by Shalu Mehrotra  for BIS Mumbai

We celebrated the certificate ceremony of the ‘The Don Bosco Advanced Diploma in Counselling & Community Outreach’ (2025–26) on 18th April 2026. This year, 15 participants successfully graduated from the program. The certificates were conferred by the Provincial, Rev. Fr. Ashley Miranda, and the occasion was graced by the presence of the Rector of Dominic Savio, Fr. Franco Pereira and the Director of Prafulta,  Fr Godfrey D’Sa. 

What makes this milestone especially meaningful is that the course itself has completed 18 years since its inception in 2008. It was founded with a clear vision—that even after completing a Master’s degree in Psychology, there remains a crucial need for hands-on practice and supervised training to truly prepare individuals for therapeutic work in the field.

At its core, the program stands on strong pillars:

• Intensive skill-based training in counselling, with real practice sessions 

• Extensive hands-on experience, where participants complete 50 client sessions with ongoing supervision 

• Self-work, enabling participants to engage deeply with their own processes in order to enter the world of the other with sensitivity 

• Diverse therapy models, including REBT, Transactional Analysis (TA), Family Therapy, Art-Based Therapy, and Anthroposophy 

• Community outreach, an important addition that takes mental health support to underprivileged communities in ‘bastis’ and villages 

Over these 18 years, the course has truly come of age. It has been a deeply enriching journey—brainstorming ideas with Father Godfrey D’Sa, Director of Prafulta, and receiving unwavering support from a dedicated faculty who bring diverse perspectives and expertise into the learning space.

Over time, the program has nurtured 300+ professionals, each contributing to spreading care, healing, and awareness in society. In a world where mental health has gained increasing attention—especially in the years following COVID—this work feels more relevant than ever.

As the course marks its 18th year, it feels like a moment of transition—not just coming of age, but stepping into a new phase of growth and evolution.

Congratulations to all the participants of the 2025–26 batch!