Counsellors urged to acquire professional skills
People who provide counselling for others have been encouraged to acquire professional skills through training to enable them to effectively and efficiently play their role.
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This is because they play a critical role in being the first line of help for people who require counselling to deal with issues that are related to psychology and emotions and thus, there is the need for counsellors to be professionally trained to handle such issues.
The General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), Rev. Dr Cyril G.K. Fayose, who made the call, stated that counsellors needed to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge as they were the first line of help to people in crisis.
Addressing the closing ceremony of a training programme for 76 counsellors organised by the CCG, the general secretary said counsellors played different roles thus, they needed to be trained to handle the dynamics of the issues that were often sent to them.
“We need people to do church work such as visiting patients in hospitals, helping people in crises, including managing their emotions.
That can’t be left for just anybody to do that with their limited knowledge.
“That is why we consistently train counsellors to be able to perform their duties effectively,” he said.
In all, 76 counsellors were trained in family life counselling skills to help resolve crises.
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The one-week intensive training was to enable the counsellors to become good caregivers and helpers.
The annual training programme is certified by the Ghana Psychology Council.
Certified
Rev. Dr Fayose said although some counsellors were already offering services, they had no certified training and charged the trainees to create more awareness of the programme.
“You have to be good news bearers and inform others about the knowledge and skills you have acquired during the training,” Rev. Fayose stated.
The Director of Programmes and Advocacy at the CCG, Dr Joyce L. Steiner, outlined the objectives of the programme and said language and qualification were no barriers to partaking in the training.
She said after the training, the participants were registered with the Ghana Psychology Council with the help of the CCG to enable them to practise as certified counsellors.
“The CCG will be available to respond to the challenges and changes of society because society is not static, it’s dynamic. Issues come up and we must respond to them,” she added.
Appreciation
On behalf of his colleagues, one of the participants, Fred Otoo, expressed appreciation for the training and said they would use the knowledge acquired to the benefit of society.
He said, “We have learnt to listen without judging and guide without imposing”.
Mr Otoo said the training had provided them with the requisite skills to positively impact people’s lives in the course of their work as counsellors.
“We are now equipped with the skills to empower others to be a source of strength during their moment of vulnerability,” he stated.