1
British Columbia
College and Institutes
Counselling Association
CICA Newsletter
Executive Bulletin
November 2002
Volume 22, No 1
Produced by:
Okanagan University College
Derrick Doige
Kalamalka Campus
7000 College Way
Vernon, BC
Canada, V1T 2N5
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Table of Contents
Message from OUC, 2002 Conference Hosts
3
Message from CICA Membership Director
3
President’s Report - CICA AGM 2002
4
Treasurer’s Report for 2001 – 2002
6
Membership Director’s Report for 2001/2002
8
AGM Minutes Oct. 11, 2001, Royal Roads, Victoria
9
AGM Minutes Oct 29, 2002, Naramata Centre
11
Executive Membership 2002-2003
14
Conference Reviews
17
CICA Picture Gallery
20
Dorthi Winner (NLC)
Allan Clarkson (VCC)
Vicki Bruce (OUC)
3
Message from OUC, 2002 Conference Hosts:
A little over a month has passed since we gathered in Naramata for our annual
conference. We are sure everyone returned to their perspective campuses with students
lined up at the door. We did!
We’d like to thank everyone who attended the conference for your participation and good
cheer. For all of us who are new to CICA, it was a great chance to get introduced to a
wonderful group of people. See you next year somewhere in the lower Mainland.
Message from CICA Membership Director:
This newsletter is being sent to all current CICA members and last years members who
have not yet renewed. If you are in the latter category, you likely have received a
renewal letter and form in the mail. If not, please contact Membership Director, Steve
Norris s_norris@douglas.bc.ca . Future newsletters will only be sent to members.
Also, if you are aware of any counselling colleagues who are not CICA members, please
remind them of our organization, and encourage their involvement. Steve will fax/mail
any information forms and applications that they/you need. Let's work together to
maintain and build our organization.
Dinner at the Cobblestone Wine Bar
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT - CICA AGM 2002
During this past year I’ve experienced a steep learning curve amidst an atmosphere of
uncertainty, instability and unsettledness. It has been a year of watch and wait, reflect and
integrate rather than act and “make happen”. However, as my first year as your president
comes to an end, I think the scene is becoming clearer both to our fellow educators and
me. It is now time to take steps to regroup and develop initiatives and strategies that will
promote and protect counselling within our institutions.
This has been what I would term a “scattered year” for CICA. At our AGM last year we
acknowledged Ron Flaterud for his work in developing and maintaining our web site,
which undoubtedly provides opportunity for us to increase our visibility and profile.
Unforeseen difficulties with the web site have led to us contracting out the reconstruction
of this web site. I would like to thank Ron for his determination and patience in working
on the site and finding someone who can update and rework the web site for us. We have
also experienced some technical difficulties with Counsnet at times. Much to my dismay,
I found myself triggering hundreds of repeated messages and annoying more than the odd
person.
At last year’s AGM we discussed strategies for advocating for counselling services and
we approved $2500.00 for reprinting and distribution of our report, Professional
Counselling in the BC College, University College and Institutes System.
Accordingly, I had 200 copies of the report reprinted and distributed to College and
Institute Boards. I also included a copy of our CICA brochure and a cover letter pointing
out sections on the impact of counselling on student success.
We regretfully lost our Vice-President, James Reddin, to Prince Edward Island in March
and Cathy Allard of Northern Lights College volunteered to stand in until our AGM in
October. I wish to thank Cathy for filling in for James.
We have had difficulty with publishing of our Newsletter this year. We missed two issues
and perhaps it is time to review the format and frequency of the newsletter.
We had four valuable teleconferences this past year. Discussions focused on the impact
of budget cuts, strategies for dealing with reductions, and protecting counselling services.
