My first counselling experience was enough to make me cringe, due to the lack of understanding about why I needed to see one.
I was told to talk about whatever was bothering me, so I must admit at the time I thought counselling was something that would take over my problem and deal with my situation. I was wrong.
I had no interpreter and because I am severely/profoundly deaf, I couldn’t communicate easily with the counsellor.
During that first counselling experience I had, I was treated like a child and felt that the counsellor didn’t understand me and my problem or the situation, so it was left unresolved.
I had counselling again later on, this was with an interpreter but there was no improvement because there wasn’t a good sense of privacy, and again the counsellor had a lack of understanding of a deaf person’s view, which left me feeling frustrated.
That counsellor concluded that I was lacking in confidence and have low self-esteem.
Well, I am a deaf person who has had to struggle to understand and develop life skills on many different levels, and I felt I had to adapt to the counsellor’s level, and I couldn’t because I am not hearing.
Years fly by, and I slowly developed through many experiences that life threw at me. I noticed that people confided in me with many different conversations that required listening ears – or in my case eyes.
I developed an interest in counselling and realised that deaf people lack having a counsellor that can provide them with the understanding that a hearing person who has no deaf awareness can’t.
And I was bored, a housewife with nothing to do, so I decided that I would do a college course and something useful too, that would help me to help myself as well as others.
So I choose to do counselling and was put through to do level two introduction to counselling. The bonus was that I could do it at home and there was no deadline, which is useful since I am a mother of two boys who are still in their school years.
I realised I wanted to develop this area of counselling more and understand more what skills were needed to develop.
I had counselling again halfway through my course, again with no interpreter.
I had difficulty understanding my counsellor as she wasn’t English, but this time it was different as I was already halfway through my course with an distinction mark.
The counsellor had trouble understanding me and I was told I was a difficult person to read. As a counsellor we must develop the skill to read people’s body language in order to understand their state of mind, but my counsellor failed to understand me.
At the end of the session, my counsellor asked me why I thought I needed counselling. I felt my point had been dismissed – even though I have studied counselling, I needed some counselling to help me overcome and face up to some situations that I had difficulty dealing with.
I passed my course and received a certificate at the end of it, and I was really proud at how far I had come in my learning and understanding. I also thought again about how other deaf people need a counsellor who can understand them.
I have developed a new level of understanding, and I am more observant now. I am really pleased I have come this far.
I hope to take it further by doing level three and hope to be a counsellor for deaf people, since I am able to sign and have good English.
I am not sure how I will go about setting this up but I think deaf people would benefit from having counselling with a counsellor who is deaf and can very much understand them.
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Colin
February 24, 2015
Great post. I myself been refused 3 times for sign health by CCG FUNDING they want me to have an interpreter grrrr so the problem remains
zoe
February 24, 2015
thank you. that must be very frustrating, I mean we exist and yet we are what I think is the correct way of stating is being push to one side and we don’t get the help we needed to get through life, situation or to deal or face up problems..
SignHealth
February 24, 2015
We love your blog Zoe. Congratulations on your counselling certificate. You may be interested to know we have a Deaf counselling service called BSL Healthy Minds. You can find out more at our website http://www.signhealth.org.uk/our-projects/bsl-healthy-minds/.
Zoe
February 24, 2015
Thank you, I am also hoping o cover the area that doesn’t have a deaf counsellor as I am aware not every area have one… Thank you for the link to your website also.
Cathy
February 24, 2015
Lovely to have someone who is deaf and who wants to counsel other deaf people. I had the same vision, that it would be a good thing to do as like you Iam bilingual.
I embarked on a Counselling course: Introduction to Counselling, which I enjoyed and had an Interpreter throughout the course. The course lasted a number of weeks and had deadlines to meet. I passed and got my certificate.
I thought it would be good to carry on to level 3 and I started, but it started to become a different ball game. Level 3 goes deeper and we had to sit in a circle and chat about how we felt and any underlying problems. This is when I realised I absorb other peoples’ energies. I would be feeling fine then absorb another person’s energy, in other words I was absorbing their feelings, such as feeling sad, low, euphoric or even suicidal!!!
