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Trainee Requirements and Attributes

All trainees must be mature individuals, sufficiently aware of themselves that they are able to detect when they are projecting their desires, conflicts and emotions into others. Trainees must be able to restrain themselves from using counsellees in a re-enactment of their own conflicts.

Trainees must agree to the Mt. Joy College "Statement of Faith", Principles of Commitment to Hope Alive Treatment and Training and ascribe to the code of ethics; "My Declaration for Life" and "Commitment to Professional Conduct as an IHACA Group Counsellor". This includes a commitment to:

• have a professional relationship with all fellow trainees and with counsellees;
• display and adhere to the statement of ethics "My Declaration for Life";
• always evaluate the result of treatment;
• accept corrective feedback;
• improve the extent of their understanding and the quality of their work;
• endure uncertainty;
• encourage other IHACA graduates;
• maintain good counsellee records;
• seek to become trainers; and
• honour their mentors.

Most trainees are professionals in one area or another and are now seeking to expand their skills in order to help deal with the very large problem created by child abuse and abortion. Some trainees have been counsellees, then sponsors, then facilitators. That they have experienced much of what the counsellees in their group would experience, gives them an advantage of empathy. However, it also makes them oversensitive to some pains and less sensitive to others.

The Training Experience

People who indicate an interest in training should be forewarned that the experience is

• Arduous
• There are ten hours of training per day plus additional work on assignments and readings.
• They must deal with some of their own pains and fears.
• They must learn and mature relatively quickly.

• Experiential
• It is vitally important that the counsellors know themselves. People are not able to see in counsellees what they cannot see in themselves.
• They must have a good appreciation of the stress experienced by counsellees by experiencing some of it themselves.
• They learn best by doing. The counsellees are the other members of the group.
• They cannot ask counsellees to complete the tasks they are unable to do themselves.

• Theoretical
• The basis for the structure of this counselling program is the basic tenets of Christianity and careful science.
• We do not 'push religion'. We do not read the Bible or pray during counselling.
• Anyone of any religion is equally welcome.
• Although not a focus of the group, every member of the group may share and examine his/her beliefs. We have found that almost everyone appreciates the importance of dealing with God.
• Trainees must thoroughly understand the Psychology of Created Humanity and other essential concepts.