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Counselling Skills Training

Counselling skills training provided for international contexts has a number of unique features:

Jane’s courses are designed and facilitated specifically to ensure that the expression of feelings and concepts of emotional healing within local culture and language remains the dominant contribution.

Cultural imperialism is minimised by the tentative introduction of Western theories of counselling, with a clear message that their relevance may be limited, and that many assumptions underpinning Western Counselling theory are not necessarily “universal”. All opportunities are taken, including the design of experiential tasks, to utilise and validate participants’ pre-existing knowledge, experience and indigenous language.

Jane has facilitated Counselling Skills training in: 

  • Lesotho : Counselling Skills training for Basotho psychiatric nurses integrating Basotho language and culture with Western approaches

  • Ghana: University of Winneba - Psychological Problems in Cultural Context (workshop for staff providing counselling for students)

  • The Gambia: Nursing School, Banjul – Counselling skills training for general nurses

  • Uganda: Adjumani Hospital, Counselling skills training for HIV/AIDS nursing staff

For issues relating to integrating Western and traditional approaches in Counselling Skills training see: (opens PDF file in new window)

Gilbert, J. (2006) Cultural imperialism revisited: Counselling and Globalisation. International Journal of Critical Psychology, Special Issue: Critical Psychology in Africa, 17, 10-28.

 

Gilbert, J. (2005) International Responses to the Psychological Aftermath of the Tsunami Disaster: a Plea for Thoughtfulness and Care

Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal, 16(1), 5-6.

 

Gilbert, J. (2001) Cross cultural issues in Counselling Skills Training: Lessons from Lesotho. (Parts 1 & 2)

The Health Exchange, April, 18-19. & The Health Exchange, June, 22-24.