Chrissy Weeks

I am a Therapeutic counsellor and have volunteered for Lambeth and Southwark Mind where I Supported client from all walks of life and with multiple issues. Together we navigate their thoughts and feelings, to be able to acknowledge their needs and how to get them met in a positive healthy way. I also worked in education for 14 years with students with complex needs including autism at times this has been challenging but keeping calm and explaining the situation clearly and informing them of the next step can defuse the situation.

I worked briefly Woking for Solace women’s aid as an Independent Domestic Sexual Violence Advocate- IDSVA where I support women and the LGBTQ community and  from all different communities and disabilities who have been affected by DV and SV, I advise them on their rights as well as signposting to other agencies, this includes support with reporting to the police as well as support through the CPS and court attendance along with the housing and finding a refuge place if needed, but making sure that the survivor  makes her own choice’s which will help them  to feel empowered and have some control of their lives.

I also provide emotional support for women who are in crisis helping to manage their feelings in that moment. Doing risk assessments and putting a safety plan in place that is achievable by the client to remove themselves from immediate danger from the abuser, making sure that I check in with the survivor that she understands what is required because when survivors are in a point of crisis it can be difficult to process and retain information. I have referred to MARAC and attended meetings where I have advocated for women, I also advocate on their behalf with the housing and the police, as well as giving them information and advice on their rights.

Within my role at Solace I have taken part in outreach with sex workers where I and a team of workers go out into the community and advice women on managing their sexual health as well as giving out free condoms along with refreshments.

Before this I was working in education for special needs for the 15yrs. I was College Lead at Highshore SEN secondary school in South East London which is a very diverse community in terms of culture, race and disabilities. As college lead I helped with the transition from school into college, I did this with the student’s and the family arranging interviews and giving them information with regards to courses that suits them best. I have also had the opportunity to have meetings with the head of SEN in Lewisham College with regards to what they can offer the students. Within my role I took students in to the community so that they can access the local colleges with this comes “social skills” being able to use the community in a positive and appropriate way, being able to access dangers and what to do if they are feeling over whelmed or stressed. With this comes a certain degree of challenges and I am able to put strategies in place, I am also Team Teach trained, training in strategies in de escalation this could be removing themselves from certain situations, being able to self regulate and being able to safely remove a student from danger. 

Sometimes this may take time for them to process but what I have found is that actively listening and allowing them to process the information or the new social boundaries makes a difference as I am their emotional support the person that can help them to make sense of it all without being judgemental and once they have made sense of it, their self confidence and self esteem rises and in turn they enjoy being a part of the wider community, risk assessments need to be done when attending a new site or place – immediate risk (themselves) risk to others and how often this risk will occur.

I have worked with students with PDA (pathological demand avoidance) as well as Autism, Down syndrome and emotional difficulties. 

During my time at Highshore School I attended a CIN meeting concerning a student that I was having Counselling sessions on the subject of an online safeguarding issue.

I am currently a student qualified counsellor with a Diploma level 4 in Therapeutic counselling. I am working towards getting accreditation from BACP.

Since late 2021 until January 23 I was volunteering for L&S Mind as a counsellor, where I am working with a wide range of clients from different backgrounds who have experienced trauma in their lives.  These include women as adults who have or who are experiencing domestic violence, we have spoken about their safety, do they have an emergency plan, an exit route Do they have a place to go? And if so is it safe? And around their emotions and feeling, some of those that are new to them and are unsure of how to navigate them.

 I also worked for Southwark Women’s Aid as a volunteer where I answered calls from distressed women and completed risk assessments including; 

Are they homeless?

What their immediate risk was?  Do they have children? 

And do we have space to offer them. 

If not I will arrange for them to stay in a safe place where available. 

During this time I volunteered in a women’s refuge 

When the women then came into a safe place (refuge)  I then do assessment gathering information regarding what their needs are for them and their children? Do they have a DR, what is their housing situation, schools for their children and what can be put in place so that life can remain a stable as possible for the women and children, I also would help fill in benefit forms along with other forms. I am committed to equal opportunities and diversity – everyone has the right to have equal opportunities no matter what culture, race, religion, age and disability. I have a clear understanding that due to some religions and cultures it can be hard and painful to acknowledge what is happening or that this is appropriate behaviour, I will work to gain trust and an understanding without judgement so that I can encourage a “changeable moment” because when people are going through trauma I find that this is the best time to ask “what is it I can do to help you? What do you need?

During my training as a counsellor I volunteered  for Faces in Focus from 2018/ 2019 which is a low cost agency with clients between the ages of 11/25yrs with low to medium mental health issues including trauma through violence. While I was there Person Centred Therapy was my main module that I used with my clients giving them the core conditions of UPR as well as empathy, congruence and honesty accepting my clients for who they are! this has allowed them to be able to look at themselves in a more transparent and congruent way giving themselves confidence in the decisions they make, looking at self concepts a set of perceptions and beliefs about themselves as well as the value we put on ourselves so, the experience of both the way we look at the world and ourselves. Empowering them to move forward and live a better quality of life through self awareness. As well as understanding that the individual has within themselves vast resources for self-understanding, and for altering her self-concept, attitudes and self-directed behaviour but I am there to gently encourage as this is their journey towards personal healing and organismic self. 

Therapeutic counsellor Level 4