Four hundred and eleven counselling fellows have graduated from the TUCEE Institute of Counselling and Technology (TICT) in Accra.

Among them, 19 specialised in cyber counselling, 84 in child and adolescent counselling, 85 in marriage and family therapy and 223 in counselling.

The graduation ceremony was held on the theme: “Mental Wellness and Peace-Building amidst Election 2024: The Role of Counsellors”.

Role of counsellors

Addressing the ceremony, an Associate Professor at the University of Ghana, Prof. Joana Salifu Yendork, highlighted the crucial role counsellors play in promoting mental wellness and peace-building during elections in Ghana.

She noted that elections often presented significant challenges, testing the unity, peace and strength of the nation given the stress the politicians, supporters and by extension, many Ghanaians go through during the period.

Prof. Yendork explained that counsellors were uniquely positioned to encourage constructive engagement, mediate conflicts and foster understanding.

By equipping individuals to manage their emotions, identify misinformation and approach political differences without animosity, she said counsellors played a critical role in maintaining harmony.

She urged counsellors to actively engage with their communities, raise awareness about mental health, and share strategies to manage stress and anxiety.

“Through your work, you will empower people to process these intense emotions, think critically about information, and approach political differences without animosity,” she stated.

TUCEE

The Founder and Principal of TUCEE Institute, Dr Cecilia Tutu-Danquah, said the institute had trained and graduated over 3,000 fellows across various counselling specialities since its inception.

Dr Tutu-Danquah also highlighted TUCEE’s integration of technology into its counselling programmes, aiming to make counselling services more widely accessible to individuals and communities.