Blogs

How to write a Resume to 'Beat the Bots'

By Admin ACA posted 3 days ago
21 May 2026 With many employers now using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen applications, understanding how to structure your resume can help ensure your skills and experience reach human recruiters. This article shares practical tips to help strengthen your job applications and support your career development. As part of the ACA Career Centre , which connects registered counsellors with employment opportunities and career resources, we’re spotlighting the following article which shares practical tips to help ensure your qualifications and experience are seen by recruiters, not filtered out before reaching human review. How ...

Alison Whitwood: I Know Enough to Practise | May 2026

By Admin ACA posted 9 days ago
15 May 2026 Alison Whitwood is a dedicated student counsellor navigating her final year of studies. Throughout 2026, we will follow Alison'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! At the time of writing this, I’ve finished all the units of my Graduate Diploma of Counselling at Torrens University, but I’m not quite qualified yet. I’m in that strange ...

A Message from Jodie, CEO of ACA

By Admin ACA posted 17 days ago
7 May 2026 I want to acknowledge my disappointment in the commentary published along with an article shared publicly by a professional body yesterday (6 May 2026), that contained unverified and factually inaccurate claims about the counselling profession and the Australian Counselling Association. Note, the article has since been removed. Over the past two years, ACA has worked collaboratively alongside PACFA, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and broader sector stakeholders in support of a unified professional identity that strengthens recognition, elevates standards, and advances outcomes for counsellors and the communities they serve. ...

Member Spotlight: Dr Susan L. Miller

By Admin ACA posted 24 days ago
Meet Dr Susan L. Miller 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? Arriving in Australia in my early 20’s gave me the opportunity to pursue further study (not readily available in Northern Britain of the 80’s). I had a strong drive to find a career involving assisting others to pursue meaningful change in ...

Alison Whitwood: Holding The Work | April 2026

By Admin ACA posted 16-04-2026
20 April 2026 Alison Whitwood is a dedicated student counsellor navigating her final year of studies. Throughout 2026, we will follow Alison'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! Over the last couple of weeks I’ve had a bit of a preview of what a full-time counselling practice might actually be like. I’ve done over 20 sessions in the last ...

Member Spotlight: Dr Anni Hine Moana

By Admin ACA posted 31-03-2026
3 April 2026 Meet Dr Anni Hine Moana 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? My motivation to become a counsellor grew from both my personal experiences of counselling and witnessing how deeply people’s lives are shaped by stories—both the ones imposed on them and the ones they carry within. Early in my career working in community and educational ...

ACA Represents Counselling at the 2026 National Career and Employment Expos

By Admin ACA posted 26-03-2026
26 March 2026 The Australian Counselling Association was proud to take part in a milestone moment for the profession in March, kicking off the 2026 National Career and Employment Expos in Victoria at the Melbourne Showgrounds. This marks the first time the counselling industry has been involved in an initiative like this, and we’re excited to help build awareness and support future students as they explore pathways into the profession. As demand for mental health and wellbeing support continues to grow across Australia, it is more important than ever to connect with future practitioners and highlight the vital role counsellors play in supporting ...

Social Media Check: How to Manage Your Online Brand

By Admin ACA posted 25-03-2026
25 March 2025 As counsellors, maintaining a professional online presence is not only important for supporting clients, but for our own practice and reputation. Clients, employers, and other professionals may search for us online, forming impressions based on what they find. Being mindful of how we present ourselves across social media and digital platforms helps ensure our online presence aligns with our professional values and the trust placed in our role. As part of the ACA Career Centre , which connects registered counsellors with employment opportunities and career resources, we’re spotlighting the following article . It offers practical guidance ...

Celebrating Excellence: ACA 2026 Counselling Excellence Awards Dinner + Sponsors

By Admin ACA posted 24-03-2026
24 March 2026 We are delighted to invite you to an unforgettable evening at the ACA 2026 Counselling Excellence Awards Dinner, taking place on Thursday 28 May 2026 at Pullman Melbourne Albert Park. As a highlight of the ACA 2026 Identity Symposium, this special event brings our profession together to recognise, celebrate and be inspired by the individuals shaping the future of counselling. This is more than an awards night. It is a moment for our community to come together, reflect on the impact of our work, and honour the people driving meaningful change across the profession. - Award categories The ACA 2026 Counselling Excellence ...

Nail the Basics of Cyber Security with Harvey Norman Technology for Business

By Admin ACA posted 17-03-2026
17 March 2026 ACA is committed to providing valuable resources that support members in their professional practice and everyday operations. In collaboration with Harvey Norman Technology for Business, we’re pleased to share practical guidance to help strengthen your technology safeguards. With increasing cyber risks and evolving technology demands, having the right systems in place has never been more important. Whether cyber security is new to you or simply due for a refresher, the insights below will help you keep your practice secure and your clients protected. - What Cyber Security Means for Counsellors Cyber security ...