However, with the seemingly never-ending changes in government, the Ministry, and the
post-secondary system, I was unclear about where to target our energies and efforts. Until
the playing field and players were named and in place, it seemed more expedient to watch
and wait. These teleconferences helped me to understand where CICA is presently and to
develop a vision for guiding CICA in the coming year. As a result of our discussions, the
idea of the Executive Plenary for this year’s conference was developed. My wish is that
we will not only have developed viable strategies during this plenary but also that we will
have engendered a renewed commitment to CICA and identified a solid role for CICA to
play.
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Since September, I have met with Al Atkinson, Vice-President of Educational Services at
Douglas College and Past-President of SESOC, Ted James, Dean of Student
Development at Douglas College, and Cindy Oliver, President of CEIA. These
discussions have been most informative for me as I now have a better sense of where and
how to direct our energies. Al was helpful in providing insight into the changes that have
occurred in the Ministry and post-secondary system and Ted gave me suggestions about
strategies for promoting counselling services. Cindy provided CIEA’s perspective and
suggestions about how I could re-align my counselling values of win-win and
collaboration with my perception of the union ideology of “us versus them”. Advocacy
rather than adversary is my new perspective. I will be requesting that CICA be placed on
the March agenda of both SESOC and the Presidents’ Council. As I will be sharing at the
Executive Plenary some of what I learned during these meetings, I will not elaborate
further here.
In September, I also attended a think tank on learner support services for eMerge/Bccampus, whose mandate is to provide accredited credentialing through
collaborative curriculum development and online delivery of instruction. Bccampus
began in 1996 and is being further developed as part of the Liberal New Era commitment.
The idea is that students can take courses from whomever online and receive student
services where they live. The service areas identified during this session that would help
students most were Academic Advisement, Financial Aid, and Library Services.
Counselling and career planning were acknowledged as being important services but
were not in the top ranking. I anticipate that there will be follow-up sessions to this one.
I have felt confusion this past year as I struggled to get a grip on the unfolding political
changes and on my role as president of CICA. I wish to thank Kathy Conroy for her
mentoring and the executive for their support. I am looking forward to a year of activity,
a year where we implement initiatives and strategies that we developed at our plenary.
Thank you, OUC, for the opportunity to recognize our resilience, relate, renew and now
respond.
Respectfully submitted
Sandi Strate
President
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B.C. Colleges and Institutes Counsellors’ Association
Treasurer’s Report for 2001 – 2002
Sue Wallister, Capilano
This report consists of the following:
1. Financial Statement for chequing account: Sept. 1, 2001 to August 31, 2002
2. Statement of Assets: September 1, 2001 to August 31, 2002
3. Proposed Budget: September 1, 2002 to August 31, 2003
Financial Statement 2001 – 2002
1.
General Statement of Income and Expenses
INCOME
Budgeted
Actual
Membership Fees:
Full/Associate Membership @ $60.00
Student Membership @ $30.00
Term Deposit
GIC Interest
Conference Revenue
Bank Interest
$ 4,320.00
120.00
167.56
1,441.44
1,000.00
-
$ 3,060.00
* 7,458.41
3808.53
4.91
Totals
$ 7,049.00
$ 14,331.85
*
Actual Income, including term deposit, exceeded budgeted income by $ 7,282.85
If term deposit is subtracted, actual Income is less than budgeted by $ 175.56
EXPENSES
Newsletter Production
Counsellor Report (Special Printing)
Teleconference Fees
Travel Expenses
Societies Act Registration
CICA Conference 2002 Advance
CICA Conference Executive Expenses
Term Deposit
Membership Form Printing
Website
Totals
Budgeted
$ 600.00
2,500.00
1,200.00
1,900.00
25.00
1,500.00
1,474.91
0.00
0.00
350.00
$ 9549.00
Actual expenses exceed budgeted expenses by:
*Actual expenses (less term deposit ) $ 5427.17 - under budget by:
Actual
$ 0.00
1866.75
675.14
0.00
40.00
1,500.00
957.50
** 7,458.41
187.78
200.00
$ 12,885.58
$ 3,335.67
$ 4,122.74
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Statement of Assets 2001 – 2002
September 1, 2001
Chequing Account
Term Deposit
GIC
Total
3.
