“Our greatest human need is to be seen, heard, and understood.  We spend a lifetime obsessively seeking it or unconsciously sabotaging it” 

@the.holistic.psychologist

By Nikole Egan 

Firstly,  may I say a big warm welcome and let you know that I’m truly glad that you’re here! I think a good place for us to start is by taking a brief look at what professional counselling is, what is a professional counsellor in Australia, and what kinds of issues professional counselling can help with.

Briefly, professional counselling mostly utilises talk-based therapy which involves a confidential, non-judgemental and collaborative approach with our clients using evidence-based practice and usually a person-centred approach to assist with navigating challenges in our client’s life.  We also support our clients navigating mental illness and often, with the client’s consent, collaborate with other mental health professionals to provide an integrated and holistic model of care.  You will often find that many professional counsellors are also trained psychotherapists and/or integrate psychotherapy into their work.  There is so much more to be said about this and we will certainly take a much deeper dive into many of the facets of counselling and psychotherapy in future posts, but for now we’ll keep it simple here.  Professional counselling can take place In Person (otherwise known as Face to Face), and also using Telehealth services such as online, phone, email or text, and can be attended individually, as a couple, as a family or in a group counselling format.  Professional counsellors are highly trained to work alongside their clients, both short and long term, towards positive outcomes, enhanced wellbeing, and effective change.  Examples of places you are likely to find a professional counsellor include organisations such as schools, medical centres, mental health support organisations, hospitals, not for profit organisations, universities, churches, private practice and many more.

Professional counsellors in Australia are qualified mental health professionals who must be registered with a professional body such as the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), or Australian Registry of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP), for example.  In order to maintain their registration/s they must adhere to a strict Code of Ethics, consistent professional supervision and regular accredited professional development.  There are levels of qualifications and experience which vary across the field, and you will find that there will be those who practice generally and those who specialise in several areas or even one specific area.

Other professionals that you will also find working in the field of mental health and counselling include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, general practitioners, social workers, youth workers, peer support counsellors/workers, and case workers to name a few.  Many of us work together, with our client’s consent, to ensure that our clients have the highest level of care and support.

*What A Professional Counsellor can do…

Your counsellor can provide a safe and confidential space for you to connect with them and tell your story.  They will listen with compassion and empathy, and assess and collaborate with you to understand why you have landed where you are in this time and place, and then provide therapeutic and practical tools, as well as proven strategies to assist you with moving forward in your life.  They can provide referrals to other service providers and professionals that may assist you, such as your GP for medication and/or a referral for a psychiatrist or psychologist for example.  Another option might be to refer you to another type of therapist such as one who might specialise in art therapy or somatic therapy for example, to integrate with the work that you and your counsellor are doing together.

It is important to note that in Australia, professional counsellors are mandated reporters.  If your counsellor becomes aware that either yourself or anyone else you are connected with is in danger, then they are required by law to report this to the relevant authorities as confidentiality agreements that interfere with safety are to be considered void.

*What A Professional Counsellor cannot do….

Your counsellor cannot provide you with a medical or mental illness diagnosis or prescribe any medications.  Your counsellor is not able to give you legal advice or guidance on matters of law. Your counsellor will not normally tell you what to do or give you advice.

*You are able to refer to the current ACA Code of Ethics for further detail:

https://www.theaca.net.au/documents/ACA-Code-of-Ethics-and-Practice-Ver16.pdf

What Can a Professional Counsellor Help Me with…..

There is often a misconception that counselling is only for people who are suffering with severe issues such as a severe crisis, mental illness, trauma, addictions, acute anxiety, acute depression, death of a loved one, marriage breakup, for example.  Yes, counselling is absolutely for people navigating these issues, but counselling also provides a therapeutic and caring space for all of us at any time in our lives when we are navigating many different concerns.  Take a look at this list below for just a few reasons why we might seek a Professional Counsellor:

• periods of stress and overwhelm
• periods of feeling sadness and down
• sleep issues
• moving house
• adjusting to higher education after school or mature age education
• adjusting to a new job or job loss
• financial stress
• making choices
• questioning your faith/spirituality
• questioning the meaning of life
• death of a pet
• issues pertaining to ageing
• issues pertaining to carers
• having a new baby
• showing up for challenging family events
• retirement
• children growing up and leaving home
• parenting
• challenging relationships and friendships
• intimacy
• breakup, separation, divorce
• infidelity
• caring about someone who’s questioning their gender and/or sexuality
• finding/loss of identity

This list is by no means exhaustive but hopefully does give you some indication of some of the many issues that we could all experience at some point in our lives, which would find some time spent with a professional counsellor as extremely valuable and beneficial.  May I also reassure you that we do not need to wait until we reach crisis point until we call a professional counsellor.  In a lot of cases, by working with a professional counsellor when we first think we might need some help, we are actually able to avoid the crisis, and at the very least have the tools and strategies to be able to navigate the crisis.

Sometimes we don’t know what we need, we just know that life doesn’t feel right, and that is truly okay.  You don’t have to have a specific reason to seek a professional counsellor, sometimes we just need to be able to take the time to talk with someone who can provide that space and will truly listen and care without judgement or an agenda whilst we work out what we need.

If you would like to explore what professional counselling could look like for you, please feel free to contact me for a conversation.

JUNE 15, 2023

So What Actually is Professional Counselling?

So What Actually is Professional Counselling?

​I think a good place for us to start is by taking a brief look at what professional counselling is, what is a professional counsellor in Australia, and what kinds of issues professional counselling can help with.

So What Actually is Professional Counselling?

​I think a good place for us to start is by taking a brief look at what professional counselling is, what is a professional counsellor in Australia, and what kinds of issues professional counselling can help with.

Things to Read

So What Actually is Professional Counselling?

​I think a good place for us to start is by taking a brief look at what professional counselling is, what is a professional counsellor in Australia, and what kinds of issues professional counselling can help with.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ

The information presented on this website by Nikole Egan is for the purpose of general information and should not be considered as a substitute for professional or medical advice.  It is important that you discuss specific symptoms and medical conditions with your health professional.

This website is not a crisis service.  If you are in Australia and in danger or someone you know is in danger, please call emergency immediately on 000.  

Please contact Lifeline 24/7 for crisis counselling on 13 11 14.

If you are experiencing an abusive or violent relationship, please contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or https://www.1800respect.org.au/, which operates 24/7.

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