alisondougan.com
ALISONDOUGAN.COM
Counselling
What does Alison do as a Counsellor?
Alison helps people who are facing problems with stress, PTSD, depression, anxiety, relationships and other issues that get in the way of living life well.
Alison supports clients who want to make changes in their life build resilience and experience more joy.
What approach does Alison take with clients?
Alison is Certified as a Counsellor, Trauma Recovery specialist and Havening Practitioner.
This means she works with each client to determine the best approach for them depending on their needs, preferences and goals. She does not rely on only one approach.
Consulatation
Sometimes supporting professionals are reluctant to seek 'outside' help because they:
- Are ashamed they don't know everything,
- Feel judged,
- Worry that they will be seen as incompetent or unprofessional,
- Think the lack of improvement is the family's fault.
Consultations are specific to individual clients.
It may be that a child is poorly understood and Alison can offer an NMT Assessment and Recommendations.
NMT is the Neuro-Sequential Model of Therapeutics created by Dr Perry and used internationally by Certified Practitioners
Therapeutic Parenting.
This model was created by Sarah Naish built on the work of Dan Hughes (PACE), Bessell van der Kalk, Dr Bruce Perry, Dr Amber Elliott, Bryan Post and her own professional and lived experience. Alison has incorporated this model into her knowledge and skill set. She is always honoured to share these principles with other professionals.
When supporting professionals get targeted mentorship and consultation they:
- Are heard and understood,
- Feel accepted,
- Deepen their feelings of joy for their role,
- Feel more confident in work,
- Learn understanding, tips and skills for handling those complex clients,
- Feel supported and not alone.
Why is Alison a Mentor, Coach and Consultant?
Alison is a sole parent to 5 children - all with additional needs and diversity. She has had to educate herself, practice and develop strategies to keep herself sane, healthy and contented in her role. She now shares her knowledge and skills widely. Alison presents at conferences, provides training and development for organisations and offers coaching/mentorship to individual supporting professions as well as consultation regarding complex clients.
Alison Dougan is the Founder of Hope Consulting & Counselling & Parenting Answers. In addition, Alison is a Parenting Mentor, Trauma Recovery Specialist, Speaker and Author/Creator of Journals, Planners, Notebooks, Parenting Workbooks and courses.
Alison works with parents, particularly women, dissatisfied with their parenting capability - especially those raising children with
additional needs and/or developmental trauma.
The challenge facing many parents is they are unsure of how to parent in a way that works for them and honours the growth and development of their children. This is even more crucial for children with additional challenges.
All children will develop in a sequential, step by step, way and our role as parents is to actively guide, support and cherish them. It is Alison's experience that this happens when parents are supported in being the adult, given the knowledge and tools to do this in ways that allow the whole family to thrive.
When Alison is not creating, mentoring, teaching or individually counselling she is busy raising her 5 additional needs children as a single parent. This is where Alison gained the lived experience of parenting and was the catalyst to growing her knowledge, skills and Certifications to share with other parents.
Alison creates beautiful Guided Self Nurture Journals, planners and notebooks for a wide audience as well as specific materials for parents. Alison's Guided Self Nurture Journals & Workbooks are popular with a range of parents who struggle under the weight of their daily demands to find time for themselves.
Speaker Topics
download speaker bio
Childhood Trauma Prevention
This is one of Alison's most favourite topics as she believes if we are able to prevent trauma early we create a healthier, happier child - then adolescent - then adult - then community.
Parenting the challenged child
Parenting a child facing individual challenges either readily seen or, more frequently unseen, requires a broad parenting skillset as well as developing a deep understanding of the cause and presentation specific to your child. And most importantly a great informal and formal team around you.
Compassion Fatigue
This describes what some people know as Parental Burnout or 'hitting the wall'. It is real and more common that most parents want to admit. Parental Compassion Fatigue is common amongst parents under pressure eg; sole parents, parents of disabled/neuro-diverse kids as well as kids who have experienced trauma. Other parents vulnerable to Compassion Fatigue are those with their own unresolved trauma, poor relationship support and isolation.
Attachment & Trauma for Supporting Professionals
There are many supporting professionals engaging with clients experiencing the impact of attachment disruption/developmental trauma. It is important to be informed about what effects these experiences have on children and parents and develop a toolkit to support both. Alison is experienced in presenting to teams wanting to provide an informed service to their vulnerable clients.
PLANNERS, JOURNALS, WORKBOOKS
The written content of this website belongs to ALison Dougan 2022
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