Reflecting on Maltese school‐based counselling practices: An autoethnographic collaborative writing project

Abstract

Maltese counsellors working in schools are, at times, just making ends meet due to lack of human resources and work schedules. ‘Why do our students/children have to repeat the same story to so many professionals?’ teachers/parents angrily query. This autoethnographic study voices our professional experiences as authors and participants. This empowers us to be advocates for our young clients. Collaborative autoethnography (CAE) methodology best fits our research question as we ‘seek to discover and systemically analyze (graphy) personal experience (auto)…understand cultural experience (ethno)’ (Ellis, Adams, & Brochner, 2011, p. 273). Our writing and reflections conclude that best practices include counsellors who work, at least, in pairs within transdisciplinary teams at one school for cycles of five years, with clarity of roles across professionals.

I cannot do that…I'm a counsellor: Implications of professional boundaries on counsellors' public life as entertainers

“…Possibly the counsellor/entertainer could evade burnout through hobbies (e.g., Grosch & Olsen, 1995; Karakoc et al., 2016; Stearns & Moore, 1993), and thus, self‐care should be considered. Bond (2010) stressed that counsellors are ethically obliged to practise self‐care and avoid burnout, mainly caused when professional helpers invest a lot emotionally in others, without caring properly for themselves (e.g., Everall & Paulson, 2004; Falzon et al, 2019; Rosenberg & Pace, 2007). Kennedy and Charles (2001) concluded that professional helpers’ wellbeing is more affected than other professionals, as therapists are emotionally invested in their clients.…”