FAQ - Counsellors and PsychologistsFAQ - Counsellors and Psychologists Should I see a counsellor or a psychologist?At the end of the day, the most important question is whether the training, experience and expertise of the counsellor or psychologist will meet your needs. For experienced counsellors and psychologists, such as we have at Bridges Counselling, there may be very little difference in treatment and outcome between seeing a counsellor or psychologist, if they are both trained, competent and experienced for the client's issues. Only psychologists do psychological testing. We believe we provide better outcomes and a more personal service by having a diverse range of counsellors and psychologists, working as a team as needed. When you call to enquire about our service, David Bridges will discuss your concerns, discuss options and recommend a way forward for your situation. How do I tell the level of competence of a Counsellor or Psychologist?There are 4 levels which can help assess competence and experience in counselling. Nearly all our team fit under the highest level: Clinical Counsellor/Psychologist. Registered Psychologist Being a registered psychologist in itself does not qualify a person for counselling, as they may have qualified in sport, rehabilitation, organisational, forensic, academic or research psychology. An undergrad ate psychology degree includes essentially no training in counselling. A registered psychologist who has completed a counselling internship and completed a post-graduate degree in counselling or psychotherapy could then be recognised as a Registered Counsellor. Registered Counsellor This is the minimum national benchmark for Counsellors. It requires a 3 year Bachelor of Counselling degree or a 2 year post-graduate Counselling degree. Completing a closely supervised internship period over one year is essential. PACFA, ACA and ARCAP maintain national registers of registered counsellors. Mental Health Registered Professional Currently, this only includes registered psychologists who are recognised by Medicare to provide counselling services with rebates, mainly for depression and anxiety. Many Registered Counsellors work competently in this area, but as yet have not won the political battle to be able to offer Medicare rebates. Clinical Counsellor/Psychologist This is the highest level and generally requires a Masters degree in Counselling or Psychology and at least a few years of professional counselling experience. Clinical counsellors or psychologists generally have a range of specialist areas. While clinical psychologists don't necessarily counsel, all clinical level counsellors are required to meet annual benchmarks for supervision and professional development of their counselling practice. |
Enquiries: 9683 1444 Ring us and we will recommend the best counsellor qualified and experienced for your situation.
Bridges Counselling - a team of ten counsellors based in North Parramatta, specialising in:
We are open day, evening and all Saturday. Our 5-room counselling centre is centrally located close to Parramatta, Carlingford and Baulkham Hills. See Location page.
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