The Counselling Industry
Contents
Simply put counselling is therapeutic dialogue (Therapeutic meaning to bring about health and Dialogue meaning to talk or discuss). Counselling is talking or a discussion that brings health.
Counselling provides an opportunity to talk through personal issues with a trained professional, in a safe, supportive and confidential environment. Counselling can assist us in decision making, problem solving and dealing with emotions associated with painful experiences.
Today’s busy lifestyles produce numerous challenges and demands and many people do not have the opportunity to talk through or resolve the things that concern them, As a result, stress and emotions can build up and result in physical and psychological distress, eventually contributing to disease.
Counselling provides the opportunity to talk through concerns and express emotions with a professional who is trained in specific techniques that facilitate resolutions. This can provide relief from the symptoms f suppressed emotions and assist the individual in achieving clarity of mind. By talking through experiences and expressing the associated emotions, individuals gain a better understanding of their experiences and their reactions to them.
Counselling also has an educative component as counsellors assist clients in the development of life skills and strategies for managing challenging or distressing situations.
Counsellors do not solve client’s problems or offer solutions, rather they support their clients in accessing their own inner and outer resources to solve problems, make decisions and capitalise on their own strengths.
Counselling is all about helping clients understand their inner and outer worlds and supporting them in their own personal journey of growth and development.
Psychologist
Psychologists study the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of human behaviour and are trained in techniques to diagnose and treat emotional, behavioural or cognitive problems and disorders.
Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are initially trained in general medicine, followed by further study specialising in psychiatry. Psychiatrists specialise in the medical treatment of mental illness, and can prescribe medication. Come psychiatrists combine medication with other forms of therapy.
Counsellors
As mentioned previously, counselling provides individuals with the opportunity to talk through concerns and express emotions with a professional who is trained in specific techniques. This process assists the person access their own inner and outer resources, supporting their personal growth. In many cases, visiting a counsellor may help a person avoid emotional or psychological difficulties that could require the services of a psychologist or psychiatrist if not addressed.
Many people access the services of a counsellor for many different issues.
In some cases a person may visit a counsellor just to talk confidentially about something that is troubling them, They may have had an experience that do not wish to share with family or friends, either because they do not want to burden their friends or family or they want to ensure confidentiality. In this case a counsellor can provide a ‘listening ear’, offering empathy and understanding, As the person tells their story, they experience relief and gain a clearer understanding of the experience and their reactions to it. This can assist the person to determine what, if any, action they need to take.
At other times a person may use counselling services to work through a difficult decision or troubling issue. Whilst the counsellor does not offer a solution to the problem or advise on the best decision, they will ask questions that will encourage the client to consider alternatives and identify options and opportunities. The counsellor will help the client identify their strengths and possible solutions to the problem and will then encourage the client in their endeavours.
In many cases, people access counselling to work though distressing emotions. This could be the result of a recent experience, or have its roots in childhood experiences. In some cases past experiences are impacting on the present and it is helpful to explore these past experiences and understand how they impact on the here and now. Through processing the experience and expressing the associated emotion, clients are able to gain awareness and understanding, allowing them to release emotions and move forward.
Counsellors work either in their own private counselling practise, or as part of Community Service organisations where their job title may not be counsellor however counselling is a major part of their day to day roles.
On successful completion of the ICCS Diploma of Counselling graduates are able to register with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). Once registered, graduates can then commence their own private practice. Private counselling provides an opportunity for flexible hours than can be worked around family life and other commitments.
Counsellors are also employed by Community Service organisations to provide a counselling services to the community or to specific client groups. This can be in the areas of Generalist Counselling, Relationship Counselling, Drug and Alcohol Counselling, Grief and Loss Counselling and others. These positions require some experience and we encourage graduates to undertake further specialist study and/or engage is some voluntary work on completion of the their course. There are also a number of positions available within Community Service Organisations that combine Counselling with other functions such as Case Management.
There are also a number of other roles, such as nursing, teaching, career guidance and direct support work where the acquisition and use of counselling skills is a distinct advantage. The effectiveness of these support oriented functions can be enhanced through the application of counselling principles and techniques.
The role of the counsellor is to facilitate a person’s resolution of issues while respecting their values, personal resources, culture and capacity or choice.
Counsellors do not usually offer advice, but instead give insight into the client’s feelings and behaviour and help the client change their behaviour if necessary. They do this by listening to what the client has to say and commenting on it from a professional perspective. Counselling covers a wide spectrum from the highly trained counsellor to someone who uses counselling skills as part of their roles, for example a nurse, youth leader, personal trainer or teacher.
Counsellors are trained to be effective helpers in difficult or sensitive situations. They should be independent neutral and professional as well as respecting privacy. Counselling can help people to clarify their problems, identify changes they would like to make, get a fresh perspective consider other options and look at the impact that life events have made on their emotional wellbeing.
Learn to develop you ability to support or counsel others through the processes of personal growth and change. The skills and knowledge gained from this course can help you help other overcome limiting thinking and replace feelings of helpfulness with productive behaviours such as goal setting.
ICCS is one of two ACA (Australian Counselling Association) accredited institutions in Victoria delivering a classroom based Diploma of Counselling.
Our point of difference is that we run our Counselling qualification as a Dual Diploma Qualification. Graduates obtain BOTH the Diploma of Counselling [CHC51708] & Diploma of Family Intake & Support Work [CHC51808] in 18months.
As an outcome of the dual qualification, our program develops more all-rounded counselors, as graduates are able to work as a counselor either within a practice or in a role that involves counselling integrated with other functions. For example, case management within a Community Service organisation.
On successful completion of this program, graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with the ACA.
MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN area - “we come to you” – We deliver classes in 9 locations (Melbourne / Werribee / Caroline Springs / Niddrie / Bundoora / Nunawading / Moorabbin / Springvale / Frankston).
VICTORIA REGIONAL areas - “we come to you” – We deliver classes in 6 locations (Geelong / Ballarat / Bendigo / Warrnambool / Echuca / Bairnsdale).
Over 150 participants have commenced our courses in 2011 alone (January – August).
USEFUL LINKS
| www.theaca.net.au | The ACA – Australian Counselling Association |
| www.beyondblue.org.au | Beyond Blue |
| www.relationships.org.au | Relationships Australia |
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
Nelson Mandela
| Attachment | Size |
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| Diploma Counselling Overview.pdf | 299.83 KB |
