DUBAI // An organisation that offers shelter and help to vulnerable women and children is reaching out to the community by providing counselling services at a cultural centre.
Psychologists and social workers from the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children will offer counselling in the Princess Haya bint Al Hussein Cultural and Islamic centre in Al Mizhar.
The counselling, which will take place twice a week over three months, will be offered to female students in the centre, as well as those who live in Al Mizhar area.
After the three months, an evaluation of the services will be held to find ways to develop the service, said Ghanima Al Bahri, care and rehabilitation director at the foundation.
“Counselling is one of the most effective psychological services that we offer for clients who have different psychological, social and academic issues,” she said.
The counselling targets identification for clients’ problems and it is scientifically evidence based psycho-social treatment, which tend to offer solutions based on theoretical perspectives,” she said.
“Most counsellors at DFWAC offer different types of counselling such as individual, marriage counselling, pre-martial counselling, family counselling and group counselling too.”
She said the counselling sessions would be taken in complete privacy to ensure that the clients information remains confidential.
The foundation will offer one psychologist who will give the counselling and therapy services to those to require it.
However, there are plans to offer more psychological and social services to women and families who live in different areas, Ms Al Bahri said.
She also said she hopes the initiative will allow more women and children who are at risk of abuse to receive necessary intervention and assistance.
The foundation will also continue to offer the women legal advice and rehabilitation services, such as a shelter, if they need it, Ms Al Bahri said.
Part of the counselling to children will offer treatments that assess their emotions and behaviour to identify and treat those who have traumatic experiences.
“The notion under child play therapy is not only offering about a child games or puzzles and just playing with him or her. But it reveals to us, as therapists, how a child thinks and perceives his or herself and others,” Ms Al Bahri said.
“Not only that but we also get to know a child’s preferences, his or her comfort-zones and what are the present problems, fears and obstacles that concerns the child.”
She also said each individual, whether adult or a child, will receive individual therapy with different clinical approaches, based on the issues at hand.
DFWAC’s plan is to reach a larger section of the population, hence saving time and effort by getting closer to those women and children who require counselling.
Afra Al Basti, director general of DFWAC, said the organisation is trying to reach members of the public through an initiative called Closer To Them, which aims to promote the comfort and happiness of all clients of the foundation.
She said the programme will make it easier and faster for many people to get the required help.
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
