New Student Counsellor for Counsel@CrossCulture

Introducing Student Counsellor: Lainey Weiss

This year, Counsel@CrossCulture welcomes to the team, Elaine (Lainey) May Weiss who is in her final year of training as a Counsellor at Tabor College. While she is relatively new to Counselling, Lainey’s professional credentials include: Musician/Music Teacher, Language Tutor, various administration roles and presently Children and Families Pastor (part-time) at her home church of the Indonesian Baptist Congregation in Balwyn. Which makes Lainey a very well-equipped student counsellor.

Lainey is married to Johannes, her husband and soul-mate of three and a half years and has studied at RMIT, Harvest Bible College and Tabor Victoria. Asked whether she had had any formal connection with Cross Culture, Laney responded, “Although I have not had a close connection to CrossCulture, I have visited on several occasions, and during my time at RMIT made the Celebration Bookstore (then located where Counsel@CrossCulture is now) a regular hangout.”

In their spare time, Lainey & Johannes enjoy travelling and have seen most of Australia.

Lainey, has completed the bulk of her training, so she is authorized by Tabor College to both observe Counselling sessions run by other practitioners and to counsel one-on-one. Lainey is passionate about working with university students, migrants, couples, children, and people of a multicultural background. She has an interest in caring for people with emotional and identity problems—this includes grief, anxiety, stress, depression, family and/or relationship difficulties, sexual problems and issues dealing with identity/life transitions. Counselling with Lainey can be conducted in English, German, Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia or Chinese." Appointments with Lainey can be made by contacting her directly on 0423 387 182 or e-mail: lainey@counselcc.net.au or via the details below.

________________________________________________

Counsel@CrossCulture is open to everyone,
9.00 am - 1.00 pm weekdays, T. 9639 3875; E. counsel@crossculture.net.au

Appointments may also be made online at: http://appointment.counselcc.net.au.

New Extended Office Hours at Counsel@CrossCulture:

Introducing Grace Kah Yien Chew

It is our great pleasure to announce that the Counselling Centre will now have extended office hours of 9 am - 1 pm Monday to Friday, while consultations will continue to be by appointment and available outside of these hours as well as evenings and weekends!

This is possible due to the new appointment of Receptionist, Grace Kah Yien Chew. Grace was born in Sarawak, Malaysia and is married to Tony Tang Kee Kiong who, with Grace, is part of the ministry team at the Chinese Church of the Epiphany on Little Bourke Street. Grace and Tony have an eight year-old daughter, Rena.

In July 1998, Grace and Tony both undertook theological study at Singapore Bible College. Following College, Tony began pastoral ministry and Grace took up the role of Secretary to the Dean at Singapore Bible College. Grace has also worked as an Administrative Assistant in a Bank and an Insurance company. So Grace comes to the Counselling Centre with a wealth of experience.

Asked why she has applied for a part-time role in a lower salary bracket, Grace responded, “I prayed for a job that would both be challenging and allow me to drop off and pick up my daughter from school each day.”

As a bit of a treat, Grace enjoys an Italian gelati with her family.

Grace will operate reception four mornings a week and Lainey Weiss will operate Reception on the other day.

________________________________________________

Counsel@CrossCulture is open to everyone,
9.00 am - 1.00 pm weekdays, T. 9639 3875; E. counsel@crossculture.net.au

Appointments may also be made online at: http://appointment.counselcc.net.au.

I’m Worried that My Employer is Not Paying Me Fair Wages

We have clients who come to us for help because they are concerned they have been underpaid by their employer. In one situation, an employer was systematically underpaying members of their staff. We got involved and worked together with Fair Work Australia to get the right outcome. The employer had to pay their employees everything they had failed to pay them. It amounted to thousands of dollars. If you have a friend who is worried they are being underpaid, invite them to contact us at Counsel@CrossCulture.

Counsel@CrossCulture is open to everyone. You do not need to be associated with CrossCulture to access the services of the Centre.