August 31, 2002
$ 7,196.28
$ 9,056.81
7,458.41
7,758.38
25,000.00
26,200.00
$ 39,654.69
$ 43,015.19
Proposed Budget for September 1, 2002 – August 31, 2003
INCOME
Membership Fees:
72 Full/Associate Membership @ $60.00
4 Student Membership @ $30.00
Term Deposit Interest
Term Deposit transfer
GIC Interest
Total
$
4320.00
120.00
335.96
2500.00
2500.00
$
9,775.96
EXPENSES
Newsletter Production
Teleconference
Travel Expenses
Societies Act Registration
CICA Conference 2003 Advance
CICA Conference Executive Expenses
CICA Strategic Development Projects
Website/Counsnet
Total
$ 600.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
25.00
1,500.00
1,550.96
2,500.00
600.00
$
9,775.96
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B.C. Colleges and Institutes Counsellors’ Association
Membership Director’s Report for 2001/2002
For the 2001/2002 year CICA membership totaled 82 members. Membership consisted
of the following (with comparisson data from the two previous years):
Memebership
Regular
Associate
Student
Honourary
Total
2001/2002
68
4
3
7
82
2000/2001
68
3
4
6
81
1999/2000
69
6
5
4
84
Membership totals for 98/99 and 97/98 were 82 and 80 respectively.
Sixteen B.C. colleges, institutes and university-colleges are represented in the CICA
membership. In addition, membership was received from the Yukon College and School
District 61 (Victoria). No memberships were received from the following BC
institutions: Lanagara College, Northwest College, Open Learning Agency and Nicola
Valley of Technology.
Membership renewal notices were mailed to twenty-two counsellors who had been
members the previous year, but had not renewed their membership by October 31.
Eleven membership renewals were received by January.
New CICA membership application/renewal forms and membership receipts were
purchased (500 each) in the late spring.
The strength and growth of CICA rests primarily with its members. As a member you
are encourage to discuss with your colleagues the advantages of joining our professional
organization.
Submitted by
Don Parks
Membership Director
October 29, 2002
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The British Columbia Colleges and Institutes
Counsellors’ Association
Mary Anne Mochizuki, UCC
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, October 11, 2001
Royal Roads, Victoria
1. Agenda approved.
2. Minutes approved. m/s/a
3. Business Arising from the minutes
3.1 Human Resources Issues in Career Development
i. Heather Hyde, Mary Wilson, & Kathy Conroy were invited. It was
reported that the committee was not interested in input regarding
counselors needing a Master’s Degree
ii. The report that the career development was far too broad to do
anything else with it.
3.2 BC University Counsellors joining CICA
3.2.1 Recommend letting the proposed University Language die as
CICA feels that they are covered under Associate language.
3.3 New Funding
3.3.1 Kathy Conroy sent a letter saying CICA wanted designated
funding for Counsellors.
3.4 Provincial Bargaining – updates on local bargaining
4. Reports
4.1 President’s report received
4.2 Vice president-nomination’s below
4.3 Membership report
4.3.1 68 regular members; 81 total members
4.4 Treasurer’s report accepted. m/s/a with the following changes:
4.4.1 Add $2500. for reproducing Counselling Report m/s/c
4.4.2 Add $1500 for annual conference each year; this does not
have to be paid back. This will become a yearly
expenditure. m/s/c
4.4.3 The Executive will have some discretion within $1,000 to
help with the conference. m/s/c
4.5 Conference committee
4.5.1 38 regular delegates attending
5.0 Business
5.1 $200 honorarium approved for Website Manager m/s/c
5.2 California Report on student health services-Joe Beales
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5.2.1
5.2.2
Copy of report shared with members. All are
encouraged to share this information with their
respective administrators and boards
There is also a longitudinal study over 6 years from
Wisconsin. Kathy Conroy will send it out on
counsnet.
