Counselling

Counselling is a process designed to help clients address concerns, come to a greater understanding of self, and learn effective personal and interpersonal coping strategies.

The Counselling Department offers individual, couple and family counselling, geared at:

• improving parenting and co-parenting;
• improving relationships through enhanced communication;
• assisting parents to better manage children's behaviours;
• educating clients so that they can make informed decisions;
• enhancing clients' ability to cope effectively 

Referrals are usually linked to deviant behaviours of children ages 3-16 or co-parenting challenges. Some of the concerns include but are not limited to: 

• poor anger management and conflict resolution skills
• ineffective communication
• anxiety and low self-esteem
• lack of effective parental skills
• lack of life skills
• negative peer pressure
• bullying
• behavioural challenges
• family issues
• financial planning

PAREDOS therefore provides holisticelling that is, addressing the whole person, including their physical, mental, and emotional health, while taking social factors into consideration.

Achievements of goals and objectives

Our short-term counselling goals are to assist clients to identify and overcome their immediate challenges and to empower them so that they are better prepared to face future problems, however, our long-term goal is for our clients to maximize their true potential and live happy, healthy, purposeful lives. 

We continue to be encouraged by the many positive stories and the evidence of changed lives, these motivate the counsellors to continue. In addition, a number of clients recommend our service to others based on their positive experiences.

The outcome of counselling is reliant on clients' commitment to the process.

In 2019, PAREDOS partnered with a number of persons/organisations:

• Her Majesty Prison Dodds Reintegration Parenting Programme for male and female inmates.
• The Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs
• The Ministry of Youth and Community Empowerment
• The Women of Purpose charity hosted a Christmas party at PAREDOS' office for underprivileged children, including several from the counselling department.

Additionally, the department implemented a five week Parenting Support Programme for parents of children six (6) years and under, who were experiencing challenges such as temper tantrums, refusal to follow directions immediately, being disruptive in the classroom, invading others' personal space and taking things that did not belong to them. The goal was to provide support and information aimed at enhancing feelings of capability and competency, and to increase coping mechanisms.