Career Mirror -- by Mark Sproxton

D'Arcy Walsh says trust is key to counselling.

Putting his pen and notebook aside, the therapist knows he must get his clients back on track. The couple is there to overcome communication problems, but the conversation is getting off track. A few calm words of non-judgemental guidance are offered, the pen and notebook picked up, and the conversation continues.

"I never tell clients what to do because I don't want to play God," said D'Arcy Walsh, a social worker who specializes in individual, couple and family counselling. "My job is to keep the client focussed on the issue or issues as they define them. You get better at doing it over time. It means being humble and remembering we all make mistakes."

Operating his own counselling business, Wiser Lifestyles since 1995, Walsh knows he made no error moving to private practice. "I like working for myself," he said. "I chose not to work for the government or non-profit. It's a challenging job, a responsible job, but it's interesting. One of the conditions of this job that appeals to me is I don't do the same thing day after day."

Being a one-man shop, Walsh spends about 80 per cent of his time on counselling duties and the remainder on things like book keeping, filing, paying bills etc. Returning phone calls also consumes much of his time as many clients are referred by other counsellors or contact him after seeing an ad in the Yellow Pages. Working Monday to Friday, Walsh said he rarely works weekends but does work until 8 or 8:30 p.m. two days each week.

Long days and a busy schedule are nothing new to Walsh. He spent years in the corporate sector working his way up to a senior executive position with a national bank. Then things changed. After going through some therapy of his own, and while in his 40s, Walsh decided he too wanted to help people via counselling. He completed his bachelor of social work at York University and then a masters at the University of Calgary. And after working at the Calgary Counselling Centre for a year seeing a variety of people with an array of issues, he set out on his own, something he wouldn't recommend to everyone.

"I went in one year after graduation and it was scary," the 53-year-old explained. "There's a great financial risk too. It's expensive to run a business. I think you need a masters, some training after school and some life experience." The move has worked for Walsh. His days are now filled with counselling sessions for individuals, couples and larger groups. Charging by the hour on a sliding scale, depending on someone's income, Walsh said he is able to make a good living at the work. But working for yourself can at times be lonely, he added.

There are other advantages and disadvantages to the work as well. "The best part is watching people grow. The worst part is watching people not grow. We can't control other people. The only one who's going to change someone is that person. But I believe we can all change if we wish to." Helping bring out those changes requires many skills in addition to humility. "You need a sense of humor and you really do need to be non-judgemental," the father of one said. "Listening and empathy skills are very important. And you must be willing to continually educate yourself."

On-going education, through discussions with peers, or by doing research for seminars and workshops, are regular parts of his work-related duties. As important as those issues are for the counsellor, being able to establish a rapport with clients remains key for any therapy, Walsh said. "Different therapists use different modes, but it doesn't matter what you do until trust is established. Trust is extremely important, which means I can't be judgemental and I need to be respectful."