Journeying through life is full of joys of discovery and wonderment. But, along the way we face times of difficult paths that are rocky, slippery and boggy. At times we lose our baring or the path seem to end without the way forward. Although we are equipped with vast array of skills and wisdom to wade our way through life, sometimes we find ourselves in need to talk to someone. Someone who can listen, empathise and understand our own inner journey, hopes and aspirations. Someone who can do this in a safe and trusting way in complete confidence in a secure, comfortable and none-judgmental environment.

Individual can experience many and varied personal psychological, emotional, relational issues. More…

“If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master,

If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on! ‘

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And-which is more-you’ll be a Man, my son! ”

 – Rudyard Kipling –

Being in a relationship with someone who loves and cares for you is one of the most exhilarating, wonderful and precious element of our lives. It provides us with affirmation and validation of who we are, what we do, what we need and what we hope for. The loving relationship invigorates our existence. Establishing and maintaining good relationship requires great deal of effort, investment, commitment and constant attention. Yet all most all relationships hit rocky times as it develops from an infatuation stage to mature, long lasting one. Such rocky times can be seen as a detriment to our relationship or an opportunity to fine tune and grow towards deepening relationship.

As love relationships deepen couples consider life-long commitment of marriage. Marriage is a wonderful, life-giving entity that affirms and validates our lives, and a source of joy, enrichment, purpose and fulfillment. Marriage is coming together and bonding of two individuals with different upbringing, culture, habits, personality make ups, sociability, hopes and aspirations, religion among others. In order to make this most precious union of marriage to succeed these differences needs to be identified, recognized, accepted and some of the major differences resolved. Being equipped with communication skills, bonding skills and “other-person-centeredness” skills are crucial in ensuring that the couple’s union becomes continuing source of joy, wonderment and growth.

Loving marriage relationship is one of the most wonderful things that a living human being can experience. Also, two people living together in marital commitment is one of the most challenging things one faces in life. There are myriads of potential causes that can affect the marital relationships. Experiences of life from family, work, social life and their changes, personal differences and changing experiences of each member of the marital couple and challenges that the couple face together wading through the storms and stress of life. From time to time a third person perspective and skilled helper can help marital couples through these challenging times.

When the relationship with the most important person in our lives ends, we experience something akin to a trauma of loss through death of a loved one. Emotional experiences such as denial, fear, loneliness, guilt, rejection, grief, anger self-pity etc. It is a time of great sadness and pain. Much embracing, self-care, affirmation and validation is needed in the process of healing and recovery. It is a time to reflect, identify issues, re-adjust, and regain strength and balance. It can also be a great opportunity to learn, enrich, transition, grow and enjoy the freedom to be one self.

Remarriage after the end of one marriage is a wonderful restorative and rebuilding of one’s life with a new partner in marriage. But, in some cases people enter into a new marriage before having worked through the trauma and grief of the end of one marriage, carrying the same issues into a new marriage. Talking about the issues and working through them in preparation for the new marriage will help build stronger and enriching new marriage.

Family is where our personality is shaped. An individual internalises the dynamic relational experiences of the family in forming our internal and external view of the world. Experiences of family life impact on the development of our expectations as an individual and family in relation to our genes roles, responsibilities, social structure in a complex and divers ways. Family dynamics in terms of power, boundaries and intimacy, coalitions, roles, rules, complementarity & differences, similarities, myths and patterns of communications influence our development as a social individuals.

In family counselling, variety of issues can be considered. Issues such as free choice, self growth, self determination, personal fulfilment, family relationship patterns, inter generational heritage, ongoing-repetitive probable maintenance factors, dysfunctional and destructive family games and alliances, communication and language patterns among others.

When families separate, members of the family experiences one of the most traumatic times of their family life. It’s a time of much questions unanswered, much turmoil and vexations. Both adults and children in the family experience their own pains and anguishes. In some cases the issues caused by the separation of one family can lead to experience of psychological and social turbulence.

Children have a language of their own when it comes to expressing themselves. Children naturally engage in creative and nonverbal communications to express their thoughts, feelings and experiences. At Counselling Interactive we work closely with carers and parents based on evidence based and latest research appropriate for the child’s stage development. In partnership with the parents or carers we develop and implement strategies to help children experiencing problems, helping the child to process their emotional and psychological experiences in a safe and comfortable environment.

Children communicates through behaviour expressions. When the child experiences insecurity, fear and other psychological discomforts, it is expressed behaviourally. Therefore, children acting up, behaving disruptively or other behaviour abnormalities are signs that indicate their inner experiences. When such signs appears the child needs attention of the carer or a parents. When such signs persists and becomes an ongoing issue, the child needs to be seen by a trained observer who can allow the child to express their inner experiences in variety of proven methods used by the counsellor and developmentally appropriate strategies should be applied in helping the child.

Self Esteem has been known to develop during the early childhood. The developed self-esteem remains relatively stable for the rest of one’s lifetime unless an intervention takes place to alter the level of self-esteem. For adults with low self-esteem it becomes one of the most persistent factors that adversely influence one’s life experiences and performance. Therefore, development of healthy crucial for sound psychological and social life of an individual.

