Clinical Counselling Fundamental Competencies in Practice : Catholic Family Service Regina Clinical Counselling Practicum Placement

Abstract

“How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great” ~Bill Bennot When I began to research agencies to complete the practicum portion of my Master of Education Degree, the motto of Catholic Family Services (CFS) Regina “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors. Open to Anyone.” resonated with me on various levels. Starting this degree program further opened my heart and mind to concepts and worldviews I had not previously understood, which led to the opening of doors, and new connections with people I would otherwise have likely not known. I believed CFS was a place I would continue to grow on both a personal and professional level; ‘open heart & open mind’. Due to the range of clientele provided services at CFS; individuals, youth, couples, family, and psycho-educational groups as required, I considered it fortunate to have my practicum proposal accepted with this non-profit agency. My caseload was constructed from the counselling intake waitlist, which included new clients, returning clients, and those who were Ministry of Social Services referrals through the CFS Rapid Intervention for Family Therapy (RIFT) and Resolving Adolescent-Parent Strife (RAPT) developed programs, and from the Newcomer Services. Common themes were ruptured relationships, anxiety, depression, youth cutting and addiction concerns, trauma (including intergenerational), parent-teen conflict/crisis, grief work, blended family issues (including parental alienation), and separation/divorce issues. Regardless of the presenting concerns, clients often felt overwhelmed. Anxiety or depression were common issues for clients. The emotional flooding repeatedly created barriers for these clients to see a way forward, impacting their health, personal, and work life. Also disconcerting was how many people suffer in silence, not accessing counselling or other resources for support. By 2030 the economic burden of depression is expected to exceed the cost of all other physical barriers according to the World Health Organization (Stockdale Windler, 2014). It is estimated 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental health illness or substance abuse problem; translating into 220,000 Saskatchewan residents facing some degree of mental health/addiction challenges in any given year. Further statistics bear out that a staggering 43% of Canadians will encounter a mental health problem or illness in their lifetime (Stockdale Windler, 2014). The increase of mental illness and addictions will have a significant impact on the people of Saskatchewan and reinforces the value I place on a holistic approach to wellness cognizant of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Prior counselling experience, combined with knowledge attained through this degree program, in addition to continued self-directed learning pursued during the practicum, allowed me to work with clients toward effective and authentic self-care practices. As such the focus of this report will be to explore the practicum experience in relation to my learning objectives, the approaches I incorporated and modified, along with uncovering the common threads experienced by those seeking counselling services. To further facilitate growth as a clinical counsellor I kept a self-reflective journal throughout the process. Journaling allowed me to work through ethical concerns, shortcomings I encountered, as well as successes.