Counselling Cornr newsletter – December 2023
Dear Counselling Corner,
Read the Myanmar version of this newsletter on our website
It’s the end of the year, and Counselling Corner is reflecting on a busy year. We managed to support thousands of people around Myanmar to stay mentally strong, recover from their own mental health issues and create more understanding about mental health.
There have been many highlights as well as lowlights in 2023. Some of the achievements we are proud of:
The expansion of our team to 13 bright Myanmar counsellors (see their profiles here: www.counsellingcornermyanmar.com/your-therapist/).
Creating of a video database in Myanmar language about all kinds of mental health issues: www.youtube.com/@CounsellingCorner/playlists.
Hundreds of people in Yangon, from all levels, joined our clay workshops, as nothing feels better than putting your hands in the Myanmar clay.
Training people to become a counsellor and see them start supporting others.
Creating a memory game about emotions.
Starting a new program with aim to train more people nationwide and encourage to set-up their own Seit Mate Swe centre: www.facebook.com/seitmateswe
Convincing many organisations to start taking care of the mental well-being of their staff as it’s essential to have a mentally strong workforce.
Doing research on depression using the international PHQ-9 method (the low light was to see that 48% of the population suffers from moderate to severe depression).
Starting giving free consultation sessions on Mondays to answer all kind of questions about mental health to individual people.
Of all things achieved in 2023, we are proudest of all our individual clients who took the difficult first step to look for help of a counsellor.
Topic of the month – Domestic Violence
During the month of December, our counsellors will talk about domestic violence. What stages of domestic violence are common? What emotions are felt by the victim and by the perpetrator? How to come out of the vicious circle? These, and many other questions will be answered.
You can interact and learn through the following channels:
Every Tuesday at 7 pm, a counsellor will talk about the topic and answer all your questions on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/counsellingcornermyanmar
Every Wednesday we organise a free online workshop that discusses the topic and give possibility to share your own emotions and experiences
Every Friday a Facebook post is uploaded about the topic
At the end of the week, the recorded Live video is uploaded in our video library: https://www.youtube.com/@CounsellingCorner/videos
Mental Health Centre project
Mental health is important for everybody in Myanmar. Counselling Corner is starting a program to train individual people to become a counsellor and set up their own “Seit Mate Swe” mental health centre in order to reach and support more people.
Interested? We will invite you to follow step by step our program (after each step you can apply for the next step):
Step 1: Join an emotional workshop (online – 2 hrs) or art / clay workshop (in person – 2 hrs)
Step 2: Follow 3-days psycho-social support training (online)
Step 3: Follow Basic Counselling Skills Training (10 days * 2 hrs + home assignments) – online
Step 4: Follow Intermediate and Advanced Counselling Skills Training (18 days * 2 – 2,5 hrs + home assignments) – mostly online
Step 5: Help your community and start your own mental health centre.
Contact “Seit Mate Swe” team to sign up for the first step and stay informed.
09-881063030
www.facebook.com/seitmateswe
Fostering Community Connections: addressing the unique needs of Counsellors in Myanmar – Insights from Counselling Corner Founder and Psychotherapist Aung Min Thein
Counselling Corner’s founder Aung Min Thein started in his counselling career over 20 years ago in Myanmar with a focus on HIV aids counselling and has seen the counselling industry grow slowly. In this article published on Psychologymatters.asia he calls for further action from Myanmar professionals to join together and help professionalising the sector in Myanmar.
The Community Linking Initiative, shaped by his personal experiences and learnings, aims to:
Foster Collaboration: Creating platforms for counsellors to collaborate, share experiences, and learn from one another.
Provide Resources: Bridging the gap between local and international resources, ensuring that counsellors have access to a wealth of educational materials and tools.
Enhance Professional Development: Facilitating ongoing learning opportunities, workshops, and events to enhance the professional development of counsellors.
Get in touch with Aung Min Thein aungminthein@counsellingcornermyanmar.com if you’re a professional in the counselling in Myanmar and want to link.
Read the whole article here: PsychologyMatters.Asia
Memory Game for Christmas
Counselling Corner designed a Myanmar memory game depicting emotions. This encourages people to talk about their emotions or consider how they feel in their home / school / work situation. It’s a fun game to do with others.
The 24 emotions are developed by our counsellors and the drawings by a talented Yangon artist. Each emotion is mentioned in English and in Myanmar language (so total 48 cards) and it comes with an explanation and in a cute box.
Interested? Visit Counselling Corner bookshop at our centre, buy the game from Hla Day or from Safari bookshops by Citymart
Watch explanation of the game in Myanmar language on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qdVuDNn8sQ
Mental health at the work floor
For any company in Myanmar, it’s important to have motivated staff who are physically and mentally healthy. Especially during challenging times (fuel station queues, rise in food prices, violence) it’s important to keep an eye on the mental well-being of your staff.
During the last 5 years, Counselling Corner has learned how best to deal with strong emotions from staff, how to give people the right tools to take care of themselves and how to prevent mental breakdowns, absence from work, unhealthy lifestyles or loss of focus.
Our main take-away:
Start with a group workshop using clay or art to help people express their emotions. Counselling Corner can facilitate this at our centre in groups of 20 persons and it’s a game changer for everybody:
About 50% of participants will learn they are doing fine but realise that others might feel more difficulties and that showing empathy helps
About 40% of participants feel relieved, realise that talking helps and they can take care of themselves
About 10% of participant might realise it’s time to address their deep emotions and look into healing from these.
Just as doing a compulsory fire- and safety exercise at your office it’s good to tell everybody to join at least 1 workshop for the experience and to learn how to take care of yourself.
For just 12.5 USD per staff member, you can reach every member of your staff and improve mental well-being and awareness amongst your staff.
Besides that, it’s a fun 2 hours out of the office and is money better spend then doing another drinks at the office or karaoke (or maybe you should do both!)
Contact Counselling corner for bookings as we still have some slots to end the year or to start 2024 with renewed energy: info@counsellingcornermyanmar.com or phone: 09-785074173
Read the Myanmar version of this newsletter on our website
Please do share / like and contact us if you have any questions or suggestions on the above or want to know more about our services. We want to make it easier for people to talk about mental well-being and we need help from all organizations in Myanmar to discuss mental well-being openly with your team and work on improving it.
For inquiries, please contact us:
Email: contact@counsellingcornermyanmar.com
Phone: 09 785 074 173, 09 784 509 916