Focus counselling on persons with Exceptional Abilities –Dr. Tutu-Danquah urges Counsellors

National President of the Ghana National Association of Certified Counselors (GNACC), Dr. Cecelia Yaa Owusua Tutu-Danquah has called on Ghanaians certified counselors to extend their profession beyond boundaries and provide their services to persons with exceptional abilities as part of an effort to improve society.

According to her, persons with exceptional abilities need constant and special counselling as they are most neglected and excluded in society, including families.

Dr. Tutu-Danquah made the call at the opening ceremony of the two days of the International Conference for Counselors and associates in Accra on Friday, October 28, 2022.

Addressing participants of the conference on the theme, “Inclusive Counselling: A call to focus on clients with exceptional abilities,” the national President of GNACC said Counsellors play a critical role in societal development and that Ghana stands a high chance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG4) with the positive contribution of Counsellors.

She said inclusive embraces all people irrespective of race, gender, ability, sexuality orientation, religious affiliation, social strata, medical state, or any other need, emphasizing, inclusive counseling “address the diversity needs of all main prospective clients through increasing access and equity to professional counseling services to reduce the exclusion of the minority in the society.”

“In this conference, our focus for inclusive counseling is directed towards individuals with exceptional abilities, Dr. Tutu-Danqual said, charging members to focus on persons with hearing or a visual impairment, intellectual disability, with other health impairment as well as persons gifted with talents communication disorder, emotional and physical disabilities, among others.

“Ordinarily, this category of people needs us the most, but it appears counseling practitioners have turned a blind eye to them due to some inadequacies in our training, experiences, personal attitudes, and beliefs, among others,” Dr. Tutu-Danquah urged her colleague counselors.

Currently, she said over 56 percent of Ghanaians are estimated to have one form of mental problem which undoubtedly would need the services of counselors, hence the conference to brainstorm, share ideas and experience as to the best way to increase their services to benefit society.

Dr. Tutu-Danquah told Journalists after the opening ceremony, the conference would among other things allow the association to explore the understanding of the lifestyle of individuals with exceptional abilities, and identify personal and professional barriers that they face in the provision of counseling services to individuals with exceptional abilities.

She urged participants to take a keen interest in the counseling tips that experts would be provided in the two-day conference so they improve upon their profession, and experience to offer good and better quality services.

The GNACC President also charged the counselors to be mindful and consider the effects that labeling the public may have on their clients and try not to label them with their actions and inactions.

“I want to take this opportunity to urge you to recognize that most persons with exceptional abilities do not live their life focusing on their disabilities and limitation, be willing to have an open mind to the shared experiences within the counseling relationship,” she added.

Dr. Tutu-Danquah said the Association of Certificated Counsellors was established in the year 2017, to serve as a voice for Counsellors in Ghana, and to as well promote the provision of quality and professional counselling services to every person that needs their services.

She added that, since its establishment, the Association has contributed significantly to the professional development of Counsellors across the country and has made key strides in organizing strategic workshops and training programmes for its members, as well as providing timely counselling support to individuals, groups, and communities.

She, however, charged members to take interest in researching new information on the Counselling profession as it is a global profession with issues that occurs almost on a daily basis of which they ought to abreast themselves to provide quality services to their clients.

A Senior Lecturer in Education for the Intellectually Disabled at the University of Education, Winneba, Mrs. Florence Akua Mensah who took the participatory Counsellors through the topical issues in contemporary counselling charged them to be more of an advocate than services.

According to her, many families, especially parents and students failed or refused to secure the services of a Counsellor due to the negative labeling and stigmatization for which reason Counsellors must inculcate the desire to advocate so persons with exceptional abilities to understand and appreciate the need to seek services of Counsellors.

Mrs. Akua Mensah took the participants through various levels of abilities and disabilities in which Counsellors should increase their experience to provide more beneficial and solution-seeking services to their clients.

As Counselors, she said they must understand and know the difference of who is disability, handicap, and who are exceptional need children or students, especially visually or audibly impaired, among others.

She also called on Ghanaians to pantronise the services of certified professional Counsellors, stressing that, despite the little cost, I think engaging the services of a Counsellor for persons with exceptional abilities should be of priority to everyone.”

The participants would be taking through a series of topics including an introduction to Sign Language and other trending counseling issues in the global space.

Some of the participants who spoke to EXPRESSNEWSGHANA commended the leadership of GNACC and the Organisers for the opportunity to refresh their knowledge and as well gain more experience in the counselling profession.