Is the Future Secure for Counselling and Mental Health Careers?

Mental health difficulties are prevalent in Australia‘s population. According to a national survey on mental health and wellbeing:

• Almost half of Australians aged 16-85 will experience a mental disorder at some point during their life
• 1 in 7 people will experience anxiety or depression in their lifetime
• 4.3 million people received mental health-related prescriptions 2018-19

The concept of mental health and seeking support has become more openly spoken about in recent years.

A huge factor in this shift in public conversation can be attributed to the agency provided by social media platforms for people to speak out about their experiences. Some studies argue that social media can — and has — helped decrease the prevalence of stigma and social isolation of those suffering from mental health issues.

Ways in which social media can do this are:

Due to increased awareness, technology advancements and general education about the importance of mental healthcare, the psychotherapy industry is growing.

Job prospects within counselling alone are looking to grow from 31,200 (2019) to 38,900 (2024).

Furthermore, demand for counsellors exists all across Australia, with the majority of work lying in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

Working as a counsellor or mental health support person is a strong career path choice if you want to earn a stable yet flexible living. Both full time and part-time opportunities are in abundance, with the current workforce split down the middle. The average annual salary for a mental health counsellor sits at approximately $62,000.

Psychology and counselling are slowly moving away from a scientific-rooted cause and effect diagnosis and treatment process to a more holistic approach.

By focusing on encouraging the client to reflect on their thoughts and feelings surrounding disruptive or maladaptive behaviours, mental health professionals can better tailor their clients’ treatment to their specific situations.

This form of counselling suggests that if you can work with your client to understand what processes (thoughts/feelings/reactions) are presently leading up to, during and after unwanted behaviours, you can better help your clients navigate their way to forming healthier decision-making processes. This has been suggested to better help people avoid negative behaviours. This is why talk therapy or cognitive behaviour therapy is vital to the future of mental health support.

The ways in which professionals are communicating with their clients is also continuing to shift. 

The future of counselling will continue to move online. As a future mental health professional, you’ll need to be well versed in your technology. Your ability to adapt and learn about technological advancements will be essential to your professional development.

Your clients will want constant online access to support, whether it be via an app or website. As the online world continues to grow, your ability to communicate via the written word on forum posts, blogs, apps and emails, will become very important.

Telehealth conferencing will continue to be popular as your clients choose to conduct their sessions via phone or video calling. So, your ability to convey your compassion and professionalism through the camera, or purely through audio, will be vital to your success in building a rapport with your future clients!

How to start your counselling career

If you’re ready to take the next step in your research on working in the mental health industry, you’re probably thinking about what qualifications you need to enter the workforce.

There are numerous educational opportunities and training programs available to help you get started.

Discover the differences between counselling degrees, diplomas and certificates, and learn which pathway would be right for you in this comprehensive guide.