The Best Counselling Fields to Specialise in to Get a Job

Counselling is a self-regulated industry and does not technically require enrolment in specific higher education courses, or accreditation with a professional body. However, getting qualified and registering with a body such as the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) has a range of benefits in terms of job security because:

• You will be able to show clients that you’ve built counselling skills and expertise.
• You’ll be trained on professional standards and ethics.
• You’ll be able to access affordable insurance.
• You’ll qualify for more jobs.
• You’ll be eligible for professional development courses and further study, enabling you to advertise specialised, highly-skilled, professional services.

A range of counselling courses is available. At a minimum, a one-year full-time (or part-time equivalent) Diploma of Counselling (CHC51015) is required for professional accreditation and to start your own accredited counselling business.

However, most counselling jobs require a three-year bachelor degree qualification such as a Bachelor of Counselling degree or a degree in human services or similar with a focus on counselling. Other accredited courses you can enrol in include the graduate diploma or graduate certificate of counselling (for people with existing qualifications). Postgraduate qualifications such as masters degrees are also available.

You should enquire about course accreditation before enrolling. You can also check your eligibility for various tuition fee subsidies and schemes – TAFEs and other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) will be able to advise you on expected course fees.

There are a range of potential specialisations for counsellors, including:

• Working with clients with mental illness
• Alcohol and/or substance abuse counselling
• Trauma counselling
• Family counselling
• Counselling within a school or university
• Rehabilitation counselling – working with clients after they’ve been impacted by an injury or health condition
• Case management

You may have the opportunity to specialise in an area of interest as part of your counselling qualification, or you may specialise through professional development courses or on-the-job experience with particular clients.

According to research from the University of Southern Queensland, key counselling specialisations for Australia’s current needs include:

Other areas of demand include mental health counselling, perinatal counselling, and counselling for LGBTQI, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and multicultural communities. Informed counsellors in these fields, particularly those with strong connections to particular communities, are much-needed.

You can get training in these areas by taking appropriate electives as you study counselling or through professional development and short course opportunities available to you after becoming a professional counsellor.

Counselling is a profession where strong future growth is expected throughout a range of industries and settings.

Whether you’re thinking about studying to be a counsellor or ready to apply now, with some planning and preparedness to learn, you can set yourself up for success by training in areas where there’s a real need for your compassion and expertise.