Blogs

Member Spotlight: Deborah Stevens

By Admin ACA posted 2 days ago
Meet Deborah Stevens Each month we spotlight an ACA member in the ACA Monthly Bulletin, our monthly newsletter. The Member Spotlight is designed to showcase the work of our members to you! We hope their stories inspire or spark interest. Let’s share our experiences within our counselling community. What motivated you to pursue a career in counselling? This is an interesting question, one I ask students! I am not sure that I pursued the career in counselling as much as it pursued me! My career of choice when I finished high school was hair dressing; well it is obvious that I am not a hair dresser! In university I studied early childhood ...

Kashish Chugh | Lessons This Year Taught Me About Holding Space - For Others, and For Myself

By Admin ACA posted 22 days ago
13 November 2025 As the year draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what this journey has meant for me-not just as a counselling student, but as a person learning how to hold space gently, bravely, and honestly. If I had to summarise 2025 in one word, it would be acceptance. Not the kind of acceptance that means forgetting, moving on too quickly, or pretending things don’t hurt. But the kind that says, “I cannot control everything, and that’s okay. I can learn to live with what life brings.” This year taught me that acceptance is not defeat-it is strength without resistance. It is choosing peace in situations that refuse to change. One of ...

Member Spotlight: Mona Ardeleanu

By Admin ACA posted 30 days ago
What motivated you to pursue a career in counselling? Before moving to Australia in 2012, I had a well-established career in Public Relations and Communications, a field that always centred on people - listening, understanding complex issues, and shaping messages that resonated. What I didn’t realise back then was how much this mirrored what I value most in counselling: creating genuine connection, hearing not just the words spoken but also the feelings underneath, and helping people communicate more openly and meaningfully. Over the years, friends, colleagues, and even strangers often confided in me, saying it felt natural and safe to share what was on ...

Research Opportunity: Supporting Muslim Clients Bereaved by Suicide

By Admin ACA posted 30 days ago
The University of Melbourne is conducting an online survey to learn how the Australian mental health workforce can be better equipped to support Muslim clients bereaved by suicide. The survey also explores their training needs and suggestions to shape the suicide postvention training. The study has been approved by the research ethics committee of The University of Melbourne (ID 33826). Who can participate? Mental health care providers across Australia (psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, GPs, etc.) with at least 2 years of professional practice with any client group. The survey takes 10-15 minutes ...

Health Workforce Needs Assessment Survey

By Admin ACA posted 30 days ago
4 November 2025 The 2025 Health Workforce Needs Assessment (HWNA) Survey is open. Run annually by Health Workforce Queensland, the HWNA survey captures critical insights from health professionals across remote, rural, and regional Queensland to help address workforce challenges. The survey is open to the following health professionals providing primary care services in MM2-7 in Queensland or those employed by a general practice in MM1 with DPA status: Nurses, midwives Allied health practitioners and managers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers General practice and hospital managers ...

Allison Milner Memorial PhD Scholarship Open

By Admin ACA posted 30 days ago
3 November 2025 MATES in Construction, a leading industry-backed mental health and suicide prevention organisation, has opened applications for the Allison Milner Memorial PhD Scholarship - a research scholarship dedicated to advancing mental health outcomes in high-risk industries such as construction, mining, energy, and manufacturing. This scholarship honours the legacy of Associate Professor Allison Milner, whose work reshaped how we understand psychosocial risk and workplace wellbeing. It supports a PhD candidate whose research aligns with MATES’ mission to reduce suicide and improve mental health through practical, evidence-based approaches. ...

Research Opportunity: Cultural Competence in Multicultural Counselling Contexts

By Admin ACA posted 04/11/25
29 October 2025 Dr Mamun Ala, Senior Lecturer in HRM and Management at the Australian Institute of Business (AIB) and a registered member of ACA, is conducting a research project titled “Exploring Counsellors’ Experiences and Practices in Developing Cultural Competence in Multicultural Counselling Contexts.” This study aims to understand how practising counsellors develop and apply cultural competence when working with clients from diverse cultural, linguistic, and social backgrounds, and how these practices contribute to positive client outcomes. Dr Ala is seeking 30 ACA-registered counsellors from across Australia who have at least ...

