Student Testimonials-Diploma in Counselling Skills

Akeela, Diploma in Counselling Skills (DCS-2006) student

Hi,

I am Shridhar, and I did my counselling course at Banjara academy during the year 2009-10. Every human being on this earth is unique. Each one is different from the other. In fact, the thumb impression of each individual is different from one another out of the 600 crores of population of this world.Then, just imagine about the "MIND" of each individual. Oh! It was a great learning experience for me in Banjara and of course this learning is an ongoing process for me throughout my life. It is not only learning but also unlearning which I developed at Banjara. Before joining this course, I used to have all types of negative emotions like anxiety, fear, judgementalism, etc. like any other human being in this world. It is very important that one should know that these emotions and thoughts will definitely affect our day to day life.
I never knew anything about "EMPATHY", "BODY LANGUAGE", "NON-JUDGEMENTALISM", "LISTENING SKILLS", "COMPASSION", and "COMMUNICATION SKILLS". After joining DCS only, I gradually started learning about the above factors which really helped me to improve my own personality and also helped me to help others also. During my Project work, I used to visit  some hospitals to counsel patients and caregivers. Now this has become a passion for me and I am volunteering in the palliative care department at Kidwai hopital. I am also doing some service at an organisation called AMEND which helps the caregivers and family members of the mentally disabled. I could not have done these things without my learning and unlearning at Banjara. This has changed my entire outlook and approach towards fellow human beings. I am very thankful and grateful to the "Masters of this game of Counselling", Dr. Ali Khwaja and Mr. Raja Reddy.

Shridhar

I went into DCS knowing fully well what the course was about. I knew that along with learning how to be a 'good' counsellor, it would be a journey of self-discovery. But even I did not anticipate how much the course would do for me as an individual. I always believed I knew myself - boy was I wrong! DCS opened up a world inside me that I did not know existed and obviously my world outside changed as well. I have learnt a lot over the course of DCS. It taught me about myself first; it taught me to listen and to face and acknowledge all the judgements that I unconsciously made about everything. I would never say that I have become totally non-judgemental (not sure that is possible) but I am aware of my judgements now and that helps tremendously.

Through the platform of DCS, I got a chance of interacting and learning from a wide mix of people and I can say I formed some amazing friendships here. I think over the year-long course I opened up as a person and blossomed.

I am not claiming that the course will change you and thankfully nor does Banjara (I am very skeptical of these miracle cures that get marketed everywhere nowadays) but DCS helps open doors for people and then how much you walk ahead depends on you. I think it is a journey that people should take on.

Neha R, DCS student

It was the year 2005 when we finally shifted from Delhi to Bangalore. I had stayed almost all the years before marriage in Delhi and though after marriage we have made some moves, this move was different. I had gone through a big traumatic experience in life. After coming to Bangalore, my sister-in-law Uma Madan who is also a faculty at Banjara came to visit us and she suggested I could join the DCS course in Banjara.
I decided to take it up and met Raja for the initial inter-active session. The thing that struck me was he did not show any lip sympathy but he was with me through the whole time, giving his whole attention. I was fed up of every one saying "Ayoo Paapa".
I joined the classes and began to like them. I realized that every one had some problem or the other, only their nature was different. No problem was big or small. They were there in our lives. I learnt that we had to acknowledge our negative emotions and had to manage them and not suppress them.
Ali, Raja, Nalini, Uma and other guest faculty helped me to have a different outlook of life.
I am in the teaching profession and this course definitely helped me to help the students who came to me with their feelings. I learnt to listen to their feelings and be non-judgmental.

I am Elora. I came to Bangalore in 2007. The very same year I came to know of Banjara Academy through my friends. Adjusting in a new place became a cake walk having made so many friends at one go in Banjara. Our entire group RT2 used to look forward to those days in the week when we had classes. Ali's punishment of having to get samosas each time a cell phone rang was one of the show stoppers. As the year progressed not only did we gain weight physically but mentally also had a lot to think about. I had been a teacher in a convent school for 15 years. As the year progressed in Banjara I felt my entire outlook to life changing. My rigid and conservative thoughts started blending with modern ones. My family and people around me started noticing the change. My children started opening up with me. I found myself trying to study and understand each person I came across. Before this I was very quick to classify and condemn people. Now I take a long time pondering over each person before I even mentally pass an iota of judgment.

Today I work as a special educator in a school in south Bangalore. Banjara has taught me to look at the human aspect and this has led me to achieve phenomenal success with the most difficult cases. I have pledged to myself I will not give up on even a single child and will ensure that I will bring about a change in his/her life however small it is.

Thank you Banjara for enabling me to pursue my dream of being able to look after children on whom most people have given up.

Elora

I joined Banjara academy, R.T. Nagar branch in 2009 for the course of counsellor and I did not know that it was beginning of new life, a new chapter in my life. It was like going back to collage, making new friends, bonding with them and of course, learning new things every time we attended the class. Dr. Ali and other staff in Banjara showed us the paths which we never traveled earlier. Thanks to them, we saw the corners of life which we never planned to see. We gained/learnt some paradigms which we never knew that existed! In total, in the matter of one year, we were all changed persons, with new thought processes, new learnings and of course a lot of confidence.

