Counselling service now available

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 619, 16 January 1996, Page 6

Counselling service now available

A new counselling service, the Taihape Counselling Service TCS is now up and running. The area covered is Taihape, Waiouru, Ohakune & Raetihi. Some funding has been received from the Community Funding Agency ($15,000) and a $1000 donation from Trustbank Wanganui Community Trust for telephone expenses has meant that TCS has been able to purchase a cellphone so that confidential messages can be left. Five counsellors are involved in the service — all parttime. Four are based in Taihape with one based in Raetihi. All are able to travel. There are three Pakeha women, one Maori woman and one Maori man. People wanting to contact the service can ring the cellphone number- 025 396 763 - to leave a message. This message is confidential to the service, and a counsellor will get back to the caller as soon-as possible. This number is advertised in the Central District Times & Ruapehu Bulletin every fortnight and is also published in the Ruapehu Bulletin Guidelines column. The five counsellors are able to work with a range of people and on a wide variety of issues: from a Maori perspective; with whanau, hapu, iwi; taha wairua, taha tinana, taha hinengaro; relationships; dependency; grief; stress; coping with change; trauma; sexual abuse; family violence and anger management. Counsellors are guided by the New Zealand Association of Counsellors code of ethics and attend regular training and supervision to ensure that their professional standards are maintained at a high level. Communication between counsellor and client is confidential and treated as privileged information unless the client gives consent for specific information to be disclosed. Taihape Counselling Service seeks to help clients increase their understanding of themselves and their relationships with others to develop more satisfying and resourceful ways of living and to facilitate changes in behaviour. Fees are kept as low as possible and can be negotiated. For further information, telephone 025-396-763.