PROMIS Staff Feature

Steve Jaques has been counselling at PROMIS for 3 years and holds the title of Admissions Counsellor. He lives with his wife Emma in Deal, Kent. Steve has two grown up children.

The day is Sunday.

Steve starts his day at 6am. After a half hour meditation, breakfast and a swift dog walking session Steve makes his way over to the main PROMIS centre in Kent for what is likely to be another busy day.

First thing on the task list is to liaise with the nursing department to check on any of the previous days happenings. If there have been events or patient requests those tasks are dealt with before anything else. Most of the time e-mails keep everyone up to date or if it is urgent Steve will get a telephone call. “You know if the phone rings it is urgent” says Steve, “however, there is something reassuring about the fact there is 24hr cover at PROMIS, patients do appreciate that”.

After sorting any initial queries it is a question of getting all the patients ready to attend the first group of a Sunday morning. Particularly important because Dr Robert is hosting a Psychodrama session and this is not to be missed at any cost ! “Part of being here means that sometimes the PROMIS schedule can be quite intensive and patients need help to keep up” says Steve. All this and it is still only 9:45 in the morning!

At around 10am families start arriving ready for the family group which starts at 10:30. Steve is there to play host and ensure everyone knows what they are there for and where they are supposed to be at specific times. “A treatment centre is unfamiliar ground for many people especially if it’s their first time here, so I make sure everyone is at ease and  the families' many questions are answered “ says Steve. At 10:30 when the group starts Steve retreats to an office to take stock of the morning  and catch up on some notes, update the counselling board and attend to any outstanding jobs that have come up.

At 11:30 -11:45 quiet is interrupted with the emergence of families and patients. Some have not seen each other for some time or since coming into treatment. Steve is in the midst of all the reunions which may need mediation and in some cases a sit down with all the family. As one can imagine these meetings can require particularly delicate handling.

At 12:15pm families and patients attend a lecture. Steve’s prime task at this point is to round everyone up and usher them to the lecture room in the main building. This important task is a challenge on the quietest days as the PROMIS centre is quite spread out. It is a known fact that he is the last one through the door into the lecture room and the first one out to ensure everyone knows where lunch is being served. There are times when Steve himself will give the lecture as well.  At lunchtime discussions with families may be the order of the day or lunch with Dr Robert and his wife Meg during which information on the day’s events can be caught up on.

As the afternoon’s activities start Steve ensures that patients make it to their various appointments including the one on one sessions held by Dr Robert. While doing this it also allows Steve the chance to speak with those patients who do not have any visitors and catch up any feedback they might have regarding treatment.

When not involved in co-ordinating patients Steve also runs many of the family conjoints. These are mediated meetings which in many situations clear the air between loved ones and give those that feel they need a voice a chance to air it and be understood. These invaluable meetings are often be strong enough to save relationships and bridge gaps that have been broken for years. Even on a quiet day, there may also be a new admission which in every circumstance will take priority, these in every instance require a careful handling and huge amount of understanding.

Afternoons like this can quite easily end up finishing at around 8pm so it can be a long day for Steve but he wouldn’t have it any other way.