Counselling
Counselling is an integral part of all the programme of IPER. Most of the children come from very difficult situations with broken families, they face violence and abuse which affect their well-being and behaviours. This has compelled IPER to plan an intensive counselling session for all children, both individual and group. As such counsellors who visit IPER at least one a week different often tailor-made therapeutic approaches for the children. Such counselling programmes as play therapy, cognitive-behavioural techniques, and family therapy—to address emotional, behavioural, and psychological issues like anxiety, aggression, or trauma. The goals of the sessions are to improve emotional control, build self-esteem, improve communication, and foster healthy relationships within the family and outside by interactions based on trust and compassion.
Counselling is done specially for those children who exhibit uncontrollable emotional reactions, over anxious, exhibiting uncontrollable anger, behavioural problems, and similar socio-emotional conditions. Counselling has made some difference in the lives of the girls and helped them to grow-up in a caring, loving, secured environment in which the child can talk about her own feelings and develop feelings of security and self-esteem, at the same time resolve conflict, cope with challenges and develop positive self-concept.
Beside counselling Art Therapy sessions have been introduced at least once a week for children. In this approach the bothy children and adults use visual expression such as drawing, painting, collage, to express their suppressed thoughts, emotions, and experiences.
These sessions offer a space where one need not have knowledge of the right things to use or even know the formal techniques. One just need to show up and be open to the process. The creation or appreciation of art is used to help them explore emotions, develop self-awareness, cope with stress, boost self-esteem, and work on social skills. Techniques that are being used so far are collage, free scribbling or drawing, colouring, finger painting and Mandala Art.
