‘You want to know the difference between a master and a beginner? The master has failed more times than the beginner has ever tried.’ - Yoda, Star Wars.
Further inspirational quotes can be found in the Elsternwick Campus counselling room, a safe, respectful space where students can expect unconditional, positive care and empathy from their counsellor. These qualities help build trust, which allows students to share their difficult thoughts and experiences and develop important coping skills. In the counselling room, students learn that even though they may experience difficulties (or “failure” as Yoda puts it), they have agency and the ability to cope with whatever life may throw at them.
Now more than ever, it is important to allow our young people time to process their thoughts and experiences and provide a safe space in which they can be present and heard. Help-seeking behaviour in children and adolescents as they explore their identity and voice is a sign of resilience and insight. This behaviour is encouraged and is a protective factor for our young people. Early intervention can prevent the further development of mental health concerns. Giving children and adolescents coping skills empowers them to better manage their days at school and whatever follows throughout their lives.
Each young person is unique and has their own strengths and weaknesses. This is honoured in the counselling space using a variety of different approaches. Techniques such as cognitive behaviour therapy can help a young person to see how thought can impact a feeling and in turn, a behaviour. Bringing conscious awareness to a thought or feeling (be it somatic or emotional) can bring about positive change in a behaviour. Mindfulness and heartfulness techniques can help establish self-compassion, confidence and empathy in a young person’s way of being with themselves and others. Psychoeducation can support a young person’s understanding of their own brain and body development, including areas of self-care, such as sleep hygiene, nutrition, hydration, exercise and connection to self and others.
Young people will make mistakes and this is to be expected as they learn how to ‘be’ in the world. They will continue to make mistakes, as we all do at times. This is necessary and important. What matters is how we show compassion to ourselves and each other. Modelling this behaviour as adults is how young people can learn self-compassion and find another way forward.
Learning how to be resilient in the outside world and how to regulate emotions within, even the big ones, can be learned (slowly and with time) at home and at school. Parents are welcome to contact their child’s Homeroom Teacher in the Junior years, or their Year level Tutor in the Middle School years, to discuss whether a counselling referral is appropriate.
If you have immediate concerns or you or your child are in distress and in need of psychological support, we recommend calling the 24/7 telephone helpline, Lifeline 13 11 14, as someone there will be able to support you.
If the matter is not immediate, the first port of call is your family GP or Paediatrician, followed by a mental healthcare provider.
If you would like to get in touch with the student counsellors on campus, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kat Miers (Mondays to Wednesdays) kat.miers@wesleycollege.edu.au
Di Anderson (Thursdays and Fridays) dianne.anderson@wesleycollege.edu.au
Kat Miers, Student Counsellor-Psychologist
