Should I study Counselling or Psychotherapy?

Should I Study Counselling or Psychotherapy?

As a Private Practice Business Coach and Clinical Supervisor with training in Social Work, Counselling, and Psychotherapy, I’m often asked, “Should I train in Counselling, Psychotherapy or Social Work?” I’ve already explored the Counselling versus Social Work debate in another post, but here, I’ll dive into the distinctions between Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Counselling

While researching for this blog, I reviewed over ten Bachelor’s and Master’s level counselling programs in Australia, all offered by major universities. I was hard-pressed to find counselling training outside of academic courses, which indicates that counselling in Australia is increasingly aligning with psychology and social work, particularly as the government develops its National Standards for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

The modules in these programs cover a wide range of popular, client-centred counselling theories, providing a super solid foundation for becoming a counsellor. I noticed a creeping emphasis on shorter-term, solution focused models and medical-model language, however, the overarching focus remains on equipping students with a rich and comprehensive understanding of holistic and integrative counselling practice. This is in stark contrast to cognate degrees such as psychology, which centre on the science of the mind, or social work, which focuses on broader social systems and the person within them.

A three year counselling degree or Master’s program is dedicated entirely to preparing students for their roles as counsellors. Counsellors use a variety of modalities, tools and techniques and work short, medium and long-term with clients. The therapeutic relationship is central to counselling, albeit in a different way to psychotherapy – you can read more about this in my article about counselling and psychotherapy in the Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia (PACJA). The depth and breadth of the training, along with its emphasis on humanistic and client-centred approaches, provide a strong ground for private practice. Counsellors are also invaluable to multidisciplinary teams. The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) has worked tirelessly to elevate the credibility and recognition of counsellors, and this effort is finally bearing fruit.

Psychotherapy

In 2022, PACFA reclassified psychotherapy as Advanced Specialist Training. This designation requires at least 450 hours of training on top of clinical counselling membership (400 hours), alongside a minimum of 150 hours of personal psychotherapy—equating to weekly sessions throughout the training.

Unlike counselling’s broad array of modalities, psychotherapy training typically focuses in on a single modality, immersing the trainee in its philosophy and techniques for anywhere between 3–8 years, depending on the program. Experiential learning is at the heart of psychotherapy training, fostering a deep level of personal insight and preparing psychotherapists to handle complex clinical presentations with depth and nuance. Psychotherapy aims to address the root causes of distress, facilitating lifelong change, often through the restructuring the psyche.

Whilst modalities, tools and techniques are important, the essence of psychotherapy lies in the therapist’s self-development and the psychotherapeutic relationship, which serves as the foundation for transformative work. Psychotherapy is the considered and intentional use of a relationship, grounded in the therapeutic alliance, to support the goals of the client. This relationship is a co-constructed endeavour, with both psychotherapist and client as active partners.

Psychotherapy training emphasises the therapist’s self-awareness, their ability to form deep, long-term client relationships, and their capacity to hold clients through profound suffering and challenging process-oriented work. Trainees learn to attune to the dynamics of projection, transference, and repair within the psychotherapeutic relationship, developing sensitivity to attunement, misattunement, and the essential process of repair. This self-reflective practice, combined with an understanding of interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics, prepares psychotherapists for the long-term commitment and complexity inherent in their long-term work.

By co-creating and maintaining a clearly formulated and secure psychotherapeutic alliance, the therapist and client are empowered to address complex interpersonal and intrapersonal issues, fostering growth and healing through the intentional use of self and relationship (Metanoia).

The landscape of psychotherapy in Australia is also changing. With growing calls for Medicare funding and tighter regulatory guidelines (via AHPA, NASRHP and the upcoming National Standards), many smaller, independent training programs have disappeared over the last ten or so years (the same has happened in New Zealand since psychotherapy was regulated). While this scrutiny enhances client safety, it challenges the traditionally non-medical, anti-pathology ethos of psychotherapy.

Wait, Aren’t Counselling and Psychotherapy the Same?

Without a doubt, there is plenty of discussion about whether counsellors also provide psychotherapy—and whether they can call themselves psychotherapists. The inspiration for this blog stemmed from one such conversation.

Psychotherapy is not regulated in Australia. However, the PACFA College of Psychotherapy Leadership Group (including the current and previous two teams), along with organisations such as the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (NZAP), the Psychotherapists Board Aotearoa New Zealand (PBANZ), the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), the French Federation of Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis (FFPP), and regulatory bodies in Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, and others, do not support the notion that counselling and psychotherapy are interchangeable.

