' work can be applicable or be complementary to the study and career counsellors models. The method chosen for the research was qualitative interviewing. The results that emerged indicated that they worked in a similar manner in the dialogue with the client, the primary approach, but one difference was that counsellors often work with applicants who are motivated to change and that they work with process and had more time for each client. We think that it’s possible for study and careers advisors could use parts from the advisors' approach to enhance and expand its own developed models and to renew their working tools. The hypothesis that the two professional groups worked similarly matched and that it is possible to take parts from working sued.

Limited research has been conducted on the effectiveness of preventive programmes in addressing the needs of adolescents/youth. This study is aimed at examining the effectiveness of a training programme and whether the training conducted by the researcher contributed to equipping the peer educators with skills to undertake capacity building and empowerment programmes. The research sample consisted of fifteen peer educators who had undergone the training programme. The participants were all grade eleven pupils from the Hillview Secondary School in Newlands East. The majority of the participants in this research study reside in Newlands East. This was an evaluative research study. The data collection instruments were sessional evaluation questionnaires, verbal group evaluation and retrospective evaluation questionnaires. Secondary data were also collected from the school personnel to enhance the research findings. The research findings revealed that the peer educator training undertaken by the researcher was effective and useful in developing skills of the peer educators to initiate and implement capacity-building and empowerment programmes within the school environment. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

A non-experimental survey design was used to study participant self-identified presence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) in Canadian school counsellors (N = 57) in relation to counsellors’ education and training, trauma-specific training, work experience, supervision, number of trauma clients and coping strategies. Counsellors were not necessarily protected from STS if they spent time using coping strategies, but were much less likely to be affected by STS if they engaged in supervision. Many school counsellors (59.6%) who participated in this research do engage in supervision, and those with trauma-specific training were less likely to have a peer-identified trauma disorder. Peer-identified trauma disorder played a large role in the results of this study. Participants identified as suffering from a trauma disorder were very likely to have a formal trauma diagnosis and were also likely to have higher traumatic stress scores. Implications for future research and education and training are discussed.

The aim of the study was, through qualitative interviews with school counsellors in Swedish primary schools, to study what the counsellors are experiencing condition their ability to work proactively according to the Swedish Education Act provisions on student health. During the study, six interviews with school counsellors who worked in the same suburbs, was conducted. The theoretical approach that was used is Michael Lipsky's theory of street-level bureaucrats and the term discretion. The overall outcome of the study was that the interviewed school counsellors felt that they did not have good opportunities to work preventively as the Education Act requires. The main reason for this was the school counsellor’s heavy workload. The results of the study were divided into three categories, which in turn were followed by several themes to highlight the conditions governing school counsellor’s opportunity to work preventatively.

A non-experimental survey design was used to study participant self-identified presence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) in Canadian school counsellors (N = 57) in relation to counsellors’ education and training, trauma-specific training, work experience, supervision, number of trauma clients and coping strategies. Counsellors were not necessarily protected from STS if they spent time using coping strategies, but were much less likely to be affected by STS if they engaged in supervision. Many school counsellors (59.6%) who participated in this research do engage in supervision, and those with trauma-specific training were less likely to have a peer-identified trauma disorder. Peer-identified trauma disorder played a large role in the results of this study. Participants identified as suffering from a trauma disorder were very likely to have a formal trauma diagnosis and were also likely to have higher traumatic stress scores. Implications for future research and education and training are discussed.

