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COUNSELLING SERVICES - Home - Guide Dogs … · COUNSELLING SERVICES Volunteer Peer Support Program...
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COUNSELLING SERVICES How can counselling assist you? The Guide Dogs Queensland Counselling service is available to people who are vision impaired and their carers, free of charge. The reason Guide Dogs Queensland has a qualified counselling team is because we understand that losing vision has a greater impact on other things and other people who count in life. Our clients have reported that after losing some or all of their vision, they have experienced other losses such as their: independence self esteem relationships career mobility, and safety. Guide Dogs Queensland’s counselling team consists of both male and female counsellors who understand vision loss. Counselling provides a safe and objective forum to discuss the various challenges associated with vision loss while working toward sustainable solutions to better living. In home counselling is available to people with a vision impairment and their family members who live in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast areas. Telephone support is also available throughout Queensland. The Better Living Program Guide Dogs Queensland provides an intensive residential program called The Better Living Program. This program has made a significant difference to many people with a vision impairment and has equipped them with practical skills to take home and apply in their everyday lives. This three day course is interactive and experiential and consists of topics such as grief, anxiety, stress and depression. While these topics can be considered “heavy”, the magic begins when our participants begin to identify with unhelpful strategies they previously used and start replacing them with new tools which are more sustainable. Clients have reported the benefits from attending The Better Living Program are due to the mix of learning from our team of professional counsellors during the day as well as sharing and socialising with others who are vision impaired during free time.
Transcript of COUNSELLING SERVICES - Home - Guide Dogs … · COUNSELLING SERVICES Volunteer Peer Support Program...
COUNSELLING SERVICESHow can counselling assist you?The Guide Dogs Queensland Counselling service is available to people who are vision impaired and their carers, free of charge. The reason Guide Dogs Queensland has a qualified counselling team is because we understand that losing vision has a greater impact on other things and other people who count in life.
Our clients have reported that after losing some or all of their vision, they have experienced other losses such as their:
independence self esteem relationships career mobility, and safety.
Guide Dogs Queensland’s counselling team consists of both male and female counsellors who understand vision loss. Counselling provides a safe and objective forum to discuss the various challenges associated with vision loss while working toward sustainable solutions to better living.
In home counselling is available to people with a vision impairment and their family members who live in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast areas. Telephone support is also available throughout Queensland.
The Better Living ProgramGuide Dogs Queensland provides an intensive residential program called The Better Living Program. This program has made a significant difference to many people with a vision impairment and has equipped them with practical skills to take home and apply in their everyday lives.
This three day course is interactive and experiential and consists of topics such as grief, anxiety, stress and depression. While these topics can be
considered “heavy”, the magic begins when our participants begin to identify with unhelpful strategies they previously used and start replacing them with new tools which are more sustainable.
Clients have reported the benefits from attending The Better Living Program are due to the mix of learning from our team of professional counsellors during the day as well as sharing and socialising with others who are vision impaired during free time.
COUNSELLING SERVICES
Volunteer Peer Support Program (telephone)The aim of the Volunteer Peer Support Program is to match existing Guide Dogs Queensland clients with others who are also vision impaired to provide information and support. Our volunteers are located throughout Queensland and have successfully completed training and screening through Guide Dogs Queensland.
New clients are generally matched with a volunteer when information or support is required in relation to:
a particular eye condition mobility preferences confidence issues, and getting a Guide Dog.
Generally, the volunteer-client relationship is short term. This relationship is supported by the Guide Dogs Queensland counselling team who is kept informed of the progress of each client. At the conclusion of the service, the client will be asked to complete a survey which will evaluate their satisfaction of the program and the level of support and information which was provided by the volunteer.
Support GroupsGuide Dogs Queensland believes in the importance of social support groups to assist in the process of adjustment to vision impairment and blindness.
People of all ages who are blind or vision impaired and their carers, friends, relatives and community members who attend our support groups, are all greatly assisted in addressing the emotional, interpersonal, cognitive and practical needs associated with sight loss.
Support group members are actively involved in activities that foster high independence and quality of life through mutual support, friendship, active participation and the sharing of relevant information.
With this in mind, Guide Dogs Queensland has actively become involved in establishing a number of social support groups for people with a vision impairment throughout the state of Queensland. Many groups get together on a monthly or fortnightly basis to provide a positive social experience for their members.
If you are interested in joining an existing support group or even forming your own, please contact one of Guide Dogs Queensland’s registered offices.
COUNSELLING SERVICES
We are here to help please contact usGuide Dogs Queensland 1978 Gympie Road, Bald Hills Qld 4036
P 07 3500 9060
Carer’s WorkshopsOur Carer’s Workshops have been developed to give our carers an understanding and insight into the world of our vision impaired loved ones. These workshops are held all around Queensland and our timetables are distributed to our clients and service providers several weeks in advance.
The three hour workshop entails a quick overview of the more common eye conditions together with experiencing hands-on what it is like to be vision impaired. This is achieved by having our carers wear simulation goggles while helping prepare morning tea for their vision impaired loved ones. Carers and persons with vision impairment (VIPs) are separated into discussion groups with the carers talking about “empowering versus enabling” while the VIPs discuss “asking for help”.
These workshops are delivered by our professional team of counsellors and Orientation & Mobility Specialists.