During a recent discussion, I was challenged with the idea that many psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists claim to provide psychotherapy. While psychologists and social workers often state they provide psychotherapy, this doesn’t mean they do—or should—unless they are specifically trained in it. Psychiatrists, by contrast, are often trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Returning to the debate about titles and whether counsellors provide psychotherapy, a colleague remarked to me just this week, “That ship has sailed; they all do it, so why shouldn’t we?” My response is this: counsellors don’t need to call themselves something they are not. Counselling, as a profession in its own right, is amazing just as it is. The undervaluing of counselling as a profession has contributed to the perception that counselling is not enough. However, as counsellors continue to gain the recognition they deserve, we can hope this misinterpretation will fade over time.

Adding to the ambiguity and conflation of counselling and psychotherapy is the fact that some counselling courses include a single module on ‘psychotherapy,’ while others incorporate ‘psychotherapy’ into their course titles without actually providing psychotherapy training. Many of these courses are not taught by psychotherapists, and the modalities covered are often at a foundation level, overlapping with introductory lessons from psychotherapy training. Many counsellors do go on to specialise with specific niches and in their favoured way of working, however, learning a specific modality in a counselling program—or through a CPD course—doesn’t qualify someone a psychotherapist.

Psychotherapy training is not simply about learning a modality; it is about the formation of the psychotherapist. It involves a long-term commitment to deep relational work, experiential learning, and a requirement for personal psychotherapy in the same modality as the experiential training.

To complicate matters further, there are some blended counselling and psychotherapy courses that the College of Psychotherapy has approved as psychotherapy training. You can find more information about these under The College of Psychotherapy: What Training Should I Do to Join the College?

Counselling vs. Psychotherapy – Which One Is Better?

Neither profession is inherently better than the other. I often compare the distinction to that of a dentist and an orthodontist or a GP and a specialist. All are valuable, necessary, and highly skilled professions. Because of the extra hours and training, at some stage, psychotherapy may attract a higher pay scale.

Choosing between counselling and psychotherapy ultimately depends on your interests and career goals. Counselling offers versatile training for employment, private practice, or as a foundation for further study to become a psychotherapist. Psychotherapy training, is particularly well-suited for private practice or as an an alternative to the medical model provided within multidisciplinary teams.

In this current political environment where the National Standards are being teased out, and noticing that the draft mentions counselling A LOT, a degree in counselling and then a subsequent psychotherapy training (Master’s or equivalent) – would make a good combination and career progression.

Counselling is Not Psychotherapy, Nor Does It Need to Be

In light of the above, counselling is a profession worth celebrating. Counsellors offer immense value to clients, teams, and communities. For me personally, completing my 4 year counselling training remains one of the proudest achievements of my life. Counselling provides a strong, credible foundation for meaningful work with clients, whether in private practice or as part of a multidisciplinary team. I firmly believe in promoting counselling as a distinct and invaluable profession. It is not psychotherapy, nor does it need to be. Nor is training to be a psychotherapist for everyone. Counselling deserves its own recognition, free from the need to compare or conflate it with other professions. With the growing credibility and professional standing of counselling, I look forward to seeing this vibrant field flourish.

Pathways to Training in Counselling or Psychotherapy

For those considering a career in either counselling, psychotherapy, or both, understanding the training requirements is key. Training in counselling is relatively straight forward – a Bachelor’s or Master’s depending on whether you have an undergrad degree. Here’s a breakdown of the pathways into psychotherapy:

1. Psychotherapy Training (850 hours) – Completing an 850+ approved psychotherapy training program, allowing direct entry into PACFA + the College of Psychotherapy. If the training isn’t 850 hours, you can top it up with a PACFA Category A or B psychotherapy training. Please note that the psychotherapy training will need to be AQF7+ for PACFA entry.
2. Counselling Degree + Psychotherapy Training (850 hours) – A PACFA approved counselling degree followed by an approved psychotherapy training qualifies you to join PACFA and the College of Psychotherapy.
3. Current PACFA Clinical Member + Psychotherapy Training This will require a 450+ hour approved psychotherapy training.
4. Cognate Degree + Psychotherapy Training – A degree in a related field (e.g., psychology or social work) plus a psychotherapy training. This pathway doesn’t currently allow for entry to College of Psychotherapy but it does for clinical membership with PACFA if the psychotherapy portion is AQF7+
5. Psychiatry + Psychoanalytic Training – Psychiatry training + psychoanalytic training. This pathway doesn’t currently allow for entry to College of Psychotherapy but it does for clinical membership with PACFA if the psychotherapy portion is AQF7+

Modules in Counselling and Psychotherapy Trainings

Below, you will find a list of modules to help you decide whether to pursue counselling, psychotherapy, or both!

