NCS welcomes two new counsellors

We are very excited to have Mrs Jodie Dearsley and Mrs Jane Donald join our school’s Wellbeing Team this year. Mrs Dearsley is a Registered Psychologist/Counsellor and Mrs Donald is a qualified Counsellor.

Mrs Dearsley has considerable experience as both a Primary Teacher and as a School Counsellor.

She has worked in many public schools throughout Western Sydney, the Sutherland Shire and the Shoalhaven. Mrs Dearsley and her husband Matt have 4 children and attend Berry Community Church.

‘I am looking forward to being part of Nowra Christian School, so far I have found it to be such a beautiful and caring place to work.

‘I am also excited about being able to share my faith openly and being able to incorporate God’s story in my counselling. I haven’t been able to do this previously and have always felt that there was a big hole in my work, because so often the answer is Christ’. Mrs Dearsley said.

Mrs Donald has previously worked as a Language Teacher and careers counsellor before

completing her studies in Counselling. Mrs Donald and her husband, Ian, have three sons and attend Sussex Inlet Anglican Church.

‘I really love doing one-on-one counselling with children and providing them with the guidance they need to be empowered and to achieve independently.

‘I am looking forward to being part of the small school community of NCS and being able to look after students’ whole being (body, mind and spirit),’ Mrs Donald said.

Mr Bray said our school has had a need for these skills for some time and we would like to warmly welcome Mrs Deasley and Mrs Donald to the NCS family.

Some of the services, the Wellbeing Team will be offering include; managing anxiety, helping with transitioning issues, managing learning difficulties, helping with emotional and behavioural regulation issues, counselling in times of grief, loss, change and so much more. They will be working with both individuals as well as in groups.

As this is a new service to our school, there are a lot of processes and procedures to be set-up initially. To facilitate this, the team will not be seeing students in these first few weeks of term. However, if your child or family requires urgent help or is in crisis, please email office@ncs.nsw.edu.au so that Mrs Dearsley or Mrs Donald can make contact. We are hoping that in Week 5 we will have an information night for parents where Mrs Dearsley and Mrs Donald will be able to tell you more about the services they will be offering and how you can access them. Stay tuned for more information.