SYNOPSIS OF ACTIVITIES

A Buddha Pooja, offering to the Buddha,  in progress

Devotees getting ready to pay homage to the Buddha

Paying homage to the Triple Gem
 The Buddha, The Dhamma and The Sangha

Delighted devotees as the milk boils over
 in welcoming the New Millenium

A cross section of devotees observing SIL, the eight precepts.

Counseling Service

A FREE and INFORMAL counseling service is available at the Staten Island Buddhist Vihara. It is open to all, children and adults, Buddhists and Non-Buddhists. The objectives of counseling are wide and varied. But generally, counseling,

*Attempts to help people come to terms with their experiences.
* Help people develop their potential.
* Creates awareness on the part of the clients, so that they might prevent undesirable events in their lives.
* Helps people talk about their problems in confidence

How Counseling Can Help You.
The Counselor and the client will aim to form a good relationship, so that thoughts and emotions can be safely expressed. Rather than just offering advice, a Counselor will give time to listen and accept what is said, whilst being supportive in helping the people find solutions to their problems. The Client is encouraged to look at the problem from a different perspective, which will give them an insight into why they feel the way they do, leading to reduced levels of tension and anxiety. Developing the methods by which clients can face their anxieties and tensions is more important than simply achieving an end result, however desirable this may seem.  Distressing personal problems can seriously interfere with one’s academic performance and one’s emotional well being. Emotional distress in the form of anxiety or depression, conflicts with or worries about family or friends, loneliness and alienation are experiences that many students go through.
Counselors can help to put problems in perspective and make them seem more manageable. The opportunity to speak freely about your concerns, in a confidential and non-judgmental atmosphere, can be a source of great relief. One to one counseling is available to deal with any issues that you may want to address. Typically, the counselor will want you to describe the problem and will want to ask some questions to get a clear idea of the problem and its impact. It must however be emphasized that counseling may not change the problem but can help you to get a clearer perspective on the situation and discuss options for dealing with a situation.

 If you feel initially you would like to explore the possibility or wish to speak to a counselor, please feel free to contact Venerable Kondanna at (718) 556-2051 the Administrator of the temple. Ven Kondanna who has a Master’s from Fordham University is a US trained Social Worker who is multi-lingual and would be quite willing to assist you.

Yours in Service