Counselling Training Modules

The modules below are a collection from the top 10 AQF7+ counselling trainings in Australia. Although many counsellors do have a significant amount of their own therapy, and doing so has sometimes brought someone to wanting to be a counsellor, it is not a requirement of counselling training to participate in personal therapy.

Foundational Concepts and Contexts

• Counselling and Personal Reflection
• Counselling Frameworks Through a Socio-Cultural Lens
• Diversity and Counselling
• Diversity, Inclusion, Respect
• Ethics, Law & Counselling
• Introduction to Mental Health Care
• Introduction to Placement and Supervision
• Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety
• Social Frameworks
• Understanding Mental Health

Core Counselling Skills

• Apply Learning Theories in Counselling
• Apply Specialist Interpersonal and Counselling Interview Skills
• Client-Centred Counselling
• Communication Skills
• Essential Conditions of the Rogerian Framework
• Establishing Counselling Relationships
• Humanistic Practice
• Interpersonal Skills
• Introduction to Next Level Counselling Skills
• Micro Counselling Skills
• Research and Apply Learning Theories in Counselling
• Research and Apply Personality and Development Theories
• Support Counselling Clients in the Decision-Making Process
• The Counselling Process

Counselling Theories and One Module Modalities

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Brief Interventions
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Collaborative and Competency-Based Counselling Approaches
• Creative & Expressive Practices in Counselling
• Introduction to Psychodynamic, Humanistic-Existential, Experiential-Emotion Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural, and Third-Wave CBT
• Mindfulness-Based Therapies
• Provide Loss and Grief Support
• Solution Focused Therapy

Specialised Counselling Applications

• Applied Gerontology
• Clinical Health Approaches
• Counselling for Couples
• Counselling for Trauma
• Counselling for Crisis and Violence
• Develop and Implement Community Programs
• Family Therapy Traditions: Basic Concepts and Skills
• Focused Psychological Strategies in Mental Health
• Foundations of Inquiry in Health and Social Care
• Mental Health Promotion
• Methods for Inquiry in Health and Social Care
• Rehabilitation Psychology
• Work with People with Mental Health Issues
• Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities
• Working with Children & Adolescents

Psychotherapy Training Modules

Some of the psychotherapy modules are placed under foundations and psychotherapy skills as they were included in all modalities. Here is a full list of PACFA College Recognised Psychotherapy Modalities and a list of The Best Psychotherapy Trainings in Australia. Please note that not all of these courses are accredited by PACFA, however, they all meet the current (at time of writing this blog), College of Psychotherapy Entry Requirements. The term psychotherapeutic is used specifically with psychotherapy (as stated in the Oxford Dictionary and the UKCP entry requirements) as it is a particular way of working in the here and now with transference and countertransference. Psychotherapy trainings require between 80-160 hours of personal psychotherapy – approximately once a week for the duration of the training. The College of Psychotherapy requires 150 hours of personal psychotherapy in the modality that the trainee psychotherapist is studying. You can read more here about Why Therapists Should Have Their Own Therapy.

Buddhist Psychotherapy

• Buddhist Approaches to Emotions
• Buddhist Approaches to Trauma
• Buddhist Philosophy of Self and Identity
• Buddhist Psycho-Spiritual Practices
• Buddhist Psychology and Cognitive Processes
• Buddhist Views on Suffering and Liberation
• Compassion and Self-Compassion
• Cultivating Equanimity
• Death and Dying in Buddhist Therapy
• Emptiness (Sunyata) and Depersonalization
• Ethical Conduct and the Five Precepts
• Foundational Principles of Buddhism
• Impermanence (Anicca) and Non-Attachment
• Integrating Zen and Other Buddhist Traditions
• Interdependence and Interconnectedness
• Karma and Behavioural Conditioning
• Loving-Kindness and Forgiveness Practices
• Mindfulness and Meditation Practices
• Mindfulness-Based Approaches in Therapy
• Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Addiction
• Mindfulness of the Body (Somatic Awareness)
• Right Speech and Communication
• Suffering (Dukkha) and Its Transformation
• The Role of Desire, Craving, and Aversion
• Therapeutic Presence and the Therapeutic Relationship
• Understanding the Nature of the Mind

