Multicultural Tauranga has added a new, free service available to individuals: personal counselling.

Having finished her New Zealand Diploma in Professional Counselling (Level 6) Sudha did her mandatory 200-hour workplace experience in the practice of counselling at Multicultural Tauranga  from August 2016 to June 2017. She continues offering her free services through Multicultural Tauranga by prior appointment.

What personal counselling is - and what it is not

Personal counselling involves a counsellor and a client working together to achieve the client’s goals for change or improvement. In counselling the person speaks with a trained professional who may provide help in exploring problems or in resolving current dilemmas.

When people find they are no longer able to deal effectively with situations or to make changes in their lives, they often seek resources outside themselves. Rather than thinking in circles or feeling depressed or desperate, they use a counsellor whose active listening skills and role as a sounding board often help them to find the right way forward, or even a solution, themselves. Counselling can be helpful in improving relationships and in developing skills in various areas of people’s lives.

Advice-giving is not a part of the counselling process. Rather, the process is based primarily on exploration of the client’s issues or concerns.