Trained and qualified professional counsellors provide support and guidance to people experiencing emotional problems and difficulties that impact on their life. This type of support is available through structured counselling sessions and programmes, for which an appointment is required. Lay counselling provides additional support that is not as structured or restrictive, and generally runs alongside professional counselling sessions.
A Different Type of Support
A lay counsellor is a trained individual who understands the importance of providing a listening ear, support and guidance and that sometimes this kind of help and understanding cannot be restricted to appointment times only. Whilst a lay counsellor has counselling knowledge this person may not work as a therapist or counsellor, and has acquired counselling skills as additional vocational experience.
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What Lay Counsellors Provide
Lay counsellors provide support to individuals experiencing emotional issues and problems. The level of training acquired will provide the lay counsellor with an understanding of how best to support individuals going through particular difficulties. Their training will not, however, equipt them with the professional knowledge to provide the level of counselling guidance required if the individual has medical conditions that complicate their emotional issue.
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Situations that present suicidal intention, mania, clinical depression, personality and/or anxiety disorders and schizophrenia must be referred directly to a qualified professional.
Understanding Behaviours
Counselling requires an understanding of emotional issues and problems on many levels. A lay counsellor therefore must be able to demonstrate an understanding of behaviour identification, as well as the best way of providing support in each situation. Being able to confidently prioritise issues as they arise allows the lay counsellor to provide continual support over a period of time.
Understanding that individuals experiencing emotional problems should not be identified by personality type and tendancies will enable the lay counsellor to provide the level of support most needed.
Where to Find a Lay Counsellor
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Environments that provide emotional support may have a lay counsellor on hand. Community support groups that provide care and continued understanding – for instance groups working with HIV and AIDS sufferers, as well as other medical conditions – will have access to the additional support lay counselors can provide.
Churches also often rely on lay counsellors, within the parish, because these individuals are able to provide continuity in support and will already have a background understanding that offers a link in contact – in this instance, shared religious views.
Lay Community Counselling
Lay counsellors in the community provide a supportive service that complements the work provided by other trained professionals. This often means that the service offered by a lay counsellor is somewhat limited and/or specific. Nonetheless, this additional support makes a valuable contribution towards helping individuals overcome emotional hardship and issues.
Lay Counsellors and Transitory Communities
Transitory communities, that are established as a result of a natural disaster and link together many different races, languages, values and attitudes, successfully work with lay counsellors because these support workers provide the initial bridge to working through difficulties and problems in order to find solution.
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