The psychology of our psychology students – they need therapy!

I spent my whole Sunday last, introducing a Counsellor to four of our women’s societies, so that she could give them an indication of the work she does, and engage in group discussions with the members of the societies about their common problems and give some basic guidance on avenues to pursue in dealing with common day to day problems.

I had arranged for a Psychology Undergraduate Student the previously evening to accompany us to the 4 meetings, so that she could get some practical experience identifying common issues in the Community, and get the feedback from a trained Counsellor who has been doing this for 10 years, I mentioned to her, and she accepted that a day of practical work in the field is worth more than 3 months of class work and that she would benefit enormously from this exposure. When I arrived the following morning at the appointed location to pick her up, and she not being there, I called her, she cut the line both times and did not answer the SMS that I sent her regarding awaiting her arrival!  

I was late for the first session due to her, and I contacted the person who asked me to help help her, and even he was not forthcoming or called back on why she was absent.

In my opinion, for someone training to be a therapist being unable to call me and tell me she was unable to come due to some reason, meant that she was ashamed of not coming and was unable to get it together to tell the lie so she just ignored my calls!! This is a sign of someone NOT competent to even attempt the field she is in, as she was simply unable to own up and tell the truth regarding her state at the time. In short psychologically unhealthy, and she knew it or did she not?

She must know that I will not call her next time, and as she lost a great opportunity to improve her skills, she has only herself to blame for her incompetence. This in short is the problem with youth in Sri Lanka, who lack commitment in anything they do. Small wonder they are unable to seek the thousands of jobs that are out there, and hold onto people’s saris in order to get a job, without searching out there for what is available. This is a practical example of what I have been extolling in my blog all these years about the employability of our educated people. They have NO vision of right and wrong good or bad, and thus are unable to think for themselves, being consigned to a life little more than slavery!   

At the session, the concentration with which the audience was listening to every word was amazing, and there was no doubt seeing the audience engrossed in the lecture meant that I was convinced it was something important and useful for them in their lives.  

IN speaking with the Counsellor, I was saddened as to how limited these services are to people in Sri Lanka, and NOT EVEN a fraction of the need in the community can be satisfied with the services available in this Country, and there is little effort to increase the output of this resource, that can be done extremely easily as the need for high tech equipment is not necessary, but the use of good teachers as always is necessary, and very hard to come by. This latter shortage MUST be filled by requesting the resources from the International Community to train these people, as there are at least 50,000 potential jobs that the community needs to fill over the next 5 years in the NEW FIELD of Counsellors, for Schools, District Secretariats and other Mental Health related services.