Cura acknowledges important role of training to meet new challenges – 150 counsellors gather at national conference
Cura, the national crisis pregnancy counselling service, opened its 27th annual conference today inCorkCity. Themed ‘The Holding Space’, the two day event focuses on the role of the crisis pregnancy counsellor and the ongoing challenges, responsibilities, boundaries and opportunities faced by counsellors in their day to day work.
Over 150 delegates are attending this event, from Cura’s fourteen centres and numerous outreach facilities countrywide.
The conference opening was addressed by a number of guest speakers. Bishop Eamonn Walsh, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin and President of Cura; Dr Kevin Kelleher, National Assistant National Director, HSE-ISD- Health Protection, National Office for Public Health; Ruth Murray, Schools of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork and Cura Cork Management Committee member; Louise Graham, Cura National Co-ordinator and Susan Curtin, Cura Cork Centre Manager.
All acknowledged the important role counsellors play in supporting clients in a crisis pregnancy situation and the benefits of continuous skills training.
The second day of the Conference on Saturday will be addressed by Dr Colm O’ Connor, clinical psychologist and family therapist, and Christy Kenneally, poet, broadcaster and international conference speaker will facilitate training workshops around continued professional development relating to the conference theme.
In 2012, Cura had 1664 client contacts; 1134 clients presented for crisis pregnancy counselling; 426 presented for post abortion counselling and 104 presented for support after the birth of a new baby.
The Cura Schools Awareness Programme has grown with the school team visiting 176 schools and spoke to 6,217 students.
Speaking ahead of the annual conference in Cork Louise Graham, Cura National Co-ordinator said “Our annual conference provides an opportunity for ongoing skills development and sharing of and learning from experiences of counsellors throughout the network of Cura centres. It provides a national forum for discussion and planning for future development and delivery of the range of Cura services. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the enormous work of our dedicated volunteer counsellors. Cura is delighted to host our national conference in Corkthis year and we are grateful for the welcome that we have received.”
Commenting on Cura Cork’s 35th celebrations Centre manager Susan Curtin stated “Cura is very proud to be celebrating 35 years of service provision to the people ofCork. Over the past three decades, we have witnessed many new developments in counselling and our counsellors continue to meet new challenges and changing needs of clients. Cura provides a free, confidential and non-judgmental service. Our counsellors are professionally trained and available to meet clients at short notice.”
Since its establishment by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference in 1977, Cura has provided a very valuable service nationally. Key services include crisis or unplanned pregnancy support and counselling, counselling after an abortion, support to mothers and fathers of a new baby and the Cura schools awareness programme.
