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•Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS)
•International Program in Counseling and guidance (IPCG)
•Certificate in Child and Adolescent Development (CCAD)
•International Certificate in Life Skills (ICLS)
•Post Graduate Diploma in psychotherapies

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- One Year Diploma in Counseling Skills DCS24 Classroom (admissions opening from December
- One year self-paced International Program of Counseling and Guidance (For Students outside Bangalore)
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We offer Free Career Guidance

•We conduct Holistic Career assessment (at a nominal cost) – through Aptitude Testing (Can be done ONLINE too)

•Time tested since 1992, results over 94.7% accurate! We have successfully helped over half a million people with career guidance

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Contact @ 9035679801 for more details on all our upcoming programs

Admissions Open for our 1-year classroom program: Diploma in Counseling Skills – DCS24– Train to be a professional Counselor!

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Yes, DCS is designed to suit even those who do not have prior theoretical knowledge of psychology. If you are fascinated by human behaviour, you will get ample opportunity to dive deeper into understanding human emotions and behaviour!

The course is simple and at a very practical level and helps you to understand relationships. We  do not have textbooks or syllabus. We will mail you short notes which are easy to understand and comprehend. DCS helps you to become more self-aware and identify your hidden potential. You can certainly use DCS as a means of self-growth as well as to kick start your second innings in a new and meaningful field like counselling.

As long as you are able to understand and reflect the other person’s feelings and emotions, and have a basic knowledge of English, you will be able to go through the course without any difficulty.

While you would have gained theoretic knowledge in the field of psychology, DCS will complement your learning to enhance your practical skills to be able to actually deal with different types of human behaviour and issues. It is totally experiential without any theory or text book. Internships at various institutions of your choice help you with practical learning.

DCS can be managed along with your existing career to start with. You can use this one year journey to identify your core strengths and make a gradual shift into the world of human behaviour, which is immensely satisfying.

Counseling is a two-way process. When you work on self, you are able to help others better as you experience the change in yourself. Simultaneously, helping others also makes you a better person and expands your perception on various aspects of life. In fact you may be more effective in some ways because you will be able to empathize with others who are facing trauma.  Also, counseling at the Academy is free and you can meet up  and discuss with any one of us who you feel comfortable with.

It could possibly be a little overwhelming in the beginning. However, we will train you to emotionally insulate yourself and not get affected. Managing your own emotions and preventing burnout forms a very important part of the course. Throughout the course, we take up several case studies and role-plays to help you to empathize, and emotionally detach yourself from your counselee.

You can certainly pick up all the practical skills of counselling and reach out to people in whichever sector you are concerned about. You will in fact be more mature and understanding of people’s issues due to your long work experience.  You can, if you wish, become a part of our team of  volunteers working in hospitals, and guide, help and give emotional support to patients and their care-givers. That way you can surely do meaningful work – and of course, you can choose to take up counselling as a career option as well.

Yes, if you are a caring and sensitive human being and have keen interest in human behaviour then after detailed discussion, we will guide you how to adapt yourself to the program.  Educational qualifications do not determine your eligibility to the course.

DCS provides an ‘environment for learning’ which includes role plays, demonstrations, face to face interactions, understanding a person’s body language, building rapport using non-verbal cues etc. All this is best imbibed in a classroom environment, both from the faculty as well as your classmates. You will have personal interaction with people from different ages and stages in life which can significantly broaden your horizons and change your attitude towards life and relationships. Well you may get used to the travel since it is only twice a week, and you may find others you can share transport with.

We have four teams and most topics are covered four times. In case you are going to miss a class with your team, you can attend the same with any other team. So, if you plan systematically, you can take the break without actually losing any class.  We will guide you suitably.

We do not give any guarantee of jobs. However, our students are working in a wide range of institutions including schools, colleges, NGOs, corporate offices, government institutions, and some have even opened their own counselling centres. In fact, many organizations reach out to us when they need counselors. All such vacancies are put up on the website for the benefit our students.

