NBCC Continues Collaboration in Bhutan

NBCC has been a proud partner of Bhutan’s counseling community for many years. During this time, NBCC has collaborated with governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations. Notable among these is RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women), founded by Bhutan’s Queen Mother, Her Majesty Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck.

NBCC first signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with stakeholders in Bhutan in 2010, establishing the intent to collaborate to professionalize counseling in the country. Since that time, further agreements have established the Bhutan Board for Certified Counselors, laid the foundation for credential development based on locally determined requirements, and included a partnership to offer the Mental Health Facilitator training and registry in Bhutan.

An integral figure in Bhutan's counseling movement has been Tshering Dolkar, who has served in several key roles. She is currently the executive director of RENEW and is also a longtime collaborator with NBCC.

“NBCC's leadership is instrumental in developing the counseling profession in Bhutan,” says Dolkar. “The advent of NBCC in Bhutan's counseling journey has been timely and successful. It is a unique collaboration and partnership which will continue to the next level.”

Dr. Wendi Schweiger-Moore, Director of Global Capacity Building for NBCC, agrees, “This partnership is unique and has been instrumental in helping set the groundwork for collaborations based on combining culturally appropriate counseling practices with standards to ensure safe, effective practice meeting the unique mental health needs of Bhutan’s citizens.”

Dolkar will be part of a Bhutanese delegation visiting NBCC’s headquarters this coming spring to meet with NBCC leadership.

“The purpose of the visit is to take the collaboration to the next level,” says Dolkar. “The Royal Government of Bhutan needs to take the responsibilities of licensing and regulating the profession and professionals, therefore, it is essential for the Bhutanese leadership to also understand the procedures of the profession and meet various partners in developing the profession.”

Also joining from RENEW is Naina Kala Gurung, Director of the RENEW Training Institute for Counselor Development, which will be responsible for providing continuing education and training for certified counseling professionals in Bhutan. 

While these requirements will sound very familiar to counselors studying and practicing in the United States, Dolkar notes that the profession in Bhutan is also distinct. Particularly, she points to “the aspect of spirituality to promote mental wellbeing rather than emphasizing the treatment model.”

Dr. Ugyen Tshewang, Director of the Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA), will represent Bhutan’s government in this upcoming meeting. Dr. Tshewang oversees all four councils of the BQPCA, of which the Medical and Health Professions Council (MHPC) is a part. Also joining him is Prakash Pradham. As principal counselor for the MHPC, Pradhan oversees the registration of counselors and training institutes in the country. To practice in Bhutan, counseling professionals must register with the MHPC. 

“One of the mandates of MHPC is to liaise with international institutes and agencies,” explains Pradhan. “The main purpose of our visit in the coming spring is to further strengthen our ties and seek possible opportunities to collaborate between our institutes in terms of best practices for the development of the counseling profession.”

“Our vision and mission is clear in professionalizing counseling in Bhutan,” continues Pradhan. “We aspire to excel in counseling regulation of education, qualification, and practice of counseling professionals. We intend to strengthen public safety through effective enforcement of policies, regulations and standards.”

Dolkar likewise sees opportunities to further develop the profession in Bhutan while celebrating its remarkable progress: “It's an exciting journey and we are looking at having a most unique and robust system and procedures for creating an effective counseling profession in the country through our collaboration with NBCC.”