Why Counselling and Why Now?

The need for counsellors in Australia has never been greater. Increasing societal pressures and eroding values have created a massive need in our communities for qualified counsellors.

This need is evidenced by a recent Australian Labour Force Survey indicating the Counselling profession has outgrown All Other Occupations by more than 200%.

And the industry employing counsellors, the Community Services and Health Sector, is predicted to be the fastest growth industry over the next 5 years.

As you can see, the demand for counsellors is high, and growing. And it's this demand that's creating significant opportunities in this rewarding field.

As a qualified counsellor, there are numerous opportunities for you in the Community Services and Health fields, whether it be as an employee or in private practice. You can make a real difference in many areas including grief and loss; relationships; with families, children or adolescents; stress; or trauma recovery. The demand for your help is very real.

We've helped people from all backgrounds become counsellors.

Whether you're currently working, may not have studied in a while, or have other commitments in your life, the external delivery method of our course ensures you have the best opportunity to study counselling.

Many of our students are changing their career to become a counsellor. Some, such as teachers, nurses or ministers of religion, are seeking to acquire counselling skills as an adjunct to their core profession. Even those students who may not have studied for many years find our course materials easy to follow as they have been designed specially for external delivery.

Our students and graduates all share the same strong desire to assist others. Maybe you are someone that people turn to for help in times of need; someone that displays a natural empathy to others. Or maybe you've been through personal challenges that have inspired you to assist others facing similar circumstances.

Whatever your background, you too can become a qualified counsellor with the Institute, help other people, and start an exciting and highly rewarding career!

Time Management Tips

It is said that good time management can add two hours to someone's day. Are you an effective time-manager? Consider the principles below to make the most out of your available time:  

• Prime time: It is found that not only do 20 per cent of your efforts account for 80 per cent of your results, but also that your best efforts occur in 20 per cent of the day. In other words, most people are found to be inefficient for 80 per cent of their time.

If you have a time in the day that is more productive than other times, this is when you should carry out your priority work and this is the time of the day you should protect against distractions and diversions. 

• Baby steps: It is best to focus on particular areas of your life, and set tasks that gradually help you to build from one success to another. For example, if you are simply not sleeping well and your day is a disaster due to exhaustion, then work first on this one problem.

• New habits take time: Brian Tracy usually says that it can take 21 days to learn a new habit. Make sure you repeat your desired habits until they have really become part of your life - and continually work to improve them.

• What to stop: Time is a limited commodity. Management of time is partly looking at what can be done better or more efficiently, but it is of course also going to consist of finding things that should not be done or that no longer need to be done. Do not hesitate to cut-out or delegate unnecessary tasks.

• Broader perspective: If you want to manage time more efficiently, take a broad look at what is, at the current time, affecting your inability to do so. Sometimes we focus on small and less relevant factors - looking at the big picture, or having a systemic view, can help solve complex problems.

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Be a Better Friend by Being a Better Listener

Friendships are an essential part of feeling good about yourself and enjoying positive mental health. But good friendships take time to develop and require both parties to make an effort to build a relationship.

One of the most important elements in a strong friendship is communication. That means not simply being able to talk with each other, but actually being able to "communicate" about important matters. For such communication to take place, and a friendship to grow and develop, being able to listen is a vital skill most of us need to develop better.

You can see the effect of poor listening skills just by observing how various people listen to what you have to say. You'll soon notice that some people closely pay attention to your words and communicate back that they understand what you've been saying.

On the other hand, poor listeners are often distracted, pay little attention to your words, give almost no feedback and may misinterpret what you were trying to communicate.

In most cases, you'll find it's the good listener with whom you have a better relationship. Developing your own good listener skills can help improve friendships, family communications and even work relationships. Fortunately, developing such skills isn't difficult.

One key to good listening is simply to listen more than you talk. Avoid the impulse to interrupt with your own stories and experiences. As a good listener you want to hear what the other person has to say, not to try and top his or her story with a better one of your own.

As a good listener you also want to show you've understood what's being said. If something isn't totally clear, ask for clarification. Show you're been paying attention by feeding back key parts of the conversation, then summarise what you've heard as a way of ending your conversation.

Learning to be a better listener is a key skill for building stronger relationships of every type. Do you really listen when your child has a story to tell about his or her school day? Do you pay attention when your spouse wants to summarise the day's events over dinner? Do you only half hear what a work colleague has to say?

Learning to listen well can make every relationship function better. And it can also help those closest to you learn to respect and listen to your words when you have something to share.

Source: Counseling Corner

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 seminars available between June and July 2008.

To register for a seminar, please contact your Student Support Centre.

BRISBANE

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 14/06/2008

Communication Skills II/SEMINAR B - 12/07/2008

The Counselling Process - 21/06/2008

Counselling Therapies I/SEMINAR C - 05 & 06/07/2008

Counselling Applications/SEMINAR F - 26/07/2008

SUNSHINE COAST

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 12/06/2008

Communication Skills II/SEMINAR B - 16/06/2008

The Counselling Process - 26/07/2008

Case Management/Seminar E - 14 & 15/06/2008

Counselling Applications/SEMINAR F - 28/06/2008

GOLD COAST

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 26/07/2008

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 05/07/2008

The Counselling Process - 14/06/2008

TASMANIA

Communication Skills II/SEMINAR B - 22/06/2008

The Counselling Process - 20/07/2008

Counselling Therapies II/SEMINAR D - 14 & 15/06/2008

Case Management/Seminar E - 12 & 13/07/2008

SYDNEY

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 23/06/2008, 21/07/2008

Communication Skills II/SEMINAR B - 24/06/2008, 26/07/2008

The Counselling Process - 14/06/2008, 30/07/2008

Counselling Therapies I/SEMINAR C - 01 & 02/07/2008

Counselling Therapies II/SEMINAR D - 28 & 29/07/2008

Case Management/Seminar E - 26 & 27/06/2008

Counselling Applications/SEMINAR F - 22/07/2008

MELBOURNE

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 21/06/2008, 19/07/2008

Communication Skills II/SEMINAR B - 22/06/2008, 20/07/2008

The Counselling Process - 08/06/2008, 12/07/2008

Counselling Therapies I/SEMINAR C - 14 & 15/07/2008

Counselling Therapies II/SEMINAR D - 28 & 29/06/2008

Case Management/Seminar E - 05 & 06/07/2008

Counselling Applications/SEMINAR F - 13/07/2008

REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 23/06/2008, 21/07/2008

Communication Skills II/SEMINAR B - 24/06/2008, 26/07/2008

The Counselling Process - 16/05/2008, 14/06/2008, 30/07/2008

Counselling Therapies I/SEMINAR C - 01 & 02/07/2008

Counselling Therapies/SEMINAR D - 28 & 29/07/2008

Case Management/Seminar E - 26 & 27/06/2008

Counselling Applications/SEMINAR F - 22/06/2008

ADELAIDE

The Counselling Process - 26/07/2008

Counselling Therapies II/SEMINAR D - 14 & 15/06/2008

Case Management/Seminar E - 21 & 22/06/2008

Counselling Applications/SEMINAR F - 27/07/2008

PERTH

Communication Skills I/SEMINAR A - 19/07/2008

Communication Skills II/SEMINAR B - 20/07/2008

Counselling Therapies II/SEMINAR D - 21 & 22/06/2008

Case Management/Seminar E - 28 & 29/06/2008