I found this very depressing and the tutor told me: “you can go to your line manager”. I did my best to work in these circles, but I knew it was no good: absorbing other people’s energies is part of my Spirituality and I knew then that Counselling was not for me.
I also found that on this course you have to go away to a Counselling Group for weekend retreats, so Zoe, you may find this difficult when you have young children to look after. These Counselling Groups would also need an interpreter to go with you, so I wish you luck finding one to spend a weekend with you.
The other problem I hit upon was the fact that I know so many deaf people. Counselling does not work with someone when you have known them for years, this means travelling out to find clients you dont know, but I could travel to Scotland and still have a client I’ve known for years! Could you travel extensively when you will have young children to pick up from school?
Counselling is a very difficult area for Deaf people, not least because of the language barrier, but the fact we are a minority group with hundreds of us knowing each other from school, deaf clubs and holiday trips etc makes Counselling extremely problematic!
Counselling is not a befriending service and you have to be totally impartial but how do we achieve that if we have grown up with someone in the deaf club or from School?
I sincerely wish you well on level 3 but dont be too surprised if you hit problems you hadn’t really thought about before. Good Luck.
Zoe
February 24, 2015
Thank you for your feedback. I did my course at home, and use my skills on people out and about as well friends. I agree with the statement of not working with people I know, I wouldn’t want to since it could cloud the different between personal and non personal, usually I do well but if I were to work for real I certainly would make my statement clear that I will not work with those I know, they will have to use somebody else. I have been on a mindfulness course (eight weeks) had no interpreter and I had a good teacher and it was a deep insight of different thought and emotion etc, it wider my thought in to this, I even took it on board what I learnt and have become what I believe to be a better person for it.
I accept that level three is a much deeper issue and I am up for the challenge and believe strongly that I am capable of understanding the course, it part of my passion also. I read books base on this.
I am not a counsellor to become friends, I am there to be an listening eyes, nothing more and nothing less, I can easily switch off afterward. I will advise or open question to help them see things in a different light, mainly to allow them to help themselves etc.
sorry that you find it not for you but at least you have the skill and can use it to develop situation around you. I had a great tutor in level two and hope I will have the same when I do level three. But once again thank you for your feedback.
SignHealth
February 24, 2015
Hi Colin, funding is a big problem from CCGS. We hope the recent House of Lords debate will mean CCGS fund everyone. http://www.signhealth.org.uk/house-of-lords-to-debate-mental-health-service-for-bsl-users/
Tim
February 24, 2015
This is a perfect example of how you have to spend money to save money.
With a service like Sign Health, you get a counsellor who can sign and is either Deaf or has an intimate knowledge of Deaf issues. This is often very relevant to the problems that the Deaf person is seeking help for in the first place.
But instead, knows-it-all hearing people want the Deaf person to see a hearing counsellor, who is often not conversant in Deaf issues and, on top of that, an interpreter is needed.
The result – the Deaf person either does not even attempt to get help due to being cowed, or the inadequate, cumbersome help they do get costs twice as much and is doomed to fail from the start.
Zoe
February 24, 2015
This certainly rings true and I am totally aware of this.
Cathy
February 24, 2015
Tim, deaf people have the right to see someone at Sign Health, they cannot be forced to see a hearing Counsellor no matter what anyone says! A person’s GP can refer them for free counselling but as there is a chronic shortage of Deaf Counsellors this is why they end up with Hearing Counsellors.
This is the biggest difficulty for us as a minority group: there is not enough of us in one area to have a big impact. Like I said to Zoe, she is likely to have to travel extensively to help if she sets up her own Counselling Business then we’ll have to pay! Can’t get around the money factor either way, Tim. We must pay ourselves or the taxpayer does!
Natalya D
February 25, 2015
I’ve been looking at introductory counselling training for CPD although I may become more interested in it and pursue it further… One thing I haven’t worked out is how I get communication support for the training/classes (STTR in my case) cos I won’t manage more than an hour of ‘teaching’ total without it…
Does anyone know what the legal obligation on providers is in terms of funding communication support for counselling students?
I’ve seen the kinds of replies deaf people wanting/needing talking-therapy support get… They’re ATROCIOUS and often very ignorant and there is a lack of understanding about deafness, communications methods and sign language.
