Counselling Courses in Adelaide

What is the difference between counsellors and psychologists?

Psychologists have degrees in psychology, while counsellors don’t necessarily need degrees at all. The counselling profession is not as well regulated as it should be, something which is receiving considerable attention in Australia and abroad as the healthcare industry tries to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The result is that there are a number of regulatory bodies, health departments and governments are working together to set rigid criteria for the counselling profession that would not only set industry standards and determine a code of conduct but which would also outline requirements for counselling courses in Adelaide and the rest of Australia.

The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors (AIPC), for instance, works hard to ensure that anyone who wants to make a career out of counselling receives top-notch, accredited education through the Institute’s range of counselling degrees, diplomas and certified courses. For example, the Bachelor of Counselling qualification, which is available in Adelaide, includes courses on relationship counselling, group counselling and grief counselling to ensure a well-rounded therapeutic approach and a thriving career.

The Australian Counselling Association (ACA) represents professional counsellors and psychotherapists throughout Australia, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, and aims to give the profession the respectability it deserves by increasing the quality of the courses and qualifications available. The Association intends establishing appropriate training standards, accrediting appropriate courses and assisting consumers find appropriate counselling services wherever they live, be it Adelaide, Queensland, Perth or Tasmania.

Before you decide to study counselling in Adelaide, ensure that your course provider is aware of the standards currently required by the two associations, so that whatever your specialisation, your qualifications are recognised nationally.

Online or on-campus?

These days, students have several study options: full-time classroom-based, part-time classroom-based, full-time online, part-time online, and hybrid courses. The options are designed to fit the varied lifestyles that abound, especially as more people are forced to work while they study or resume their studies while working. A significant number of people also change careers in search of greater job satisfaction. The change can be subtle (from counselling to psychology) or relatively big (from counselling to nursing and midwifery).

Think of the demands on your time and your educational ambitions before you decide on a format. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by your counselling course and have to consult a counsellor yourself just to cope.