Student Wellbeing Individual Counselling skills group which included some of my friends. Both types The counselling service is a well-used one of sessions assisted me with and counsellors at both campuses have had sorting out conflicts and getting the greater part of their time spent speaking things off my chest without with students one-to-one about issues that being penalised for it. In my are important to them. Common presenting junior years, the sessions were issues include anxiety, mood disorder, full-on counselling sessions... family disharmony, friendships/relationships, and in my senior years, the motivation, anger, grief, social skill difficulties sessions were less to do and a variety of others. with counselling and were Have you ever wondered what it is like to more casual sessions – less attend counselling sessions? Well here, a junior Mr Pascal Rohan and Ms Maree Keel focussed and problem-based and a senior student give you an insight into and more along the lines of what is has been like for them. personal development. Counselling has been a place Junior – Year 7 to let off steam, to give over information, to seek My mum asked me whether I wanted to go to advice and to even establish a good relationship counselling as an experience, to deal with what was with the counsellor as someone who knows and troubling me. I said I wanted to think about it. Once understands me...which is really why I have kept things got worse, I told mum I’d give it a shot and coming back. see how it works. For the first session, I thought Parent Evening it was really weird telling all the things that had Four of our student members (representing years happened to me to a person I had just met. I even 8, 10 and 12) spoke on the topic of mental health, missed some sessions after the first one, because from ‘the inside-out’ to a group of parents early in it felt so weird. But as things got worse for me, I the year. These students had an intimate association went back. When I decided to tell the counsellor with issues relating to weight, anxiety, depression everything, I felt more and more comfortable. and autism spectrum disorder. Whilst it would be We spoke about things that could help me in my advantageous to attend such a gathering and to situation. We even had my parents be part of the listen to an ‘expert’ speak on these topics – it is quite sessions, twice. I continue to see the counsellor another thing to hear about an insider’s experience because what we are speaking about is working and and to come to appreciate just what life is like for is helping me. I keep attending counselling because some of our young people. My thanks to these boys even though there are issues that still affect me that and to the parents who support them. are beyond my control, I am getting more confidence Farewell and thanks and am moving forward. After six years at the College, I have now seen one Senior – Year 12 cohort of secondary students, Year 7–12, through I began seeing the counsellor due to social the school and will be now taking up a counselling awkwardness. After speaking with the counsellor appointment elsewhere. I wish to acknowledge here in private sessions, I became a member of a social 100
the goodness and strength of the many boys and young men who have availed of counselling over the years and who have made efforts to advance their psychological, social, and intellectual wellbeing. It is not always easy to do the work of change that needs to be done on oneself – it can be hard...and sometimes, very hard – and so I applaud the many who have challenged themselves to ‘be, well’. Thank you – it has been my pleasure to have known you. Mr Pascal Rohan Director of Student Wellbeing Counselling at Kinnoull The counselling service at Kinnoull has been very busy over the course of the year, with many students and parents availing of the opportunity to seek support. A significant number of individual students have accessed the service in order to deal with challenges presented by their academic studies, work on personal issues or address mental health concerns. Emphasis has been placed on students adopting stress management strategies such as meditation and relaxation techniques to alleviate some of the pressures associated with the rigours of VCE. A number of groups have been operating in 2014: including a Comedy Club and a Year 12 Social Skills group. Next year the College will welcome a new member to the counselling team, however it is important to acknowledge and thank Pascal for his hard work and the dedication shown over his tenure at the College. He has made a significant contribution to the counselling service and to the life of the College; particularly in his role as the Director of Student Wellbeing. All the best Pascal, we wish you well in your future endeavours. Ms Maree Keel Kinnoull Counsellor
