Counselling

Carl J. Kieck Services B: Academic Counselling Services

(a) Academic and Career - or - Professional Counselling:

Introductory

Every year, we are approached by countless students from around the world about their education plans, specifically regarding their academic subject and course choices, within the wider ambit of their planned degrees and careers.

When we accept an ‘academic career development client’, we make every effort to provide them with counselling based on a wide spectrum of sources, including information about all of the following areas, and more: nature of subject content; course selection options; degree planning and structuring; academic access; necessary qualifications; suitable institutional destinations; international exams; institutional evaluations, etc.

***Please note, however, that owing to current research and consultative commitments, we’re not at this time able to advise students or other clients with regards to any of the above.***

(b)Psycho-Social Counselling:

(i) Moreover, as part of our counselling role, we naturally also receive a large number of inquiries about a whole range of psycho-social and behavioural issues, etc.

Although we appreciate engaging in communications about personal, social or psychological topics or challenges for the purposes of research and exchanging information, we do not provide counselling services in this area at all.

Where possible, we will always refer students or members of the public to suitable and alternative, reliable sources of assistance where they can be easily accessed, that we approve.

(ii) During 2016, for instance, our records show that we received inquiries about all of the following:

Alcoholism; Anxiety; Asperger’s (Autism); Bipolar; Depression; Discrimination; Domestic Abuse; Drug Addiction (Various); Family Breakdown; Harassment; Internet/Social Media Addiction; Motivation; Obesity; Racism; Relationship problems; (Paranoid) Schizophrenia; Sexism; Smoking; Stress; Workplace conflict, problems, etc. etc. etc.

Once again, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for these communications. Inquiries of this kind are viewed as being extremely important and potentially invaluable, not only in research or clinical terms, but because they will in some way or another contribute to the finding of solutions thereto, and enhancing people’s lives.

Based upon these communications, and without infringing the rights or privacy of clients or members of the public regarding psycho-social concerns, we endeavour to inform constructive debate and research that will eventually lead to more salubrious outcomes.

Furthermore, as part of our academic counselling services, we maintain records on the rapidly increasing number of organisations that are providing educational services across the world.

We also do so because in an increasing number of counselling situations and cases, we may also be asked for institutional recommendations, or this may be deemed necessary.

Requested evaluations are seldom or ever based exclusively upon mainstream media reporting or international academic/research rankings only, and may involve further consultations or primary research in order to obtain adequate, balanced and , hopefully, realistic results.

These recommendations may sometimes be up-scaled to include an informed opinion on matters like actual, reported and observable academic calibre; historical considerations; staff conduct; respect for students’ rights; reputation; living (i.e. accommodation) circumstances and arrangements; national & educational culture; safety concerns, etc.

These evaluations or recommendations are provided in strictest confidence, and may be widely shared with our research partners, internationally, for their information and/or further actions.

*Please feel free to contact Carl J. Kieck Academic and Career Counselling Services via the Contact Form on the website.*

**Also please refer to the relevant section regarding current availability of services