For counselling to be successful, it requires the client to share their experiences and behaviour honestly. Ideally, the counselling relationship is a close and trusting one that allows this to happen. However, many clients are used to concealing and avoiding the things that need to be discussed. And of course, it takes time to build…
Clients go to counsellors often because they feel stuck in some way and need help to resolve or get past something. But sometimes a counsellor will come across a client that makes them feel stuck. There are some people that prove difficult to help, you can reach a point with them where you don’t know…
Loneliness is a very common human experience and different people experience different levels of it, with differing causes and effects. Loneliness can eventually lead to anxiety and depression and cause low self-esteem, lowered self-confidence, stress, and social issues. But it does not have to be a permanent negative state and should not be viewed as…
View Response from minister Member qualifications and expectations Our members are required to practise at the highest standard and when you join Certified Practising Counsellors Australia, you are joining a community of Counselling Professionals who are dedicated to the sector. CPCA is a professional organisation dedicated to advocating for and on behalf of counsellors and…
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a national scheme that provides funding to eligible people with disabilities and connects them to services in their community, including counselling. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is responsible for implementing the NDIS and delivering it to Australians who have significant and permanent disabilities. There are common misconceptions…
The difficulty in addressing shame is that it can be so heavily concealed. Shame is not necessarily always traumatic or terrible for us. Feeling shame can help us towards development and maturity, but internalising it continuously is not positive for anyone. People can carry deep shame for a long period that even those close to…
Networking is essential to your professional success as a counsellor. When you are starting out, making connections with other mental health practitioners will help you gain professional contacts that will help you in your practice. Even once you have worked as a counsellor for years, you still need to revise and update your network occasionally.…
Acknowledgment of County I acknowledge to the east, the Butchulla people, and to the west, the Kabi Kabi people, their connection to country. I pay my respects to the Elders – past and present. I acknowledge the ownership of these people. I acknowledge the Turrbal people, their connection to country. I pay my respects to…
With modern technology it has become more viable for almost anyone to access the expertise of a counsellor online through apps such as Zoom. Online counselling is a service that can offer clients the same degree of support and confidentiality that a traditional consultation does, while offering a more convenient alternative for people that have…
As a counsellor, you will inevitably come across difficult clients in your career and will need to deal with them appropriately. When you do come across such a client, it is important to keep in mind the client’s background, their thoughts and attitude towards counselling, and if they have issues such as anger. A client’s…
The purpose of confidentiality Ethical behaviour is fundamental to the counselling practice and one of the ethical concepts that are at the core of the profession is confidentiality. It is important to ensure all work, client interactions and documentation needs follow the appropriate laws and the privacy and confidentiality requirements of your organisation. When clients…
Client autonomy is allowing and encouraging an individual’s freedom of choice and action. It addresses the responsibility of the counsellor to support clients, when appropriate, to make their own decisions and to act on their values. Counselling is mainly voluntary and needs a certain level of engagement from the client for it to work effectively.…
What is duty of care Ensuring clients and colleagues are safe and treated appropriately is the vital obligation of every counsellor, which is why duty of care must be heavily considered. Duty of care is legally written into the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and is your responsibility to protect the safety and wellbeing…
A scope of practice is a profession’s full spectrum of roles, responsibilities, actions, and decision-making capacity that individuals within that profession are authorised to carry out. Scope of practice is the area in which you as a counsellor can practise in a competent, safe, and lawful way that adheres to counselling standards and does not…
A counsellor’s job is to observe people and their behaviours, and it is equally important they make the same observation on themselves. One of the best ways to be an effective counsellor is to have self-awareness. This will help in relating to clients and will produce better counselling. Having an objective knowledge and clarity about…
When you reach the end of a client-counsellor relationship, it can be difficult for the client to adjust. Working closely with the client through their concerns and having this type of relationship establishes strong feelings of support and understanding between counsellor and client. For some, breaking these connections can be akin to feelings of grief…
Professional counsellor advocacy is the act of promoting the profession with an emphasis on the removal or minimisation of barriers that are harming or limiting counsellors’ abilities to provide services. At CPCA, our existence is dedicated to advocating for and on behalf of counsellors in addition to their clients. We look to promote and raise…
In counselling, transference is when the client unknowingly redirects feelings onto their counsellor that are about an entirely separate individual. This is a normal occurrence that can happen to clients when they are being counselled and represents a complicated mix of emotions, memories, and subconscious behaviour. A client can unconsciously transfer anger, fear, affection, attachment,…
Professional supervision is a supportive experience available for all counselling practitioners where a counsellor has a fellow professional as a mentor and provider of emotional support, information, and guidance. It is a reflective process that can include self-care, ethics, theories in practice, and professional growth. This is a valuable experience for the supervisee who is…
Once you become a counsellor you cannot afford to rest on your laurels. Professional development means maintaining, improving, and broadening knowledge and expertise to further develop in your profession. Counsellors need to learn and grow throughout their careers to ensure they continue to conduct their work safely, ethically, and legally within their evolving practice. Continual…
Counselling is relieving for many people, but it can also be a highly uncomfortable experience, particularly at the start. So, it’s important to do everything you can to make the client feel as relaxed as possible to ease their anxiety and help them towards honest and open communication. Your environment You should first look at…
As a counsellor, it won’t be unusual to encounter disruptions and barriers to counselling clients. Part of the job is navigating through these obstacles with clients. These can come from the clients themselves or from external sources, such as family members or environmental factors. Being aware of the situations where these instances can occur will…
Knowing boundaries is key to creating a mutual understanding between the client and the counsellor. This can help clients approach their counselling sessions with the right frame of mind and with greater clarity on how to achieve what’s best for their wellbeing. Professional boundaries can include length of sessions, general tone of the relationship, disclosure…
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-V-TR) is the authoritative guide for diagnosing mental health disorders in the U.S and is also used internationally as a research standard. Mental health research is always delivering new insights and evolving the field, and when a new version of the DSM is…
Counselling is a process using an interpersonal relationship between counsellor and client that guides clients through transitions and issues in their lives. These issues are of an emotional, behavioural, and environmental nature that may be deep-seated. To overcome and manage these, counselling focuses on the client’s emotional and intellectual experience, how they are feeling, and…
The purpose of counselling is to assist people who require outside help to manage and resolve their personal difficulties. People seek out counselling when they want to change something in their lives, or to explore their thoughts and feelings in a more in-depth manner with a professional. Counselling exists to help individuals look at, identify,…
If you are unsure about the difference between a counsellor and a therapist, you’re not the first or the last. Here the main differences will be highlighted between the two and in the process, it will tell you more about counselling and the nature of the counsellor-client relationship. Counselling and psychotherapy both fall into helping…
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