IN-PERSON GROUPS

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Connection and support are often hard to come by. If ongoing therapy sounds appealing, but feels too much like a 'solo' endeavour, have you thought about joining a process group? 

Counselling is often seen as an intensely private activity, but there are many benefits of joining a therapeutic group. A group is often greater than the sum of its parts; a shared experience can often be energetically transformative - in a different way to the quiet reflections you might find in the 'bell jar' of the counselling room. 

There is something invigorating or dynamic about the way a bunch of relative strangers can form supportive relationships over time. Guided and facilitated by an experienced group worker and counsellor, the group setting allows you to authentically encounter your 'self' in relation to others. 

I am currently taking expressions of interest for a fortnightly in-person process group, Please mention your interest at your next counselling session.

The group will be run 4:30pm-6:30pm every second Friday. Group numbers will ideally sit between 5 and 8. Arrangements will be revised quarterly. Cost will be $75 per 2 hour session, but for the group to operate cohesively (and safely) only applicants interested in long-term participation will be considered for entry into the group.

INTRODUCTORY OFFER - PAY FOR ONE SESSION, GET THE REST OF THE TERM FREE

counselling.casa is delighted to offer online process groups via zoom, whether we're in lockdown or not!

As I mentioned above, connection and support are often hard to come by, and group work offers many therapeutic benefits. One-to-one counselling can often feel a bit too much like a 'solo' journey,  especially if you feel like your life needs more 'collective experiences'. 

If you thought about joining a process group but wanted to save some of the time, expense and effort of committing to a whole year, why not join one of our pop-up counselling communities, affectionately named "Huddles". 

Conducted via Zoom, each Huddle will feature activities and discussions on a central theme, and open up the opportunity to access a weekly forum for you to 'check in' events and stories from your own life, in a supportive group environment... all from the comfort of your couch! 

How much you share of your personal story is up to you - the discussion is facilitated by an experienced counsellor/group-worker, and will provide a variety of opportunities to share your thoughts, feelings, reactions, and experiences (should you choose) in a safe, supportive environment.

Think of your huddle as a support network and brains trust, a therapeutic sounding board for unpacking life's quandaries and questions. You'll take away from each huddle a new perspective, an interesting strategy or simply a shared experience of solidarity - feeling heard, felt and held - virtually speaking, that is.

Photo by Brian McMahon on Unsplash

The  Spring Huddle is a hour session online group with the theme “GROWTH EDGES”.

Spring is a time for outward energy, the sunnier days and warmer weather giving life to us, and all around us. This seems like the perfect time to be asking ourselves important questions about what we are growing in the ‘garden’ of our own minds:

• What habits am I nurturing and cultivating? 
• What do I need to ‘work’ on the most?
• How will I use this ‘growth’ energy most effectively in getting me where I want to be? 

The Spring Huddle will pose these questions and more, in facilitated discussions that initiate a Spring clean (of sorts) that will help to stimulate new activity, new energy and new ideas. This is your chance to set aside the time to declare your own growth edges, which define the enlightened person that you are becoming.

Participation in the Spring Huddle costs only $100 per participant, for each 2.5 hour session of group therapy.

Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash

Are you wishing to carve out extra space for reflective practice? 

Perhaps you are seeking additional support and strategies for navigating the difficult human aspects of your work? 

Maybe you're wanting outside perspectives on tricky client cases?  

Or are you hungry for in-depth discussions that help you develop your professional persona and practice? 

And are you hoping to achieve this at a low cost?

Well, peer supervision might be what you are looking for. 

Counselling.casa (Home Counselling) is now coordinating peer supervision groups for counsellors, therapists, psychologists and social workers, already familiar with the flow and purpose of clinical supervision.

Each peer supervision group consists of 4-6 professionals willing to meet monthly or fortnightly for 2 hours at a time, either online or in-person. As a team, you collaboratively set the direction of the discussion, and decide whether to emphasise case review, self-reflection or a combination of the two.

