The Diploma of Professional Counselling is supported by a number of optional Advanced Study Majors. Advanced Study Majors allow you to study and gain advanced knowledge and skill in the specialised counselling area of your choice.

The Advanced Study Major Program involves the completion of one or more optional Advanced Study Majors in addition to the Diploma of Professional Counselling. The Majors provide you with the opportunity to specialise in any of the following highly relevant fields of counselling:

The Majors are specifically designed to provide you with a higher level of practical and theoretical knowledge in a specialised field of counselling. You are able to enrol into an Advanced Study Major at the time of your enrolment into the Diploma of Professional Counselling, or at any subsequent time.

The advantage of early enrolment in an Advanced Study Major is that studies can be completed concurrently with your Diploma. There is also no limit on the number of Advanced Study Majors you can undertake.

The Advanced Study Majors can be completed by either a home-study or face-to-face mode of study. Studying your ASM via the traditional home-study option follows a similar process as to completing your studies for the Diploma. Students are sent a workbook and readings for the ASM and submit their assessment for marking.

Alternatively, students are also able to complete their ASM by attending a workshop. Many students enjoy the interactive, practical workshops because they are a refreshing change from the traditional external study method and provide the opportunity to meet other students. Students also have the flexibility to change into this mode of study even after selecting the home-study option.

Upgrade Your Counselling Qualifications By Gaining Specialty Counselling Expertise With A Vocational Graduate Qualification... In Just 6 to 12 Months.

More and more Counsellors are gaining advanced specialist skills with a Vocational Graduate qualification. A vocational graduate qualification gives you advanced theoretical knowledge with an emphasis on practical application.

It's time and cost effective, meaning you can gain a formal graduate qualification in 6 to 12 months in your specialist area. Here's how a graduate qualification can advance your career:

• Develop a deeper understanding of your area of interest and achieve more optimal outcomes with your clients.
• A graduate qualification will assist you move up the corporate ladder from practitioner to manager/ supervisor.
• Make the shift from being a generalist practitioner to a specialist.
• Gain greater professional recognition from your peers.
• Increased client referrals from allied health professionals.
• Maximise job opportunities in your preferred specialty area.
• Formalise years of specialist experience with a respected qualification.

To learn more about the Institute, our Vocational Graduate courses and how to enrol, please visit www.aipc.net.au/vgd. Or alternatively, please call your nearest Institute branch on the FreeCall numbers shown below.

Sydney: 1800 677 697

Melbourne: 1800 622 489

Perth: 1800 353 643

Brisbane: 1800 246 324

Adelaide: 1800 246 381

Regional NSW: 1800 625 329

Regional QLD: 1800 359 565

Gold Coast: 1800 625 359

NT/Tasmania: 1800 353 643

          Article: Dealing with Relationship Breakdown

          Published: Edition 68

If love was the single factor ruling relationships, perhaps our lives would be much less complicated. But a plethora of other factors play an ongoing role in creating relationship conflicts. 

Conflict is a normal part of being emotionally attached. But sometimes, conflict in a relationship can be overwhelming and a huge challenge to the parties involved, plus a cause of concern to close family and friends. And despite the inexistence of an antidote or prevention method that can effectively tackle all side effects of a relationship breakdown; there are strategies which can help manage it. 

In this article, we will explore strategies and skills that both clients (when dealing with a relationship breakdown) and counsellors (when counselling clients in that situation) can use to prevent the breakdown of a relationship.

Many students of the Diploma of Professional Counselling attend seminars to complete the practical requirements of their course. Seminars provide an ideal opportunity to network with other students and liaise with qualified counselling professionals in conjunction with completing compulsory coursework.

Below are some of the seminars available in 2009. To register for a seminar, please contact your Student Support Centre.

BRISBANE

Communication Skills I - 04/04/09, 06/06/09, 08/08/09, 10/10/09

Communication Skills II - 09/05/09, 11/07/09, 19/09/09, 14/11/09

The Counselling Process - 18/04/09, 20/06/09, 22/08/09, 24/10/09

Counselling Therapies I - 14 & 15/03/09, 18 & 19/07/09, 21 & 22/11/09

Counselling Therapies II - 25 & 26/04/09, 15 & 16/08/09, 12 & 13/12/09

Case Management - 27 & 28/06/09, 17 & 18/10/09

Counselling Applications - 25/07/09, 28/11/09

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Communication Skills I - 04/07/09, 17/10/09

