Tsunami Counselling & Educational Support
The power to change
A wave of hope
Tsunami Counselling & Educational Support
Services
Tsunami Counselling & Educational Support has developed from experience working as a school counsellor, with young offenders, their teachers and families. Life's events and experiences are often inevitable but how they are dealt with is not. After years of working with young people and their family to restore and repair relationships, navigate trauma and cope with stress and anxiety, a conscious decision was made to take a proactive approach and help prepare children, parents and those who work with them for the waves that life may send our way. To achieve this, a systemic and inclusive approach is taken that involves educating and training staff, family work and providing both group work and individual therapy for children and adolescents.
Early intervention & support
We believe strongly in partnering with teachers, youth workers, carers and parents to provide the best support for a young person. It takes as long as it takes, but the goal is to be brief, strategic, unobtrusive and evidence based. We provide insets and training for staff (or parents) as a group or individually on specific behaviours or mental health conditions. Alongside this, we also work to educate and support parents. This collaborative approach has had success and in many cases the young person is not even aware that changes have been made to impact and help them yet they are showing evidence of being happier, more confident, resilient and their behaviour has improved.
Contact us for further information on seminars, insets, training and parent or staff support.
Counselling & Pastoral Care
1:1 counselling is regularly offered and provided. We are trained, professional and creative in our approach. Engaging a young person and identifying what may motivate them is key to our work. We aim to work as quickly as is appropriate and teach young people the skills they need to work through their concerns, thus not just helping for the present but equipping for the future.
We deliver and develop group programmes, classroom lessons and seminars for young people which are highly educational and engaging. Often the purpose of this is to help young people understand their emotions, mind and body and the interconnections between these. With this in place they can be taught and empowered to see emotions and thoughts as states that can be altered rather than uncontrollable reactions or responses.
Support is also regularly offered and provided for staff in schools, youth organisations, charities and churches, recognising that cared for and better equipped carers provided better support for the young people in their care.
1-on-1 Tutoring
Recognising the importance of education to changing lives, we acknowledge that academic success is not just what is learned but helping young people be 'ready to learn' or overcome obstacles and challenges that may impede this. We have experience teaching maths and other subjects, and have helped many young people prepare for exams from 7+ right up to A Level exams. We use counselling techniques as well as knowledge of the subject to help the young person develop learning strategies appropriate to their individual needs.
Please note this is an extremely limited offering, usually just for young people with learning difficulties, who have experienced an event that affects their education or have emotional or behavioural challenges. We don't encourage 'hot housing' of children but do want to help all young people reach their potential.
A wave of hope
Dave
mBACP, MCouns & Psychotherapy, BSc
Born and raised in Australia I spent my late teens and early twenties volunteering as a youth worker. I gained part-time work in this area and soon realised I was enjoying my work more than my study to become a commercial airline pilot. My journey changed and I finished university with a Biomedical Sciences degree and Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy. I worked with young offenders and those excluded from school during my university placements and this became a permanent position even before I graduated. I then worked as a High School Chaplain for three years until moving with my wife, a teacher, to the UK. Having worked in secondary schools and PRU's, the actualisation of Tsunami Counselling & Educational support happened in 2012. Europe has been an amazing adventure and I'm now excited to be pushing child and adolescent mental health to a more preventative model. My aim is to help change the circumstances for young people to empower them to believe they have the ability to shape their own future.
Ellen
In the transition from childhood to adulthood we encounter various challenges that require us to learn the delicate balance of understanding when we need to let go, and when we need to hold on. It is during my own adolescence that I knew I wanted to pursue a career in psychology or mental health without knowing what that job would be. I had the good fortune to have some wonderful role models who lived the importance of speaking up, being heard, having interest in one self and the power of thinking together.
Since 2007 I have had a wide range of experiences working within the child and adolescent mental health sector, including roles as a special needs assistant for children struggling with school attendance and working in an independent specialist school with a therapeutic milieu. I have also supported children and teenagers during their long-term hospital inpatient admissions for eating disorders, somatising disorders and other emotional and behavioural disorders.
I have always valued working holistically and being part of a team and so when I qualified in 2016 as a child & adolescent therapist I decided to seek work as a school counsellor. No matter the context of counselling or the content of the sessions themselves, I firmly believe these 3 values are crucial in creating a safe space for teenagers to open up: integrity, connection and commitment. It is an honour and a privilege to work with young people going through the more difficult and painful chapters of their lives and co-creating a space for pause, reflection and hope.
Hannah
Even as a teenager counselling and mental health was always an area that really interested me. After studying Media and Sociology at University I went on to work with children and young people. I spent a few years working as a teaching assistant and then went on to specialize as a speech and language nursery nurse. In between these two jobs I also spent some time in Romania volunteering in a children’s hospital with abandoned babies. It was from this experience and whilst working in the school speech and language unit that I started to look again into pursuing counselling. The above experiences reminded me and emphasized to me how central children’s emotional health and wellbeing are to all aspects of their development.
I started my initial training in 2010 and graduated with a diploma in Integrative Counselling in 2014. During and after my diploma I spent time volunteering for a school counselling organisation. I did some additional training in working with children and young people whilst with the organisation. Outside of this I have also worked with children, young people and adults in my private practice. I have been able to develop an approach that is both creative and educational.
I have been working with Tsunami Counselling for over 5 years now. I really enjoy working as a school counsellor and therapist. I have really valued being part of an organisation that sees the importance of early intervention.
For me counselling is about helping each client to feel valued and heard whilst also equipping them to able to manage and process their own mental health and wellbeing.
"Hendrix"
Therapy dog in training
Recognising that sometimes our four-legged friends are just better at making a connection or making us feel good, Hendrix is the newest member of the team.
Previously having Elvis (earlier therapy dog) as one of our most popular therapists. We continue to provide a dog for greeting children, demonstrating learned behaviours and social conditioning as well as just being an oxytocin and serotonin provider Hendrix is now learning the ropes and showing he is very capable of making children and adults feel good he is looking forward to listening with is huge ears and snuggling alongside those who desire.
Instagram @hendrix_and_elvis_care
"Every school needs a dog as a stress buster"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47655600
Associates
Your perfect partner
We currently use a number of professional and qualified contractors ensuring you have the best person for your needs. This includes experienced teachers and head teachers, counsellors, youth workers and health professionals. We will always aim to partner you and your organisation or family with the personality and skillset that suits you.
"(counselling) helped me think about nice stuff and now I don't have nightmares. Sessions are fun and really peaceful and it's made so many changes at home."
Year 2 student, South West London
"...so So much of what you were saying resonated with me, and we came home full of fun ideas for our family and how to sit down and do mottos and morals with our 3 and 5 year old."
Parent, South West London (following an early years focused parent presentation)
"Dave has given some of our most vulnerable young people the tools to find calm in their minds, breathe and begin regaining control over their thoughts, choices and emotions. He has also gone above and beyond to give wellbeing support to our staff team. We are so grateful for who he is and the work he does alongside us!"