We have had innumerable students coming from various places and some from even other countries to pursue this program (Salem, Coimbatore, Mumbai, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Iran, Tumkur, Maldives etc) You can take up a PG accommodation near to the Academy and pursue your DCS as well as take up internship in other organisations to hone your counselling skills, or take up part-time job to occupy your free time.  We will guide you suitably.

We have consciously kept away from any affiliation or recognition, though we were offered affiliations to reputed institutions. All our courses have been designed without exams and tests, hence that gives you ease of learning with any pressure of completing portions or being worried about exams, grades or marks.

We are members with fully voting rights of the World Federation for Mental Health, USA.

Founder's Note

DR. ALI KHWAJA B.Tech(IIT),MIE, MIIE, Ph.D

Chairman of Banjara Academy, Counsellor, Columnist

Principal faculty, Life skills coach and perpetual student

When we look back on a lifetime’s work and experiences, what really matters is how much we enjoyed (and contributed) to the journey, and not the destination that we have reached. Since childhood I was fascinated with human beings (often animal beings too) and their behavior.
Wanting to contribute my mite towards welfare of individuals, I sought out ways and means to reach out and enrich quality of life through empowerment, and not by charity. It is a joy to see how Banjara and Banjarites have flourished in the past over four decades and have made a mark in the world of human behaviour and counselling, and I look forward always to include more and more people into the ever growing Banjara family.

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5Decades Of Experience
4500Certified as Counselors
100Books and Booklets
1Million Families' Lives Touched

Why Banjara Academy ?

What are we?

We grow Human Beings

We are not Tailors

Enriching Life through Empowerment

Next Scheduled Event

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29
Jun
DCS -25 Admissions are open
9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Bangalore
We do not look at your academic qualifications. All that you need is 4 hours of commitment in a week, and a genuine interest to help people emotionally.

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Please do contact us from anywhere in the world. We can help with regard to Free Counselling, Aptitude testing, Career choices, or various Courses offered by us at our Academy

Your attitude towards life

Some time or the other we come across a horrible person. Whenever you encounter a person who is rude, selfish, hypocritical or out to cheat you, become aware, protect yourself, and deal with it the best you can.

…….but after that, look out for someone who is nice, serene, polite or compassionate. When you spend time with the nice person and have pleasant interactions, it reduces your hurt or bitterness which you may carry from your earlier experience.  It also reaffirms to you that not all people are bad, and that there are actually good humans around you who you can build positive relationships with.

Your attitude towards life and your motivation to form healthy long-term bonds increases.

Understanding your abilities and strengths

Left-Brained or Right-Brained        

Left Brain Skills:  If you have strong left brain characteristics, it means that you think logically, in sequential order and can handle mathematical calculations.  These attributes are very useful if you choose careers related to individual and technical work e.g. engineering, technology, surgery, research, law, chartered accountancy, decision making, planning, etc, where more of logical, sequential or analytical thinking is required, and where you keep learning through experience. You have the ability to look at issues critically without allowing emotions to come in the way, and can take quick and calculated decisions, and you will do well in MCQ, logical and analytical questions in competitive exams.

Right Brain SkillsIf your right brain characteristics are very strong, you are capable of using your emotions to your advantage, you will balance your needs with those of others, will do well in group and team work, where emotional maturity is required, and in creativity-oriented activities e.g. design, people-management, project development, administration, education, life sciences, marketing, mass communication, media, physicians, humanities, HRM, etc.  Students who are right-brained generally do not score high marks in academics since the education system caters more to left-brain skills.

Balanced Left and Right Brain Skills:  If you are one of the rare lucky ones who have equally sharp left and right brain characteristics, then you will be able to adapt very well in future to changing technology and lifestyle, and will never get outdated. But at present it is quite likely that you are a very confused person. Due to equally strong characteristics in both the above sides, you may get pulled in different directions.  You may feel like changing your mind now and then, and get attracted to completely different careers.  You will require extra attention, patient dealing, and opportunity to explore diverse fields before selecting.  If you just cannot decide at the 10+2 level, you may opt for a sound base in science or technology, and then move into management, creative, or people-oriented careers, thus getting the best of both worlds. Today there are plenty of opportunities to combine two extreme interests and create a career.