5.3. Liason Committee- members are Sandy Straite, Joe Beales, Heather
Hyde, Daniel Frankl, and Kathy Conroy (will stay for 1 year).
5.4. Election of Directors
5.4.1. President – Sandi Straite
5.4.2. Secretary – MaryAnne Mochizuki
5.4.3. Members at large – Dave Greenall, Daniel Frankl,
Derrick Doige, & Joe Beales
5.5 Newsletter Production Schedule
5.5.1 October (executive)
5.5.2 Dec 01
5.5.3 Mar 02
5.5.4 June 02
5.5.5 October (executive)
5.5.6 Dec 02
5.5.7 Mar 03
5.5.8 June 03
5.5.9 October (executive)
5.5.10 Dec 03
NLC
Kwantlen
Camosun
Malaspina
Douglas
OUC
Capilano
North Island
5.6 Location of next conference – Okanagan
6.0 Adjournment
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The British Columbia Colleges & Institutes
Counsellors’ Association
Mary Anne Mochizuki, UCC
Annual General Meeting
Tuesday, October 29, 2002.
Naramata Centre, Naramata, BC
Meeting called to order at 1:23pm.
1.0 Approval of the Agenda: Approved. M/S/C.
2.0 Minutes of the October 11, 2001 Annual General Meeting: Approved as corrected.
M/S/C.
3.0 Business arising from the Minutes: None
4.0 Reports:
4.1 President: Report distributed and highlights discussed.
4.2 Vice-president: No report.
4.3 Membership Director: Report distributed.
4.3.1 68 regular members; 82 total members
4.3.2 Three CICA members retiring: Ron Flaterud (Kwantlen), Stu
Gibbs (BCIT), Ralph Maida (CNC).
M/S/C That Ron Flaterud be given honourary membership in CICA
for outstanding contribution and service to the Association.
4.4 Treasurer:
4.4.1 Financial Report for 2001-2001: Distributed and discussed.
Circumstances re: term deposit and membership revenue
explained; revenue received from previous conference.
M/S/C: That the Financial Report for 2001-2001 be received.
4.4.2
Proposed Budget for 2002-2003 presented: Discussion re: funds
in CICA bank account and possible strategies for using funds to
benefit all members equitably (e.g. CICA conference subsidy,
initiating cost items generated by CICA Executive Plenary
Session).
Amendment to the motion: To change the CICA Conference Advance
line to $3000. M/S/C.
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Amendment to the motion: To set aside $2700 as a discretionary fund
for the CICA executive to implement new initiatives and $5000 to be
distributed into variable term term deposits. M/S/C.
M/S/C: To approve the Budget 2002-2003 as amended.
4.5 Conference Committee: Derrick Doige from OUC report that the Naramata
Conference is expected to break even.
M/S/C: To receive all reports.
5.0 Business
5.1 Initiatives for 2002-2003: Sandi Strate will collate information received from
the CICA Executive Plenary Session and distribute the results in the
Executive Bulletin. The Executive will meet throughout the year and may
initiate activities resulting from feedback received.
5.2 Website:
5.2.1 Two motions passed at the Executive meeting: (1)That CICA
hire Joanne Deno from Kwantlen to reconstruct the CICA
website and (2) purchase the software Microsoft Frontpage at
the educational rate. M/S/C.
5.2.2 M/S/C: To present Ron Flaterud with a $200 honourarium for
acting as CICA Website Manager for 2001-2002.
5.3 Election of Directors:
5.3.1 Vice-president: Dianne Herman (NLC) Acclaimed
5.3.2 Treasurer: Derrick Doige (OUC) Acclaimed
5.3.3 Membership Director: Steve Norris (Douglas) Acclaimed
5.3.4 Members-at-Large: Laurie Read (Selkirk)
Judy Bushnell (BCIT)
Martin Hayter (NLC)
Tavi Nicholson (OUC)
5.4 Newsletter Production Schedule: There were no newsletters produced for
2001-2002. There was discussion re: the timing of the newsletter and paper
vs. electronic distribution.
