Since October this year, GLCS has added another level of
counselling support, offering face-to-face counselling to complement the
telephone service through a collaboration with the Jansen Newman Institute
(JNI), a leading educator and provider of counselling and psychotherapy
services.
Through the collaboration, JNI student interns in their
second and third years of study are now available to provide counselling to
GLCS clients. Chris Wilson, the GLCS training and volunteer co-ordinator,
emphasised that the interns were fully supported and supervised, further
pointing out that face-to-face counselling was the one thing that was lacking
in the inner west for the gay and lesbian community.
“Face-to-face counselling responds to different needs than
that addressed by telephone counselling, and the need is greatest for
face-to-face contact,” Chris said.
The service is already in great demand in the area and is
open to anyone. “Clients come for counselling and to explore their concerns
about a wide number of issues”, Chris said, adding that the issues are usually
gay and lesbian issues, such as coming out or relationships.
“It’s a new partnership and we’re looking to build on it as
it’s benefcial to both organisations as well as the community. JNI interns get practical
experience in dealing with real client issues and GLCS gets high quality
counselling and psychotherapy services for its clients”, Chris said, “It’s a
win-win collaboration.”
The community can also access low cost counselling from nine
other clinics in the community, including the clinic at Wayside Chapel in Potts
Point.
“We usually start off with one intern at a clinic and then
the demand keeps growing,” Susan Leith-Miller, JNIs Low Cost Counselling
Clinics Project Manager, noted. For example in January 2006, one intern began
counselling three hours a week at Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross. There are now
seven interns all doing three hours a week each at the service.
Pastor Graham Long of Wayside Chapel echoed Chris Wilson’s
sentiments, noting that “outsourcing counselling to the JNI Low Cost
Counselling Clinic frees our people up to do their work more effectively.”
A session normally costs $30.00 with the fee going to the
hosting organisation. “There’s a voucher system, so anyone who can’t afford it
can see a counsellor,” Susan Leith-Miller said. “Clients can go once a week for
a year using the vouchers, if need be.”
JNI are about to begin another clinic with Father Riley’s
Kids off the Street at Merrylands and Royal Rehabilitation Centre at Ryde.
For more information about the JNI Low Cost Counselling
Clinics or to book a session at one of the clinics call 9436 3055.
Source: South Sydney Herald December 2006