Day in the Life of a Counselor

Each year as part of the Mental Health Connections global virtual conference, NBCC’s Global Capacity Building Department unveils new videos based on interviews for the Day in the Life of a Counselor keynote presentations. By taking the time to understand the practice of individual counselors, in their own words, these videos illuminate the larger counseling profession in different countries and regions.

Recently, we caught up with three counselors featured in previous years’ Day in the Life of a Counselor keynote presentations to find out what’s new and notable in their ongoing counseling journeys.

Dr. Shabari Bhattacharyya

Dr. Shabari Bhattacharyya first met NBCC Global Capacity Building staff through a faculty member of University of Holy Cross. She holds a master’s degree in counseling from Old Dominion University and a PhD from the University of Holy Cross, both in counseling. She has lived and practiced in Bangalore, India, since 2009 as a counselor and counselor educator.

How has your cultural background strengthened your counseling perspective? 

Having been a child of immigrants in the U.S. in the early 80s and then moving to India, where I spoke the local language with an accent, and then moving back to the U.S. for college, I had the experience of seeing both of my cultures from the perspective of an outsider. This made it easier to see cultural constructs as an observer and be more cognizant of my own worldview and how it interacts with others. I can see how culture helps us cope and gives us a framework to make sense of the world. 

In addition to this, I was raised with books, music, and the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore and other thinkers of the Bengali Renaissance who were essentially secular humanists. I think, without realizing, that many of my own views about the world were influenced by or were in alignment with these thinkers who looked at people as being inherently good and there being a universalism to the human experience. I think humanistic counseling theory and family systems theory resonated with me because of these beliefs, and I have had these reinforced by the work I have done in India and briefly in the United States. 

What are your current goals for your personal career and your hopes for the counseling profession in India? 

I would love to continue studying family structures and social systems that exist in India and how modernization may affect these going forward. I want to keep working with individuals and couples, but also to use some of the skills I’ve developed during my PhD to see what else can be done to help communities in India gain access to interventions that support them. 

How has completing your doctorate affected your work and career? 

I think everything seems like a research question now, more so than before. The potential for study in India seems endless. I’m still trying to forge a path for myself that includes using the tools I have developed during my PhD studies. The beauty of my master’s was that I have used every bit of what I learned in practice, and this has been fulfilling. I would love to use what I have learned during my doctorate as well to add value where I can. 

Since you are presenting at the upcoming Mental Health Connections conference, can you tell us more about your research and any plans for research in the future? 

The paper I’m presenting at the conference is something that Dr. Lillian Range, from the University of Holy Cross, and I worked on together. It’s about a quantitative study we did in India investigating subjective well-being and how it varies with attitudes to marriage and intention to marry. We did find some noticeable differences in how the participants in our study responded and how people in other countries responded in prior studies conducted in the United States and various countries in Asia. 

My PhD thesis was a qualitative study about how young urban women experience marriage. The idea was that these women are financially independent and educated, and the literature describing marriage in India still largely following the male breadwinner model, in which the men earn the money and women raise the kids and take care of the extended family, including elderly parents. Marriage rates in India are still very high, and divorce rates are very low. Overall, of the participants who wanted to get married, they saw marriage as a union of two people, which would need further study since it goes against traditional marriage ideals in India. 

Diana Nyirenda

As one of the cofounders of the Guidance and Counselling Association of Malawi, Diana Nyirenda has collaborated with NBCC for many years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in counseling psychology from Blantyre International University and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from African Bible Colleges. She lives and practices in Lilongwe, Malawi.

How has your cultural background strengthened your counseling perspective?

Coming from a deeply patriarchal culture where men are expected to be stoic and refrain from expressing vulnerability, I have witnessed firsthand the detrimental effects this can have on mental health. In Malawi, many men, who feel unable to seek support, struggle in silence, sometimes with tragic outcomes. Data from the Malawi Police Service underscores this reality, showing a rise in suicide cases from 402 in 2022 to 527 in 2023, with the majority being men (increasing from 357 to 497). In just the first half of 2024, Malawi has recorded 281 suicide cases, 246 of which are men. This cultural insight has made me a strong advocate for mental health and counseling, motivating me to break the silence around mental health issues and mobilize others in my community. I actively encourage my fellow counselors to establish themselves as trusted support systems, championing the importance of mental health and making it accessible to all.

What are your current goals for your personal career and your hopes for the counseling profession in Malawi?

Personally, I aim to pursue a master’s degree in counseling and mental health and secure a license to practice legally and effectively, a future goal in my country. My vision for the counseling field in Malawi includes a stronger, more specialized workforce, achieved through continuous professional development. I am committed to helping other counselors identify their specific areas of expertise, enabling them to provide focused, high-quality care. Strengthening our referral system and building capacity will not only improve individual counselors’ skills but also enhance the overall impact on the communities we serve.

Have you seen any recent changes in perceptions toward mental health care in Malawi?

