In the 1990's my interests in Psychology took me in a different direction, and I
studied part-time at the University of Wales in Swansea, to be awarded a Diploma
in Counselling in 1996.
In 1997 , when working as a volunteer with the Victim Support Agency, I
undertook special training in working with Rape and Sexual crimes. I also took
this further in 1998, completing courses with Carolyn Ainscough and Claire Toon
on working with Survivors of Sexual Abuse.
My counselling interests were expanding and being a creative person I studied
for, and obtained, a Certificate in
Art and Person Centred Counselling in 1998. This was a wonderful year both
personally and professionally.
Also in
1998 I worked through a course in Supervision ,at the Graduate School of
Education in Bristol.
Being fascinated by images and metaphor I studied for a year at the University
of Wales Swansea, Department for Adult Continuing Education, in Gestalt
Counselling . So in 1999 I added another Certificate to my collection.
In the Millennium year I changed direction slightly and studied with the Open
University. This was a Level 2 module entitled "Information Technology and
Society" .The course was a combination of IT and Sociology, looking at the
impact of the Internet on the World today.
In
2001 I spent some time looking into Colour Therapy to see how I might
incorporate the world of colour into my work.
In that year I
also completed training in Online Counselling with
http://www.olt4counsellors.onlineuk.org
and I have worked as a tutor on the course. I have designed and built two websites we work from
www.counsellingskyways.onlineuk.org
and
www.supervisionskyways.onlineuk.org
In 2002 I trained as a
Reflexologist,
and there for the
moment my formal training rests. Since then I have been undertaking courses with
the Open College of the Arts in Photography and digital manipulation. If
you would like to see some of the photographs I have taken and images I have
created please look at
www.clikpic.com/paulinematthews