Banjara gave me an opportunity to make lots of new friends and renew friendship with old ones. I was also empowered to regain and renew my old dreams - dreams of achieving something bigger and different. People around me were able to witness a major change in me, a positive change associated with confidence and empathy for each and everyone.

I was able to argue and make my point in a soft but firm manner which I never tried before. People found me capable of understanding their grief and they confided in me about their stresses.

Recently, I have opened a pre-school associating with a leading pre-school chain. This was a dream and passion for me which I achieved thanks to the confidence gained at DCS.

Thanks Banjara, thanks Ali and all!!

Pushpa Hawargi

It was my friend Smt. Uma Narayan, a Helping Hand volunteer and ex-DCS student who encouraged me to do this course.  By then, I had come across quite a few people who had done DCS and all of them, I felt share some good qualities like a warm the and friendly nature, readiness to help others and a certain calmness and content state of mind.
I was trying to limp back to life after the trauma of losing my dear husband. We fought a four-year battle with cancer; even though he accepted the defeat with grace, I was shattered and bitter. Turning to spirituality gave me some solace. My beloved Guru who is my sole support always emphasises on the importance of reaching out to the less fortunate. So, I thought maybe this is the way I can do it. I realized it is better to do something worthwhile instead of wallowing in self-pity.
The DCS course was a great experience. My circle of friends got widened instantly. It broadened my vision. Being brought up in a conservative set-up, I clung to certain values and even looked down upon those who did not have them. I cannot say I still approve of a lot of things that happen in modern society, but I have learnt to keep my values to myself and leave others to do what they want with their life. I feel I have become less judgmental and more empathetic and receptive. Now I think twice before jumping to give advice or defend someone if the other person is complaining about him or her. The course has also made me more confident. My experiences at the practical sessions have made me count my blessings and be less obsessed about my grief and loneliness and has improved me to extend a helping hand to the needy.

Paranthy Sudhakaran, DCS 2010 Batch

I have completed the personal counselling course from Banjara Academy. As I belong to the community of Software professionals, it is the first time I had ventured into the area of human behaviour. With Banjara Academy I immediately felt the comfort as they took us through the concepts in a simple way without compromising on depth and content. The classes were fun with lots of activities and role plays. I also found the practical sessions very useful and having a mentor throughout the program helped a lot. It was an enriching experience.

Ritu Sharma

It was back in 2006 I had done DCS. I'm feeling nostalgic as I'm writing this. Prior to joining this course I had limited perspective and knowledge about people and life. DCS gave me great deal of insight into myself and added a whole new dimension to the way I think. I could reflect on myself and started looking at people, things and life in a different way. I feel that "DCS is not about things that we should do or ought to do, it is all about small things that we don't do".What I also like about the course is its simplicity and pragmatic approach. Each phase in the course made me introspect on how ignorance about our old habit patterns, belief sytems, our own values, and judgemental attitudes that our mind develops over a period of time stand in our way between us and reality. When I did DCS it was very difficult for me to juggle between my shifts and classes because of constant change in my shift timings. With the introduction of IGDCS course, it is a great opportunity for some one to do this course from any part of the world at one's convenience. This course is not merely food for thought for one's intellect; no doubt one's horizon with respect to all aspects of human beings is broadened but one should be beware of the euphoria that might set in during the course. It helps if one is aware of this euphoria and focuses on application of these skills to one's own life which will create a strong foundation in the noble journey of helping others.

Nagesh Madigunta

Sivakumar P (Anbusivam), Diploma in Counselling Skills (DCS-2009) student

The Diploma in Counselling Skills (DCS) course is the one best thing that ever happened in my life. The amount of knowledge/guidance DCS has given me to understand myself to a great extent and others better is invaluable. This is the only course I've attended that is of great use practically in every moment of my professional and personal life. I am really grateful to Banjara Academy and all its members for opening up new avenues in my life. With lots and lots of energy flowing, I am totally transformed after DCS. Dr. Ali and others at Banjara have given me great courage and confidence to take my trip on the road less travelled. Thank You, Banjara Team. - Sivakumar P (Anbusivam)
Perma-link to Sivakumar P's page: http://banjaraacademy.org//classroom-counselling-course-testimonials/anbusivam

I proudly congratulate you in commencing the 'International course in counselling skills'.
I am Viswanath from Bangalore. I completed my DCS in 2010.
At the outset, I on behalf of many who have done 'dcs' wish to thank the academy, for making the concept of counselling reachable to all those people who want to reach out to people ,without the pre requisites of qualification, experience etc. It is not only a platform to lend emotional support to people in distress but has also helped those who have done this course at a personal level.
Banjara has made the world realize the whole gambit of ''non directive counselling''.
With 'dcs' I wish to reach out to sport persons for their emotional needs, and ''DCS'' has truly become a launching pad for this .
I am grateful to 'Banjara' and I wish the academy all the success in their endeavour. May the'' intl dcs '' be internationally popular.