Creative Arts Therapies

• Creativity and its Therapeutic Role through Personal and Group Creative Processes
• Attachment & Developmental Psychology
• Foundations of Arts Psychotherapies
• Integration of Body-Mind-Spirit Perspectives in Creative Psychotherapy
• Self-Awareness and Using Personal Art-Making to Inform Therapeutic Work
• Therapist Self-Care and One’s Own Creative Process as a Foundation for Therapeutic Practice
• Therapeutic Alliance & Relational Repair
• Trauma: Working with Survivors, Individuals with Developmental Disorders, Mental Health Conditions, and Those in Rehabilitation Settings
• Visual Arts Techniques

Existential Psychotherapy

• Authenticity and Inauthenticity
• Existential Anxiety and Fear
• Existential Crisis and Life Transitions
• Existential Psychotherapy and the Group Process
• Existential Spirituality
• Foundations of Existential Philosophy
• Hope, Despair, and the Human Spirit
• Isolation and Connection
• Meaning and Purpose in Life
• Phenomenology in Practice
• The Experience of Death and Mortality
• The Human Condition and Existence
• The Role of Creativity and Art

Foundations in Psychotherapeutic Practice

• Assessment Process in Psychotherapy
• Balancing, Understanding and Integration of Personality Functions
• Child and Family Therapy Psychotherapy
• Clinical Studies in Psychotherapy
• Counselling Skills
• Empathic Attunement
• Establishing the Psychotherapeutic Relationship
• Ethics and Diversity
• Facilitating Psychotherapeutic Change
• Foundations of Psychotherapy
• Further Clinical Studies in Psychotherapy
• Implement Trauma-Informed Care
• Integrative Treatment
• Mentalisation-Based Psychotherapy
• Personal Philosophy of Psychotherapeutic Practice
• Personality and Developmental Psychology
• Practising Research and Researching Practice
• Psychodynamic-Interpersonal Therapy
• Psychotherapeutic Theories and Models

Gestalt

• Awareness and the here and now
• Awareness-raising exercises
• Body awareness and somatic focus
• Boundary disturbances (introjection, projection, retroflection, deflection, confluence)
• Contact and contract boundaries
• Creative interventions (art, movement, drama)
• Cultural competence in Gestalt therapy
• Developing and utilising therapeutic experiments
• Dreamwork and creative imagery
• Experiential learning in supervision
• Facilitating authentic expression and congruence
• Field theory concepts in therapy practice
• Field theory and holism
• Figure-ground formation (how needs emerge into awareness)
• Gestalt and specific populations
• Gestalt cycle of experience
• Gestalt exercises and experiments
• Gestalt group therapy
• Gestalt therapy in contemporary contexts and integrative settings
• Gestalt therapy in working with trauma, grief, addiction, and other issues
• Increasing self-awareness and self-acceptance
• Incorporating mindfulness, somatic work, and expressive arts into Gestalt therapy
• Integration of Gestalt concepts with other approaches
• Integration of mind, body, and emotions
• Personal growth through personal therapy and group training
• Process-oriented approach
• Self-awareness and authenticity
• Supervision and personal development
• Techniques for exploring and expanding self-awareness
• The dialogic approach (therapist-client relationship)
• The history and foundations of Gestalt
• The paradoxical theory of change
• Understanding clients within their relational and environmental context
• Use of experiments (role-play, empty chair technique)Use of language and “I” statements
• Working with resistance

Indigenous Healing Practises

• Ancestral Wisdom and Knowledge
• Community and Collective Healing
• Connection to Ancestors and the Spirit World
• Connection to Land and Spirit
• Distress, Pain, and Post-Traumatic Difficulties of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• Dreamtime and Dream Interpretation
• Healing Through Art and Symbolism
• Healing Through Ceremony and Ritual
• Healing Through Music and Sound
• Healing Through Song, Dance, and Storytelling
• Healing Through the Use of Sacred Objects
• Healing Circles and Talking Circles
• Indigenous Knowledge of the Body and Health
• Indigenous Mental Health and Healing Practices
• Indigenous Perspectives on Trauma and Resilience
• Indigenous Views on Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Integrating Indigenous Healing with Western Therapies
• Land-Based Healing Practices
• The Importance of Connection to Nature
• Rites of Passage and Life Transitions
• Sacred Plants and Plant Medicine
• Shamanic Healing Traditions
• Songlines, Ceremonies, Rites of Passage, Dreaming and Storytelling
• Spiritual Healing Practices
• The Role of Animal Spirits and Totems
• The Role of Elders in Healing
• Traditional Healing Systems
• Traditional Indigenous Herbal Medicine

