Peer Counselling training

Peer Counselling training was organised by Shakthi Center with funding from LLH Norway, started on 27th Dec and we finished 14 Feb 2010. We completed 6 weekends of counselling training. The training was attended by 10 participants who are going to be volunteers on the telephone helpline that will be set up by Shakthi Resource Center. This training was for the LGBT population in and around Chennai.

At the end of this training we are expected to have a counselling training manual and a group of trained peer counsellors to work with people with issues from the LGBT community.

Certificate Course on Counselling

Center for Counselling and Training, Chennai

announces a 100 hour certificate course on counselling.

This counselling training is focused on the practical aspects of counselling.

The classes are 12 consecutive weekends.(Saturdays & Sundays 2 to 6 PM)

The course begins on 12 June until 29 Aug 2010.

The dates of training are:

June - 12, 13, 19, 20,26,27

July - 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31

Aug - 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21,22,28,29

Who will benefit?

Those who have a certificate or degree in counselling but need help in actually working with the client.

Or

Anyone who is interested in counselling as a profession and is thinking about doing a degree/ diploma in counselling

Who will get the certificate?

Attendance of a minimum of 90 hours is required for the certificate,

Completing all the assignments and

Passing all the assessment criteria

How much? And what does this cover?

The course fee is RS 6000/ participant.

This includes a certificate on passing assessment criteria,

tea all days of training, and training material.

For Registration and more details

Contact - Jonathan +91- 9884700106

centerforcounselling@gmail.com

Report on all the LGBT related work Jan to Dec 2009

A list of activities in relation to the LGBT community, 2009

Date & Month Events

January 5th 2009- Meeting organised by Sangama and hosted by Center for Counselling to discuss setting up a Human Rights commission for S E Asia

Jan 2009- Series of meetings with Shakti center and intensive discussions on the Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for SRS at CFC office

January 31st to April - 8 Tamil group sessions and 8 English group sessions were completed

Feb 2nd - Discussions on Peer counselling training with Mr. Aniruddh Sakthi center

Feb 23rd- Discussions on collaboration with Sakthi center

April 6th - Meeting organised by Sangama and hosted by Center for Counselling to discuss issues of violence among transgenders. This was conducted due to the highly published articles of alleged forced sex change operations by TGs to get young boys into prostitution. Plenty of heated debates and a decision to sensitise the general community on issues relating to TGs as well as within the TG community to reduce the hierarchy within the zamath.

April to May- Series of meetings, interviews to discuss pride events in June was mostly held at our office

June 18th- Meeting at the US consulate as a mark of respect to all those working on the LGBT issues. The evening was hosted by the UN Consul General at his home. All key people working on LGBT issues in Chennai were present.

June 20th- Participated in the panel discussion has happened at Spaces regarding LGBT issues.

June 21st THE HINDU had published an interview of Ms. Magdalene Jeyarathnam, founder/Director of Center for counselling. Chennai suddenly woke up to so much of media coverage on LGBT issues. There was an interview on page 2 and a photo of the panel discussion on page 3
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=469300&id=1460622733#/photo.php?pid=532090&id=1460622733&fbid=1191804802861

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=469300&id=1460622733#/photo.php?pid=532062&id=1460622733&fbid=1191779682233

June 22nd- The feature film “Milk” has been screened followed by a reception at Amethyst.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=848234&id=1460622733

June 26th- The first support group session was conducted for the parents of LGBT community at our office. Very moving for everyone. Active participation by the family and LGBT folks

June 28th Participation in the PRIDE MARCH event

June 29th Got quoted twice on front page of New Indian Express another major newspaper which gave a lot of attention to the LGBT issues. This picture is on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=469300&id=1460622733

July Pride party at our office


August 16th Thinakaran had a super article on respecting transgendered folks written well by Vaidehi
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=469300&id=1460622733#/photo.php?pid=531861&id=1460622733&fbid=1191743081318

August 28th- Meeting at Women’s development center, Gurukul – The mainstream Lutheran church had gathered people to sensitise their pastors and bring out a statement regarding including the LGBT folks in mainstream church. I got Teja and Gabriel to share in that event and their sharing made a huge impact in the statement that they came up with.

August 29th- The Support group session was conducted for the parents of LGBT community

September 21st- The Psychodrama group session was conduted for the LGBT community by Dr. Herb Propper.

November 12th and 13th - A consultation on Sexuality and Faith at Asha Nivas. Ms. Magdalene Jeyarathnam, founder/Director of Center for counselling has done a paper presentation on the issues of LGBT, she also co-moderated a Panel Discussion with gay men and one transgendered woman.

