6 minute read
It’s good to talk
AN OPEN DOOR
and a helping hand
Dio’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.” 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.
Fiona Pritchard, guidance counsellor
Fiona says that students are seeking advice and guidance on a range of issues including life events, relationships, friendships, mental health concerns, developmental stages, grief and loss, academic performance, stress, academic support, and the ‘big life questions’. The counsellors work closely with other support services in the school, CEL – The Centre for the Enhancement of Learning – and the Student Health Centre. The counsellors also make referrals and, if needed, work in tandem with outside agencies on a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and eating disorders. There are also some situations where staff might need to refer the students for further help and assistance.
Consultations are discreet, confidential and only involve the counsellor and student, unless the student requests that a friend, parent, teacher or dean joins them in the session.
The numbers of students coming to the centre has increased since the team moved to their new location at the end of February, but the counsellors say this rise isn’t just a recent thing.
“There’s more awareness of mental health issues in general in our communities, and the importance of seeking help,” says Clare.
“This was certainly exacerbated by COVID-19 and the issues related to lockdown – feelings of isolation, financial stress, loneliness, helplessness and fear, that was the catalyst, but not necessarily the cause. “There was much grief and loss associated with last year’s lockdowns. People got through it, but there was a lot of disruption and many challenges. And this year many of our students missed out on EOTC Week, which is a traditional way for them to form friendships early on in the year. Students missed things that were really significant to them.
“We generally see an increase in Year 13 student visits around July,” says Fiona. “This is when the pressure starts to go on with assignments and exams, and also when decisions are starting to be made about what to do once school has finished.”
Year 13 students were particularly hard-hit last year, says Fiona.
“Last year, in particular, we saw senior students coping with grief and loss as many had to curb their plans for further study and travel overseas. The girls’ transition from school to future life is a large part of what they need to focus on in their senior years.”
As well as forming longer-term relationships with some of their students, the counsellors often see students for a one-off consultation. “Just because students have come here once doesn’t mean they have to keep coming.”
Most sessions are carried out in person, but lockdown forced both counsellors and students to transfer their sessions online. Fiona says everyone adapted well.
“Everyone coped really well with Zoom, phone calls and email. Not being able to see students face-to-face didn’t mean we needed to stop or disrupt the services we offer. Our students already had enough disruption in their lives. It was important we were a constant,” says Fiona. “We saw lots of bedrooms, cats and dogs!” she adds.
“A lot of the time, it was just about being there. It was about the engagement, especially if we knew the circumstances at home had been difficult. We work very closely with the deans, so the girls don’t need to feel that they’re on their own. There’s a very real sense of community here. “In counselling we see a lot of girls who are coming in because of concern for their friends. They’re not afraid to speak out on behalf of them, knowing it’s in a safe and secure environment where they won’t be judged or reprimanded. A lot of that is due to the Dio culture, the collegiality and sense of community. When there’s a need, things will happen.
The counsellors also work closely with the international students, and particularly so in the last 12 months when the students weren’t able to return home to their families due to COVID-19. This year, in conjunction with the Director of International Students and a trainee counsellor from the University of Auckland, a support group for senior international students has been trialled.
“We also talk with students in health classes, discussing some of the mental health issues they’re working on as part of their curriculum,” says Fiona.
She says the counselling team are keen to proactively promote the services they offer in an effort to support mental health and wellbeing. And she wants to stress that what they offer isn’t dictatorial, but rather directional. Counselling is not telling people what to do; it is to help them explore options, source information and make considered decisions about what is needed in a particular situation.
“We quite often do mediations where there are breakdowns in relationships, but we’re not here to make decisions on behalf of our students. Rather, we give them the skills to make them feel empowered, and the tools to be able to deal with situations on a practical basis.
“Life happens,” says Fiona. “Issues and crises arise in people’s lives; we can’t avoid that. Coming to counselling and asking for help in difficult times is a normal thing to do, however for some there’s still a stigma attached to it. We want to make accessing counselling within the School the easiest thing to do.”
The Counselling Suite is open Monday to Friday during term time. It also offers ‘speed counselling’ sessions where students can drop into the centre to meet the counsellors, acclimatise themselves with the surroundings and establish a relationship. These take place from 12-1pm, Monday to Friday.
