NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (April 08, 2021) — The Nevis Counsel Advocate Restore Empower (CARE) Centre, the counselling unit at the Department of Social Services in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), is observing Counselling Awareness Month, an annual event, with a number of activities highlighting the significance of the counselling profession to the society.
Mrs Ivorcia Browne, Supervisor of the Nevis CARE Centre, told the Department of Information on April 06, 2021, the activities will begin on April 09. This year’s theme is “The future is… Selfcare, Advocacy and Inclusion #BurnBrightNotOut.”
“On April 9th we will be encouraging the general public to wear the colour teal [a blue-green colour] … to show solidarity with the counselling profession and to advocate its need in our society… We are going to have a few activities some of which include going to the secondary schools, when school reopens, to have sessions with their school leavers promoting the profession as a career option…
“We are going to be reaching out to our school leavers and telling them about the details of the profession, the benefits there are to the profession, and how they can return and positively impact our society… We also plan on trying to have some sessions with our children who are in Early Childhood to teach them a little bit about emotions and how to navigate difficult emotions,” she said.
Mrs. Browne also noted that they are also planning to have a special day for counselling professionals dubbed Selfcare Day.
“Also, we want to have what we call a Selfcare Day at the ending of the month which will be April 30th for the counselling professionals that are here. Sometimes, even we as counsellors, we need a little time out and as the hashtag says, we need to burn bright and not burn out…
“Sometimes, even as counsellors, you may experience burnout because you have so many difficulties to deal with plus you have your own clients to deal with, and so it is important for us as professionals to care ourselves, and so we are encouraging the general public to reach out to us. Visit us at the counselling unit,” she said.
The unit’s supervisor explained that the society has been experiencing setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there are many people who are suffering emotionally, and also those who are experiencing emotional difficulty outside of the COVID-19 crisis, hence the reason for public awareness, during the month of April, of the counselling unit and the benefits of counselling.
“Sometimes we view counselling as for people who are crazy or people who do not have it all together but the truth is every one of us from time to time needs some form of counselling. Whether we are businessmen, whether we clean the side of the road, whether we are doctors, whether we are lawyers from time to time we all experience some emotional difficulty and that’s the truth, and counselling is encouraged because it actually helps our families, it actually helps the relationships in our societies. It actually helps our professionals to be better at what they do regardless of their profession, and in turn it actually helps our communities to be better,” she said.
Mrs. Browne expressed thanks to the public ahead of their partnership with the unit especially on April 09 to show solidarity with the profession and its need in St. Kitts and Nevis.
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