Counsellors
Counselling is the process of helping individuals navigate personal challenges, emotional difficulties, and life transitions by offering guidance, support, and practical tools for mental wellbeing. Discover the role counsellors play in mental health care, the qualifications needed, and the various environments where they offer support, from private practice to community clinics.
What is a counsellor?
A counsellor is someone who helps people cope with stress, anxiety and mental health concerns. Depending on the type of counselling, counsellors can help people develop problem-solving techniques, healthy coping methods and communication skills.
While counsellors do not diagnose mental illness, they do work with people to help them understand their diagnosis and improve their sense of wellbeing.
Become a Counsellor in Queensland
What qualifications do counsellors need?
Two bodies set national standards for counsellors, the Australian Counselling Association and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia.
To be considered an official counsellor under these bodies you would be required to get either a Diploma, Bachelor or Master in counselling and meet specific practice and ethics guidelines.
There are no legal requirements to meet these standards to become a counsellor in Australia. However, being transparent about your qualifications is a recommended practice for counsellors to build trust with their clients.
Where do counsellors work?
Counselling is a service that can be found in different work environments depending on your area of focus. Counsellors of any niche, including relationship, grief or trauma counsellors, can work in community or private mental health services such as clinics, correctional facilities or hospitals.
Youth counsellors often work in schools or in the social work industry to provide young people with additional support. Likewise, counsellors can collaborate with other mental health services, such as helplines, group practices, and even disability support.
The daily life of a counsellor in Queensland
A counsellor schedules appointments throughout the day with different clients to discuss their concerns and find ways to improve their mental health. Most counsellors review client notes and prepare appointment goals prior to a meeting, though they may need to adapt to a client’s current needs.
Once an appointment has finished the counsellor will generally write up any notes on the session to prepare for the next one. Counselling is a thoughtful, methodical approach to engaging with people from all walks of life to help them cope with stress and build resilience.
Meet Chris
Counsellor and Psychotherapist – A Single Step
“I am passionate about creating safe and supportive spaces for courageous conversations. To witness peoples’ growth and development within these contexts is truly a privilege.”
Common questions about counsellors
Counsellors utilise a variety of mental health techniques and skills to help people navigate personal problems, stress or mental illness. They work directly with their client, typically through talk-based therapy, to help people navigate life challenges.
Like most professions, more experienced counsellors earn more. Entry-level counsellor positions can earn up to $75,000 per annum, while experienced counsellors could earn up to $115,000.
There are many different fields counsellors can focus on. These fields include relationships, school, grief, trauma, and addiction, as well as different age groups, such as children, teenagers, adults and the elderly.
Mental health issues can affect anyone, which is why mental health professions like counselling matter. The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors states that 45.5% of Australians will experience a mental disorder during their lifetime.
Counselling is a profession that is becoming increasingly relied upon throughout Australia. Counselling has been steadily growing as a profession and is expected to grow even further as the years progress.
Find training providers in Queensland
