Careers Counsellor
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Educational Counsellor
Life Coach
Rehabilitation Counsellor
Relationship Counsellor

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Counsellors assist people to identify and define their emotional issues and better understand themselves by explaining options, setting goals, providing therapy and helping them to take action. Counsellors provide information on vocational, relationship, social and educational difficulties and issues, and work with people to help them to identify and define their emotional issues through therapies such as cognitive behaviour therapy, interpersonal therapy and other talking therapies.

Counsellors provide assistance and support to people experiencing emotional, social and/or educational difficulties or issues. Rather than giving advice or imposing solutions, counsellors encourage clients to talk through their issues, clarifying the causes and effects, and then to find their own resolutions. Counsellors assist people to identify and explore their emotions, better understand themselves and to consider alternative ways of acting. Most counselling takes part on a one-on-one basis, though sometimes counsellors can work with couples, families or small groups who are experiencing similar difficulties.

ANZSCO ID: 272113

Alternative names: Marriage/Relationship Counsellor; Family Counsellor

Specialisations: Counsellors may specialise in working with a particular group, such as people from non-English-speaking backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or single parents. Alternatively, they may specialise in a service area such as health, drug and alcohol problems, accommodation, relationships, employment, grief and loss, stress management, child development or abuse issues.

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• the ability to build trust and make people feel relaxed
• strong listening and communication skills
• the ability to challenge clients in a positive way
• maturity, patience, and sensitivity
• a non-judgmental attitude
• empathy and caring.

(Source: International Career Institute)

Duties and Tasks

Counsellors may perform the following tasks:

• work with clients to find solutions to emotional, mental and lifestyle problems
• act as facilitators in group sessions
• conducting counselling interviews with individuals, couples and family groups
• work with other professionals such as medical practitioners, psychologists and social workers as part of a health management team
• provide a safe and confidential environment to meet with clients
• build a relationship of trust and respect with clients
• encourage clients to talk about their feelings
• listen, ask questions and check your understanding of a client's situation
• help clients to find solutions by challenging their views and ideas where necessary
• refer clients to other medical professionals where necessary
• act as a facilitator in group counselling sessions
• specialise in a particular area such as eating disorders
• keep up to date and confidential records
• assisting the understanding and adjustment of attitudes, expectations and behaviour to develop more effective interpersonal and marital relationships
• presenting alternative approaches and discussing potential for attitude and behaviour change
• act as intermediaries in conflict resolution

Working conditions

Counsellors often work in offices or specially prepared counselling rooms, though they may also visit prisons, schools, hospitals, community centres, medical practices, advice centres or client's homes. They work with clients from a wide variety of backgrounds, who can be experiencing intense and difficult emotions, such as anger, grief and anxiety. This work can be difficult and emotionally draining on counsellors, so they may be required to take regular breaks, debrief with a supervisor at the end of the day or be involved with a peer support group. Counsellors often work irregular hours, which can include evenings and weekends.

Many counsellors are self-employed and work from an office or home office.

Tools and technologies

Counsellors often take notes during counselling sessions, in some cases they may also record sessions using either tape recorders or video cameras. During initial counselling sessions they may use written and verbal tests to assist them in making assessments. Some counsellors, particularly those working with children, may use puppets, toys, cushions and art materials to help clients express themselves.

Education and training/entrance requirements

The Diploma of Counselling is offered at TAFE colleges and other registered training organisations throughout Australia. The minimum entry level for membership of the Australian Counselling Association is an accredited VET level Diploma in counselling.

Many counsellors have a degree in counselling, psychology or a related field. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your senior secondary school certificate or equivalent. English and maths would be appropriate subjects to study prior to university.
   

Employment Opportunities

Employment of counsellors is predicted to grow faster than the average for all occupations.

Growth is expected as the population grows, and people seek counselling for an increasing number of issues, including health, drug and alcohol problems, accommodation, relationships, employment, grief and loss, stress management, child development or abuse issues.

Educational counsellors help students develop social skills and succeed in school. Provides information and assistance to students, parents and teachers about a wide range of matters such as students' personal problems, learning difficulties and special requirements.

ANZSCO ID: 272115

Alternative names: School Counsellor, Student Counsellor,  School Guidance Counsellor,

Specialisations: University Counsellor,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• the ability to build trust and make young people feel relaxed

• strong communication skills, including listening

• the ability to challenge clients in a positive way

• patience, tolerance, and sensitivity

• empathy and a non-judgmental attitude

• the ability to work with students from all backgrounds.