PACFA has this to say about Peer Supervision: 

Peer supervision is a formal process where therapists contract to provide collegial critiquing and enhancement of each other’s clinical client work. Colleagues or peers work together for mutual benefit, rotating the roles of supervisor and supervisee. Peer supervision can be undertaken as a dyad or within a small group of no more than 6 members.

During the remainder of 2021 all peer supervision will be conducted by Zoom, keeping costs down and convenience up.

To register your interest, please text "PEER SUPERVISION" and your name, profession and suburb to 0417679535.

This comes directly from PACFAs website, as at 1 July 2021:

"Peer supervision will only be accepted for those Registrants who have been listed as Clinical Registrants with PACFA continuously for at least 5 years prior to the commencement of peer supervision ... Members and Registrants who are eligible to claim Peer Supervision may claim a maximum of 50% of the required 10 (or 15) hours of supervision as Peer Supervision ... "

"Currently PACFA does not specify the requirements for the training and experience of the other participants in the Peer Supervision arrangement but they would need to be counsellors or psychotherapists or therapists of a similar kind. They may be from outside PACFA and its Member Associations."

As a reminder, all PACFA members must complete a minimum of 10  eligible hours of "formal supervision linked to their practice in the previous 12 months [and]  Where a practitioner has accrued over 400 client practice hours per annum, they must have undertaken 15 hours of formal supervision."

"It is strongly recommended that practitioners with a full practice seek additional hours of supervision proportional to the client practice hours they accrue."

You can register to join a group in one of several streams:

This stream of Reflective Practice is for  journalists, news producers, EFT crews, researchers, or other on-screen or behind-the-scenes roles in broadcasting or mass media. 

The media landscape is fast-moving and often competitive, and working in the industry is bound to present a range of social, ethical and emotional challenges. On a daily basis, you might be wrestling with the dilemmas and responsibilities that arise when you are telling other people's stories; coping with the pressure of insecure employment; struggling with imposter syndrome, fame, or the pressures of such a public-facing career... or simply noticing the price you pay to do your job well.

Facilitated peer supervision groups can allow you to reflect on the impact that you have on the world, and of course on the impact your work has on your own life - in a supportive and collegial context.

This stream of Reflective Practice is for doctors, specialists, emergency response health workers and allied health workers. 

Facilitated peer supervision groups can help you to debrief difficult events, manage issues such as burnout and vicarious trauma, and reflect on how your patients' struggles impact your life, just as much as your work impacts their lives.

It might take some time to match you with group availability in your stream and location... please text "REFLECTIVE PRACTICE" and your name, profession, suburb / city to +61417679535.

Our counsellors and group-workers can support you, your employees or your work mates, to help create a thriving team of 'WellBeings'.

Leadership positions often come with the stress of decision-making, financial stewardship and the burden of responsibility.  If you are often worn out by using your social and cognitive skills, how often do you take time out to 'sharpen your tools' ? 

This stream of Reflective Practice is for people in powerful positions such as CEOs and directors, judges and lawyers, child-protection and law-enforcement workers, or other corporate and community leaders. 

In the course of your work you are bound to wrestle with the demands of responsibility; notice discomfort around use and abuse of powers; and struggle to resolve ethical dilemmas as a daily part of your job. 

Facilitated peer supervision groups can allow you to reflect on who you want to be in this role,  and help you to name the  values you need to embody to do your job well and use your power responsibly. Many successful managers and leaders benefit from regular counselling and reflective practice, so call us now to book your first session.

Our simple, zero set-up 'book and pay' system allows you to cover the costs of group counselling for employees who you know need some extra support, without any of the unnecessary red tape or reporting.

Whether your needs are ad hoc, or ongoing, we can collaborate with you to create a  program of 3-12   team wellness activities. Our flexible delivery plans allow us to work with your teams in person on the Central Coast, or via Zoom.