Yes, mental health awareness in Malawi has gained significant traction, with more people discussing it openly, even if there are still misconceptions. Many people still associate mental health issues exclusively with severe mental illness, believing hospitalization is the only solution. Additionally, while there has been some progress in creating social media platforms to raise awareness, the availability of trained mental health care providers remains limited. Nevertheless, these small changes have already begun making a positive difference.

Has Malawi seen any further developments in licensure or other counseling professionalization steps?

Yes, significant advocacy efforts are underway. Professional organizations have united with government stakeholders, ensuring representation at important gatherings and annual general meetings to push for the formal recognition of counseling. Progress is evident in the creation of counseling-related positions within government and private sectors, which underscores the growing acknowledgment of counseling as a profession.

Are there any new activities or other updates regarding the Guidance and Counselling Association of Malawi (GCAM)?

Yes, several notable initiatives have been launched!

With support from the African Union Southern African Regional Office (AU-SARO) and NBCC, in collaboration with the Guidance, Counselling and Youth Development Centre for Africa (GCYDCA) and the Ministry of Education, GCAM trained over 20 teachers in June 2024 as Mental Health Facilitators. These teachers are now actively providing mental health support in their schools.

As a key stakeholder for the Directorate of Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education (DQAS), GCAM has actively contributed to the development of the draft Guidance and Counselling Strategy paper. This strategy will, among other objectives, guide policy to advocate for establishing guidance and counseling hubs in schools, enhancing students' access to these essential services.

GCAM has been participating in NBCC’s Mental Health Connections global virtual conferences since 2020. In 2021, GCAM participated and contributed as speakers and presented on the topic Relevance of Guidance and Counseling During Covid-19 Pandemic: The Case of Guidance and Counselling Association of Malawi (GCAM). GCAM, as part of NBCC’s scaled registration fee schedule, was given a chance to sponsor and participate at a reduced rate, which enabled participation in the 2023 conference—what a recognition! GCAM is currently in the process of registering over 20 members who have shown interest to participate in this year’s conference.

GCAM is working with NGOs like Campaign for Female Education Malawi (CAMFED). By leveraging GCAM’s regional reach, GCAM members are offering group counseling services to CAMFED programs. Recently, four GCAM counselors provided support at CAMFED events, increasing awareness of both the counseling profession and GCAM's role in mental health advocacy.

A joint monitoring and evaluation exercise with AU-SARO and GCYDCA is planned for late November to assess the progress made by schools providing mental health services since the June 2024 Mental Health Facilitator training.

GCAM is preparing for its Annual Conference and General Meeting toward the end of the year, in which the organization will review the year’s achievements and elect new leadership. 

Laetitia Tokplo

Laetitia Tokplo first connected with NBCC as a recipient of the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program. She holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Mercer University. She currently practices as a primary therapist for the Center for Victims of Torture, based in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

How has your cultural background strengthened your counseling perspective?

Although I’ve spent most of my adulthood in the United States, I still very much see myself as the young lady from Benin (West Africa). I was raised to see myself as part of a whole and have gained additional layers as a fully bilingual individual, which informs my holistic counseling perspective. Therefore, I intently consider the multilayered aspect of the issues my clients face and strive to gradually rebuild their sense of safety within and without. As a result, my approach to counseling often involves strengthening identity, spirituality, and empowerment.  

Tell us about your current work with the Center for Victims of Torture. How has your experience living in multiple countries and learning multiple languages helped prepare you?

While still a graduate student, I made a commitment to expand mental health access within the refugee community in Georgia as an NBCC MFP Fellow. Fast forward 2 years later, I have the incredible privilege of working with refugees and asylees at the Center for Victims of Torture. I believe the journey leading to assuming this role was divinely orchestrated and I am so grateful that in addition to working with my ideal population, I also get to counsel in French. On the other hand, I have become more sensitive to the systemic issues that create the wounds my clients strive to overcome. Not having to worry about basic human rights is actually a privilege that many do not have. Knowing that the work needed is bigger than me encourages me to continue to grow and contribute to CVT’s mission. Additionally, this has birthed an interest in peace building as a component of mental health advocacy and prevention.  

Since you are presenting in the upcoming Mental Health Connections conference related to the panel you began a few years ago, what are your hopes for this panel moving forward?

The Mental Health in Africa panel, first held in 2022, was also one of my MFP fellowship deliverables. The general idea for this panel was to gather mental health professionals from all over Africa and to create a network for collaboration and mutual support. This year, my colleagues from East, West, and South Africa and I have the awesome opportunity to present our insights during this year’s Mental Health Connections conference. In the future, I hope to expand this network, to connect individuals that are already doing great work and to facilitate the exchange of best practices that fit the African context.

How does your experience as an NBCC MFP Fellow intersect with your plans for your career now and in the future?

Being selected for the NBCC MFP fellowship has had a tremendous impact on my career as a counselor so far. I’m so glad I took a leap of faith in applying. It paved the way for where I am today, gave me some added credibility, and connected me to amazing professionals and mentors in the mental health field. One of my goals is to build a career and wellness center in Africa, in order to address youth unemployment. Therefore, I look forward to building more relationships and collaborating with like-minded peers to achieve it.