How to Find the Right Counsellor with Philip Armstrong of the Australian Counselling Association

Anyone can call themselves a "counsellor" and start seeing clients. Unlike psychology and psychiatry, counselling is not government regulated and this makes finding the right counsellor tricky. What makes this even harder to navigate is that counsellors range from having no formal training through to having PhD's as well as those who have no experience through to those with decades. Confused? It's hard not to be. That's where peak bodies like the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) come in.

The ACA is the largest, non-profit peak body who basically police their own members (they have about 7000 members). Counselors who are members of the ACA can call themselves "registered counsellors" and have to demonstrate that they know what they're doing.

The ACA even have a black list of people who should not be practicing that they publish publicly.

We speak with Philip Armstrong is the CEO of the ACA who helps to demystify the profession of counselor and how to find the right person to talk to.

 

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