Communication Skills II - 09/05/09, 22/08/09, 14/11/09

The Counselling Process - 28/03/09, 13/06/09, 26/09/09

Counselling Therapies I - 04 & 05/04/09, 10 & 11/10/09

Counselling Therapies II - 23 & 24/05/09, 21 & 22/11/09

Case Management - 27 & 28/06/09, 05 & 06/12/09

Counselling Applications - 18/04/09, 07/11/09

TASMANIA

Communication Skills I - 16/05/09, 15/08/09, 14/11/09

Communication Skills II - 14/03/09, 20/06/09, 19/09/09, 05/12/09

The Counselling Process - 18/04/09, 18/07/09, 17/10/09

Counselling Therapies I - 28 & 29/03/09, 01 & 02/08/09, 12 & 13/12/09

Counselling Therapies II - 13 & 14/06/09, 10 & 11/10/09

Case Management - 11 & 12/08/09, 21 & 22/11/09

Counselling Applications - 04/04/09, 08/08/09, 28/11/09

SYDNEY

Communication Skills I - 26/03/09, 20/04/09, 14/05/09, 04/06, 22/06/09

Communication Skills II - 27/03/09, 29/04/09, 15/05/09, 05/06/09, 23/06/09

The Counselling Process - 28/03/09, 30/04/09, 23/05/09, 27/06/09, 28/07/09

Counselling Therapies I - 30 & 31/03/09, 28 & 29/05/09, 10 & 11/08/09

Counselling Therapies II - 02 & 03/04/09, 18 & 19/06/09, 28 & 29/08/09

Case Management - 06 & 07/04/09, 29 & 30/06/09, 24 & 25/09/09

Counselling Applications - 18/04/09, 18/07/09, 30/10/09, 12/12/09

MELBOURNE

Communication Skills I - 04/04/09, 30/04/09, 30/05/09, 27/06/09, 23/07/09

Communication Skills II - 05/04/09, 01/05/09, 31/05/09, 19/06/09, 28/06/09

The Counselling Process - 20/03/09, 18/04/09, 19/04/09, 08/05/09, 09/05/09

Counselling Therapies I - 26 & 27/03/09, 02 & 03/05/09, 11 & 12/06/09

Counselling Therapies II - 02 & 03/04/09, 06 & 07/06/09, 09 & 10/07/09

Case Management - 21 & 22/03/09, 23 & 24/04/09, 31/05 & 01/06/09

Counselling Applications - 17/04/09, 14/06/09, 17/07/09, 26/07/09, 12/09/09

ADELAIDE

Communication Skills I - 04/04/09, 30/05/09, 01/08/09, 17/10/09, 05/12/09

Communication Skills II - 05/04/09, 31/05/09, 02/08/09, 18/10/09, 06/12/09

The Counselling Process - 09/05/09, 25/07/09, 12/09/09, 28/11/09

Counselling Therapies I - 16 & 17/05/09, 15 & 16/08/09, 07 & 08/11/09

Counselling Therapies II - 14 & 15/03/09, 13 & 14/06/09, 19 & 20/09/09

Case Management - 13 & 14/06/09, 19 & 20/09/09, 21 & 22/11/09

Counselling Applications - 26/07/09, 29/11/09

PERTH

Communication Skills I - 09/05/09, 18/07/09, 05/09/09, 07/11/09

Communication Skills II - 10/05/09, 19/07/09, 06/09/09, 08/11/09

The Counselling Process - 21/03/09, 23/05/09, 01/08/09, 17/10/09, 05/12/09

Counselling Therapies I - 28 & 29/03/09, 06 & 07/06/09, 12 & 13/09/09

Counselling Therapies II - 04 & 05/04/09, 20 & 21/06/09, 15 & 16/08/09

Case Management - 12 & 13/04/09, 28 & 29/06/09, 11 & 12/10/09

Counselling Applications - 03/05/09, 02/08/09, 28/11/09

SUNSHINE COAST

Communication Skills I - 30/05/09, 26/09/09

Communication Skills II - 14/03/09, 11/07/09, 31/10/09

The Counselling Process - 19/04/09, 22/08/09, 28/11/09

Counselling Therapies I - 12 & 13/09/09

Counselling Therapies II - 16 & 17/05/09, 24 & 25/10/09

Case Management - 08 & 09/08/09, 14 & 15/11/09

Counselling Applications - 20/06/09, 12/02/09

GOLD COAST

Communication Skills I - 16/05/09, 29/08/09, 21/11/09

Communication Skills II - 21/03/09, 27/06/09, 19/09/09

The Counselling Process - 04/04/09, 25/07/09, 24/10/09

Counselling Therapies I - 31/10 & 01/11/09

Counselling Therapies II - 02 & 03/05/09, 28 & 29/11/09

Case Management - 04 & 05/07/09

Counselling Applications - 26/10/09