Though people who have equally developed left and right brain characteristics may appear to be confused and fickle minded due to their wide range of abilities and interests, eventually they do better than others because they can adapt themselves to changing technology or lifestyles, which will be very important in the 21st century.

  • Parents are advised to understand such children and support and guide them, starting with an early exposure, wide discussions, opportunity to meet varied professionals.
  • Children with predominant right or left brain characteristics blossom out best if they pursue careers that suit their style and capabilities. If forced into the opposite direction, they not only lose out on grades, but also on self-confidence and motivation.

Most common skills in each side of the brain include:

  Left Brain                                                                      Right Brain

Analytical          Mathe-logical                          Emotional Rhythmic, kinesthetic (bodily)

Experiential         Intra-personal                            Instinctive, intuitive Literary

Critical                Sequential                                  Creative, imaginative Interpersonal

Sequential           Verbal                                        Spatial, colour, 3 dimension

 

Ali’s Notes:

Most people who are sensitive and caring, inevitably go through many setbacks and challenges in life.  Those who are totally self-centered and do not care for others manage to find the path of least resistance, and keep going up the ladder of success. 

The world admires and praises the second category of people because of their “achievements” – but I have a deep interest in the first.  Whenever I come across someone who gives value to emotions and who thinks beyond the mundane, I love to make them talk, and can listen to them for a long time – for every one of them teaches me something about life and its meaning.

Look around, identify such people, and listen to their experiences of life. You will be enriched.

 

Self evaluation exercise to check out

How Assertive are you?

Assertiveness is the mean between (aggressive, dominating, pushy) on one side and (submissive, passive, withdrawn, scared) on the other.  An assertive person tries to balance his needs with that of others, he makes others understand what he wants, and at the same time tries to understand what makes others happy.  It is possible to build assertiveness at any age, but one has to work patiently on it.

 

 Answer the following questions marking between 1 to 5 :

(5) Always   (4) Often   (3) Sometimes   (2) Rarely   (1) Never

 

  1. 1) I ask others to do things for me without feeling  guilty or anxious.
  2. 2) When someone asks me to do something I don't want to do, I say "no" without feeling guilty or anxious.
  3. 3) I am comfortable when speaking to a large group of people.
  4. 4) I confidently express my honest opinions to au­thority figures (such as my boss).
  5. 5) When I experience powerful feelings (anger, frus­trations, disappointment etc.), I verbalize them easily.
  6. 6) When  I express anger I do so without blaming others for "making me mad".
  7. 7) I am comfortable speaking up in a group situation.
  8. 8) If I disagree with the majority  opinion  in  a meeting, I can "stick to my guns" without feeling uncom­fortable or being abrasive.
  9. 9) When I make a mistake, I acknowledge it.
  10. 10) I  tell  others  when their  behavior  creates problem for me.
  11. 11) Meeting  new people in social situations is  some­thing I do with ease and comfort.
  12. 12) When discussing my beliefs, I do so without label­ing the opinions of others as "crazy,  stupid,  ridicu­lous, irrational".
  13. 13) I assume that most people are competent and trust­worthy so I can delegate work easily.
  14. 14) When  considering  doing something  I  have  never done, I feel confident I can learn to do it.
  15. 15) I  believe my needs are as important as  those  of others and I am entitled to have my needs satisfied.

 

 

Now you can check your score to see how Assertive you are:

If you have scored above 60, you are quite assertive;

A score between 45-60 means you are reasonably assertive, but you give in at times

If you have scored between 30-45 you are quite submissive and you need to work on it

If by chance you have scored less than 30 then you need help badly, and you have become very submissive or passive.