Psychological Counselling

 

With the objective of providing an opportunity to work towards living more satisfyingly and resourcefully and to cater to the emotional needs of the students and staff, Bethune College took an initiative and thus the Counselling cell of the college became operative since 2005. Teachers of the Psychology Department with their experience and skill in counselling, aimed to extend their help to students, teaching and non teaching staff of the college.

Across the years, however, the purpose of the Counselling Cell has been to deal with the issues relating to developmental factors, addressing and resolving specific problems, making decisions, coping with crisis, developing personal insights and knowledge, working through feelings of inner conflict or improving relationships with others keeping in mind the client's goals.

The cell has always provided counselling service adhering to the ethics strictly. Clients are encouraged to take decisions pertaining to their problems. Identity of the client is never disclosed and none of the data have ever been used for any academic or other purposes whatsoever.

During the last one year, i.e., 2020-2021, the number of cases has increased drastically due to the insurgence of COVID 19. Fear associated with the disease coupled with trauma and bereavement in the family have interfered with the mental health condition of many. The situation has been made worse with the Aamphan cyclone that literally has shaken the resilience and hope of people. Post Aamphan trauma, lockdown, having to deal with the new normal, mass paranoia, learned helplessness and perceived lack of social support have resulted in deterioration in coping abilities of many who sought tele-counselling. A marked aggravation in mental health problems has been seen in clients who were already seeking counselling.

Tele counseling was provided to students, teachers and their family members who sought help as per pre- scheduled appointment everyday from 11am to 12 noon in the morning and from 9pm to 10 pm during evening which started from 31st March, 2020.

However since March 2021, sessions are held in the morning according to the convenience of both the counsellor and the counsellee. The evening slot, i.e., from 9pm to 10 pm remained unaltered.
 

Committee Members

Prof. Dr. Krishna Roy, Principal, Bethune College
Dr. Puspa Misra, Psychoanalyst (External Member)
Dr. Debashis Chatterjee, Psychiatrist (External Member)
Dr. Nilanjana Bagchi, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Psychology (Convener)
Dr. Amita Kar, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry (Empathetic Member)
Dr. Kamal Kanti Som, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Physics (Empathetic Member)
Dr. Anushila Hazra Bhattacharya, Associate Professor and Head, Department of English (Empathetic Member)
Dr. Ranjana Sharma, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Hindi (Empathetic Member)
Dr. Satarupa Bandyopadhyay, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Economics (Empathetic Member)
 

Nature of the problems addressed

The chief complaints centred around the following main issues:-

  • Anxiety due to Covid 19 pandemic
  • Depression due to isolation as a result of lockdown
  • PTSD
  • Domestic violence and incest abuse at home
  • Marital and Behavioural problems
  • Lack of adjustment with the parents
  • Broken relationships and
  • Mobile addiction
     

Diagnostic Tools

Standardized Psychological questionnaires and inventories have been administered on some of the clients online to assess their levels of anxiety, stress and assertiveness etc.
Number of cases during 2020-2021

  • Number of New clients - 25
  • Number of Clients who have been continuing from previous years - 6
  • Total number of sessions- Approximately 93 sessions from March 2020 till date (November, 2021).

In many cases, the clients have been referred to psychiatrists or Psychoanalysists depending on the severity of the disorder.
 

Feedback from the clients

90% of the clients have reported decline in emotional distress, marked increase in perceived sense of well being and development in insight.
The Psychological Counselling run by the Department of Psychology, Bethune College is devoted to facilitate the clients work in ways that respect the client's values, personal resources and capacity for self-determination. Its predominant ethos is one of facilitation rather than of advice-giving or coercion.