________________________________________________

Pastor Mike Kirkpatrick, Lawyer / Legal Counsellor
BA, LLB, M.Div; T. 9639 3875; 0432 339 582; E. mike@legalcc.net.au

Mike is an experienced Lawyer of many years. Legal Counselling may include matters like dealing with police and court matters, resolving tenancy disputes, Family Law (Children and property disputes), dealing with debt recovery, compensating personal injuries, resolving employment disputes, deceased estate problems, mediation and alternative dispute resolution and more.

Legal Counselling begins at $25 per hour for full-time students and up to $100 max per hour for those who work full-time.

Appointments may also be made online at: http://appointment.counselcc.net.au.

Photo: ntwowe, freedigitalphotos.net

Do you dislike your current job but not sure what else to do?

Gone are the days when people stayed in the same job until they retired. In fact, the average person can expect to change jobs 5-7 times in their life. People can dislike their job for a variety of reasons – sometimes related directly to the job or sometimes for personal reasons. A young lady studied hard to pursue a career in the banking industry. She works for a reputable finance company and has a reasonable salary but is very dissatisfied with her job. She comes for counselling and explains that she cannot work for an organisation who is concerned more about profits than people. She decides to use her skills and her passion to help people to pursue study in a different field of work and is looking forward to a more satisfying career.

It takes courage to step out and make a change. Especially when your financial security is at stake or when you’re unsure about which direction to take? If you need help making a decision that relates to your job or career then please contact Marina Dyson at Counsel@CrossCulture.

________________________________________________

Marina Dyson, General Counsellor
Associate of CCAA, Adv Dip Christian Counselling & Family Therapy
T. 9639 3875, 0402 345 039; E. marina@counselcc.net.au

Marina Dyson works with individuals and couples experiencing grief and loss, depression, anxiety, marriage and relationship difficulties and those seeking career guidance or general support during life transitions. Marina also speaks Italian.

General Counselling begins at $5 per hour for full-time students and up to $40 max for those who work full-time.

Appointments may also be made online at: http://appointment.counselcc.net.au.

Photo: Photostock, freedigitalphotos.net

What is Counselling?

Well some may think that counselling is about going to visit a wise person, who after asking some apt questions, provides wisdom to the areas of our life that needs it. Some think it is a waste of time, some think it should be free!!

One way to describe counselling is like this: it is a journey from the pain in ones life, a journey to understand the how, when where and why of the issues. In identifying the source of the problem, then formulating strategies to overcome the issues, a struggling soul can be empowered. After all, if you are not AWARE of what the issue is, where it comes from, or why it exists, then you are not likely to ACKNOWLEDGE the problem or own it as yours (ACCEPTANCE). Once a person accepts the responsibility for dealing with the issue, momentum can begin by being either ASSERTIVE over the negative behaviours or negative impact of the issue, or one can AFFIRM themselves as not being all bad, there are some very good parts that have enabled you to get somewhere in life.

Most importantly, when the strategies have been established and implemented, the last step is to APPRECIATE the change, no matter how little it may seem. Most important is the willingness to sit with a stranger and to slowly open up, become vulnerable despite all the insecurities and fears. Remember this, if you are not sure who to seek out as a counsellor you can seek out where others may have been; ask your Pastor or minister for advice; or contact the following websites and see who may be registered and practising in your area.

APC - Association of Personal Counsellors Inc., - www.apc.asn.au
CCAA - Christian Counsellors Association Australia - www.ccaa.net.au
PACFA – Psychotherapy And Counselling Federation of Australia - www.pacfa.org.au

Counsel@CrossCulture is open to everyone. You don’t have to attend a church to get an appointment. We have males and female workers - Psychologists, Psychiatrist, Counsellors, Psychotherapist.

________________________________________________

Michael Skewes, Clinical Counsellor
BA Christian Ministry (Counselling), Dip Min,
PACFA Reg, APC Reg;
T. 9639 3875, 0410 331 170; E. mskewes@counselcc.net.au

http://appointment.counselcc.net.au.

Photo: Stuart Miles, freedigitalphotos.net