Kashish Chugh | Festivals, Homesickness, and the Counsellor Within

By Admin ACA posted 20/10/25
20 October 2025 October feels different when you’re away from home. Back in India, it’s a month of noise, colour, and warmth—Diwali lights filling every corner, the smell of sweets in the kitchen, and laughter echoing through the house. Here in Australia, the world feels quieter. I miss helping my mum decorate, shopping with my dad, and simply being part of all the little things that make home, home. There are moments when I feel helpless watching it all through a screen. Yet there’s also gratitude. Gratitude for the people around me who’ve become like family, for friends who understand, and for the chance to recreate pieces of my world here—lighting ...

Understanding the National Standards: Resources and Opportunities for ACA Members

By Admin ACA posted 13/10/25
13 October 2025 The Australian Counselling Association (ACA) is proud to celebrate the formal endorsement of the National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Australia by the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing. This historic milestone unifies the counselling profession under a single, nationally approved framework, providing clarity, consistency, and recognition across qualifications and practice. For ACA members, this moment reflects the strength of our collective advocacy and the vital role counsellors play in supporting communities across Australia. But what do the National Standards mean for you ...

New National Standards Unite and Strengthen Australia’s Counselling Workforce

By Admin ACA posted 13/10/25
Media Release For Immediate Release Brisbane, 13 October 2025 The Australian Counselling Association (ACA) welcomes the formal endorsement of the National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Australia by the Minister of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Hon. Mark Butler MP. This significant decision represents a major milestone in the formal recognition of counselling by the Australian Government. For the first time, counsellors and psychotherapists are unified under a single, approved set of professional standards – a development that will strengthen the profession and enhance public confidence in counselling services nationwide. ...

Member Spotlight: Tamara Young

By Admin ACA posted 30/09/25
Meet Tamara Young Each month we spotlight an ACA member in the ACA Monthly Bulletin, our monthly newsletter. The Member Spotlight is designed to showcase the work of our members to you! We hope their stories inspire or spark interest. Let’s share our experiences within our counselling community. What motivated you to pursue a career in counselling/psychotherapy? I am a proud Gamilaraay and Bigambul Aboriginal woman with Irish heritage and the Founder of Wonky Lines Counselling. With a background shaped by lived experience of Intergenerational Trauma and Systems Trauma, I am extremely passionate about reframing stories from struggle to strength. ...

Perception of AI Tools Among Therapists and Counsellors

By Admin ACA posted 30/09/25
Perception of AI Tools Among Therapists and Counsellors Murdoch University are inviting qualified counsellors/therapists to participate in this study. Your professional perspective is valuable in helping us better understand the role of AI tools in therapy. The purpose of this project is to explore how counsellors and therapists perceive the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in therapeutic settings. For this project, AI refers to computer-based systems that use data analysis and pattern recognition to perform tasks requiring human-like decision-making in mental health practice, supporting, automating, or enhancing assessment, therapy, and ...

Kashish Chugh | Research Meets Counselling: Why Self-Reflection Matters

By Admin ACA posted 15/09/25
Kashish Chugh is a dedicated student counsellor navigating her final year of studies. Throughout 2025, we will follow Kashish’s journey as she balances academics, practical experience, and personal growth on her path to becoming a professional counsellor. Through her monthly blog, she will share insights, challenges, and valuable lessons, offering a real and relatable perspective on life as a final-year counselling student. Stay tuned for an inspiring year ahead! Kashish Chugh | Research Meets Counselling: Why Self-Reflection Matters When I chose the research pathway in my Master of Counselling, I wasn’t sure how closely it would connect to ...