M/S/C: That CICA produce three (3) editions of the newsletter for 20022003, one Executive Bulletin (November), one edition in
January/February 2003 (Camosun) and one edition in May 2003
(Douglas).
2:50pm M/S/C: To adjourn the meeting until 4:30pm.
Meeting reconvened at 4:33pm.
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5.4.1
Newsletter production schedule:
Executive Bulletin
Fall 2002
Jan/Feb 2003
Camosun
May 2003
Douglas
Executive Bulletin
Fall 2003
Jan/Feb 2004
OUC
May 2004
Capilano
Executive Bulletin
Fall 2004
5.5 2003 Conference Date and Location: Discussion re: timing of conference. A
constitutional change would be required to change the time of the AGM. The
Executive would need to provide notice both on Counsnet and the Executive
Newsletters about a motion for change. For the next year, the conference will
be in October. Douglas College will host. (The preference was for a Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday not immediately following the Thanksgiving weekend.)
5.6 Other Business: Other possible retirees for next year: Members are asked to
notify the Executive so that CICA can recognize them at next year’s AGM.
6.0 Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 4:50pm M/S/C.
CICA Executive 2001-2002
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B.C. Colleges and Institutes Counsellors’ Association
Executive Membership
President:
Sandi Strate
Douglas College
PO Box 2503
New Westminster, BC, V3L 5B2
Phone (604) 527 5248
Fax (604) 527 5095
Email: s_strate@douglas.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2003
Past President:
Kathy Conroy
College of New Caledonia
3330 22nd Avenue
Prince George, BC, V2N 1P8
Phone (250) 561 5818
or (250) 561 5848 Loc 217
Fax (250) 561 5863
Email: conroy@cnc.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2003
Vice-President:
Dianne Herman
Northern Lights College
PO Box 1180
Chetwynd, BC
V0C 1J0
Phone (250) 788 2248
Fax (250) 788 2242
Email: dherman@nlc.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2004
Secretary:
Mary Ann Mochizuki
University College of the Cariboo
Box 3010
Kamloops, BC, V2C 5N3
Phone (250) 828 5274
Fax (250) 371 5772
Email: mmochizuki@cariboo.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2003
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Treasurer:
Derrick Doige
Okanagan University College
Kalamalka Campus
7000 College Way
Vernon, BC, V1B 2NK5
Phone (250) 545 7291 Loc 2208
Fax (250) 545 3277
Email: ddoige@ouc.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2004
Membership Director:
Steve Norris
Douglas College
(David Lam campus)
A1310 - 1250 Pinetree Way
Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7X3
Phone (604) 777 6186
Fax (604) 777 6193
Email: s_norris@douglas.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2004
Members at Large:
Joe Beales
Camosun College
3100 Foul Bay Road
Victoria, BC, V8P 5J2
Phone (250) 370 4922
Fax (250) 370 3750
Email: beales@camosun.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2003
Dave Greenhall
VCC King Edward Campus
1155 East Broadway
Vancouver, BC, V5N 5T9
Phone (604) 871 7205
Fax (604) 871 7100
Email: dgreenall@vcc.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2003
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Members at Large (cont.):
Daniel Frankel
Capilano College
2055 Purcell Way
North Vancouver, BC, V7S 3H5
Phone (604) 983 7534
Fax (604) 990 7902
Email: dfrankel@capcollege.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2003