(Source: Your Career)

Duties and Tasks

As an educational counsellor, you would:

• Conducts counselling interviews with students

• Assists students in the understanding and adjustment of attitudes, expectations and behaviour to develop more effective interpersonal relationships

• Presents alternative approaches and discusses potential for attitude and behavioural change

• Contributes information, understanding and advice on the learning and behaviour of students, especially those with special needs, and assists parents and teachers in dealing with these needs

• Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations

• Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur

• Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children's progress, and to resolve behavioural, academic, and other issues

• Maintain accurate and complete records as required by laws, policies, and administrative regulations

• Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks

• Evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics using a variety of tests or techniques.

(Source: Orchard Manor School)

Working conditions

Educational counsellors generally work full time, although flexible or part-time work may be available. Educational counsellors work in private and public schools, as well as in tertiary institutions.

Tools and technologies

Educational counsellors evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics using a variety of tests or techniques.

  
Education and training/entrance requirements

Educational counsellors can work at every level of education, although their job duties will vary.

Regardless of the schooling level at which you want to work, you would generally have to earn a master's degree. To undertake a master’s degree, you need to have first completed a bachelor's degree in counselling, psychology or a related field. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your senior secondary school certificate or equivalent. English and mathematics would be appropriate subjects to study prior to university.

Students and graduates may be eligible for membership of the Australian Counselling Association.

Employment Opportunities

Employment of educational counsellors is projected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth is expected as students seek counselling for an increasing number of issues, including family, health, or drug problems, accommodation, relationships, and mental health.

Career counsellors help people plan and manage their careers. They offer assistance in making decisions about education and training and personal development, and may also assist in arranging work experience and internships. As career development is a lifelong process, career counsellors work with clients of all ages and may work in schools, TAFE colleges (or institutes of technology), universities, business organisations, government agencies and/or private practice.

Careers Counsellors provide individuals and groups with information about career choices and assist individuals with self-development. Career development practitioners help people of all ages to manage learning and work throughout their life. They provide information, advice and assistance relating to a wide range of matters, such as career planning and management, personal development and looking for work.

Career development practitioners may deliver a service to clients in conjunction with other professionals working in allied fields. They may consult with other agencies, accepting and passing on referrals where necessary.

ANZSCO ID: 272111
  
Alternative names: Career[s] Advisor, Career Development Practitioner,
  
Specialisations: School Careers Advisor,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• able to motivate and inspire people

• able to relate to a wide range of client groups

• good communication skills

• aptitude for counselling

(Source: BACP)

Duties and Tasks

Career development practitioners may perform the following tasks:

• works with clients on career, study and employment options by obtaining and examining information relevant to their abilities and needs.

• use various assessment tools to help people identify their interests, skills, aptitudes and abilities, as well as work and lifestyle preferences, and relate them to the world of work

• counsel individuals on education and career options

• develop and deliver career education and work training programmes

• help students find work experience placements

• help clients with jobseeking strategies, writing resumes and applications, and developing interview skills and career portfolios

• assist clients to market their capabilities to potential employers

• assist clients to balance work with family needs

• help clients to navigate career transitions

• provide an information and referral service on education, training and employment opportunities

• consult with teachers, community groups, government agencies, businesses and medical practitioners

• prepare reports and maintain client records

• undertake research in areas relevant to their professional roles

• provides information and resources to assist clients with job-seeking skills.

Working conditions

Career counsellors generally work standard office hours. They have a high level of contact with people, including clients and industry contacts.

Tools and technologies

Career counsellors use a wide range of industry-specific tools such as books, websites (including career websites such as "On the Job") and attend professional development seminars and conferences.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You usually need a formal qualification in career development to work as a Careers Counsellor. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) are both common study pathways. A University qualification provides industry recognition at the professional level and a VET qualification provides industry recognition at the para-professional level.

Entry to this occupation may be improved if you have a degree in an area such as education, human resource management or psychology, followed by a postgraduate qualification in career development. To get into the degree courses you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. Most universities in Australia offer degrees in these areas. Entry to postgraduate courses usually requires completion of an appropriate bachelor degree.

Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study.

Additional Information
   
To work in schools in NSW, you must obtain a Working with Children Check (NSW) or a Working with Vulnerable People Check (ACT). A National Police Certificate may also be required.

Employment Opportunities
  
Career development practitioners may work with students in schools and other educational institutions, with staff in industry or with the general public in private practice. Career development practitioners are employed by state and territory education authorities, independent schools and colleges, and other educational or training organisations. There are limited openings and competition for available places is strong.

A relationship counsellor is someone who offers advice and guidance to couples, married or otherwise, or encourages the client to find answers to the problems themselves.

The counsellor can operate as an intermediary in an attempt to reconcile differences between two people, or to improve generally the prospects in the relationship.

The term ‘relationship counsellor’ is often used generically to describe a wide range of quite distinct specialisations within the area of counselling.