Research indicates that in the last five decades, claims of Satanic ritual abuse (RA), and the numbers of clients receiving counselling for RA, have increased in all Western countries. This has resulted in an increased corpus of related literature overseas, which includes studies in which facticity as well as aetiology, symptomology and treatment are debated. This present study focuses on a New Zealand context, and examines the talk of New Zealand counsellors in relation to their views regarding RA and the counselling of RA clients. Social constructionist and positivist epistemologies were evaluated in terms of their suitability for this research, and the discourse analytic method developed by Potter and Wetherell (1987) chosen as the means by which participants’ talk might be analysed in such a way as to allow the inclusion of multiple constructions and the emergence of the many discourses and conflicting ideas which occur in overseas literature. A broad selection of the literature was first critically analysed to give an understanding of the topic. Nine counsellors gave interviews, eight women and one man, all Pakeha, six of whom were ACC-registered (Accident Compensation Commission, 2009). The participants constructed RA as a physical reality, which was justified by the use of the credible client discourse. A traditional linguistic repertoire furnished a discourse of government backing, which was employed to warrant voice. A moral stake in counselling, named concern for the client, was shown to be present in all arguments. The participants constructed three truths relative to context: a legal truth, the counsellor’s truth, and the client’s truth. Recovered memories were given a dual construction which legitimised correct and incorrect recall. DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) labelling was debated in a discourse of ambivalence. Finally in a discourse of preparedness, the participants constructed the therapeutic skills needed to treat RA clients. The thesis concludes by highlighting the participants’ comments regarding the need for openness and awareness, and specialised literature and training for counsellors treating RA clients.

[pt] A tese trata do aconselhamento pastoral em perspectiva integral. Dessa forma, apresenta tanto uma breve análise dos traços característicos deste tempo e suas influências sobre os sujeitos humanos, com ênfase nos aspectos que tendem a desestabilizar a experiência existencial, quanto discorre sobre as mais destacadas escolas de aconselhamento pastoral, suas intuições e estratégias de acolhimento das inquietudes e angústias dos que demandam apoio e cuidado. Evidencia a relevância da elaboração de novo modelo de aconselhamento capaz de lidar com a intricada gramatica do sofrimento em nossos dias. Para tanto, destaca a necessidade vital da renovação de esforços que visem superar os dualismos que empobrecem as ações curativas da Igreja Cristã, bem como ultrapassar as barreiras que impedem a enriquecedora troca conversacional entre os diversos saberes e entre as variadas comunidades de fé. A pesquisa aponta ainda para Cristo, maravilhoso conselheiro, como modelo por excelência da atividade e ação dos eclesianos e das eclesianas engajados na promoção do bem-estar integral da família humana. Além disso, reflete sobre a tradição do povo de Deus e a natureza terapêutica da igreja como fontes de inspiração e motivação para a prática do cuidado interpessoal. Conclui que o aconselhamento pastoral integral, por consequência, dialógico, ecumênico, honestamente aberto para interações francas, respeitosas e enriquecedoras, consiste na expressão mais eficaz e abrangente dessa modalidade de ajuda oferecida pela comunidade Cristã. Este trabalho busca dar contribuição singela para o desenvolvimento deste modelo de aconselhamento. / [en] The thesis deals with pastoral counselling from a rounded perspective. Therefore it presents both a brief analysis of the characteristic traces of this time and its influences on human subjects, with emphasis on the aspects that tend to destabilize the existential experience, while it describes the most outstanding schools of pastoral counselling, its intuitions and strategies to accommodate the concerns and anxieties of those who require support and care. It shows the relevance of the elaboration of a new model of counselling, capable of dealing with the intricate grammar of suffering in our days. With views to this, we underline the vital necessity of renewing efforts to surpass the dualisms that impoverish the healing actions of the Christian Church, as well as overcoming the barriers that hinder the enriching conversational exchange among the different fields of knowledge and diverse faith communities. The research still points to Christ, marvelous counsellor, as a model par excellence for church members activity and action for the full well-being of the human family. In addition to this, it reflects on the tradition of God s people and the therapeutic nature of the church as sources of inspiration and motivation for the practice of interpersonal care. We conclude that rounded pastoral counselling, and consequently, dialogical, ecumenical, honestly open to frank, respectful and enriching interactions, consists in the most effective and encompassing expression of this type of help offered by the Christian community. This paper strives to give a simple contribution to the development of this counselling model.