Martin Hayter
Northern Lights College
Box 1000
Fort St. John, BC, V1J 5K8
Phone (250) 787 6206
Fax (250) 785 1294
Email: mhayter@nlc.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2004
Tavi Nicholson
Okanagan University College
3333 College Way
Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7
Phone (250) 762 5445
Fax (250) 470 6070
Email: tnicholson@ouc.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2004
Laurie Read
Selkirk College
Box 1200, 301 Frank Beinder Way
Castlegar, BC, V1N 3J1
Phone (250) 365 7292
Fax (250) 365 3929
Email: lread@selkirk.bc.ca
Position expires Fall 2004
Judy Bushnell
BCIT
3700 Willingdon Ave.
Burnaby, BC, V5G 3H2
Phone (604) 432 8435
Fax (604) 431 7261
Email: judy_bushnell@bcit.ca
Position expires Fall 2004
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Conference Reviews
The Labyrinth Exercise at Naramata, Laurie Minuk, OUC
Eleven CICA members headed to the Chalmers Chapel on Monday morning to check out
the Labyrinth. There were 12 chairs placed in a circle inside the “quiet place” – one for
each of us and one for our leader, Tim Scorer from the Naramata Centre. In that quiet,
beautiful space, Tim told us about the history of the Labyrinth as a sacred symbol and
provided suggestions for how we could approach the walk. Some of us were relieved to
know that we were not expected to “do” the labyrinth in any particular way, but just to
follow the path in the way that was most useful for us. It could be a meditation, it could
be a problem-solving or decision-making tool, an exercise in healing and insight, or it
could simply be a pleasant walk. Each of us had a different personal experience with the
walk and we returned to the quiet place to share some reflections on those experiences.
Some had found the walk to be a metaphor for life, others had found it a tool for focusing
on a specific issue. While some of us were experienced “labyrinthers” and some were
novices walking the path for the first time, we all enjoyed a rich and peaceful experience.
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Computer Assisted Career Development Solutions, Tavi Nicholson, OUC
Bill Sloan from Bridges.com presented a short workshop titled, “An Overview of
Computer Assisted Career Development Solutions for 2002/2003.” In the workshop, Bill
shared ways in which the CHOICES program has changed over time, and he described
the Career Explorer program. He illustrated a process in which a student could explore
interests, transferable skills, work preferences and aptitudes, and occupational and
training information using the programs mentioned above. Bill was willing to provide
counsellors with a free month long demonstration of CHOICES and/or Career Explorer
on behalf of Bridges.com. If you would like to take advantage of his offer, please contact
him at bsloan@bridges.com. Congratulations to Daniel Frankel of Capilano College on
his win of a 1-year free subscription to a Bridges program! Thanks to Bridges.com for
that very generous donation.
CICA P lenary - Building Resilience: Reflect, Relate, & Renew, Mon., Oct. 28, 02
The plenary provided an excellent opportunity for conference participants to connect,
review the effects of the political changes of the past year, and reflect on strategies to
meet the challenges of the future. The session was very fruitful; members were focused
and provided copious and varied input. The tone of the plenary was upbeat, once again
demonstrating the positive attitude and resilience of counsellors.
Kathy Conroy gave a quick and colorful history of CICA, including a few highlights
from past conferences. She spoke about CICA’s evolution from a professional association
whose purpose was connecting its members provincially to a more political organization
whose mandate included advocacy at the Ministry level for counselling services in the
colleges, university-colleges and institutes. Kathy also reminded us that we have survived
times in the past when cutbacks threatened counseling.
Sandi Strate then gave a brief summary of some of the changes introduced to the public
post secondary system by the Liberal government, such as the formation of new boards,
the end of funding for some programs, Bill 28, the lift on tuition frees, block funding, and
the introduction of a new government accountability framework. While the implications
of these changes are not clear, it is clear that our political efforts need to be directed at the
local level, rather than toward the Ministry.
The conference participants were then divided into small groups to discuss strategies to
promote and protect counselling services. The topics discussed focused on the kind of
information we need to relay, the means by which we relay this information, additional
strategies that we could develop, and the role CICA could play. The answers to the posed
questions posed reflected the variation as well as the similarity among institutions.
Generally we need be more PROACTIVE and VISIBLE and tell EVERYONE about
EVERYTHING that we do. The roles that CICA could play include developing ways to
quantify counselling outcomes, raising our profile, providing training on liaising with
those in positions of power, and acting as a morale booster and motivating force.
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A complete, detailed account of the plenary will be placed on Counsnet.
