Counsellor Afia mending hearts and homes

In our part of the world, we do not take professional counselling services seriously unless we get ourselves entangled in problems that send us bonkers.

Currently, in Ghana, there are a few professional counsellors and the men seem to be topping the list. However, one female counsellor who is gracing our screens and the airwaves is Counsellor Afia.

Her real name is Mrs Rita Cudjoe, and she is the Executive Director of the Open Door Counselling Services (ODCS).

For her, the youth of today are so obsessed with certain foreign practices that they bring all forms of delinquencies, peer pressure and other societal evils that end up making their parents very depressed.

What to expect from counselling?

In an interview with The Mirror, Counsellor Afia, who is passionate about solving people’s problems, explained that outside most universities and many colleges have a counselling service, which is free for students to use. However, things are a bit different here.

"Some people thought their problems were not ‘big’ enough for counselling, but talking to me gave them a great opportunity to share their problems and understand things better."

She explained that counselling is about talking to someone who “understands what depression is and what can help. Counsellors are professionally trained to work with people on their personal and emotional issues, including depression and suicide.”

Cases of depression

Having tackled several issues of depression, Counsellor Afia mentioned that depression seemed to top most of the cases she had handled.

“Basically, depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. There are people who don’t need medication for this disorder but a simple professional counselling is enough to bring a spark in their  life.”

According to her, there are young students who keep stumbling through life each day. For such people, they wish they had never been born, or that they were someone else. The only thing they looked forward to is being able to crawl into bed at night.

“Besides, these days, most parents prefer to leave their children with domestic helpers without taking the pain to find out how their day had been both at home and in school.

“It will surprise you to know that some of these children don’t step foot in their classroom; they go about with friends playing at the game centres, smoking heroin, drinking alcohol and other substances.

“Before their parents realise, the child has become wayward and sometimes so depressed that they want to commit suicide.” 

She further revealed that “even though it is perceived that counselling is only done by pastors and priests at church, there are equally depressed men of God who sometimes come to me for professional counselling. I don’t think this is shameful, because they are also human and have their shortfalls.”

Workplace counselling

Another area Counsellor Afia loves to delve into is workplace counselling. She explained that counselling at the workplace can minimise stress, illness and mental health issues while increasing job satisfaction and productivity.

“Imagine an accountant who comes to the office depressed and mistakenly deletes one zero from a figure. What do you think will happen,” she asked.

She said mental health issues at work affected more than the person under stress.

“Managers may be able to identify employees who may not be performing as effectively as they once were. This could be because of increased workload or other productivity related issues; it could just as easily be caused by unhealthy relationships with other colleagues. Whatever the cause, stress, anxiety and pressure will continue to impact on staff and efficiency, until it results in illness, depression and a decrease in job satisfaction,” she added.

Couples Counselling

There are couples who stay together as husband and wife but are not on talking terms. They try to bottle up issues, which end up making them totally depressed.

“There are married couples who feel the whole world would know of their problems if they approach a counsellor. This is wrong. Marriage counselling or relationship counselling can be very helpful, even if your partner doesn't want to go. The counsellor will be able to help you without judging anyone of you and remaining aware of 'the empty’ seat,” she stressed.

Who is Counsellor Afia?

She described herself as a simple, confident and approachable personality who loves to mend hearts and homes just to put smiles on the faces of people.

“I don’t like over-the-top things, nor do I want to see people going through intensive stress. That is why I embarked on the journey of professional counselling.”

Counsellor Afia is married to Mr Leone Michael Cudjoe, a co-director of Micrite Group Limited, an international company that supplies fragrance and flavours to pharmaceutical companies, producers of beverage, alcohol, detergents and bakeries.

She comes from Kyebi in the Eastern Region and has a son called Micheal Kwabena Safo Cudjoe.

She had her secondary education at the Abuakwa State College in the Eastern Region and her counselling training from the Blackford Counselling School in the United Kingdom.

Apart from counselling and trading in fragrances and flavours, she has a background in Information Technology (IT).

She belongs to the Sakumono Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and loves to eat jollof rice any day.