Free FIT counselling for single-parent households

Fifty single-parent families will get free counselling services under the Supreme Counselling for Personal Development’s new Family In Therapy (FIT) programme which aims to provide a holistic approach to addressing challenges in the home.

Supreme Counselling’s Chief Executive Officer Shawn Clarke said that in addition to providing individual and group intervention counselling, the programme will also teach single parents effective parenting tools and techniques for coping with and overcoming difficult circumstances.

During a press conference at the Hilton Barbados, on Monday, at which Massy Foundation (Barbados) Inc. and Massy Companies handed over a $72 500 cheque for the programme, Clarke said while his organisation has been offering counselling to students, there is a dire need to offer intervention to families facing a range of challenges.

Clarke said schools have already begun submitting the names of students whose families can benefit from such engagement.

He said Supreme Counselling will be conducting due diligence to ensure that the recommended families qualify for the FIT programme.

“This programme is a tad bit different to the normal counselling. Usually, when children come into counselling, they go into the room with the psychologist and the parent sits in the waiting room until whenever that session is finished. Some parents would even drop the child off and then will go their way for an hour or so, and return after the session is finished. With the FIT programme, that is no longer the case,” Clarke explained.

“While the child is in one counselling room with his or her psychologist, the parent must be in our second counselling room with his or her psychologist as well, where we are now offering that holistic approach to counselling.

“There are times during the month that the two parties will come together and we will offer family therapy for those families. We are trying our best to approach this from the school level, from the community level, from the family, and the home level as well, to bring about that kind of assistance that is needed,” Clarke added.

He thanked Massy for donating to the programme.

Director of Massy Foundation Barbados, David Neilands, said that in addition to providing the monetary contribution, Massy was also pleased to support the production of short educational videos to be used as public service announcements to help parents who may be suffering through challenges to know what to look out for, what to do, and where to get help to resolve conflict and other problems within their households.

“We trust that this contribution to the FIT programme will significantly benefit all recipients who are able to receive critical counseling and/or training in the coping skills necessary to improve the functioning and well-being of their families. This is a welcome opportunity for us at the Massy Foundation and Massy Companies to fulfill our mission to be a ‘force for good, creating value and transforming lives’ by supporting this very important FIT programme which promotes the mental well-being and future success of our families and communities across the island,” Neilands said. (AH)