GCI has structured a teaching and practical program to have you be well-grounded and effective in the most challenging client situations. The teaching segments are designed to match the experiences you will be having with clients as a professional. You will be gaining confidence and skill with every interaction. Interventions, techniques and strategies for dealing with the particular challenges you have chosen to learn about will be demonstrated and practiced. Our goal is to give you the tools to succeed in the commitment of you and your team to have your clients achieve the highest practicable well-being and mental health.
On-boarding
- Orientation to the agencies, employees, standard operations, dress code, medical and safety precautions, etc.
- Professional boundaries with co-workers and clients
- Communication, styles of communication, active listening
- Theory and knowledge from courses and how to use practicum to create wisdom
- Information overload
- Cultural / generational differences with clients
- Trauma informed care (TIC) with clients and colleagues
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Being different than our colleagues
- Client status and impact on care: Cert / non-cert, guardianship / conservatorship
- Gerontology and clients
- Ageism and attitudes about ageing with caregivers, clients
- Identity / Identification of older adults
- Mood differences and presentation
- Sexuality
- End of life issues
- Losses, fear of losses and grief
- Substance use with typical polypharmacy
- Coordinating services with care team, care-giver
Counselor Issues
- Transference and Counter-Transference
- Ethics: NASW Code of Ethics and application to their work; hypothetical, presenting issues, historical and resolutions
- Burnout, compassion fatigue
- Working relationships with staff, other interns and supervisor
- Getting needs met for intern and clients
- Bureaucracy and agencies’ organization
- Being anti-ageist
Case Conceptualization
- Assessment
- Setting goals and managing expectations
- Approaches
- Treatment Plans
- Measuring Outcomes
Counseling Process
- Difficult topics
- Self-disclosure
- Normalizing institutional life for older adults
- Processing medical crises, struggles with substance use, mood disorders and cognitive decline.
Other
- Workable interventions and pitfalls
- Resources and referrals
- Affirming progress with clients
- Termination