Counsel to the Troubled
By: David L. Brown
I have no counseling experience as a Chaplain. I do have general counseling training and psychiatric training. Part of my Independent Duty Corpsman training involved counseling troubled Marines and Sailors when no physician, psychiatrist or Chaplain was available. The reality was that they were seldom immediately available and I was the first person available to provide counseling. I then referred the personnel to additional counseling as needed. Psychiatric training was also part of my Bachelor in Health Science degree curriculum.
In order to improve my current skills, I need to find a mentor in various types of counseling and see if I can legally shadow them during counseling and group counseling sessions, like I did during my Bachelor studies, but encompassing a broader range of subjects. I produced a list of local counselors including, marriage, family, grief, addiction, Christian, spiritual and financial counselors. Until I receive additional training, I can at least refer people to proper care. Acquiring mentors and/or additional formal training would be my next step in improving my counseling skills. Practicing those skills would be my next step.
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