Counsellors provide an invaluable service to their clients, offering support, guidance and empowering them to move towards their life goals and desired future. They provide this service using a range of techniques, approaches and styles, depending on what their client’s needs are, as well as their own professional preferences.
For those considering this career path, there are many factors to assess, including questions about salary and how best to select the right educational and professional pathways for you. In this article, we’ll answer these questions and explore what an average day looks like from the perspective of a tertiary-qualified counsellor.
What does a counsellor do?
Counsellors are integral providers of our mental health services system. With an estimated 33,000 counsellors in Australia, there are almost the same number of counsellors as psychologists.
At the profession’s most basic level, a counsellor is someone who provides support to others. They achieve this in many ways and using various techniques and approaches. Providing a safe space for open discussion, assessing needs, developing treatment plans and offering guidance on all kinds of issues are just a handful of the facets of this role.
As an occupation that offers a lot of day-to-day variety, every counsellor’s average day can look very different. Viewing it from an established counsellor’s perspective can be beneficial to gain better insight into what the role entails.
A day in the life of a counsellor
Fiona Rogerson is a tertiary-qualified counsellor and childbirth educator. Working with clients from her private counselling practice, the working day for Fiona varies from week to week.
Typically, she sees clients four days a week with the fifth day set aside for general administration. She has a consistent schedule on client-facing days, usually following this routine.
The start of a counsellor’s day
As Fiona begins her day, she doesn’t usually jump into seeing clients right away. Instead, she spends some time preparing for the day ahead, doing some administrative tasks and assessing what’s ahead of her.
“In the morning, I do an admin check, touching base with clients who contacted me over the weekend or the previous evening,” she says. Fiona has support staff including a bookkeeper, part-time counsellor and copywriter, so some time is spent liaising with them about her schedule and needs.
Once prepared, Fiona settles into her first client who has an appointment. “My first appointment involves me spending an hour sitting across from my client. As I do, I’m immersing myself in what’s happening for them.”
Mid-morning appointments
According to Fiona, providing a safe and supportive environment is crucial to her role and this is her focus during the first session with an existing client.
“I enter into every appointment speaking to my clients from a place of authenticity,” she says. “With supervision and education, you can learn how to form professional relationships and being able to do that is the key to safety.”
Fiona explains that the support offered to clients looks different for each of them, so she adjusts this for each new one she sees. “My role is to support my clients wherever they’re at. I help to plan and move the needle forward for them.”
Afternoon appointments
In the afternoon, Fiona has an appointment with a new client. As always, she uses this first session to ensure her approach fits her client’s needs.
“It’s important for clients to have a good understanding of why I’m working in a certain way,” says Fiona. “From the first session, clients are encouraged to make their own decision on if I’m the right fit for them.”
Fiona uses the session to establish this suitability with open communication about approaches, potential plans moving forward and what they wish to work on. “If it doesn’t feel like the right fit, there’s no obligation to keep working.” After determining whether they work well together, Fiona’s new client chooses to book a follow up appointment, and Fiona sets about to create an ongoing care plan.
Breaks and in between appointments
Once an appointment finishes, Fiona gives herself a break before the next session. Her day is scheduled diligently around appointments and breaks, and remaining punctual is vital.
“Between each client, I use 30 minutes to finish the client notes, ground myself and reset for the next client. I also get something to eat or drink or I might walk to reception or have a chat with somebody else in the office. Anything to break up the space from what it was before to what's going to happen with my next client.”
Not only does this help her feel refreshed, but it provides her with some space to support her own mental wellbeing as well.
After work and evenings
For Fiona, self-care is essential to the role. Focusing on looking after herself is something that she prioritises after work, especially. Once she finishes seeing clients, she goes home to unwind.
“The biggest challenge for me is taking the work home in a mental capacity. But a lot of self-care and realistic boundaries between myself and clients, and myself and work in general is needed. Finding the right support in peers and family helps me separate from work in the evenings.”
Types of counsellors: career paths to consider
Considering a career as a counsellor? This multifaceted profession provides care in many ways and across various settings. These are some possible roles a counsellor can occupy.
Relationship counsellor
A relationship counsellor provides support for all types of relationships, addressing the issues experienced by individuals, couples and families. The relationship counsellor salary ranges from $75,000 to $95,000 a year.
- They act as a natural mediator between parties in a relationship.
- They share strategies for better relationships.
- They help to manage and resolve conflict.
Rehabilitation counsellor
A rehabilitation counsellor supports clients with disabilities, illnesses or injuries. The average rehabilitation counsellor’s salary in Australia is between $80,000 and $95,000 a year.
- They conduct assessments and case management to assist with recovery.
- They help clients achieve personal, professional and educational goals.
- They support physically, mentally, socially and otherwise disadvantaged individuals.
School counsellor
Those interested in working with children and adolescents might consider careers as school counsellors. What does a school counsellor do? A school counsellor works in educational settings to support students and their families with issues around learning and emotional development. School counsellors also provide emotional support to students by offering reassurance, encouragement and compassion. This type of counsellor salary averages $80,000 to $100,000 per year.
- They advocate for students’ wellbeing.
- They offer educational, vocational, behavioural and personal support.
- They aid in social and academic development.
What skills should a counsellor have?
As counselling can be a multi-layered career, counsellors that come to this profession with a diverse range of skills often succeed in their roles. But while broad life experiences can act as strong professional aids, many of the characteristics required of good counsellors are simply universal traits. These include:
- interpersonal skills
- communication skills
- resilience
- self-awareness
- flexibility
Regardless of your skills, gaining a tertiary qualification in counselling is the best first step towards this rewarding career.
Becoming a counsellor
Despite counselling currently being an unregulated profession, efforts are underway to set industry standards, including minimum training requirements, for those wanting to become counsellors in Australia. A postgraduate qualification can shape your professional opportunities and give you a strong foundation for your professional practice, helping you to stand out as a capable, qualified provider to your potential clients.
A qualification accredited by one of the leading Australian counselling associations will also give weight to your accomplishments, which is why Fiona advises potential counsellors to consider the benefits of quality, relevant training.
“It’s easy to do a short course, but it’s not about the quickest pathway,” she says. “We’re dealing with people’s lives, so it’s worth investing in a tertiary qualification if you’re serious about becoming a counsellor.”
GlobalHealth Education partners with Australian universities who deliver postgraduate counselling courses that can set you up for success. These courses include a:
- Master of Counselling: a postgraduate course that typically takes 24 months of part-time study to complete. The master’s offered by Edith Cowan University and the University of Canberra are accredited by the ACA and delivered flexibly online.
- Graduate Diploma in Counselling: this course will help you expand on your existing knowledge of counselling. Additionally, the University of Canberra’s Graduate Diploma in Counselling allows students to undertake a placement for real-world experience as a counsellor.
- Graduate Certificate in Counselling: Edith Cowan University and the University of Canberra deliver their programs online. Students gain foundational knowledge in counselling, which enables them to progress to further education.
With qualifications and relevant experience, a counsellor will experience better job opportunities, higher income potential and an understanding of how to support their clients best.
Set yourself up for success
Take the first step towards a rewarding career by exploring the counselling courses offered by GlobalHealth Education’s partner universities. These online study pathways provide flexible and credible qualifications that will give you every chance for success in your new vocation.
The courses below are listed by qualification level, from lowest to highest.
