Counselling

Written By Bryn Gilbertson

Why Counselling?

Usually individuals choose to have counselling because they are experiencing immediate difficulties and distress in their lives. Often referred to as talk therapy, many people find it easier to talk about personal, family, or relationship issues with a person who is independent of friends and family. 

Many of the immediate and distressing life issues and events which bring clients to professional counselling include bereavement, divorce, redundancy, compassion fatigue, parenting problems, acute and chronic health issues, workplace bullying, reactions to traumatic events, difficult family environments, past sufferings, and so on. 

It is important to recognise that people do not need to be in crisis, or on the verge of one, before choosing to have counselling. A person may be experiencing underlying feelings of dissatisfaction with life in general, or they may be seeking balance in their life, or even looking for strategies to improve their overall wellbeing. 

How is a Mental Health Certified Social Worker different from a Generalist Counsellor?

Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSWs) are recognised providers with Medicare Australia and other programs, delivering clinical social work services in mental health settings and utilising a range of evidence-based counselling strategies.

AMHSWs work with people across the lifespan  and provide a unique contribution to the mental health space in their holistic approach to wellbeing. The advanced training that is expected of AMHSW prepares and provides them with the skills for working with people with very complex presentations and co-morbidities. AMHSWs are highly trained and educated professionals, meeting some of the highest standards of professional regulation in Australia.

An Accredited Mental Health Social Worker  has a breadth of experience in assessing and treating people who have mental health disorders, including:

  • Depression and other mood disorders

  • Anxiety disorders

  • Suicidal thoughts

  • Adjustment issues

  • Addiction issues

  • Relationship problems

  • Life crises

  • Trauma

  • Family conflicts 

  • Domestic violence

Like other allied health professionals, such as psychologists, AMHSW is qualified to use a range of interventions in helping people with mental health disorders, including the following focussed psychological strategies:

  • Cognitive behavioural therapy

  • Behavioural interventions

  • Cognitive interventions

  • Relaxation strategies

  • Skills training

  • Problem solving

  • Anger management

  • Social skills

  • Stress management

  • Parenting skills

  • Interpersonal therapy

  • Psycho-education (including Motivational Interviewing)

  • Narrative therapy

Bryn Gilbertson
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