Zoe
February 25, 2015
I hope you will be directed in how to gain the support you need, good luck also when you pursue it.
Cathy
February 26, 2015
Natalya, if you would like to do the Introduction to Counselling you should be able to do this at your local College. This is what I did and the College provided the Interpreters through the Disability Officer. You should be able to do the same, although my local College has endured enormous cuts so there is no longer a Disability Officer to help assess people’s needs. Your local College maybe in the same situation.
The bigger problem lies with level 3 as you have to go away for a wknd retreat. This means your College is not responsible for funding an Interpreter as it is outside the College. I think it maybe wise to find out how you will fund level 3 before you embark on the Introduction course. It is largely wasted doing the Introduction then you cant go further as there is no funding!
You cannot Counsel with just Introduction and also bear in mind you have to counsel someone on level 3, this person is likely to be hearing. How would you cope? What happens if the hearing person objects to someone who is deaf counselling them? Lots of things to think about and then when qualified you may have to travel far to find clients you dont know, as Zoe will have to do, unless a far away unknown client comes to you! Counselling is not an easy area to work in for the deaf community. I wish you much luck indeed!
SignHealth
February 27, 2015
Thanks for your supportive comments Tim.
Cathy, yes Deaf people should have these rights to see a Deaf counsellor, or a hearing counsellor that signs, so there is no need for three way communication through an interpreter. However, CCGs do not always understand this, and therefore refuse to fund the counselling. It is unfair and wrong, especially as our Deaf counselling has a much higher success rate (75%) than the national average (44%).
Cathy
February 27, 2015
Sign health, I understand what you’re saying although the success rate maybe higher than hearing counterparts, it may only reflect the difficulties that hearies have getting counselling too. This would, in part, explain their much lower success rate. There are also very few hearing Counsellors who sign proficiently enough to be effective.
I’m not sure CCG fully understand or its just a case of: very little funding is available, but having said that, how did you manage to fund that 75% ?
Zoe
February 28, 2015
just to add note, you can do course with open college, where you study in the peace of your home. and have email address which allow you to be in touch with your tutor if needed help, of course I understand this will be difficult for those whose English isn’t very good, so I guess this can be advisable to those who have very good level of English.
just google : Open Study College
I do this as I don’t have to attend due to the fact I am a full time mother, so this is aim for those who in work and wanted to do something different and needed to gain certificate and had study through the course, those who prefer to work alone, and those who are full time mom and fair to say for those wishing to gain the qualification regardless their ages.
Those who actually attend the college will find it good to be part of the learning experience with groups and different peers, and yes the downside can be gaining an interpreter. however I wish best of luck to many, we can achieve it because we are able to. believe in yourself. And never be afraid to ask help in something you do not understand 🙂
Cathy
March 2, 2015
Zoe, Iam just wondering how you would do the Counselling element of level 3 at home? How are you going to find someone to Counsel? How are you going to be observed? If client is hearing who will pay the Interpreter? Yourself? A lot more difficult to carry out level 3 at home. I will google and see what comes up, but am not sure I will find the answer to these questions.
zoe
March 2, 2015
I attend a mindfulness course clashing the same time as my studying with counselling, but this course I had to attend the university where its held, it was for eight weeks and 4 hour long. This is a group session and in this group we had to listen to other people talk about their feeling and thought, and ask a relating question to get them to reply a bit ore or give them further more thought, this very much what its like in a counselling session. This session had helps me open my mind a lot more and have help me during my counselling course, I told my tutor who I did counselling course about the mindfulness course I attend and said it helps me along with my course and my tutor was very encourage that I attend this course as it does help, I also learn the relaxation in this mindfulness course,I still hold the CD. I was also taught how to make the person feel relax and just float away in to nothing for a brief while, this ideally to refresh the person and change their focus and thought on what really matter and worry about that.
I am surrounded by enough peers who need adviser in whatever their topic in conversation is about, with this in mind I use my observing skill in this and I so far haven’t fail to read the person, but I do keep in mind I will not always be right but its persevered skill to go on.
Cathy
March 2, 2015
Wow!! I have just looked at the counselling course for open colleges. It is exciting!! There is lots of psychological elements involved: Jung, Rogers, Maslow etc.
