/library/oar/handle/123456789/17578 Thu, 25 Dec 2025 09:02:56 GMT 2025-12-25T09:02:56Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/131903 Title: Perceptions of counselling in a small island community context: a Gozitan perspective Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of counselling with particular reference to the small island community context of Gozo. Seven young adult community members volunteered to participate in this research in which they spoke about their personal thoughts, feelings and experience in their own words. The research adopted an lnterpretative Phenomanological Approach (I.P.A) both in the collection and analysis of the data that was gathered through in-depth semi­structured interviews. A number of themes were derived from the analysis which foreshadowed the unique experiences of the participants. The main super-ordinate themes include counselling and the way it is acknowledged by individuals who live in Gozo, the personal experience of dealing with difficulties, possible community characteristics that are impinging the way counselling is viewed as an option to treatment and salient tools that help expanding the service in Gozo. Each of these themes has several implications f or practice and training which can help move the service as well as the counselling profession forward. For this to be realized, this research calls for awareness about the counselling profession and services, an improvement in the existing services as well as the establishment of newer ones. A number of recommendations for future research were also made. Description: M.COUNSELLING Sun, 01 May 2016 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/131903 2016-05-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/121990 Title: Tales of hope : journeys towards recovery of people whose parent was diagnosed with mental health conditions Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the emergent themes from the lived experiences of the adult children of people with mental health conditions; emphasising counselling and other support structures so that through this, counsellors may offer improved therapeutic experiences. The conceptual framework guiding this study was founded on Narrative Constructionism, as people tend to tell stories about the way they experience their reality. Based on a qualitative design, three narrative interviews have been carried out with each of the five participants. The participants were all adult children of mentally ill parents, and were recruited through criterion sampling. Three different interview schedules were designed and the interviews were audio recorded for ease of reference. The data were analysed through thematic analysis. Self-reflexivity, trustworthiness and ethical considerations were borne in mind from the initial phase of this inquiry. Various themes emerged but the four overarching themes that were identified are ‘a mother like no other’, ‘the child’, ‘stigma’ and ‘support’. This study underscores the importance of the therapeutic relationship in counselling based on trust, empathic understanding, congruence and unconditional positive regard, for the provision of a corrective emotional experience. It is being recommended that services focus on the people within the patient’s system too rather than viewing the patient in isolation. This needs to be sustained by further research projects so as to evaluate the need, management and outcomes of such services. This study also asks for the counselling profession on a local level to be acknowledged as one of the helping professions in the mental health sector and in other sectors. Description: M.COUNSELLING Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/121990 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/121834 Title: What aids and what hinders adolescents who are reluctant to engage in the counselling process Abstract: The aim of this research is to highlight the counsellors’ and the adolescents’ perception of what aids and what hinders the engagement phase in counselling when facing reluctant adolescents. Reluctance in this study is understood as the lack of will to engage in therapy. The experiences of six experienced counsellors, who have worked with adolescent clients, were analysed alongside those of five adolescents who were identified as having been reluctant in the engagement phase by the practitioners. Both participant groups were recruited on a voluntary basis. The critical incident technique (Flanagan, 1954) was used to identify helpful and hindering incidents that emerged through the semi-structured interviews for both counsellors and adolescents and then the results compared. From the data analysis, reflection is placed upon what adolescents and counsellors considered as helpful in the engagement phase with reluctant adolescents, and also what was considered as hindering. With regards to the findings it was evident that certain tools and creativity aid the engagement phase. However counsellors seemed to emphasize tools more that adolescents. Adolescents gave importance to basic counselling skills such as empathy, understanding and general interest. Adolescents also highlighted problem free talk as a skill that aids engagement. Counsellors also made reference to negative methods of approach such as being paternalist or authoritative. On the other hand, adolescents’ reference to negative events were lack of sensitivity, such as counsellors being in a hurry, looking at the watch and the incorrect involvement of third parties. Description: M.COUNSELLING Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/121834 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/19136 Title: The relationship between sense of belonging and sociocultural adaptation among migrants in Vancouver, British Columbia Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sense of belonging and sociocultural adaptation among migrants who have voluntarily left their country of origin and immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.) in order to seek permanent residency. The sample consisted of 88 participants permanently living in Vancouver, B.C. who had immigrated to this city within the past ten years. The Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI) and the Revised Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS-R) were used to test for a relationship between sense of belonging and sociocultural adaptation. Results indicated a positive relationship between psychological sense of belonging and sociocultural adaptation among migrants. Demographic variables (age, gender, employment status, socioeconomic status, marital status, duration of residency in Vancouver, race and religion) were also tested on sense of belonging and sociocultural adaptation. Only employment status was found to have a significant impact on sociocultural adaptation, where employed participants demonstrated a stronger sociocultural adaptation than unemployed participants. Furthermore, findings showed the importance for the need of counsellors to better aid migrants in their transition to the new country in terms of their belonging and sociocultural adaptation. Discussed are also recommendations for counsellors to undergo necessary training and policy, as well as future recommendations for researchers. Description: M.A.TRANSCULTURAL COUNSELLING Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/19136 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z