First of all, I think it’s important to understand what Counselling is? Today in our society when we talk about counselling they consider it as an advice. Counselling is not an advice, advice is when one person speaks and another listens. On the other hand in the counselling the client speaks more and the counsellor listens to it. In counselling counsellor speaks 20% and the client speaks 80%. And when we listen to the client then we know more about the thoughts of the other person. It is very important in counselling to understand the situation of the client and from that we can give them the best or appropriate option or solution to solve the problem.

 

If we continue to speak then it is very difficult to understand the situation and to find the solution to the problem. It’s just like throwing an arrow in the dark. There are many people who advise us in our life. Today our life is very hectic and stressed we need someone to lean on. When we find someone who listens to us it acts as a catharsis and a way of releasing our tension it acts like ventilation otherwise we become the listeners. When we find a good listener without judging and framing the person we try to open ourselves more and we can also give the best option for them. But sometimes advice are good and sometimes it becomes a pressure for many. When we are able to give them an option then they will decide these are the options available to me and I can analyze which one is best for them.

 

is no benefit to the individual other than solving the problem. They also become aware of their strength and no one knows you better than yourself. You know your weaknesses and strengths. 

 

 

It was started in the year 2011 and earlier it was called Adolescence reproductive and Sexual Health. In the past, many feel ashamed to come here as the name was Adolescence reproductive and Sexual Health. Later, it has changed to Adolescence Friendly Health Clinic (AFHC) and after that many adolescences feels more comfortable to visit the clinic. 

 

 

The age group 11-19 years comes under adolescence age and when we take the Ladakhi society we consider 11-25 years as children. We handle till 25 years of age for referring counselling cases. When they come here, they come with physical complaints if they do not have a physical illness. And when we look at the history of the clients they have problems in the school due to competition, bulling problem, fights with friends, the problem at home and hostel. The problems in childhood, adolescence and adults are different. When the adolescents have physically, emotionally and a socially related problem they come with physical symptoms. When we look at the history we come to know that they have problems in Adjustment, family and financial problems.

School going kids have depression, examination stress due to competition, bully and dissociation problem. Some have a panic disorder if we go to mental illness. In boys running from school, drugs and alcohol users, school dropout cases and smoking. And most of the above 18 years are taxi drivers they are school dropouts because of financial problem and some due to making easy money and some see it as adventurous as they travelled a lot.  There are many reasons that like not liking the studies, due to problems in school.

 

 

Earlier many people were not aware of the benefits of Counselling. But with time the scenario is changing. One of the positive things is that Degree College has introduced Psychology as one subject and there are many psychology students I think more than 40. They are also playing a role in creating awareness about what actually is counselling.

 

If we are talking about the facilities now we have a male counsellor also in the Leh Clinic. Recently we have opened the ARSH clinic in Diskit and Khaltse also and because of that people of remote areas are benefitting from that. Many are not able to come due to time clashing of school and hospital timing.   At the Sub-district hospital, they have the facilities of a male and female counsellor because the male will be more comfortable with a male counsellor and vice versa or may be the opposite sex. They have options available to choose for counselling.

 

Now people have a slight idea about counselling. One of the contributors is also due to the presence of ICTC counsellor and media. With time the outlook of people is changing.

 

 

One of the challenges is that people consider it as advice which is not correct. Some people know about counselling, but most of them have a distorted idea about it. Many people associate counselling with a mental problem and because of that hardly people come for counselling. And on the other hand if they are taking it as an advice then they think that we can also advice what’s the big deal in counselling? They are not realising the importance. People are taking it very lightly or associate counselling with mental illness and considered it as a stigma. They have wrong a conception about counselling or distorted concept making mental health a big challenge.

 

 

Smoking and drug abuse among the boys and school dropout for both boys and girls. For girls, it is very important to impart sexual education. Considering what is happening in our society, we think that sexual education is not important or keep them away from such things. Now we have many platforms where our children can expose to negative things without guidance or any kind of check like social media, magazines as their messages are in distorted form and it affects the decision-making. To give the right information to them is very important. 

 

The family should give the right information to them otherwise with half information they will indulge themselves in anti-social behaviour. If they know the consequences decision making will be right. Here communication & bonding should be good, listen to them without being judgemental and that will be effective in decision making.

