By Gabriela Völkel - Educational Psychologist
Our interns can expect to experience many different things in their internship year. The most important of these being learning. Learning, learning and more learning. JPCCC has a diverse team of professionals with many years of experience in the field of working with children and families. Together, these professionals offer support, advice, and guidance throughout the internship year.
JPCCC offers their interns experience in psycho-educational, school readiness, and developmental assessments. Psychotherapy services are aimed at individuals (child play therapy and adolescents), couples, and families. We are also involved in training other individuals and organisations, such as peer counselling, whereby basic counselling skill training is provided to grade 11 learners. Life skill work is also done through the organisation, as well as short-term school counselling in schools around Johannesburg and Soweto.
The supervisors and managers at JPCCC are very supportive in all the work that interns do. You can be rest assured of this. Team work is of vital importance when things get tough in the office, so be sure to lean on one another to get you through.
Most importantly, remember to take care of yourself both in and outside of the office. Self-care is a personal matter. Everyone’s approach will be different. It relates to what you do at work and outside of work to look after your holistic well-being so that you can meet your personal and professional commitments. One needs to choose activities that are meaningful to yourself and your own goals. It has to be something that works for you & your lifestyle.
An important part of taking care of yourself is to set boundaries. Setting boundaries is about containment, which enables us to be the best possible workers that we can be. “An intimate relationship is one in which neither party silences, sacrifices or betrays the self or each party expresses strength and vulnerability, weakness and competence in a balanced way” (Harriet Lerner).
What do we need to do?
Keep the different relationships in our lives contained and individual
Prevent counselling and caring relationships affecting us negatively
Set boundaries that will help to contain the situation
Avoid burn out
Why is it important to set boundaries?
To practice self-care and self-respect
To make time and space for positive interaction
To set limits in a relationship
To have effective relationship, and most especially the helping relationship
To maintain healthy relationships
To empower you and the client
To protect your self-esteem, maintains respect and enjoy healthy relationships.
To prevent emotional pain that can lead to dependency, depression, anxiety.
To stop clients from becoming dependent on you
At the end of day, speak to your supervisors and colleagues, and interact where possible. It is a year filled with endless learning and opportunities for growth, both personally and professionally. Enjoy it!
