FPA Sri Lanka's Alokaya Counselling Unit  conducted a  three day Training Programme from the 10th -13th of December for family counsellors attached to the Judicial Commission Services. It was sponsored by USAID.

Objectives :

That each participant:

• Would be fully equipped with theoretical and practical knowledge to identify, address and treat the most common types of family disputes of referred clients through counselling
• Would upgrade their current skills, techniques and therapeutic tools to bring out better solutions for clients while closing the knowledge gaps in specific areas that are vital for family counselling.

Programme content:

• Self-assessment of current strengths and weaknesses - to identify the knowledge and skills deficit on specific ares of counselling that need to be further developed. 
• Principals of family counselling and therapeutic tools to be used during a family counselling session. (Family Counseling  Techniques on how to detect problems, get involved in solving a client's issue and to prepare a treatment plan using case studies and role play. Activities to build trust and relationships and relaxation exercises for clients to overcome stress and anxiety.
• To enhance skills of identifying treatable mental illnesses in clients, to be able to contribute positively in follow-up of patients already on treatment for a psychiatric disorder and to reduce stigma and discrimination attached to mental illnesses.
• Learning about mental, physiological and behavioural changes caused by substance abuse and stages of the drug addiction process and different ways to identify such cases, getting involved to provide solutions and institutes to refer for further treatments.
• Counselling on Gender Based Violence (GBV) -  concepts of rights, safety and security, explanation of stereotypes and prejudices prevalent in society towards women, risk factors causing GBV, consequences of GBV and its impact and different counselling approaches to be taken with the perpetrator, victim, and the secondary victim.
• Stress and Stress Management Process through self-reflection exercises and identifying situations of burn-out and therapeutic techniques for self-care for professional and personality development.

Special thanks to our resource persons,  Mrs. Badra Udawatta( Deputy Director - Alokaya), Mrs. Hema Ranawake( Senior Manager- Alokaya), Dr. Neil Fernando, Mr. Padeep Kumara and Dr. Neththanjali Mapitigama.