Gudrun Frerichs, PhD

Does Counselling Work?

The other day, on my way to town, I listened to talk-back radio questioning the counselling industry and wanting to hear from listeners whether counselling ever worked for them. Listening to some of the comments made, I was amazed how quickly people are prepared to judge without bothering to do at least some research, looking for facts, or doing at least some sort of deeper thinking.

Counselling and counsellors have been the target for much ridicule and sarcastic comments for many years. In a society that puts a lot of emphasis on being successful, showing no weaknesses, and appearing spotless, having to go to a counsellor must mean for many people the ultimate declaration of personal failure and weakness.

16 Sessions Funded For Sexual Abuse Counselling

Survivors of sexual abuse can access now 16 sessions of counselling funded by ACC when they either lodge a new claim or have lodged a claim recently and are still waiting for a decision from ACC.

This funding was made available after the independent review panel has sharply criticised ACC's handling of sexual abuse claims.

Survivors who have felt discouraged to lodge a claim will now be able to contact a therapist and start a course of 16 sessions. For many survivors that will be all they need. Those who need further sessions will need to go through some assessment procedure. How that procedure will look like is currently unclear, because the review panel has instructed ACC to devise a process that guarantees client safety.

If you are thinking of starting sexual abuse counselling funded through ACC and you live in the proximity of Takapuna, you can follow the link or contact me on 027-486.3770

ACC Sensitive Claims Review Announced

Check out the following press release by New Zealand Government at 3:41 pm, 26 Apr 2010. It is erstounding that Nick Smith is keep paroting that the new clinical pathway is based on the Massey research - even though Massey has rejected this claim. Indeed, nothing in the Massey research resembles the new clinical pathway.

How Not to Answer Questions

I found a few UTube clips that demonstrate where ACC and the current government might have learnt how to deal with uncomfortable questioning around the new clinical pathway which is, if you remember, in the best interest of clients: Keep repeating your 'agenda' and by all means, don't answer the question. Keep hanging in there!!!

ACC And the 180 Degree Turn-Around

Ah, I am having an ACC morning! I made the mistake googling ACC news and this is what get my little brain going:

By law, ACC can only accept sensitive claims from those diagnosed with a mental injury resulting from the sexual abuse they’ve suffered. Other agencies are available to assist sexual abuse survivors who have not developed a diagnosed mental injury. (See here the full news item)

The government has recently come up with the brilliant idea to involve victim support for SA survivors. What a great idea. They should be applauded. Certainly the board from ACC will be pleased having found someone who'll do ACC's work for nothing.

ACC's Mishandling of Sexual Abuse Claims

This is the second instalment of accounts from NZAP members of recent experiences with the SCU of ACC until February 2010.  The stories which have been sent since the last report are included here.

While some claims were lodged before the introduction of the new pathway, they seem to be subjected to the same criteria as the new.

This is a very typical comment from therapists’ recent experience:
“At the Centre that I work from together with four other ACC registered psychotherapists, new ACC referrals are virtually non existent - and we are still having clients processed dating back to May with declines in almost all cases. These are the first declines ever in our history of over 15 years of ACC work!”

Recent experience of blocks to clients’ ability to access therapy are based on a number of factors. Some of these are listed here. The numbers relate to the itemised comments below from #53 onwards and in the previous post with stories collected until December 2009 from # 1 - 52.

ACC's Mishandling of Sexual Abuse Claims

This is the second instalment of accounts from NZAP members of recent experiences with the SCU of ACC until February 2010.  The stories which have been sent since the last report are included here.

While some claims were lodged before the introduction of the new pathway, they seem to be subjected to the same criteria as the new.

This is a very typical comment from therapists’ recent experience:
“At the Centre that I work from together with four other ACC registered psychotherapists, new ACC referrals are virtually non existent - and we are still having clients processed dating back to May with declines in almost all cases. These are the first declines ever in our history of over 15 years of ACC work!”

Recent experience of blocks to clients’ ability to access therapy are based on a number of factors. Some of these are listed here. The numbers relate to the itemised comments below from #53 onwards and in the previous post with stories collected until December 2009 from # 1 - 52.

Nick Smith's Mismanagement Hurts CSA Survivors

Media Statement  from Lynne Pillay, Labour MP

Victims and survivors of sexual abuse are caught in a bureaucratic nightmare that has seen just 32 people approved for counselling nationally in the first two months of this year, Labour’s Victims Rights spokesperson Lynne Pillay says.

“In January and February 2009 ACC approved 472 sensitive claims enabling survivors of sexual abuse to access the counselling services they need. This year however just 32 people nationally have had their cases for counselling approved for the same period.

“While 112 people have had their cases for ACC support declined and hundreds of people are languishing in no man's land waiting for their claims to be processed,” Lynne Pillay said.

ACC Denies Access to Counselling: Examples December 2009

Recent experience of blocks for clients’ ability to access therapy are based on a number of factors. Some of these are listed here. The list and examples are not exhaustive. The number in each category refer to the account of the experience below.  Terms CSA = Child Sexual Abuse

 

No culturally appropriate Pathway for Maori yet established
(43) (45)

 

No culturally appropriate Pathway established for Pacific clients
(44)

 

No appropriate pathway established for children and adolescents
(30)

Action Against ACC Funding Cuts for Counselling

Nick Smith, Minister for ACC, has promised an independent review after 6 months from implementation of the new clinical pathway ACC has pushed through inspite of wideranging protest from survivors and clinicians working with survivors alike. Sofar nothing seems to have been organised and the action group (therapists, counsellors, psychologists, doctors, psychiatrists, social workers and more) is still waiting for information about how the review will be conducted, who will conduct it, and what will be the reference points.

Those who have followed my reports about ACC will have cottoned on that I am mighty frustrated with the whole thing. I certainly don't think that we have been told the ugly truth yet about the scheming and hidden agenda that drove the government and ACC to act as they have. One thing is certain, it has nothing to do with improving services for survivors.