A few years ago we introduced full telephone assessments of all our
potential clients and I feel that it has proved invaluable both to them and to
our Voluntary Bereavement Visitors. Of course I have had to hone up my
phone counselling skills - such as immediate engagement, the use of
empathetic silence punctuated by short, gentle reassurance, but most of
all listening intently, not just to understand any language difference or
stifled crying but to the unspoken horror that lies behind the stories. I
realise I am always saying how complex some of the cases are, but it is
true - just look at the statistics of the causes of death. It is obvious from the
numbers of suicides, accidents, murders and drug or alcohol-related
deaths that many of our clients must be deeply traumatised.
Many folk have suffered multiple losses especially refugees and asylum
seekers, who may be sole survivors of a civil war zone or of course the
more recent disasters, man made and natural. When people are obviously
suffering mental repercussions from such memories, I seek their
permission to speak with their referrer (doctor, social worker, community
nurse etc) not just because I need to know any more facts, but essentially
to establish a workplan with these colleagues. This shows the client we
are taking his/her needs seriously in order to offer appropriate support in
their grief, until they themselves feel more in control. More recently it has
seemed appropriate to expand the Assessment Counsellor's role to
undertake allocation and eventual closure procedures, thus making the
postholder responsible for the service provision.
As for my role as Consultant well I am just that - acting as an almost daily "phone-a-friend" to both Paulo and Raksha, with additional emails from
him and faxes from her!!! There seems to be an endless series of chores -
but if they all mean that the Service runs smoothly and professionally then I for one am only too pleased to play my part.