Valeries Counselling Journey

Valerie’s Counselling Journey

Before quitting and becoming a counselling student, Valerie’s work related to counselling in primary and secondary schools. There she saw the ‘amazing’ effect that counselling training had on a colleague’s ability to help children. “I fell in love with the idea of becoming a counsellor and enrolled on a course myself”.

“Changing career and becoming a mature student was not easy!” said Valerie. “As well as counselling, I had to learn IT skills which didn’t come easily. But it’s a career I love. It’s worth it”.

Valerie started with a 1-year Induction, followed by Level 2. She’s currently studying Level 3. Next year during Level 4, students are required to find a Student Counsellor placement and undertake 100 hours of practical counselling. This is where Basildon Mind comes in.

As a Level 3 student, Valerie was looking for a part-time role. She saw an advert for a ‘Helpliner’ at Basildon Mind. The role involves interacting with clients on the phone and face-to-face. The latter involves welcoming clients into the building and making them feel relaxed. On the phone, calls range from simple admin tasks, providing a listening ear to those who just want to chat, signposting to other services, or helping people who are in distress. In between face-to-face and phone comes paperwork and the charity’s database.

What Valerie soon discovered is that being a Helpliner is excellent training for becoming a counsellor. “Although the role is suited to someone with knowledge of counselling skills like listening and being non-judgemental, it teaches you how to communicate with people in distress”. “Being in the caller’s Frame of Reference, using empathy not sympathy and being there for someone in crisis, are all skills I practice regularly. Working with real people with real feelings I’ve learnt to be patient, to understand the caller is in a certain place and needs help and that often I’m their first port of call in a crisis”.

“Additionally, as the Helpline is in the building where counselling takes place, I get to interact with experienced counsellors who’ve been on the journey that I’m on. As well as discussing theories I learn at college, we discuss real situations and how to deal with them. This extends to how to look after myself and concentrate on my own self-care”.

“After 8 months, as well as improving my communication skills,  I also have a much better understanding of important topics like safeguarding and confidentiality. It’s helped me make the leap from theory into practice”.

“I feel much better prepared for any interview for a student counsellor placement. I understand that interviews test the student’s understanding of ‘real life’ counselling situations like safeguarding and confidentiality. My improved understanding of these tricky subjects came via my Helpliner role”.

Valerie’s advice to other counselling students is “the experience has been invaluable, a really good way of seeing counselling in action”. “I’m not a counsellor yet but a Helpliner is a great way to see the variety of clients and situations that I will encounter in the future – and how to deal with them and myself”. “It’s a practical learning arena which you just can’t get anywhere else; making the leap from theory to practice. Your counselling skills are put to the test when you’re on the phone. It’s a holistic approach to learning how to be a counsellor. It’s invaluable. It’s enjoyable. It’s a role I love”.