The Australian Counselling Association (ACA) is a
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
, professional organisation that is dedicated to the
counselling
Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.
This is a list of co ...
profession. ACA represents over 11,000 Registered Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Australia. ACA is the largest peak body for counselling and psychotherapy in Australia.
Mission
The mission of the Australian Counselling Association is to enhance the quality of life in society by promoting the development of professional counsellors, advancing the counselling and psychotherapy profession, and using the profession and practice of counselling to promote respect for human dignity and diversity.
Government accreditation
The counselling profession in Australia is currently not government regulated. Therefore, clients are faced with the task of evaluating qualifications of various counsellors and psychotherapists. ACA is one of two industry associations (with
PACFA The 'Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia'' (PACFA) is the leading peak body for the counselling and psychotherapy profession in Australia.
PACFA's members are counsellors, psychotherapists, Indigenous Healing Practitioners, academ ...
) that is campaigning for government accreditation of counselling in Australia. As of 2010, none of the federal or state jurisdictions are actively considering regulation of the counselling profession. The
Council of Australian Governments
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) was the primary intergovernmental forum in Australia from 1992 to 2020. Comprising the federal government, the governments of the six states and two mainland territories and the Australian Local G ...
(COAG) have agreed that regulation of the counselling profession would only be considered if the public were at serious risk and that those risks could only be ameliorated through a regulatory framework.
See also
*
Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia The 'Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia'' (PACFA) is the leading peak body for the counselling and psychotherapy profession in Australia.
PACFA's members are counsellors, psychotherapists, Indigenous Healing Practitioners, academ ...
References
[Counsellors in Australia: Profiling the Membership of the Australian Counselling Association – Counselling, Psychotherapy, and Health, 1(1), 1-18, July 2005. http://www.cphjournal.com/archive_journals/V1_I1_Pelling_1-18_7_05.pdf {{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304221536/http://www.cphjournal.com/archive_journals/V1_I1_Pelling_1-18_7_05.pdf , date=2016-03-04 ]
External links
Australian Counselling Association
Professional associations based in Australia
Mental health organisations in Australia