My name is Georgiana Nica and I am the School Counsellor. I have been trained at University of Essex with the aim to deliver psychodynamic counselling for children, young adults and adults. My role is to listen and understand the students and their needs. I have the opportunity to do so in the therapy room, where students are invited to play, talk, draw or paint. The flexibility of what they can do in the room offers a more relaxed way for the student to get used to the counselling framework. The main objective during our sessions is to create a safe space for the student to use as freely as they want.
My role is to listen and understand the students and by doing so I will offer them the tools so that they can also understand themselves. The idea of being deeply understood and acknowledged without having to be corrected or fixed, encourages self-knowledge and self-determination. The way I would describe it, is as an essential unconditional acceptance of the student’s presentation of their trauma, distress or pain.
What is psychodynamic counselling?
Psychodynamic counselling is derived from psychoanalysis but focuses on immediate problems to try and provide a solution. It stresses the importance of the unconscious and past experiences in shaping current behaviour.
The aim is to build an accepting and trusting relationship, encouraging you to talk about your childhood relationships. It uses techniques such as free association, interpretation and transference, where feelings you experienced in previous significant relationships are projected onto the therapist.
Sessions
The sessions are 45 minutes, and the children have access to a variety of material such as: Lego, Play Doh, paint, fidget toys, drawing tools, toys and some board games. Students have control over how they want to spend the time during the sessions and what they choose to disclose.
I run individual sessions where the child is with me in the therapy room and has the opportunity to explore his or her feelings and emotions. Also, I can provide group sessions and drop in sessions where the students can come as a group to discuss anything they feel the need to or to use any of the material in the therapy room.
Confidentiality
As a counsellor, confidentiality is of the upmost importance during the sessions. The students, staff members and parents or carers will be informed that everything discussed within the sessions is confidential. Furthermore, I am also bounded by law and the only time confidentiality will be broken is if the student is in danger of hurting himself, another person or the country. In this particular case, the information will be raised using the appropriate channels within the wellbeing and therapy team within the school.
Contact details
Email address: g.nica@grafham-grange.co.uk
School number: 01483892214
School email address: schooloffice@grafham-grance.co.uk
