Employers Feedback on Psychosocial Counselling Graduates' Performance in Selected Healthcare Facilities in Malawi

Purpose

Psychosocial counselling is vital for addressing mental health challenges in Malawi, a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a shortage of qualified mental health professionals, including Psychosocial counsellors. The Saint John of God College of Health Sciences aims to produce competent graduates in psychosocial counselling, but there is a lack of information on the quality of graduates and their ability to meet employer expectations. This qualitative study aimed to explore employers' feedback on psychosocial counselling graduates' performance in selected healthcare facilities in Malawi.

Methods

This qualitative approach employed an explorative research design. Eighteen participants were selected purposefully from ten healthcare facilities across three regions of Malawi. They were interviewed independently using a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analysed thematically using content analysis approach.

Results

The study reveals the assigned responsibilities of psychosocial counselling graduates, including providing HIV/AIDS therapeutic services, individual and group counselling, crisis intervention, and coordinating referrals. Employers recognize the graduates' competence in communication skills, empathy, theoretical knowledge, and professionalism. However, some weaknesses were identified, such as difficulties in maintaining boundaries, limited knowledge of health-related terms, and a lack of proactivity. Suggestions for improvement include teaching professionalism, incorporating health-related terms in the curriculum, following up with graduates, continuing the practicum aspect, establishing partnerships, and expanding training in evidence-based practices.

Conclusion

The study explored employer feedback on psychosocial counselling graduates from Saint John of God College of Health Sciences in Malawi. The study to identified strengths, areas for improvement, and recommendations were made to improve the Psychosocial counselling academic programme. Implementing them can improve graduates quality and mental health outcomes in Malawi.

Pathways to the therapist paragon: a decolonial grounded theory

Introduction

While many professional associations within clinical and counseling psychology have made an aspirational call for clinician awareness of social position, there is a lack of research into how socially-conferred privilege impacts psychotherapy. Specifically of interest is the differences in race and gender within the therapeutic dyad, in which there is a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color)/white or male/female-identified dynamic.

Method

The authors utilized a Grounded Theory approach to analyze qualitative interviews with practicing psychologists to construct a process model regarding how socially-conferred privileged identity domains impact the therapeutic relationship and the participants' professionalization process.

Results

The analysis identified the core conceptual theme of the Therapist Paragon, representing an idealized version of what a perfect therapist should be. This replicated the foundational figures of our field - primarily older, white men. The process model consisted of two distinct pathways toward the Therapist Paragon, one for BIPOC psychologists and one for white psychologists. The female BIPOC pathway consisted of imposter syndrome, persistent feelings of inadequacy, and tendencies to over-credential their professional identity to seek credibility in the eyes of clients and colleagues. The white pathway consisted of down-playing whiteness and attempting to initially modify behavior toward client cultural norms.

Discussion

The results point to a distinct professionalization and practice process for BIPOC psychologists compared to white counterparts. This dynamic may have implications beyond increasing support for BIPOC clinicians specifically, but instead indicate a lack of acknowledgement of the psychological impact of socially-conferred privilege in the psychotherapy enterprise overall. Recommendations are offered for revisions to training models, continuing education, and supervision/consultation.

La Clinica In LaK’ech: Establishing a Practicum Site Integrating Practice, Advocacy, and Research With Latinx Clients

This article concerns the establishment and development of La Clinica In LaK’ech, a bilingual mental health clinic collectively founded and staffed by a counseling psychologist and doctoral students in a counseling psychology doctoral program in the Southeast United States. During over 5 years of existence, the clinic has blended bilingual counseling psychology services, advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research with the Latinx population. The authors describe the development of the clinic and resultant clinical, training, and ethical issues that confronted the clinic in terms of providing services to a marginalized community in a state where anti-immigrant rhetoric, detention, and deportations were escalating. Also discussed are implications for training in practice, advocacy, service, and research for counseling psychologists working with Latinx communities.

Counseling Psychologists and Behavioral Health: Promoting Mental and Physical Health Outcomes

On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of The Counseling Psychologist, we reflect on the many contributions that counseling psychologists have made and are poised to make in the areas of behavioral health and behavioral health care. We note that psychologists’ engagement in health promotion and prevention of behavioral, mental, and emotional disorders is consistent with counseling psychology values. We provide a concise review of theories that are widely applied in behavioral health contexts and discuss ways in which counseling psychologists may apply these theories to help ameliorate health disparities, empower communities to take control of their own health, and promote social justice. In addition, we highlight the need to create interdisciplinary partnerships to conduct culturally sensitive research on the bi-directional relationship between mental health and physical health. The article ends with wide-ranging implications and recommendations for theory development, research, training, practice, and advocacy.