Integrative Psychotherapy

• Anti-oppressive practice; working with difference and diversity, issues of power and privilege
• Attachment theory
• Clarkson’s relational framework with focus on the working alliance
• Common presenting issues
• Enquiry of other
• Enquiry of self
• Existentialism
• Client assessment and formulation; the theory of change; linking ongoing client presentation to integrative theory
• Developmental processes
• Ethics; non-oppressive practice; power, prejudice, and socio-political concerns
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Importance of intersubjective theory for clinical practice; reciprocal relationships, the dialogic, and mutuality of the psychotherapeutic relationship
• Initial client contact, assessment, contracting and supervision
• Integration
• Integrative psychotherapy concepts
• Introduction to practice and ethical frameworks
• Introduction to research
• Loss and bereavement; endings and their significance in the psychotherapy relationship
• Mental health; introduction to personality disorder and other ways of being
• Personal development of self and relationships
• Personal, professional, and theoretical relational integration
• Psyche and soma; using body process and counsellor’s use of self to enhance contact with clients
• Psychotherapy and the law
• Psychotherapy research
• Shame and interpersonal rupture
• Talking about sex; working with the erotic transference
• The cycle of awareness and interruptions to contact
• The humanistic approach
• The psychodynamic approach
• The relationship as the integrating factor
• The reparative relationship
• The psychotherapeutic frame and the working alliance
• The transpersonal relationship; dream work
• The transferential relationship
• Trauma
• Transactional analysis
• Unconscious process revisited; enactments; linking theory to clinical practice
• Working at relational depth
• Working creatively – theory and practice
• Working with suicidal ideation

Jungian Analaysis / Jungian Depth Psychotherapy

• Alchemical Symbolism and Transformation
• Anima / Animus
• Complexes and Their Formation
• Dream Analysis
• Individuation and Spirituality
• Jung’s Concept of the Psyche: Ego, Personal Unconscious, Collective Unconscious, and the Self
• Jung’s Engagement with Religion and Spirituality
• Mystical and Transpersonal Experiences
• Mythological Amplification
• Psychological Alchemy
• Psychological Types and Typology
• Stages of Individuation
• Symbolism in Art, Literature, and Culture
• Symbols and Dream Interpretation
• The Persona
• The Process of Individuation: Symbols, Dreams, and Active Imagination
• The Red Book and Jung’s Personal Writings
• The Self & Wholeness
• The Shadow
• Understanding Archetypes (e.g., the Persona, Shadow, Anima/Animus, Self)

Movement & Dance Psychotherapy

• Authentic Movement and Spontaneity
• Body Awareness and Movement
• Body Image and Identity Issues
• Body Language and Nonverbal Communication
• Body Memory and Trauma
• Bioenergetic Analysis and Energy Flow
• Breath, Voice, and Vocal Expression
• Breathwork and Emotional Release
• Body-Mind Connection through Dance
• Body-Mind Connection
• Cultural and Societal Influences on the Body
• Cultural and Social Contexts of Dance
• Dance and Emotion Regulation
• Dance for Grief and Loss
• Dance Therapy and Self-Esteem
• Dance/Movement Therapy Techniques
• Creative Movement in Therapy
• Developmental Movement Patterns
• Embodying Emotions and Somatic Experiencing
• Emotional Release through Body Movement
• Emotions, Embodiment, and Connection
• Emotions and Somatic Awareness
• Exploration of Boundaries through Movement
• Exploring Gestures and Postures
• Grounding and Centreing Techniques
• Interoception and Proprioception Practices
• Mindfulness and Body Scan Practices
• Movement as Metaphor in Therapy
• Movement Analysis and Expression
• Movement Exploration of Identity
• Movement for Stress Relief
• Non-Verbal Communication and Movement
• Polyvagal Theory in Body Psychotherapy
• Release of Muscular Tension (Reichian Techniques)
• Regulating the Nervous System through Movement
• Rhythm and Synchrony in Movement Therapy
• Self-Compassion and Body Positivity
• Somatic Countertransference
• Somatic Therapy Ethics and Safety
• Somatic Therapy
• The Role of Dance in Social and Emotional Connection
• The Role of Rhythm and Dance in Healing
• Therapeutic Movement Improvisation
• Therapeutic Touch and Boundaries

