The President International Counselors Association, Cary Goulston this week in a training organised by Secure D-Future International Initiative (SDF) for counsellors, said more communication skills are needed to change lives and make the environment work so that people can have a good living and improve as they grow older.
He also said teachers should be empowered with the tools and information that will make them change the situation of students who are suffering from mental health problems.
The two day training was virtually held on Wednesday and Thursday to equip counsellors, teachers and parents with the basics to function and make light of mental health talks.
“We have parents who pass their negative emotions on their children, they make mental health problems worse, he said.
“They yell at and beat their children physically. When you hit someone, you are taking them back to a bad mental state.
“Some teachers also are not trained to have great communication skills. It’s not helping them (students) become better persons, it’s not improving them mentally”, Mr. Goulston stated.
He also said to get rid of negative emotions, when training children or teenagers, the guiding aim should be to make their lives better.
Two problems he said are known to an individual – the mental health negative emotions that they have to deal with and get rid of and two, how to improve their lives. “With counselling, they become happier persons that can change their environments and improve their lives”, he added.
He called for an improved education globally and said that his association is working with countries around the world to improve their education system and train people to make things work.
Founder of the SDF, Dr. Sa’adatu Adamu said creating a safe environment is for students to feel unconfined to speak and make mental health talks normal without having feelings of being stigmatised.
“A safe space is a social health worker and a care giver that respects confidentiality. You must not be judgemental and should understand the importance of that”, she said.
“This is to promote wellbeing and eradicate stigmatisation. It is important for caregivers to respect the opportunity afforded to listen to someone. It makes that person want to come back and share his/her deepest stories and experiences”, the founder added.
She also stated that to create a safe space, the simplest talk or complaint of someone should be seen as a problem and must be taken seriously. There must be trust, promotion of empathy and provision of resources that can help combat stigmatisation.
“Caregivers must equip themselves to be of service and support victims. You must develop yourself through resources, it is only when you are equipped that you can be in a position to give others”, she said.