Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Psychologists & Behaviour Support
Psychotherapist. Counsellor. Psychologist. Behaviour Support Practitioner. There are many terms and phrases used to describe those who work in the field of mental health in Australia, within and beyond the NDIS. Although it can be easy to assume that all of these professions offer the same service, they each have unique characteristics that underpin what they are and how they address mental health.
The phrase “psychotherapist” is used to describe a mental health professional who draws on evidence based psychotherapeutic techniques, such as talk therapy, which aims to support clients in understanding their lives in a reflective manner. In Australia, the title of “psychotherapist” is not a regulated term, meaning there are a variety of educational pathways that can lead a professional to use this title. For example, a Diploma of Mental Health. Psychotherapists may also bring a wealth of transferable skills to their role from other career paths. For instance, many allied health professions such as occupational therapists and speech pathologists, as well as health professionals such as nurses may advance their skill set by undertaking training in mental health courses, in order to support their existing network of clients.
A “counsellor” is the term used to identify mental health professionals who have undertaken structured tertiary qualifications in mental health. For example, counsellors may have a Bachelors or Masters degree in counselling or a related field. Their training is based on applying the principle of psychotherapy, to provide tailored psycho-emotional support to individuals who are experiencing hardship in their personal or professional lives. Issues that clients may seek advice from a counsellor for include workplace stress, relationship turmoil, as well as grief and bereavement. The term “counsellor” is often used by those who are registered with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
The term “psychologist” refers to mental health professionals who have undertaken a six-year sequence of study at an undergraduate and postgraduate level. The term and title of “psychologist” is regulated in Australia, meaning an individual must have completed the six-year training sequence, and hold registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Australian Psychological Society (APS). This extensive training allows psychologists to conduct psychological assessments, diagnose mental health disorders, and provide a broader range of mental health related services to individuals who have diagnoses including (but not limited to) bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and schizophrenia. Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists are not medical doctors, meaning they cannot prescribe medication. However, psychologists use the scientist-practitioner model of practice, as they are trained researchers who draw on and apply evidence-based practices to their approach. There are different “types” of psychologists in Australia, including clinical, health and forensic psychologists. Each “type” specialises in a different area of psychology.
A “behaviour support practitioner” or “positive behaviour support practitioner” is a trained, qualified professional who has a background in a range of speciality areas including nursing, education, psychology, counselling and beyond. Their role is to create and deliver tailored interventions and strategies using scaffolded programs, which focus on creating incremental change that is both sustainable and progressive. Where psychotherapists, counsellors and psychologists focus on delivering support that targets mental health, behaviour support practitioners have an additional focus, where they work on identifying and progressively modifying behavioural challenges. For example, where a psychologist may support a client in understanding and working through their diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a behaviour support practitioner focuses on helping the client to foresee and manage environmental triggers (for example), that may cause a person significant distress.
In summary, psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists and behaviour support practitioners play important roles in supporting mental health in Australia. However, they differ in terms of education, training, scope of practice, and regulatory requirements. Clients should consider their specific needs when choosing between these professions.