Broadly, it is used to describe somebody who speaks to couples in an attempt to repair or better their relationship.

Relationship Counsellors provide a space for their clients to discuss problems or concerns they have in their relationship. They support couples to discuss their situation, gain new perspectives, generate solutions and work towards change.

A Relationship Counsellor acts as a neutral mediator to help their clients make sense of what is happening in their relationship. They may help clients work through issues relating to separation or divorce, grief and loss, adjusting to parenting or trauma and abuse.

(Source: Inmindtherapy)

ANZSCO ID: 272113
   
Alternative names: Marriage Counsellor, Relationship Coach,
   
Specialisations

Under this umbrella description of Relationship Counsellor, the different types of counsellor are described below:

• Relationship counsellor: Counselling involves discussing issues with the client in a way that helps the person solve a problem. It can also help to create conditions that will enable the client to understand and improve their behaviour, personal characteristics, top values or life circumstances. Relationship counselling is not about giving advice.

• Relationship coach: Relationship coaching is a means for a person to seek support, help and advice for a range of personal issues. The focus is on improving the future prospects for a couple, but centres on the need for self-belief and personal empowerment. Relationship coaching can be applied to individuals who are trying to get over a relationship breakdown, or for those who just need to understand who they are and what their values are.

• Psychotherapist: Methods vary, but generally, the aim of relationship psychotherapy is to allow couples or individuals to get to the root of the issues which are causing unhappiness, infidelity or loss of intimacy. Psychotherapy can also be used to treat difficulties in sexual relationships by enabling both partners to have an understanding of subconscious issues which are affecting the relationship.

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Ensure clients have an understanding of the processes involved.

• Support the individual during the stressful process of reconciliation or improvement.

• Work at a pace which is acceptable for the client’s budget and expectation.

• Communicate clearly.

• Adapt techniques to the demands of the individual’s personal circumstances.

• Be able to develop suitable practical methodologies in a limited time frame.

• Have an understanding of the principles and application of technique necessary to overcome a variety of issues.

• Offer support and understanding to clients.

• Be able to allow service users to see their own mistakes and embrace their own solutions.

• Be sympathetic to vulnerability, lack of confidence and potentially harmful psychological conditions.

(Source: Seek)

Duties and Tasks

• Meeting with clients to discuss their relationship issues.

• Asking questions to help clients identify their feelings and behaviours.

• Facilitating and mediating sessions.

• Providing advice and techniques for couples to assist in improving their relationship.

• Developing plans to address family relationship issues.

• Maintaining records that include progress notes, evaluations and recommendations.

• Analysing individual cases and coordinating counselling and other healthcare services.

• Referring clients to other healthcare professionals when appropriate.

• Preparing evaluations as required for use during divorce or custody cases.

Working conditions

The working environment varies greatly.

Whilst most counsellors have an office or clinic which is their main base of operations, many offer a telephone service (which may or may not be based from the clinic or from home).

In addition, some offer an email respondent service, where clients pay per email response.

Some counsellors choose to offer a home visit service, and some often travel to offices or customers’ workplaces to administer their counselling service on site.

In terms of health and safety, counselling classes as a medium-risk occupation, due to the close proximity of the counsellor to the public, and the fact that the service user can often be experiencing a compromised emotional state.

This could in turn lead to violence or aggressive behaviour towards the relationship counsellor.

(Source: Therapia)

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a Relationship Counsellor, you will need to complete a formal qualification. Once you have finished your training you will have the opportunity to apply for membership with external bodies such as the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
  
Complete a Diploma of Counselling (CHC51015) which will introduce you to the field of counselling and qualify you for entry level roles within the industry. This qualification can also be used as a pathway into further study.
   
Complete an undergraduate degree such as a Bachelor of Counselling which is the most common qualification needed to be registered as a fully qualified Counsellor. An undergraduate qualification will often give you important practical experience in a work environment and introduce you to the relationship counselling field.
   
To specialise or further your studies, complete a postgraduate degree such as a Graduate Diploma or Masters. These degrees will set you up with the required knowledge to help a support couples and families.

A period of supervised vocational placement is normally necessary after completion of the course.

Psychotherapy normally demands a university degree.

Employment Opportunities

Once a basic accreditation has been achieved in the area specific to the field of practice the counsellor wishes to administer, they then are able to offer their services.

However, the array of available and prospective fields of specialisation is vast, so many relationship counsellors embark on a never-ending quest for knowledge.

There is always something new to learn, and those who work in this industry note this as a key reason why the job never becomes boring.

Rehabilitation counsellors work with clients who have emotional, mental and physical challenges to help them to live and work independently.