As I have a diploma in pyschology, this course would be almost “a walk in the park!” Am itching to start but at £600 I can’t!! Boo hoo!! Even though I prefer to teach than Counsel, it would be a great course to do!
There are practical skills involved, which would be the Counselling, undoubtedly. However, it does not explain how this is carried out by someone learning from home, alone. I suspect this is where the real challenge may lie for a deaf person……
I also agree with Zoe, you need excellent English to learn this way: poor English Grammar is likely to attract a “fail”. The very best of luck to anyone who attempts it!!
zoe
March 2, 2015
Thank you, I thought so too. yes these element are rather important to learn I especially enjoyed learning about the Johari Window, I had no problem creating one of others but I had to develop my own and it was a mind bobbling experience for me, I was advise my my tutor at the end of the course to go back and look at it and see if thing have change.. its amazing how the course can change the person perceptive. I was advise also to watch other people even those I don’t know to develop my skill also, this had help me along the line also…
you can pay an monthly instalment if affordable to you each month or keep a close eye on it as they do a discount but with the discount I must warn you, you have to pay in full, I wait for the discount and pay it in full.
I understand your point about the challenge for the deaf people to develop those practical skill at home, I was brought up in a hearing school and have no problem being in an hearing environment, I understood their body language, I use my observing skill a lot to pick up the possible thought or attitude of a person, this too can be pick up toward a deaf person. I find it too boring not to have a challenge and bored very easily, so to have this challenge, its perk me up and I have no problem in developing them to have them written down.
As I pointed out I have gain an distinction in all my unit of the course. and my tutor was aware that I am deaf. as stated was brought up in an hearing school. so my English is pretty good.
thank you once again for the interest.
Cathy
March 2, 2015
Zoe, what I meant is how you will find an appropriate person to counsel? Will they come to your home or you travel to them? Would they be agreeable to a deaf counsellor, if they are hearing? Will the tutor come to your home to observe you? Or is it all done through headphones online? None of these questions are answered in the prospectus. Hope my point is clearer?
Zoe
March 2, 2015
Ah.. I am very confident in what I do with regard to counselling people, my preference is to help deaf people, as getting counselling for deaf people isn’t that straightforward as one should know, the hearing people can book a counsellor or be refer and they get seen depending on the waiting list of course and their assessment which I believe should be carried out so they understand the reason why they need counselling and how does counselling help, usually the question I would ask client, my feedback is very good, I won’t be suitable for everyone and I am aware of this, I hope to set up my own base somewhere and I expect them to come to me for their safety and mine. My tutor is confident in me to carry it out the counselling work, I am being observe through my written work. Shows my understanding, skill, etc… Who knows I could set up an on line business with video link for those unable to travel to me and can do it this way… But I like to take a steady step at first and go with the flow… Everybody got to start somewhere and not all were observe and carried out their business successfully and over the years the experience does expand, and this I do welcome. Hope that answered your question.
Cathy
March 2, 2015
Oh dear Zoe, you have misunderstood me. Firstly, am not questioning your confidence, you have plenty of that! I’m aware you would prefer to Counsel deaf people, naturally, but Iam talking about the Practical skill.
Practical means actually counselling somebody and being observed doing that counselling. Written work is NOT practical work, you cannot possibly miss out practicals as that is the main tenat of the job!
So my question is how are these practicals carried out online?? If its partly through headphones, then there is no chance of passing it! The information given does not explain how they carry out practicals, even for hearing people, let alone those who are deaf!
Many businesses do not have observations, that’s true, but Counselling is a special job, dealing with people and vulnerable people at that, so if you think you are going to qualify based on written work alone, I think you maybe in for a surprise!
Please ensure you fully understand what exactly level 3 entails. And keep the confidence going!
zoe
March 2, 2015
You have your own form opinion and I understood you perfectly well. like I stated I prefer a challenge and yes counselling require a great skill in helping people, and that I have no problem with.
I leave it as that as I am aware views can somewhat be different and people have form their own ideas how its works out, I have my own method and it works out fine.
I know what to expect from level three and it wont be an easy ride, again I look forward to it, if you have the passion and can carry it through, I don’t see how it can go wrong, as stated I wont be suitable for everyone and this is well known in the counselling world.