ACA 2026 Student Blogger: Alison Whitwood

By Admin ACA posted 16-03-2026
16 March 2026 Alison Whitwood is a dedicated student counsellor navigating her final year of studies. Throughout 2026, we will follow Alison'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! Hi everyone, I’m Alison Whitwood and I’m very excited to be the ACA Student Blogger for 2026. I’m currently studying full time for my Graduate Diploma of Counselling ...

ACA 2026 Identity Symposium & Counselling Excellence Awards

By Admin ACA posted 11-03-2026
10 March 2026 Early Bird Registrations are still open for the ACA 2026 Identity Symposium and Excellence Awards taking place on Thursday 28 May 2026 at the Pullman Albert Park in Melbourne and online. We are excited to present another hybrid event, offering the flexibility to attend in person or virtually. Early bird registration is available until Sunday 29 March 2026, 11:59pm AEST. Symposium Theme: Identity Identity sits underneath almost every presenting issue clients bring into the counselling room, and it directly shapes formulation, rapport, treatment planning, and outcomes. The ACA 2026 Identity Symposium will explore ...

ACA at the Mental Health Sector Expo, Parliament House

By Admin ACA posted 05-03-2026
5 March 2026 The Australian Counselling Association was please to be part of a great day at Parliament House in Canberra this March, as more than 55 member organisations from across Australia came together for the Mental Health Sector Expo, hosted by Mental Health Australia. The Expo provided a valuable opportunity for parliamentarians to hear directly from the people and organisations delivering vital mental health services on the ground, both nationally and within their local communities. It also brought together leading advocates and researchers, highlighting the strength, diversity and impact of Australia’s mental health sector. ...

Member Spotlight: Modiule Lawson

By Admin ACA posted 05-03-2026
5 March 2026 Meet Modiule Lawson 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? My motivation to become a counsellor has always been there. Growing up labelled as “disabled,” and often spending my school breaks alone in the library, I became deeply curious about people, how they think, how identity is shaped, and how systems influence our sense of self ...

Medicare Mental Health Check In - Opportunities with St Vincent’s

By Admin ACA posted 05-03-2026
5 March 2026 As a St Vincent’s Australia LiCBT Practitioner- Counsellor, you will be a core member of a newly established, national virtual mental health workforce delivering structured Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LiCBT) to Australians seeking early mental health support. Working in a virtual-first model, you will provide collaborative, goal-focused care using telephone, video and webchat, guided by best-practice treatment protocols and supported by clinical leaders, supervisors and your multidisciplinary team. - Click here to read our February announcement on this initiative, including eligibility requirements and further information. ...

Young Carers – Australia’s 'Glass Children’

By Admin ACA posted 03-03-2026
3 March 2026 Almost 400,000 young people and children have caring responsibilities for a family member or friend in Australia. Young carers are aged up to 25 years – these figures mean there is likely at least one in every high school classroom. They take on extraordinary responsibilities. They overwhelmingly do so not by choice. They relieve pressure on Australia’s disability, aged care and health systems, but are more likely to have poorer short- and long-term health and financial wellbeing. Data also show young carers experience worse outcomes in education compared to their peers 1 . Young carers regularly say they feel like they miss out on childhood ...

Survey: Have Your Say on Implementation of National Standards

By Admin ACA posted 03-03-2026
3 March 2026 The Commonwealth Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is currently consulting on potential regulatory models to support implementation of the National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists. Given the important role of counsellors and psychotherapists in upholding professional standards, quality and consumer safety, your feedback will help ensure the Department's work reflects the practical realities and priorities of those working in the field. Add your voice to the conversation shaping the regulatory framework for national standards. Together, we have already demonstrated the strength of our collective voice: 33.7% ...

Advocacy Win: Medicare Mental Health Check In Roles Now Open to ACA Counsellors

By Admin ACA posted 18-02-2026
18 February 2026 The Australian Counselling Association (ACA) is proud to share ACA Level 2 (Masters * ), Level 3 and Level 4 counsellors are now eligible for roles within the new Medicare Mental Health Check In (MMHCI) initiative. The roles currently advertised are seeking core members of a newly established, national virtual mental health workforce delivering structured Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LiCBT) to Australians seeking early mental health support. Permanent, full-time roles are available. *ACA Level 2 (Masters) counsellors can apply for these roles, if they meet the prerequisite of two years experience. ...

Maximise Your ACA Member Portal

By Admin ACA posted 10-02-2026
10 February 2026 The start of the year is a good time to review your ACA Member Portal and make sure your details are up to date. Your ACA Member Portal supports key features such as Find A Counsellor, private health fund applications and professional records, so keeping your information current is essential. Find A Counsellor One of the most important reasons to update your profile is visibility in the Find A Counsellor directory. If your profile is not set to visible or your details are incomplete, potential clients and referrers may not be able to find you. An up-to-date profile helps ensure your services are clearly represented. To get the ...

Member Spotlight: Tom Edwards, PhD

By Admin ACA posted 05-02-2026
5 February 2026 Meet Tom Edwards, PhD 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 became a counsellor almost by accident. At the time I was an academic researching and teaching on the neuroscience of memory but not enjoying lab work, it was socially isolating. What I noticed was that the “pracademics” in the School appeared to be the happiest. ...