AN OPEN DOOR and a helping hand
D
io’s new Counselling Suite on the second floor of the Centennial Building provides a safe, secure and serene haven for Dio students and staff. The counselling rooms were previously tucked away upstairs in School House, but their location was not ideal, says guidance counsellor Fiona Pritchard, as they were removed from the main activity of the school campus. The new location, however, provides an open environment where students are welcome to drop in and experience the new facilities. “It’s accessible, it’s visible, it’s inviting,” she says. “Students can easily access resources, check us out and come back whenever they want. “We all had a lot of input into the design, right down to the colour scheme. A lot of thought has gone into making this a space where students can feel comfortable, relaxed, secure and cared for.”
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It’s a space that belongs to us all, says Fiona, who came on board in 2011, joining the first Dio counsellor Jean Farac, who started in 2000. The counselling service is now staffed by two full-time and one part-time counsellor, with Fiona working alongside fellow counsellors Clare Norton and Alison Chuang. All have come from teaching backgrounds, both primary and secondary, and are registered counsellors with NZAC. Bright and engaging posters are on display around the School, advertising the new suite and the services on offer. As well as private counselling rooms, one of the key new features added in the new space is the Quiet Room – a space where students can go to relax, reflect and just have some time out. “It’s self-contained and private,” says Clare. “It helps give students a sense of security and safety if they’re feeling vulnerable. We
don’t want students hiding away – it’s hard to find a quiet space in a large, busy school. “Here they can use the self-soothing strategies that they’ve learnt as part of the sessions they do with us and can apply themselves. They’re not left to their own devices – the students’ time there is managed, and the atmosphere is collegial and supportive.” The Counselling Suite has an open-door policy; the counsellors are on hand to see everyone who comes to them, whether the students are seeking assistance themselves or have been referred by others. Referrals come from friends, peers, parents, deans, teachers and sports coaches.
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