November 14th- NDTV HINDU has interviewed Ms. Magdalene Jeyarathnam, founder/Director of Center for counselling regarding LGBT issues

Dec 5th and 6th - National Council of Churches had organised a 2 day Theological Round Table conference on sexuality and Churches. Magdalene Jeyarathnam presented a paper and actively participated in the debates and discussions which helped the NCCI to come up with a good policy statement

December 26th and 27th - Peer counselling training has started for the members of the LGBT community. The training will be conducted only over the weekends.

Christmas 2009

Christmas Celebration 2009

Date: 23rd Dec’09

This year Christmas celebration has been organised on our (roof)terrace. Around 6pm in the evening people met for a potluck dinner party. Almost all who said they would come arrived and every one participated in the games. We had the movie ‘Wizard of Oz’ playing in the background, followed by the video of a Madonna album. The participant list is as follows

1. Sudhakar
2. Kavya
3. Ramba
4. Raja
5. Anirudh
6. Vikranth
7. Prabu
8. Asma
9. Sharanya
10. Sunil Menon
11. Randall Giles
12. Harsha
13. Sundar
14. Olga
15. Shiva
16. Srijith
17. Rupesh
18. Mani
19. Raji

Our Center for Counselling staff who joined in organising as well as participated were

20. Mrs.Magdalene, her husband Mr.Eric Miller and daughter Kamala Miller
21. Dhanalakshmi
22. Subashini
23. Usha
24. Padmini

We had a lot of food and everyone enjoyed the food very much. After the dinner little Kamala Miller, Magdalene’s daughter cut the Christmas cake. Cake and gifts were distributed to all the members present and they excitedly opened the gifts. Every one enjoyed the party and it was a wounderful evening!!

Few of the members who were not able to join the celebration due to various reasons spent the evening on Christmas day at Magdalene’s home on 25th Dec 2009. She presented their gifts to them too. They were very happy to receive the gifts for Christmas.
Those who visited on 25th were
1. Kalki
2. Sowndarya
3. Devianyi
4. Kannagi
5. Divya

Here are some photos to remind us.

Our support to the open minds campaign

The NDTV Hindu show which had Sunil Menon, Rev Winnie Verghese, Shobhna, Gabriel, Elizabeth and me. It is in 4 segments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq6TGEm1gN4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHkbakzvag0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQUHrFifPOI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdEQFc7FAok

There is so much discrimination at the health setting. Doctors, particularly psychiatrists, social workers and counsellors pretending or cheating people that they can "cure" or "treat" gay people. Treatment usually means "aversion" or "conversion" therapy which includes ECT often. (Electro conversion therapy or shock treatment)

An example of a psychiatrist's bias rather than her professionalism is here on the links below:

http://tinyurl.com/ndtvhindu-cfom1

http://tinyurl.com/ndtvhindu-cfom2

Please look up this website for further information  orinam.net

If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and for whatever reason you have to visit a psychiatrist these are some doctors names in Chennai:

1. Dr Suresh kumar - clinic 044- 24332285/ mobile 98400 31559/ email msuresh@vsnl.com
2. Dr Shalini - 28514741(clinic) - 55 Triplicane High road,
3. Dr Mohan Raj - Please call us and we could give you the number
4. Dr Anbudurai - Please call us and we could give you the number

If you wish to go through some counselling or personal work mainly because of the trauma you have experienced or you are in a particularly stressful situation or if you wish information regarding other health services which are LGBT friendly please call us at the Center for Counselling office (9884100135). 

Call our Counselling helplines( 9 AM to 6 PM):

+91 98847 00104 (English)

+91 98847 00174 (Tamil)

If you are in a crisis, (police, rowdy harassment etc )

You could call Sangama helpline (24 hr) 98406 99776

Center for counselling- Workshops Aug to Dec 2009

Please click on the image to read

Art therapy Workshop - Jen Kristel

A brief background to Expressive Art Therapy(including Art Therapy)

Art therapy has evolved since the beginning of humankind. In the 1800’s Hans Prinzhorn observed that the art of those in mental institutions seemed to help and support those doing the art by creating a place of release. It developed more strongly after World War II as Margaret Naumburg, worked with children who were dealing with trauma of losing their families and displacement from their homes. It is a gentle non judgmental approach, allowing the person to experience through art materials what is happening for them in their unconscious. “Making the unconscious, conscious”.

