Counselling at Catholic Family Services: a field practicum report

Abstract

This report outlines my practicum experience providing counselling at Catholic Family Services. The goal of my practicum was to gain global experience providing counselling support to individuals, couples and families experiencing a variety of challenges, in a not-for-profit agency setting. In addition to my overall experience, I chose to focus on three counselling methods: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with individuals (children and adults), no-talk therapy and play therapy with children and youth. To achieve the goals identified in my practicum proposal, I immersed myself within the agency providing counselling services four days a week and completed one to five sessions daily. I worked with clients experiencing a variety of challenges including mental health concerns (anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies), relationship issues, parent/child conflict, experiences with childhood and adult traumatic experiences including physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and attachment issues. I enhanced my knowledge through academic journals and articles, books, and online webinars on various theories and models in order to effectively support my clients during their sessions. These approaches included strengths based counselling, no-talk therapy for children and adolescents, play therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy and mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavioural therapy. As a result of my practicum experience my counselling skills and confidence as a counsellor have greatly improved. I experienced growth both in my skills as a counsellor, as well as my knowledge of my personal strengths and challenges and areas of ongoing need for personal and professional development.