Blogs

AusAlert Emergency Warning: Potential Impact on your Clients

By Admin ACA posted 19 hours ago
3 July 2026 Australia's new national emergency alert system, AusAlert, will launch in October 2026. AusAlert is designed to help keep communities safe during emergencies, disasters and other nationally significant events by sending urgent safety messages directly to compatible mobile phones. To introduce the new system, AusAlert will be conducting a national test on all Australian phones at 2:00pm (AEST) Monday 27 July. These alerts are audibly loud and will bypass silent mode and Do Not Disturb settings. What does this mean for your clients? It is not uncommon for victims of domestic or family violence to rely on ...

Member Spotlight: Peter Rogers

By Admin ACA posted 3 days ago
Friday 3 July 2026 Meet Peter Rogers 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’ve always appreciated help and kindness from others, and being a counsellor and supervisor positions us to do just that. Both roles are privileges and positions of trust. I appreciate that too, and the complexity of our work makes it more inviting and engaging. ...

Research Opportunity: Attitudes Towards the use of Gen-AI

By Admin ACA posted 3 days ago
30 June 2026 The research team at the Brain and Mind Centre at The University of Sydney and the University of Technology is seeking your input to investigate how attitudes toward AI are shaping the future of allied health. What does my participation involve? Participation involves a 20–30-minute survey, responding to a series of questions which include your demographic information, your work setting, and the perceived benefits and risks of integrating gen-AI into allied-health care settings. We are also interested in how cognitive factors influence attitudes towards the use of AI technologies. The survey includes a subset of questions exploring general ...

Expression of Interest: Exposure Therapy Beliefs and Experiences

By Admin ACA posted 3 days ago
30 June 2026 The University of Melbourne is seeking therapists in Australia who provide therapy for people who experience anxiety disorders (social anxiety, panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, specific phobia), OCD, or PTSD. The project has been granted ethics approval from the University of Melbourne Office of Research Ethics and Integrity. If selected, you will be asked to complete 20-30 minutes' worth of questions, providing information about your professional background as well as your attitudes and typical approaches to therapy. This research is anticipated to improve understanding of the attitudes and practices among therapists ...

Australian Counselling Association welcomes new Chief Executive Officer

By Admin ACA posted 11 days ago
22 June 2026 The Australian Counselling Association is delighted to welcome Ms Peta Pitcher, who today commences as its new Chief Executive Officer. Ms Pitcher is an accomplished senior executive and governance professional with a strong background in organisational leadership, with deep experience across member-based organisations, advocacy-led not-for-profits and highly regulated service sectors. Her combination of executive leadership, strategic vision and governance expertise positions her strongly to lead ACA through its next phase of growth, innovation and professional leadership. Announcing the appointment, ACA Chair Dee Hardy said ...

Phishing in 2026: Why Counsellors Need to Be Alert with Harvey Norman Technology for Business

By Admin ACA posted 17 days ago
16 June 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. Phishing remains one of the most common and successful cyber threats affecting Australian businesses and counselling practices are no exception. While many people associate phishing with obvious scam emails or poor grammar, today’s attacks are far more sophisticated, targeted, and difficult to spot. In 2026, phishing has evolved into a highly convincing threat that preys ...

Alison Whitwood: From Student to Registered Counsellor | June 2026

By Admin ACA posted 19 days ago
15 June 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! I’m very proud to say that I’m now an ACA Registered Counsellor. This was exactly why I took on the last year of study. Before that I did all sorts of training that ...

ACA 2026 Identity Symposium

By Admin ACA posted 29 days ago
4 June 2026 On the 28 May 2026, counsellors, psychotherapists, researchers and mental health professionals gathered in Melbourne and online for the Australian Counselling Association's 2026 Identity Symposium. The symposium explored how identity shapes the counselling process and sits beneath many of the presenting issues practitioners encounter in their work. Across the day, presenters examined how identity can be shaped, challenged, disrupted and reconstructed through experiences including pregnancy loss, parenthood, eating disorders, body image concerns, domestic and family violence, disability, isolation and involvement with the justice system. ...

ACA 2026 Counselling Excellence Award Winners

By Admin ACA posted 29 days ago
4 June 2026 On 28 May 2026, the counselling community gathered in Melbourne for an evening dedicated to recognising the people and initiatives making a meaningful difference across the profession. The ACA Counselling Excellence Awards brought together members, educators, industry partners and supporters to celebrate outstanding achievements and the positive impact counsellors have in communities throughout Australia. These awards acknowledge the passion, leadership and commitment that drive excellence in counselling practice. The evening was marked by inspiring stories, well-deserved recognition and a shared sense of pride in the work being carried ...

Member Spotlight: Michelle Zammit

By Admin ACA posted 29 days ago
3 June 2026 Meet Michelle Zammit 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? My motivation to pursue a career in counselling comes from both personal experience and a deep commitment to empowering others and instilling hope. I worked as a truck driver for 16 years until my life changed suddenly in 2011 due to a serious back injury, ...

How to write a Resume to 'Beat the Bots'

By Admin ACA posted 21-05-2026
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 15-05-2026
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 07-05-2026
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 30-04-2026
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 ...