Music Therapy

• Clinical Applications of Music in Therapy
• Creative Arts Integration with Music
• Cultural Considerations in Music Therapy
• Cross-Genre Applications in Therapy
• Group Music Therapy Dynamics
• Improvisational Music Therapy
• Mood Regulation through Musical Interventions
• Music and Cognitive Impacts
• Music and Developmental Psychotherapy
• Music and Emotional Regulation
• Music and Identity Development
• Music for Self-Expression and Communication
• Music for Stress Reduction
• Music in Grief and Loss
• Music Listening and Analysis
• Music Therapy Ethics and Boundaries
• Musical Attunement and Empathy Building
• Musical Imagery and Guided Visualization
• Musical Interventions for Anxiety and Depression
• Music and Memory Stimulation in Dementia
• Music Therapy in Trauma Healing
• Rhythm and Percussion Work in Therapy
• Songwriting and Lyric Analysis
• Sound Healing and Vibrational Therapy
• The Role of Silence and Pause in Therapy
• The Therapeutic Relationship through Music
• Vocal Psychotherapy Techniques
• Musical Symbolism and Archetypes
• Therapeutic Singing and Chanting
• Music and the Unconscious Mind

Narrative Therapy

• Building Continuity and Narrative Integration
• Cultural Narratives and Social Justice
• Folk Cultural Innovation and Metaphors
• Power and Privilege in Narrative Therapy
• Problem-Saturated Stories
• Self and Story
• Ten Key Practice Maps of Narrative Therapy
• The Use of Rituals and Celebrations in Narrative Therapy
• Tree of Life

Nature/Eco Psychotherapy

• Animal-Assisted Ecotherapy
• Art and Creative Expression in Ecotherapy
• Biophilia and its Therapeutic Applications
• Boundaries and Containers
• Climate Crisis Psychotherapy Strategies
• Connection to Place and Land-Based Healing
• Cultural and Indigenous Perspectives in Ecopsychotherapy
• Deep Ecology and Ecopsychology Foundations
• Ecological Grief and Eco-Anxiety
• Ecological Identity and Sense of Belonging
• Ecological Justice and Social Change
• Ecological Systems Theory in Counseling
• Eco-Resilience and Psychological Growth
• Environmental Advocacy and Activism in Therapy
• Environmental Ethics in Therapy Practice
• Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku)
• Healing Gardens and Therapeutic Landscapes
• Human-Nature Relationship and Bonding
• Interconnectedness of All Life
• Mindfulness in Nature
• Nature and Therapeutic Processes
• Nature as Co-Therapist
• Nature Connection for Stress Reduction
• Nature Rituals for Grief and Loss
• Nature and Power
• Rituals and Ceremonies in Natural Settings
• Rewilding and Nature Immersion Techniques
• Restorative Practices with Nature
• Seasonal and Cyclical Rhythms in Therapy
• Self/Other – Inside/Outside
• Sustainable Living and Wellbeing
• The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health
• Three Way Relationship: Nature, Therapist, Client
• Veganism/ Plant-Based Eating for the Planet
• Wilderness Therapy Approaches

Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

• Attachment and Self-Psychology
• Attachment Theory and the Conversational Model
• Defense Mechanisms
• Deep Listening and the Psychotherapeutic Relationship
• Disorders of the Self
• Embodied Presence in the Therapeutic Encounter
• Emotional Regulation and Co-Regulation
• Empathic Inquiry and Validation Techniques
• Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
• Explicit and Implicit Communication
• Fragmentation and Dissociation
• Free Association
• Intersubjectivity and Relational Depth
• Interactive Regulation of Affect
• Key Competencies in Brief Dynamic Psychotherapy
• Managing Therapeutic Breaks and Endings
• Memory, Narrative, and Identity Construction
• Mindfulness and Awareness in Conversational Practice
• Mirroring and Recognition in Therapy
• Moment-to-Moment Tracking in Sessions
• Mutual Influence and Change Processes
• Origins and Development of the Conversational Model
• Object Relations
• Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Roots
• Psychodynamic Neuroscience
• Psychodynamic and Relational Psychotherapy
• Psychological Boundaries and Mutuality
• Reflective Functioning in the Therapeutic Dialogue
• Self and Relationships
• Self-States and Multiplicity
• Temporal Aspects of the Therapy Process
• The Divided Self
• The Impact of Trauma on the Conversational Process
• The Role of Language and Speech in Therapy
• The Role of Metaphor and Symbolism in Speech
• The Use of Countertransference and Transference
• Therapeutic Attunement and Empathy
• Understanding Nonverbal Cues and Silence
• Winnicott and Maturation
• Working with Resistance and Defense Mechanisms

