The long and short of the issue of counsellors

THERE is no doubt that mental health issues are on the rise in Malaysia and, as a Counselling Psychology graduate, I personally believe that the country’s mental health professionals are doing their very best to provide quality treatment while also promoting a holistic awareness of these issues among the urban and rural populations.

However, the proposal to train 10,000 “lay counsellors” to handle mental health problems in the country has surprised many practising counsellors here despite the noble intention of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

Currently, there are more than 8,000 registered counsellors in Malaysia. However, not all are able to practise, as opportunities in this field are scarce. As such, it is no surprise that current graduates are appalled by the ministry’s decision to train lay counsellors when there are unemployed counselling graduates with proper training who are still trying their best to secure a job in this field.

If accessibility to counselling services is the main focus, then I would suggest that the ministry advocates for more positions for counsellors and psychologists to be created in the government sector, whether in hospitals, clinics or community centres.

Among the current registered counsellors in Malaysia, not all are properly trained to deal with mental health issues. Abnormal psychology is a mandatory course for all counsellors during training, However, this theoretical subject does not translate well into therapeutic practice. Because of this, it is recommended that the Board of Counsellors further enhance the competence of our counsellors, especially in mental health assessment and treatment, by providing more affordable training workshops that are relevant to the needs of our clients.

The basics of training should also be addressed. A stringent interview process is needed to ensure that only the highest quality students are enrolled in this field, as the current supply has outnumbered demand. More and more counselling graduates simply move on to other fields, abandoning their skills and talents in the process.

The Board of Counsellors should also constantly review and update the counselling syllabus, ensure equal standards across all universities and collect feedback from counselling trainees. Training must emphasise evidence-based psychotherapy that can be assessed objectively by lecturers.

Other specific approaches such as Art Therapy or Projective Testing, if taught, need to be assessed by a certified practitioner. The practice must be assessed rigidly as well.

Relevant parties need to conduct engagement sessions with trainees and educators continuously in order to receive feedback on the training syllabus and to identify current challenges in completing clinical internships, especially in terms of placement and time constraints. Although this is not directly related to the service of mental health, this issue must be resolved to ensure that future graduates are of the highest standard and would be able to provide quality care for their clients.

The lack of clinical psychologists in the government sector needs to be addressed as well, as more manpower is needed to guarantee accessibility to treatment.

Remunerations for clinical psychologists in the government sector should also be revised, as this could be one of the biggest deterrents for graduate applications especially considering that a minimum of six years of education is needed to qualify for this position.

In line with this, the post of community development officer needs graduates with a background in social work who are properly trained in promoting social change, development and empowerment in the community. Their services must not be limited to rural areas and healthcare but also extended to child care, school, military, private organisations and nursing homes.

The government should also consider providing incentives for mental health research to further improve treatment and preventive approaches for patients.

We do have the Counsellors Act 1998 but enforcement is clearly lacking as there are still many unregistered counsellors who conduct psychotherapy with clients openly.

A handful of registered counsellors also provide pseudoscientific training to the public that is clearly detrimental to the well-being of clients. Public trust in counsellors is also severely lacking, given their personal experience at school with counsellors who did not abide by the confidentiality ethics.

All these issues need to be highlighted, and the Board of Coun-sellors must step up and take action.

Although many issues remain unresolved, credit must be given to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and Health Ministry for their continuous effort in promoting mental health education and awareness as well as placing mental health professionals in at-risk communities.

In the spirit of new Malaysia, I strongly believe that the government will uphold its promise to deliver better mental health services in the country.

In the meantime, I urge mental health professionals and graduates to continue advocating for our family and friends with psychological disorders, and challenge the stigma surrounding this invisible illness.

MUHAMMAD ZHAFRAN

Kuala Lumpur