AIPC Graduate Davina Gleeson shares her story…

I never thought I’d be writing my own success story, just like the one’s I read at the beginning of my studies. About halfway through the Diploma we were living on a remote island and experienced a traumatic house fire that destroyed ninety percent of our possessions; photo’s, books, personal documents, clothes. However, I willingly chose to continue my studies as it enabled me to focus on the future and move forward. Studying with AIPC whilst at home raising two children and running a household empowered me as a woman, I craved and needed something to stimulate myself during the day once all the housework was done and the children were happy. Throughout my studies I’d regularly hear my internal voice saying `try and finish this, you never complete what you start’. So I decided to prove my internal voice wrong by challenging myself to complete my studies which I did in December 2005.

The Diploma has taught me useful life skills that will always remain with me. Not only is it a course that allows you to help others and yourself but it’s about becoming a better human being, and you can’t ask much more than that. Studying with AIPC has made me understand more about human behaviour in a selfless and insightful way. Over the past years, studying the Diploma has improved my knowledge and enlightened my awareness about other people and life itself.

Looking back I’m very grateful for the encouragement Robert Carrigan provided me at a time that I needed to get me where I am today. The self satisfaction from knowing you’ve completed a Diploma in Professional counselling is overwhelming and extremely rewarding. Thank you to all the support at AIPC that provide people like me with a Diploma that is nationally recognised. Currently I’m studying a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education with Charles Darwin University and having completed my Diploma has allowed me to receive credits for the double degree and reduce the time completing it. And hopefully in two years time I intend to offer my counselling and teaching skills in a classroom somewhere in Australia!