To find resilience in uncertain times you must accept the situation you’re in and then adapt to it. Since March, our Counselling team has been providing the majority of support by telephone. By flexing our service quickly, our counsellors have been able to maintain their existing caseload and take on new referrals.
Our counselling services range from adult anger management to parental support, including post- and perinatal, and support for single parents. In many cases since lockdown, parents simply crave adult conversation. Wigan Welfare counsellors are here to listen. This is making a huge difference to every client, especially the young people we would normally visit as part of our schools programme.
How we’re connecting with young people
Discussing feelings and frustrations with a voice on the end of the phone can be a liberating experience. Many young people are more comfortable and open to sharing problems in this way than they would be in person. Giving them a space to talk has proved very successful and the positive feedback we’ve received from parents supports our new approach.
Of course, telephone counselling is not the only way we connect with clients. Some find email or texting easier than chatting on the phone. They’re able to say in writing what they find difficult to verbalise. We’re also making use of video call technology and we’d encourage everyone with this option to do the same. Seeing a friendly face can lift your spirits and change your outlook.
The success of our school counselling service is based on supporting the family as a whole unit. We keep in regular contact with the child’s parents and try to speak to every child once a week. By sharing self-help guides and cheat sheets with parents we encourage conversations about emotions and feelings with the child.
If you or your child would benefit from someone to talk to, you can access our free counselling services here.
What are young people concerned about right now?
May and June normally see thousands of young people sitting important exams. Instead, students are at home having experienced an abrupt ending to their school career. Young people are responding to missing exams with a mixture of anxiety and relief. Some are happy about predicted grades, others are devastated and concerned about the impact this may have on their future prospects.
Then there’s prom, with some youngsters distraught at having no clear ending or celebration of their efforts. No chance to say goodbye to friends. For others, there’s a sense of relief that they won’t have to bow to peer pressure and buy an outfit they don’t want or their parents can’t afford.
For many young people this enforced period away from school is a much-needed break – from exam pressure, learning difficulties, bullying, or a bad relationship with a teacher. It’s a time to take stock, relax and reset. In the future when we look back, this time could prove to be a blessing in disguise for school-age children suffering from mental health issues.
And, whilst it may feel like the most important thing in the world right now, there will be plenty of opportunities for your child to prove him or herself in the future. Try to steer the subject away from exams and encourage them to look ahead and think of the possibilities the future may bring.
Tips for coping with anxiety and stress
As we write this, it’s uncertain whether or not schools will return before the summer break. If children don’t return they will have missed out on half an academic year of schooling.
If your child is struggling to cope with anxiety and stress, here are seven useful tips from our counsellors. You might find them useful too!
- Keep in touch with your friends. Texting is fun but there’s no substitute for face-to-face contact. Use the technology you’ve shown your parents how to use and connect by video call! You can even do your schoolwork together online.
- Establish a routine. Divide your day between schoolwork, friends and family time, hobbies, exercise and relaxation. It doesn’t matter if you get up at 11am rather than 8am everyday. Just stick to a regular pattern.
- Exercise when you can. It will help you to feel motivated and alert.
- Get a good night’s sleep. If you struggle with this try some meditation. There are lots of videos online.
- Don’t slack off – keep going. Do all your schoolwork to the best of your ability. it could count in your favour in terms of final grades and/or next school year.
- Journaling. Keep three notebooks – one for emptying your head of random thoughts and feelings, another to use as a diary and a third to record all the things you’re grateful for and looking forward to in the future.
- Breathing techniques are useful to calm yourself when you feel stressed. Box breathing is a simple technique. Breathe in for 4 counts, wait for 4 counts, breathe out for 4 counts, and wait for 4 counts. Then start again.
How to get in touch
If you need to reach out to us, you can access our free counselling and advocacy services online, by calling 01942 867 888 or via private message on Facebook or Twitter.