Caring psychological Counsellor with over seven years of experience providing wide variety of individual, couple, and group counseling techniques and intervention strategies to a diverse client group across cultures. Comfortable with preparing and maintaining detailed treatment records and reports. Strong background in treating clients with Anxiety, communication in relationships, and Stress related issues. Registered member as Full Member of NZAC (New Zealand Association of Counsellors) and level 2 counsellor with ACA(Australian Counselling Association). Proficient in providing counseling services in various settings and through multiple modes. Skilled in developing and maintaining therapeutic relationships along with helping clients progress toward planned outcomes.
Hi, I’m
Smruthi Shah
Counsellor
Summary
Overview
8
years of professional experience
5
years of post-secondary education
4
Languages
Work History
Counselling Mantra
Affiliate/Contract counsellor
11.2023 - Current
Job overview
- Provide individual and couple counselling virtually for clients of Counselling Mantra including own private clients(adults)
- Provide onsite support virtually if required.
Victoria University of Wellington
Counsellor
02.2022 - 11.2023
Job overview
- Provide individual counselling for students at Victoria University of Wellington
- Work as part of student health and student counselling team
- Help support students' mental health and well-being during any critical incidents
- Identify risk of suicidal behavior, facilitate support plans, individual sessions, and liaison with other health professionals in the team or services in the university to integrate pastoral care for students
- To help organize and facilitate a DBT skills group for students
- To help organize and coordinate group training for counsellors
- Most counselling sessions fall under brief intervention
- Use modules such as Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Solution Focused Brief therapy, Mindfulness, and draw from many others to intentionally facilitate sessions based on what students might require
- Sessions held through audio, video, and in person modes.
EAP Services
Counsellor
11.2020 - 02.2022
Job overview
- Facilitate change and coping with change through counselling for individuals
- Clientele includes adult employees of various organizations and their families
- Working with a culturally diverse group of individuals on a variety of issues or stages that they find challenging
- This would include ethnically diverse communities as well as the LGBTQI+ community amongst others
- Conduct Springboards
- Enrolled to Create content for them as well within organization
- Writing administrative documents such as notes, confidentiality and consent forms being agreed upon, signed, and scanned into the software
- Scheduling or cancelling sessions
- Using the software provided by the organization to accomplish all these goals
- Going Onsite to companies to be available to identify immediate needs in response to critical incidents, working towards the safety of employees with regards to mental well-being, and helping employees develop/ learn about coping strategies thereafter
- Writing a brief report or notes further regarding the onsite sessions taken – individual and/or group
- Make recommendations to the company or within EAP if need be, regarding the onsite visit.
Homecare Medical Ltd
Coronavirus (COVID 19) Non-clinical Advisor
08.2020 - 10.2020
Job overview
- Providing support to Healthline and the National Telehealth response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) through answering calls to the 0800 COVID helpline and referring customers for clinical call-backs, where required
- Completing outbound calls to Service Users for Welfare and Customs checks
- Accurately record confidential information as per the process and procedure
- Actively contact and answer calls from New Zealand residents via telephone
- Actively contribute to the team culture by being an active and involved team member
- Work collaboratively in the team
- Complete required learning and development activities to ensure I am appropriately qualified to deliver to Service Users
- All these tasks did require me to be aware of and comfortable with using multiple software and applications developed for the tasks
- This required writing a log at times and adding in the required information collected while on call with the service user which also required some speed to be able to use the applications/software easily.
1to1help.net
Counsellor
08.2016 - 10.2020
Job overview
- Facilitate change and coping with change through counselling sessions for individuals
- Clientele included adult employees of various organizations and their families
- Create content for the web articles, and for workshops/talks/floor activities to be conducted in multiple client companies to engage and educate the employees
- Created content for and conducted group therapy sessions with employees of various organizations
- Working with a culturally diverse group of individuals on a variety of issues or stages that they find challenging
- This would include ethnically diverse communities as well as the LGBTQI+ community amongst others
- Writing administrative documents such as notes, confidentiality and consent forms being agreed upon, signed, and scanned into the software
- Scheduling or cancelling sessions
- Using the software provided by the organization to accomplish all these goals
- Marking critical clients, following up with them as and when need be
- Going Onsite to companies to be available to identify immediate needs in response to a critical incident or transitions in the company, working towards the safety of employees with regards to mental wellbeing, and helping employees develop/ learn about coping strategies thereafter
- Writing a brief report or notes further regarding the onsite sessions taken – individual and/or group
- Make recommendations to the company or within EAP if need be regarding the onsite visit
- Crisis intervention and support to employees including multiple cases with suicidal individuals, grief, etc
- Raising tickets for technical concerns, liaising with the technical team, for software concerns in the platform counsellors used to store data
- Research for papers such as on anxiety and depression to be presented at mental health seminars and for the company
- Answering calls and helping clients with intake process, fixing appointments, working on finding the right fit for their counselling preferences
- Supervising a colleague with counselling work
- Recorded a podcast for the company
- Liaising with other mental health practitioners like Psychiatrists to help clients with process of therapy and with family members or support system of client where necessary to ensure client safety regarding mental health or self-harm.
Education
Bangalore University
Master of Science from Psychological Counselling
06.2014 - 05.2016
University Overview
Jyoti Nivas College
Bachelor of Arts from Communicative English, Opt English And Psychology
06.2011 - 05.2014
University Overview
Skills
Accomplishments
Accomplishments
- Presented a workshop on “Addressing the elephant in the room: counsellor bias and cultural contexts when working with Indian clients” at the New Zealand Association of Counsellors Annual conference 2022
- Completed a course on treating PTSD and CPTSD by Dr. Leah Giarratano
- Participated in a one-day workshop on “Building intercultural competency”
- Participated in a one-day workshop on “Engaging with pasifika”
- Completed a basic Te Reo Maori course
- A short-term course in Basic Counselling Skills – 50 hours
- Attended international conference on counselling and psychotherapy: diversity in training and practice.
- Conducted a research study on “portrayal of psychological disorders in Hollywood films” at the bachelor’s degree level.
- Conducted a research study on “Aspects of a Romantic relationship that affect self-concept’ at the master’s degree level.
- Participated in the 12th National Conference of Catholic Psychologists, on ‘Community Oriented Psychological Interventions.'
- Volunteered at Oasis (ASHA project) – Adolescent Students' Health Alternative
Timeline
Affiliate/Contract counsellor
Counselling Mantra
11.2023 - Current
Counsellor
Victoria University of Wellington
02.2022 - 11.2023
Counsellor
EAP Services
11.2020 - 02.2022
Coronavirus (COVID 19) Non-clinical Advisor
Homecare Medical Ltd
08.2020 - 10.2020
Counsellor
1to1help.net
08.2016 - 10.2020
Bangalore University
Master of Science from Psychological Counselling
06.2014 - 05.2016
Jyoti Nivas College
Bachelor of Arts from Communicative English, Opt English And Psychology
06.2011 - 05.2014
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