Research Opportunity: Life Stories and Values

By Admin ACA posted 05/09/25
You are invited to take part in this PhD research project with researchers from Whitley College & The University of Divinity, which is aiming to understand how relationships are formed, maintained and in particular, how values emerge out of life stories and their impact later in life. What does participation in this research involve? After reading this information sheet and signing a consent form you will meet our researcher and do an interview about your life and values. The interview will take approximately 1 hour but you are welcome to take longer if you want to. Participation in this research is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time. ...

Member Spotlight: Anita Geary

By Admin ACA posted 04/09/25
Meet Anita Geary Each month we spotlight an ACA member in the ACA Monthly Bulletin, our monthly newsletter. The Member Spotlight is designed to showcase the work of our members to you! We hope their stories inspire or spark interest. Let’s share our experiences within our counselling community. What motivated you to pursue a career in counselling? I think for many of us, it starts with wanting to make a difference—but for me, it became about making a real difference. I loved working with people and helping them build safer, more fulfilling lives, but so often in agency settings I felt boxed in—limited by policies, targets, ...

Research Opportunity: Supervision Experience and Needs of Those Working With Male Perpetrators of Domestic Violence.

By Admin ACA posted 04/09/25
Calling Frontline Living Without Violence Workers: The University of Auckland is conducting a research to explore the supervision experience, and needs of those working with male perpetrators of domestic violence. The aim is to understand what front line workers would find beneficial in terms of supervision, and what their current experiences are. They are currently seeking interviews with six counsellors, and/or group facilitators, who have been working in the male perpetrator space. Criteria for participants: Minimum 2 years experience Working with male perpetrators Must not be related, or ...

Research Opportunity: MegaMind Feasibility Study: Neuroaffirming Digital Support for Autistic Boys

By ACA posted 03/09/25
This research invites feedback from adults who support autistic boys aged 8–12, including: Educators (e.g. teachers, school wellbeing staff) Allied Health Professionals (e.g. psychologists, OTs, speech pathologists, counsellors) Parents or Guardians of autistic children Or those who have supported a child in this group within the past 12 months. Discover a neuroaffirming digital program designed to support autistic boys aged 8–12, using engaging Minecraft activities and guided reflection to build emotional intelligence and confidence. What do we need from you? We’re looking for feedback from those who know this space best — parents, educators, and clinicians. ...

Research Opportunity: Experiences and Views of Service Providers Who Have Assisted First Nations Males Who Are Victims of Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence

By ACA posted 03/09/25
To date, there is no known research focused on understanding First Nations male survivors of female-perpetrated intimate partner violence, and those who work with them. Our research aims to address this gap by gathering insights from professionals and lay helpers alike who have assisted clients in this situation. The goal of this research is to better understand the challenges and successes faced by the men who have survived female-perpetrated intimate partner violence and the service providers who have helped them. The project has been approved by UniSQ Human Ethics Research Committee (ETH2024-0812) Who can take part? You are 18 years or older ...

ACA 2025 Evolving Your Practice Symposium

By ACA posted 18/08/25
ACA 2025 Evolving Your Practice Symposium Something big is returning on Tuesday 28 October! Our 2025 Symposium, titled 'Evolving Your Practice'. Evolving Your Practice will bring together thought leaders and innovators from across the country to share their sights, advice, strategies, research and tools. It’s an opportunity to exchange ideas, deepen your knowledge, and take strides in elevating your practice. Based on your feedback, the event will be delivered in a hybrid format, so you can join us in-person at the Gold Coast or online from the comfort of your own home. We have a line-up of incredible speakers which will be announced shortly. ...

Kashish Chugh | Burnout: Recognising the Signs Before They Take Over

By ACA posted 18/08/25
Kashish Chugh is a dedicated student counsellor navigating her final year of studies. Throughout 2025, we will follow Kashish’s journey as she balances academics, practical experience, and personal growth on her path to becoming a professional counsellor. Through her monthly blog, she will share insights, challenges, and valuable lessons, offering a real and relatable perspective on life as a final-year counselling student. Stay tuned for an inspiring year ahead! Kashish Chugh | Burnout: Recognising the Signs Before They Take Over When I first heard the word burnout , I thought of overworked professionals, long hours, and corporate ...