There are some fundamental needs of children that must remain constant. They are biological and physiological needs, security and safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs. When such needs are threatened by the potential and actual separation of parents, children experience severe insecurity and turbulence due to changing nature of their life and uncertainty. The separating parents need to set aside their “adult” issues and focus on the needs of the children through the changing landscape of family relations. There are things parents need to avoid and there are adjustments and skills that parents need to learn and implement as their embark on co-parenting the children. The children themselves need to be listened to, their experiences and emotions needs to be embraced, affirmed and validated.

Adolescence is considered one of the most stressful stage in one’s life. It’s a time of transition from a child to an adult. Many teenagers find talking about their problem confronting and difficult as they struggle to find means to talk about their experiences. Using innovative methods such as image cards, artistic expressions, creative writing and music we find appropriate ways to help adolescents and young people express their thoughts, feelings and experiences.

By the time one turns teenager the level of self-esteem develop during the early childhood becomes increasingly salient. A level of self-esteem will begin to affect academic, extra-curricular and social life of a teenager. A low self-esteem begins to affect some or all aspects of a teenagers life, which in turn contributes towards increased self criticism causing the vicious spiral downwards. An intervention is needed to adjust the self-concept by learning to be self-aware, instituting some self-care skills and equipping oneself with arsenal of psychological adaptive skills.

Bullying is one of the most insidious scourge that deeply affects child’s experience of the world. Bullying has been found as cause of suicides among children and young people. More and more research findings have supported the need for early intervention and systemic changes in school, cyber space and at home.

Adolescence is a transitional stage where a child becomes an adult. As one grows intellectually, emotionally, physically as well as in social competencies teenagers become increasingly equipped with abilities to express their thoughts, feelings and experiences. For some people, it is the first time they can begin to express themselves. This can cause conflicts with parents, siblings, friends, teachers and other people with whom they could not express themselves freely to date. Adolescence are a time of trial and learning. This precious journey can be aided and made smoother with someone to talk to, as well as being equipped with skills and abilities to help chart their way through the adolescence.

Learning to adjust to a new blended family can be a daunting challenge for adults and children alike. For adolescents who face this challenge, it can be a difficult process. Adjusting to a new step parent and step siblings are new level of complexities in adjusting to changing family environment for adolescents. Success and failure may have many factor contributing to them. Identifying issues, talking about the thoughts, feelings and experiences to affirm and validate helps adjustment and adaptation process.

Group counselling or group therapy sessions provide an opportunity to build relationships and receive interpersonal feedback about how we experience one another.  You can gain specific skills and strategies to meet personal goals, explore areas that present personal challenges, and gain support and encouragement from others.  Group is one of the most effective ways to explore and support changes you wish to make in your life.

At Counselling Interactive we provide group session with various topics such as; Parenting, Marriage Enhancement, Restoring After End of Love Relationship, Stress Management, Anger Management, Self-Esteem Enhancement, Assertive Training etc.. These groups are scheduled to run through out the year. And, specially tailored group sessions can be arranged at your organisation

Workplace injuries and accidents can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Work place injuries can be both physical and psychological. Workplace bullying can also lead to PTSD as would any physical injuries. PTSD can lead to experiences of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideations. Psychotherapy can significantly alluviate the worker from the effects of PTSD and associated symptoms.

Recover care and managements of the injured workers are the responsibility of iCare. iCare is part of State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) which over sees all worker’s compensation matter of the state of NSW. iCare and associated bodies will cover all costs associated with the treatment, recovery and return to work care of the workers. This inclues all psychotherapeutic/counselling costs.

Phyisical and psychological injuries sustained from motor vehicle accidents can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can lead to experiences of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideations. Psychotherapy can significantly alluviate the worker from the effects of PTSD and associated symptoms.

At Counselling Interactive we provide group session with various topics such as; Parenting, Marriage Enhancement, Restoring After End of Love Relationship, Stress Management, Anger Management, Self-Esteem Enhancement, Assertive Training etc.. These groups are scheduled to run through out the year. And, specially tailored group sessions can be arranged at your organisation

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a program of providing counselling and psychotherapeutic assistance to the employees by the private, public companies as well as government. Each employees of the companies or government department has an allowence of certain number of counselling session paid for by their employers. Each employee can directly contact the EAP provider and aquire counselling and psychotherapy required. Strict confidentiality is upheld for each employees who access the services without the cost burden to the employees. Counsellor at Counselling Interactive is a registered provider of EAP service.

EAP services can be access by employees of firms and organization that provide EAP for their employees. The issues for accessing EAP services can be for person, family, relationship, work related or for any issues that concerns the emloyee. The issues and the contents of the counselling and psychotherapy are kept strictly confidential between the counsellor and the employee.

Counselling supervision is provided support, protect, resource and enhance counsellors and psychotherapists in their professional practice of counselling. The supervision also aims to ultimately protect and benefit the clients. Supervision aims to establish and enhance awareness and critical reflections in the counselling and psychotherapeutic work of the counsellor as well as apply theoretical knowledge and skills into practice. Also critical to supervision is the ethical decision-making and achievement of beneficence, non-maleficence to clients.

The supervision process may be by way of the counsellor’s reflections and case presentation, audio/video presentations, direct observation, or review of case notes. The supervisor-supervisee’s relationship is established on the basis of complete and absolute confidentiality and trust. The relationship is based on a collaborative approach and mutual respect. Supervisor’s objective is to assist the supervisee achieving improvements in his/her professional objective as well as improving outcomes for clients.

Counsellor, psychotherapists and case worker involved in providing personal, counselling, psychological and social support to clients of various backgrounds would benefit from the supervision.