Zoe
March 3, 2015
This is and was my understanding:
http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/profquals.html
Hope it helps.
royalblue74@:hotmail.co.uk
March 3, 2015
Ah with regard to face to face with a client with a very qualified counsellor, well I am looking in to postgraduate diploma with supervision counselling… I have sent a enquiries to my college that I have studies with in hope they will point me out in the right direction how to go about it, if that fail I will be contacting counselling office in my area to ask if they can do this request… I am understood that I am to do 150 training hours in this as I have pass the course ( yes I have done my homework here) sorry I got a bit lost and had a lot going on, I hope this answered to your question finally.
Ann
March 2, 2015
Zoe, Like yourself I have experienced having difficulties with private counselling from work, for myself but i managed greatly because I wear my hearing aid but found that I was not fully cured I then went to NHS counselling who also thought I was `good` to be discharged from counselling too. I still have panic attacks in new unknown places that I visit especially in the dark. I then sourced online and found this fab website `Charles Linden` who is against all the `rules` of counselling professionals. I have various deaf friends who have approached me for my help due to me being very understanding and caring and knew how to explain things to them and gave good advice. In my previous employment I was a support worker with adults with learning disabilities where they also had mental health disabilities too. My daughter works with NHS mental health and she has saw a few deaf patients requiring help too and they were not getting the full benefit from counselling like others because of lack of communication. My deaf friend goes to counselling for the deaf but they still can`t empaythise her because they are not deaf. So like yourself this got me thinking, I want to be a counsellor for the deaf to fill in this Gap. I start my HNC counselling in August. Once I`m qualified I will then be a self employed deaf counsellor too. I am a full BSL signer but hear very well and speak very well.
zoe
March 3, 2015
Ah Ann, someone who can empathised what I once went through but the situation never really got resolved, rather frustrating isn’t it?
You clearly understood as you have the feedback that deaf people who had counselling with a hearing person does not really understand them and the deaf are left either feeling isolated or frustrated. this I can relate and understand. I too have given guided help and advice for those seek a different view that they haven’t thought of because they are too wrap up with one opinion to get through and needed this form of counselling to open their mind up, usually the outcome are their own but the counsellor have ask question that make them response in a way they haven’t thought of.
So I certainly encourage you if you are very passionate about doing the course to help other deaf people, which I am to understand is your aim?! I bid you good luck and enjoy the course and along the way you make some discoveries also.
I had a few hearing people turning to me also and I do my best and any conversation exchange stayed confidential and forgotten, the only time I don’t ignore it is they raise some concern, but so far I have no come across those.
Ann
March 3, 2015
Hi Zoe,
It was good to hear from someone like myself. Yes I aim to become a deaf counsellor providing counselling to deaf and hearing people and yes I`m sure I will discover lots on the way. I got ur link from a deaf counsellor too, Adrian Francis whom I met on Facebook, I`ve yet to meet him in person, probably never but it`s good to know there are others like us and can support each other. I hope we can all achieve what we aim.
Thanks
Best wishes
Ann x
Cathy
March 3, 2015
Zoe, this is nothing to do with my opinion or views, or anyone else’s opinions! I have asked a viable question, which neither yourself or anyone else has answered or even knows the answer to! It is a worry for anyone whose deaf learning online, but you are the one doing the course, not me, so if you don’t think its a good question to ask then there are no worries!!!
I do hope level 3 works out as you expect it to and I hope you find deaf people to counsel who are total strangers to you. May your good luck continue!
Em
March 3, 2015
Zoe, I think Cathy means you need face-to-face time with client to actually practice your counselling skills. Not only written work, both written AND practical. Means must arrange time to meet clients and have counselling sessions with them when you do Level 3. Very important part of the course.
Cathy
March 4, 2015
That’s right Em, thankyou very much. Iam sorry if I didn’t make myself clear to you, Zoe.
I took a look at the link you gave me Zoe and to get the diploma you need to do practice placement of 400 hours. That is a lot and that is what I was talking about. I do hope you can accommodate these hours with your small children? I imagine this could prove quite difficult.
The other tricky part is finding strangers who are deaf to fill those hours. This is the main reason I stopped doing Counselling as there are not enough deaf people around that I dont know, without travelling the length and breadth of Britain!!!