 

 

When it comes to suicide the best preventive measure is the immediate person who is in contact with the person because they always give warning signs before attempting suicide. Some people capture the warning signs very easily and to capture it is very important. It can happen within a second. Mostly it depends on family members, friends, Teachers who are in immediate contact. They can see the sign and symptoms like depression, loss appetite, insomnia, loneliness, sadness, isolation, and problem in concentration, helplessness, hopelessness, all of a sudden loss of interest in their hobbies. The concept of ‘if I die the whole problem will solve’ is wrong. If you see such symptoms then it is very important to focus on them. If they identify the problem and if it is a minor depression then the counsellor can show the direction and help them in enhancing the coping skills. One of the reasons I see is because of Competition and secondly lack of coping skills among the children.

 

 

No, we cannot say that! It will differ to an individual. In some cases, people who are psychotic and suffering from schizophrenia commit suicide but there is a difference. I can say that people who are depressed have some ideation of suicide but committing is different. When a person tries to commit suicide he /she give a warning sign. According to studies people who attempt suicide is successful only after 2 to 3 attempts. Most of the suicide attempt cases are attention seeking behavior. It doesn’t apply to all but in some cases, such things happen.

Q. Our people hardly know about the role of a counsellor? Do you feel that counseling is effective?

 

 

One of the ways is media as we can create awareness through it. And secondly, Parents and teachers if their children have some problem they can come to us. We did many outreach programmes in remote areas and motivate the teacher. Everyone has a problem be it, adult or children. Here we have a communication gap and due to that, we cannot convey the problem to each other. And if the counsellor intervenes in between this then there will be a positive change in the relationship also. And even in the individual coping skills will become sharper or we can change the irrational thinking and counter-attack and change into rational thoughts.

 

In counselling one of the most important things is cognitive behaviour therapy, in this what happens is if we are able to change the thinking (cognitive) then the behaviour will automatically change. If our thinking is positive then the behaviour will also be positive and vice versa. For eg: If we are angry we either hurt our self or hurt others.  Like this, there are many irrational thoughts which can affect the problem-solving skills in our daily life. And a counsellor can find an appropriate way and keep that in front of the children of what will happen. If the situation is in front of him we can find out a positive way for a solution. Basically what happens when a discussion takes place between the children and the parents the communication becomes a power struggle. The child blames the parents for not listening and the parents blame the child for not following. Instead of having a healthy discussion the communication turned out to be a negative one and it converts into a fight. Later the child becomes angry and beat the younger one or involves himself into anti-social behaviour.

 

 

Yes, I cannot say low economic background but will say students who come from remote areas have kept their children in hostels as they have no one to look after them. They have an adjustment problem and suffer from Diarrohea. They face the bully problem and these kinds of problem are faced by the student who comes from remote areas. 

When we talk about students who are from urban areas and are living with their family or relatives they also may have a problem but they are far better than what they are facing in the hostels. In many hostels, there is a problem of crowded, and in some hostels, they keep boys and girls jointly which is not good. Physically they are different and to keep them separate is very important. They are equal but equality doesn’t mean keeping them together in one room, it can have its negative impacts on them as and the scenario is changing with the time. I think it is very important to keep them separate in hostels and it is the responsibility of the parents as well as members of the society to check that. To know in what kind of settings they are in is very important. Parents should be friendly as well as authoritarian. With the tag of friendly, you cannot let them free without keeping an eye on them. Even in parents-child relationship, we should not trust them blindly because they are smarter than you at this age. 

 

When we talk about similarities everyone has problem at the end. 

 

 

When we say society, it involves everyone even if we are able to change the life of one person it will have an impact on the society. If we work on one individual it will affect his/her family and from family to neighborhood and gradually to a large extent.  Specially, adolescence age is a crucial age and if we are able to bring changes in them on time then that’s really good as they are the future society makers. If we can work on them then to bring positive changes in the society is very easy or more effective.

 

 

Counselling is not about someone telling you to do this and that but to give proper information about what can be done. What are the options available keeping in mind the capacity, interest, and aptitude of the person? In what situation which options will work which will impact the decision making. In counseling we are giving all the options, be it negative and positive.