What is Counselling Therapy?

Registered Counsellors are therapists who provide counselling support to individuals facing personal challenges and seeking guidance to address their distress. Counsellors employ various approaches grounded in Person Centered Counselling and other modalities, depending on their training and expertise.

The most crucial aspect for any client seeking support is their personal connection with the therapist, which forms the foundation for an effective therapeutic relationship between the client and counsellor, facilitating change and empowering clients.

Professional counselling is a safe and confidential collaboration between qualified counsellors and clients aimed at promoting mental health and wellbeing, enhancing self-understanding, and resolving identified concerns. Clients actively participate in the counselling process at every stage. Counsellors work with children, young people, adults, couples, families, and groups. Depending on clients' needs, counselling may be short-term, long-term, or even lifelong.

Counsellors are fully present with their clients, utilizing empathy and deep listening to build positive working relationships. The effectiveness of counselling is heightened when clients feel safe, understood, respected, and accepted without judgment. Counsellors employ evidence-based interventions and specialized interpersonal skills to facilitate change and empower clients.

Integrated therapy is offered by counsellors who are trained in a variety of modalities, including Somatic therapy, ACT, Narrative Therapy, CBT, Emotion Focused Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy. They select the appropriate therapy to address a range of issues presented by clients from diverse backgrounds.

Clients may explore various aspects of their identity, spirituality, relationships with themselves and others, past experiences, parenting, grief and loss, trauma, domestic violence, child abuse, addictions, alcohol and substance use, depression, anxiety, and other experiences.

Changes facilitated by counselling can lead to shifts in perspective, new understandings, enhanced capacity to tolerate and regulate emotions, and informed decisions about life.

Registered counsellors have completed either an undergraduate or postgraduate counselling qualification. They are required to engage in ongoing professional development and supervision, including their own counselling, to remain current with developments in their profession and ensure safe, ethical practice.

*Confidentiality is limited when there are risks to the safety of the client or others.

Reference: Psychotherapy And Counselling Federation Australia (PACFA)