Services
The Koram Centre offer a range of services based on the level of support you may require. The services we offer include:
We also provide a range of Corporate Services and also organise Local Programmes which focus on a particular social need.
Listening Ear
The Listening Ear Service is the first level of support offered to people who come to the Koram Centre. We provide people with someone to talk to, giving them the space to express their feelings. We simply listen, without giving advice or making judgments, giving them the space and freedom to talk their problem through.
Experience has shown that for most people this level of support is all they needed, the fact that someone listened to them was enough to help them get on with their lives and deal with their problems.
During the Listening Ear period we inform people that both Listening Ear and counselling services are available. After an inital period of communication it can become apparent that the person is suffering from a specific problem which may benefit from Counselling. Counselling is seen as the second level of support offered to people who come to the Koram Centre, see the Counselling Services section below for additonal information.
Qualifications (Listening Ear Team)
The specialised Listening Ear Team are required to have a Certificate in Counselling validated by either the Queen’s University, Belfast, or The University of Ulster; or a Certificate in Brief Solution Focused Counselling validated by the Open College Network.
Counselling
People come to the Koram Centre with an enormously diverse range of presenting issues including stress, depression, anxiety, sleep-problems, drug and alcohol problems, relationship difficulties with both children and partners, histories of violence and intimidation, abuse and oppression, pain, mental health problems and work-related concerns. Given this diversity the Koram Centre acknowledges that different clients have different needs, and believes that no one single approach to counselling is sufficient. We therefore encourage an eclectic approach in the counselling service offered. Such an approach incorporates the Person Centred, Psychodynamic, Cognitive and Solution-focused Brief Therapy approaches.
We provide people with someone to talk to about their specific problem, giving them the space and freedom to talk their problem through. Our Counsellers are basically are non-directive in thier approach, however they do give infromation to poeple, and they have referal skills and will help people towards an appropiate referral.
Qualifications (Counselling Team)
A minimum requirement for all counsellors at the Koram Centre is that they have completed a 2 year Diploma in Counselling which must be validated by a recognised University or Tertiary Educational Establishment. The Koram Centre recognises that different clients have different needs, and believes that no one single approach to counselling is sufficient. We thus welcome counsellors from different theoretical orientations. We have for example two counsellors trained to degree and master’s level in Counselling and Psychotherapy, three counsellors with Diplomas in generic Counselling, one counsellor with a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling, while three of our trainee counsellors are completing their second year Diploma in Person Centred Counselling.
Three counsellors have completed Diploma in Counselling Courses which are accredited by either the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, (BACP) or the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, (IACP). And in September 2004, five of our staff will begin the BACP accredited Advanced Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling course. All of our qualified counsellors are working towards individual accreditation in line with the requirements laid down by BACP and/or IACP.
Again in line with the BACP code of ethics for standards and practice, all listening ears and counsellors receive regular supervision, and attend training in order to fulfil the requirements for continuing professional development.
