Ankur Counseling Center

A Pioneer in Psychological Therapy for Disadvantaged Children in Nepal

Nepal is in its infancy as far as psychological counseling is concerned. However, many children suffer from emotional trauma as a result of the insurgency which raged through country for ten years and was only recently resolved. Furthermore, disabled children, orphans, and homeless youth suffer from oppression and discrimination, and they, too, are in need of counseling.

To meet this need, the Nepal Youth Foundation established the Ankur Counseling Center in 2006. Ankur’s counselors, who have Masters degrees in clinical psychology, provide psychosocial therapy to underprivileged children. This counseling is enabling children who have endured unimaginable hardships at very young ages, many of whom depend on scholarships from NYF, to fulfill their potential.

Ankur is the first center in Nepal to use sand play therapy, a form of psychological therapy which transcends language and is therefore particularly suitable to the needs of children. Barbara Jones, NYF’s loyal volunteer, has donated two valuable sand play collections for this purpose and has trained Ankur's counselors to utilize this type of therapy.

Ankur complements its psychosocial counseling with a wide range of trainings for people who work with children. The participants, who come from throughout Nepal to attend the trainings, include not only counselors and other child care professionals but also Buddhist monks and women’s groups. Additionally, Ankur offers internships to college students in Nepal who are pursuing degrees in social work. The interns actively participate in many of the activities at the center and gain a greater understanding of the importance of psychosocial care.

The Ankur Counseling Center now provides counseling for everyone in the Kathmandu area, with an emphasis on children. The income generated through this counseling helps to fund the free treatment for disadvantaged children, helping the Center become sustainable.
Learn more about Ankur at the Center's own website.

Watch a Video about the Ankur Counseling Center!    (5 minutes)

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