Psychopathology

• Abnormal Development: Throughout Birth, Infancy, Adolescence, Adulthood, Seniority, Dying, and Death
• Common Psychotropic Medications
• Developmental Psychopathology
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness
• DSM IV and the Common Psychopathologies
• Normal and Abnormal Behaviour
• Psychiatry Familiarisation

Psycho-Spiritual Psychotherapy

• Applications of Psychosynthesis
• Attachment Theory & Practice
• Buber’s Right Relations Group Psychotherapy
• Body, Feels, Mind & Soul
• Care of the Soul
• Chakras as a Psychological System
• Childhood and the Unconscious
• Cultivating Will and Choice (The Will)
• Dante’s Divine Comedy
• Developmental Psychology
• Dis-Identification and Self-Identification
• Diversity and Culture
• Emotion Dysregulation and Symptoms of Trauma
• Evolution, Embryology, Attachment, and Cultural History
• Family Systems
• Gestalt
• Guided Imagery
• Higher Mind & Creative Processes
• Imagination & Dreamwork: The Royal Road to the Unconscious
• Individual, Group and Society
• Integrative Psychotherapy
• Large Group Psychoanalytic Forum
• Narcissism & Borderline Personalities
• Narcissism and Relationality
• Neuroscience, Neuro-Psycho-Pathological Studies and Cognitive Science
• Parental Imagoes & Individuality
• Perspectives on Social Change
• Principles and Practice of Meditation
• Post Traumatic Growth
• Psychiatry & Psychotherapy
• Psychological Disorders and their Assessment
• Psychological Laws
• Psychopathology & Psychological Disturbance
• Psychopathology & Synthesis
• Psychosynthesis and Brief Therapy
• Psychosynthesis Philosophy & Depth Work
• Reflective, Receptive and Creative Meditation
• Repression, Splitting & Denial
• Research Skills & Methods
• Self, Agency, Autonomy and Identity
• Self-Actualisation & Self-Realisation
• Self-Psychology
• Self-Realisation and Psychological Disturbances
• Sexuality & Spirituality
• Sexuality and Genders
• Spirituality and Comparative Religions
• Subpersonalities and Disidentification
• Subpersonalities and Integration
• Systems in Psychotherapy
• The 2-Dimensions of Growth: Personal and Transpersonal Dimensions
• The Act of Will & Freedom of Choice
• The Creative Use of Pain and Crisis
• The Cultivation of the Will
• The Existential Challenge
• The History of Psychology: Psychodynamic, Psychoanalysis, Behavioural, CBT, Humanistic, Somatic, Existential & Transpersonal
• The Inner Child
• The Nature of Suffering
• The Process of Change
• The Therapeutic Relationship & Developmental Models
• Theories of Human Nature
• Transference & Countertransference
• Trauma and Addiction: Process and Substance Addiction
• Trauma, Abuse & Neglect
• Will, Motivation & Maintaining Cycles
• Written Expression and Academic Study
• Value, Meaning & Purpose

Process Orientated Psychotherapy

• Archetypes and Inner Figures
• Body Symptoms and Signals
• Channel Theory
• Death & Dying
• Dreams and Nightmares
• Dreams as Process
• Facilitate Group Dynamics Using Deep Democracy Principles
• Facilitate Relationships Using a Processwork Framework
• Field Dynamics
• Integrating Altered States
• Integrative Psychotherapy
• Inner Dialogue Techniques
• Personal Mythology and Narrative
• Personal Psychotherapeutic Work: Journal
• Personal Psychotherapeutic Work: Psychotherapy
• Process Structure
• Process Work: Trauma, Loss and Grief Therapy
• Safety & Containment
• States of Consciousness
• Working at the Edge
• World Work (Systems)