Through visual art, action methods such as sociometry, psychodrama, drama therapy and theatre games that promote wellness and community, clients are supported in looking at and understanding deep and often complex issues. The creative arts; drama, visual art, writing (prose and poetry) dance, storytelling and music involve creative expression as a means for healing the mind, body and spirit. The therapist acts as a guide in a co-creative process as the participant develops a relationship with her/himself through the artistic medium. In one manner, the participant removes their “conscious” ego selves in order to be able to understand the unconscious world, of feelings, spirit, and dreams. Feelings of all nature can be explored in a safe environment. Using the arts allows a person to unconsciously uncover and understand blocks through symbolic language, that keep one from going forward with their lives and dreams for the future. As one paints, moves, writes or acts from this place, one creates a dialogue with the self. One can draw or paint, dance or write from many different view points. One can go deeply into one aspect of an issue a little piece at a time in order to understand it more fully. By expressing oneself through the creative arts, one is utilizing both physical and emotional bodies to explore issues, through color, kinesthetic, shape, texture, and form. One is not limited to one art form to understanding oneself through the creative arts. The diverse arts complement each other.

Stopping talk allows a person to immediately experience themselves in a whole other manner. This does not discount the power of talk therapy however; talking often brings a person out of the deeper, more emotional places where feeling occurs. Talking often keeps a person on the surface more easily. Using the arts often goes to the core of an issue, since there is little in the way to block deep feeling and awareness. The arts can often be a direct link with the unconscious archetypal level and the part of us that speaks what is true and what is real and often through symbolic language.

Using the arts is a direct, yet gentle nonjudgmental approach. There can not be any judgment when it comes to the therapeutics aspects of art.

Duration - 5 days

Dates - 17 to 21 November 2009(Tue to Sat)

Timing - 10 AM to 5 PM

Participant list of Art Therapy workshop

S.No	Names	Mobile numbers and mail ID
1.	Dr.Anbudorai	9884062620 dr_anbudorai@yahoo.com
2.	Archanaa Seker	9840523235 seker.archanaa@gmail.com
3.	Archana Joshi	9962569285/044-25610190 ahj_147@yaho.co.in
4.	Aruna Jothi	9347774237/09000784213
5.	Bhuvana	9840774659 Perky_bg@yahoo.co.in
6.	Julie	julie@budsofchirist.org
7.	Rupa	9840833324 rupa.wv@gmail.com
8.	Magdalene Jeyarathnam	9884100135 magdalene@centerforcounselling.org
9.	Sara Kachwala	9840853653 sarahk33@gmail.com
10.	Chandini
11.	Alisha	9962495624

Please cut and paste this link for photos of the art therapy workshop

http://picasaweb.google.com/jenkristel24/20091125LastWeekIndia?feat=email#

Profile of Jennie Kristel

Jen Kristel, M.A. has a Masters in Expressive Arts Therapy. She is certified as an Expressive Therapist. She is a Master/Teacher of the Usui Method of Reiki and Karuna Reiki. She is certified as a trainer of the Playback Theatre Method, and teaches this as well as Art Therapy both in the States and internationally. She is a lead foreign adviser for the Bangladesh Therapeutic Theatre Institute and supervises students and on going projects there. Based in Vermont USA, Jen teaches the expressive therapies at Burlington College and has a private practice.Jen's background includes training in Jungian Dreamwork and Dream Theatre (with Jeremy Taylor) and comes from a Jungian/Humanist perspective. Over the years, she has worked in clinical and non-clinical settings bringing the arts to people as a way to support them in healing. She is looking forward to bringing this very important work to Chennai.

Potential Content of 5 day training at the Center for Counselling,

Chennai, India ( 9-5 including 2 breaks and lunch)

The goals of this training to for participants to explore and sample the use of art therapy, in the context of supporting people in times of crises as well as on going support.

Theory and practice of group building through Sociometry exercises

The theory and uses of Art as a therapeutic tool

Neurobiological effects of trauma (or other experiences)

Neurological effects of the use of art to treat differing psychological issues

To practice different aspects of Art Therapy daily

To learn about different ways to use art and therapy, in differing populations (Family, Couples, Psychiatric illnesses, Children, physically challenged, Autistic, Using for empowerment, groups and issues concerning community social action.)

To look at the influences of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Carl Rogers and others on the world of Art Therapy

Ethics of Art therapy from a western perspective- Discussion of ethics from an Indian perspective.

Leading an art therapy session, Warm up to Cool down how to do, and decide which exercise?

Although this is primarily an experiential training, there will be time for discussion , processing and sharing.