To become a rehabilitation counsellor, you would need:

• strong listening skills

• an empathetic and supportive approach

• problem-solving skills

• an ability to work as part of a team or independently

• report writing skills.

(Source: Your Career)

• evaluate clients’ abilities, interests, skills, and state of health

• create rehabilitation plans that fit each client's needs, goals and abilities

• provide counselling and support to help clients manage or adjust to their disability

• consult with other professionals, such as doctors, therapists, and psychologists, when developing rehabilitation plans

• meet with clients to monitor progress and alter or develop treatment as progress is made

• arrange for clients to obtain services such as medical care or career training

• work with employers to integrate clients into workplaces

• consults with clients to develop rehabilitation plans taking account of vocational and social needs

• research and recommend resources, such as wheelchairs or computer programs, that help clients live and work more independently

• advocate for the rights of people with disabilities to live and work independently.
  

Working conditions

Most rehabilitation counsellors work a standard number of hours per week, which may include evenings or weekends. You would work in a variety of settings, such as community rehabilitation centres, hospitals, aged care facilities or independent-living facilities.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a rehabilitation counsellor you usually have to complete a degree in health science or an allied health field at university, followed by a postgraduate qualification in rehabilitation counselling.

For entry to these degree courses you usually need to gain your senior secondary school certificate or equivalent. English, mathematics, biology, chemistry or physics would be appropriate subjects to study prior to university. Entry to postgraduate courses usually requires completion of a relevant bachelor degree.

Graduates may be eligible for membership of the Australian Society of Rehabilitation Counsellors (ASORC) and the Rehabilitation Counselling Association of Australasia (RCAA).

Life coaches support their clients to be in command of their lives and make decisions in areas they are struggling with.

ANZSCO ID: 272199

Alternative names: Personal Coach

Knowledge, skills and attributes

To become a life coach, you would need:

• a passion for helping people

• excellent listening skills

• be able to put people at ease

• to be non-judgmental

• understand confidentiality requirements

• to be able to form relationships with people of all backgrounds and abilities

• the confidence to challenge clients in a caring way

• to keep to a professional code of ethics.

(Source: Optimal Living Daily)

Duties and Tasks

As a life coach, you would:

• meet clients and discuss their situation, beliefs and opinions

• help clients to set attainable goals

• motivate your clients

• monitor their progress and re-evaluate where necessary

• provide a supportive environment for clients.

Working conditions

As a life coach you would normally work a standard number of hours per week. Usually life coaches are self employed and so can set their own hours, but often work evening and weekends to fit round their clients.

You may work from home and do coaching sessions online, or meet clients in an office or public space.

Tools and technologies

Look at the following list from The Coaching Tools Company:

• Powerful Discovery Questions

• An Inquiry or Journaling Prompt

• A Sequence of Questions

• Powerful Lists!

• A Visual or Get Your Clients Drawing!

• A Reframe

• Stories and Metaphor

• A Helpful Model, Concept or Technique

• Seeing the Truth (Recording the Facts)

• Informational Handouts/eBooks

• The Coaching Quiz

• Coaching Activities

Unlocking your potential
(Source: Creativ Life Coaching)

Education and training/entrance requirements

No formal qualifications are required to become a life coach. However, your employment prospects may be improved if you have a diploma or a degree in counselling, psychology or a related field. To get into degree courses you usually need to gain your senior secondary school certificate or equivalent. English and maths would be appropriate subjects to study prior to university.

The International Coaching Federation currently offers the only globally recognised, independent credentialling program for life coaches.

Employment Opportunities

Life coaching has experienced explosive growth both in Australia and worldwide over the last few years. This strong growth is predicted to continue.

As people's desire to find fulfilment in all areas of their lives increases, so has the number of people seeking a coach to help them. There are likely to be very good prospects for well-credentialled coaches with qualifications in counselling or psychology.

Related Jobs or Working with these Jobs  

Drug & Alcohol Counsellor Drug & Alcohol Worker	Human Resources Professional	Medical Practitioner	Nurse
Obstetrician	Oncologist	Psychologist	Psychiatrist
Social Worker	School Teacher Secondary Teacher Special Needs Teacher Principal	Trainer [Corporate]

Material sourced from
Jobs & Skills WA [Counsellor; Careers Counsellor;]
CareerHQ [Counsellor; Rehabilitation Counsellor; Educational Counsellor; Life Coach; ]
The Coaching Tools Company [Life Coaching Tools; ]
CareersOnline [Counsellor; Career Development Practitioner;  ]
Government of WA Mental Health Commission [Counselling guidelines; ]
ABS [Counsellors; ]
My Job Search [Relationship Counsellor; ]
Seek [Relationship Counsellor; ]
Your Career [Counsellor; Rehabilitation Counsellor; Life Coach; ]