Counselling with the Brain in Mind, Tues. Oct. 29, 02, Daniel Frankel,Capilano
On Tuesday morning, we were treated to a stimulating and engaging presentation by Bob
Aitken from the Centre for Instructional Development at V.C.C. Bob introduced a wide
range of data on the structure and functioning of the human brain and how these impact
on such things as learning, memory, problem-solving and emotional response. Much of
the material covered emanated from very recent and exciting advances in brain research
(researchers were quoted as stating that 90% of what we know about the human brain has
been discovered in the last five years). Some of the data cited definitely supported a
pendulum swing to the “nature” side of the eternal nature vs nurture debate, focusing on
how much of our behaviour is brain-based and how much of brain functioning is
hardwired from birth. At the same time, Bob presented fascinating examples of how
environment, behaviour and choices made, from womb to tomb, can in turn alter the
physical structure, development and activity of the brain. I was impressed by Bob’s
ability to present a wealth of complex, technical information in a manner that was
understandable, humorous and highly energetic (you could hear the synapses a-snappin’).
And we’ll remember the suspenseful – and successful – egg experiment (now if only I
could remember what it was designed to prove). If one element was lacking, for me, in
this workshop, it was that although it spoke to us as educators, there was no discussion of
theoretical or practical applications to counselling. Perhaps we can use the workshop as
an inspiration to engage in such discussion among ourselves and within our institutions.
Humorously Challenged No More: Steve Norris, Douglas
In addition to working as a counsellor and teacher, David Granirer teaches a college
"stand-up" comedy course, and has given laughter in the workplace presentations for
organizations throughout North America. He has also taught stand-up comedy to mental
health consumers and recovering drug addicts as part of their healing process. As a
writer, his articles on humor and wellness are available at www.pschocomic.com
David, the self-proclaimed "Psycho-Therapist," presented the importance of creatingng
an upbeat, positive approach to life and work. As counsellors who deal with other
people's pain, we need to model and teach methods of relieving stress, enhancing
wellness, and coping with change. David shared some of his office props and his methods
of encouraging his clients' personal power through acknowledging, reflecting and
paraphrasing their humor. David discussed therapeutic laughter, and strategies for
creating rapport and reducing stress and fear by seeing the humor in adversity,
exaggerating to the point of absurdity, and taking dysfunctions to a deliberate extreme,
all within a consensual respectful relationship.
David said that he enjoyed working with an audience of counsellors, adding that "if you
don't like me, the worst you could do would be to withdraw your unconditional positive
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self-regard." And remember, when you meet each other, don't forget...shake, shake,
shake...ar, ar, ar...and look out for flying rubber chickens!
The Healing Connection: Integrating Ericksonian, Solution Focused, Healing and
Energetic Practice, Cheryl Bell-Gadsby, review by Kathy Conroy, CNC
The workshop description gives a good idea of the material covered in the workshop.
Cheryl gave an overview of the parallels of Ericksonian and Energetic Approaches
emphasizing that both approaches respect the wisdom of the individual. The therapist
facilitates the process of healing but follows the lead of the client. Cheryl then went
through the seven energy centers or Chakras describing the colour associated with each,
their physical location, and their significance. She then read the energy field of a
volunteer and had the group pair up to practice reading each other’s energy fields.
Again using the volunteer, Cheryl demonstrated the process of doing a Chakra Spread to
clear the Chakra centers. This is where she most clearly integrated the use of Ericksonian
metaphor and energy work for healing. Cheryl ended the workshop by leading the
participants in connecting their own Chakras.
Cheryl is a skilled practitioner who radiates her personal energy in a very positive way.
Her workshop was well organized, informative, and challenging.
CICA 2002 Conference Picture Gallery (Pictures taken by Heather Hyde – BCIT)
Sing, Sing a Song……
21
OUC Oldtimers
Capilano College
22
Camosun College
Derrick & the Hat Tricks (OUC + UBC)
23
Douglas College
Kwantlen University College