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Welcome
Our Small Group consists of qualified Counsellors up to Diploma/Degree level, one NLP Practitioner and voluntary Counsellors who are working towards qualification. We meet monthly with a focus on maintaining our personal development as practtitioners.
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How You Could Support Our Group |
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What We Actually DO when we meet
On a Personal level when we meet our overall aim is to be supportive of one another and we seek to develop openess, honesty, realness, transparency and grace. We are open to challenge and taking time to listen - to share Gods goodness in our lives, care and encourage one another in the difficult times and the good times, and to be available for each other.
Practically we work on developing our skills in human relations, personal development and communication which we feel will help us relate more authentically to others. We explore various therapeutic models and systems working with challenge regarding personal and spiritual development.
Lastly
As a Discipleship Ministry Small Group one needs to be part of the Counselling Ministry Team to be a member.
Here at Bridge Street Church the Counselling Ministry comes under the name of 'Life Connections' which is a developing project. All our clients are referred through one of our four Pastors, below is a sample of what we offer through;Counselling,
Life Coaching and Mentoring
COUNSELLING
Life brings many challenges and all of us experience difficulty at varied times.
We can experience anxiety, fear, stress, loneliness, low self esteem, sudden crisis, confusion…
Sometimes these can be linked to specific life events such as:
> Difficulty with relationships
> Financial concerns
> Low confidence
> Worry
> Change
> Illness, loss or bereavement
Counselling is a carefully arranged opportunity for you to talk through issues that are affecting your life with someone qualified to help you in a safe, non judgemental, confidential relationship.
Counsellors use different approaches or models for their counselling depending on their training and what they find to be effective.
Through Life Connections our Counsellors will not make assumptions or have any requirements about your beliefs and values within the ACC code of Ethics & Practice (a copy can be made available to you on request). Counselling will only include issues of faith and spirituality if you request this.
Though we are a Christian Organisation you do not need to be a Christian - we are happy to offer Professional Counselling help to anyone in need.
LIFE COACHING
It’s amazing how once people become clear about what they want from life and they work out steps to getting it; they develop a sense of purpose. They become more motivated, assertive, and confident.
Life Coaching raises the clients awareness of themselves, how they react in certain situations and how their own preconceived ideas about the world and others impacts on their perceptions of reality.
Life Coaching is not therapeutic and focuses on
> achieving targets or goals such as helping you:
> work on details that will sharpen up your skills or improve your performance
> to perform a skill or solve a problem better than you would otherwise have been
able to do
> to manage change more resourcefully – in career or circumstance
> bring about improvements at work, University, School
> develop greater rapport and communication skills with others
> plan strategies for the future – in work or in life
Life Coaching is not about self-analysis or examining childhood events. Life Coaching will enable you to identify and make changes to particular areas of your life. Coaches always offer advice whereas Counsellors will not offer advice
In Coaching the sports analogy is often used. A Coach is there to motivate and encourage you to achieve more than you would on your own – they will encourage you to do that extra sit up (so to speak) to help you achieve your goal.
MENTORING
Mentoring can have a significant, beneficial effect on a person’s lifestyle. This is usually as a result of personal, one to one contact. A mentor is one who offers knowledge, insight, perspective, or wisdom that is especially useful to the other person.
Mentoring is therefore a learning relationship between two people. It requires a range of human qualities such as trust, commitment and emotional engagement. It also involves a range of skills such as listening, questioning, challenge and support.
Mentoring is a process whereby the Mentor and Mentee work together to discover and develop the Mentee’s latent abilities, it is therefore primarily developmental.
Mentoring is aimed at supporting an individuals learning and development as they go through some sort of change or challenge. This could be learning new skills, acquiring new knowledge, changing behaviours or attitudes, developing awareness of self and other.
Some areas where individuals find mentoring helpful:
> Studying
> Preparing for exams
> Planning for the future
> Work related issues
> Working through problems/challenges
Mentoring can be:
Short-Term: Structured to meet short term objectives
Longer-Term: Often for planning, to master a process or preparing for some
significant change.
On 'Additional pages for this site' we have put some self help information - please feel free to take a look.
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