What is a Registered Counsellor?

A Registered Counsellor is a highly trained mental health professional, also called a psychological practitioner. They are professionals who provide counselling over a short period, usually between six and twelve sessions, working with clients’ current difficulties. As a psychological practitioner, they work with groups and individuals to examine thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, in order to increase personal awareness and self-confidence, to optimise psychological wellbeing and mental health.

Registered Counsellors screen for but do not diagnose psychopathology or prescribe any medication. Registered Counsellors differ from other categories of psychology in that their function is to intervene at a primary health care level to provide early and appropriate levels of intervention, to decrease the need for more intensive and longer-term psychotherapy.

They administer select psychometric tests, provide screening for mental illness, and attend to clients’ psychological wellbeing by providing containment, counselling, and preventative interventions. They are also trained to assist with appropriate referrals to affiliated professionals and specialists, should such referral be in the best interests of the client.