Psychodrama

• Action Methods in Therapy
• Creative Interventions for Anxiety and Depression
• The Empty Chair Technique
• The Hero’s Journey in Psychodrama
• Mirroring and Doubling
• Psychodrama for Conflict Resolution
• Psychodrama for Trauma
• Psychodrama in Group Settings
• Re-enactment of Past Events
• Role-playing and Role Reversal
• Scene Development and Dramatization
• Self-Concept and Identity Exploration
• Social Atom and Relationships
• The Psychodramatic Spiral
• The Psychodrama Stage and Space
• The Spontaneity and Creativity Theory
• Therapeutic Uses of Spontaneity
• Time-Rapport Technique
• Use of Projections in Psychodrama
• Warm-up Exercises

Somatic Psychotherapy

• Body-Centred Mindfulness
• Body-Oriented Techniques for Depression
• Breathwork and Regulation
• Core Self and Embodiment
• Embodied Emotions
• Fascial and Myofascial Release
• Grounding Techniques
• Healing from Chronic Pain
• Healing from Early Attachment & Complex Trauma
• Integration of Body and Mind in Psychotherapy
• Integrating Movement with Emotional Expression
• Mindful Movement and Therapy
• Movement and Gestalt Therapy
• Neurobiology of Trauma
• Posture and Body Language
• Release of Stored Emotions through the Body
• Sensory Awareness
• Shame and the Body
• Somatic Experiencing
• Somatic Interventions for Anxiety
• Somatic Movement Therapy
• Somatic Resilience Building
• Somatic Trauma Resolution
• The Body in the Treatment of Trauma
• The Body-Mind Connection
• The Polyvagal Theory and its Application in Therapy
• The Role of the Nervous System in Healing
• The Role of Somatic Awareness in Consciousness
• The Somatic Experience of Grief and Loss
• The Role of the Unconscious in Somatic Therapy
• Touch and Healing
• Trauma and the Body
• Trauma-Focused and Somatic-Informed Psychotherapy
• Working with Chronic Pain and Somatic Symptoms

Soul-Centred Psychotherapy

• Attending to Sensory Experience
• Body and Soul in Trauma
• Character Structure
• Chakra Healing
• Defence Triangle
• Embodied Experience
• Energy Psychology: Thought Field, Matrix, Meridian
• Egyptian Myth: Isis and Osiris – Deepening into Self
• Focusing
• Jungian Psychotherapy
• Maps for the Journey
• Meaning, Enchantment & Honouring
• Mindfulness
• Psychology and Hypnosis
• Soul-Centred Therapeutic Trance
• Soulful Presence
• The Relational Field
• The Therapy Session
• The Third Body: Relationship
• Therapeutic Attention – Transference, etc.

Transactional Analysis

• Ego States
• Foundations of Analytic Psychology
• Games, Scripts and Rackets
• Introjection, Regression and Ego States
• Life Positions
• Parent-Adult-Child
• Psychopathology and Personality Adaptations
• Relationship Between Stroking Patterns and Behaviour
• TA and Addiction/Self-Harm
• TA and Anxiety and Phobic Responses
• TA and Depression/Grief
• TA and Eating Disorders
• TA and Gender
• TA and Identity and Sexuality
• TA and Working with Trauma
• The Karpman Triangle (Rescuer, Persecutor and Victim)
• The Structure of the Psyche: Ego, Personal Unconscious, and Collective Unconscious
• The Winner’s Triangle
• Transactions and the Rules of Communication

Transpersonal & Experiential

• Body Psychotherapy
• Creativity, Intuition and Inner Wisdom
• Dance, Movement and Embodied Arts
• Dreams and Symbols in Psychotherapy
• Ecopsychotherapy
• Eastern Practice and Western Psychology
• Experiential Practice
• Facilitate Group Dynamics Using Deep Democracy Principles
• Gendlin’s Focusing
• Group Work Process
• Inner Knowing, Inner Experience, the Felt-Sense, Insight
• Jungian Sandplay
• Life Span Development: Evolution, Embryology, Attachment, and Cultural History
• Sandplay and Symbol Work with Children and Adults
• Self and the Philosophy of Practice
• Symbolic Thinking and Meaning-Making, Mythology, Archetypes and Complexes
• Systems in Psychotherapy
• Transpersonal & Experiential Processes in Psychotherapy
• Transpersonal and Soul-Centred Change
• Trauma-Informed Practice
• Working with & Supporting Clients in Altered States

I hope this blog post on whether to study counselling, psychotherapy or perhaps both, has provided you with enough information to make this decision. The above information around the National Standards is correct at time of writing, however, they are in draft form only so please make sure you stay up-to-date via the PACFA Facebook page.

Are you interested in Psychotherapy in Australia? Come and join the Psychotherapy in Australia Facebook group