Latest News

The R U OK? 2023 Barbara Hocking Memorial Awards

Posted on 25/01/2023
The Australian non-profit suicide prevention organisation R U OK? has announced that nominations are open for the Barbara Hocking Memorial Awards.

PACFA is seeking expressions of interest – College of Counselling

Posted on 25/01/2023
PACFA-registered clinical counsellers: the College of Counselling is seeking new members for its team and would love to hear from you.

Let’s yarn about Survival Day, 26 January

Posted on 24/01/2023
PACFA College of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Healing Practices Convenors (CATSIHP), Prof. Judy Atkinson and Bianca Stawiarski address the divisive date of January 26.

PACFA a qualifying member of National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions

Posted on 24/01/2023
Our focus on safety and quality for the counselling and psychotherapy profession has been rewarded with qualifying membership of the National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions.

Find or become a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician

Posted on 24/01/2023
Counsellors and psychotherapists providing therapy for people with eating disorders can apply to become a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician.

Welcome to our new Provisional New Graduate and student members

Posted on 24/01/2023
PACFA welcomes more than 100 provisional new graduate members who applied to upgrade from student membership at the end of 2022, and our new student members.

Member benefit highlight: Employee Assistance Programs

Posted on 24/01/2023
Did you know that PACFA has partnerships with over 10 Employee Assistance Program providers (EAPs) across the country, providing important work opportunities for eligible PACFA members?

Member profile: Counselling Representative Maree Armansin

Posted on 20/01/2023
PACFA Board member Maree Armansin shares her secret for staying motivated, discusses how counselling has changed over the years and explores the surprising universality of client issues.

Articles in the December 2022 edition of PACJA, online now

Posted on 20/01/2023
Natalie Salameh’s article, ‘The adverse effects of burnout and compassion fatigue among mental health practitioners: Self-care strategies for prevention and mitigation’ has been published in PACFA’s online, peer-reviewed journal, PACJA.

Mental Health Professionals’ Network free online conference in March

Posted on 20/01/2023
The Mental Health Professionals’ Network is hosting a free online conference, ‘All Together Better – Collaborative Healthcare in a Changing World’ from Tuesday 28 March to Thursday 30 March 2023.

PACFA to request criminal history check certificates

Posted on 20/01/2023
From 1 January 2023, PACFA is asking membership applicants to provide a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (formerly ‘National Police Check’).

PACFA is seeking expressions of interest – Australian college of supervisors

Posted on 17/01/2023
PACFA is seeking expressions of interest for the proposed new Australian College of Supervisors. We encourage you to register your interest if you would like to be involved.

4th National NDIS and Mental Health Conference 2023

Posted on 13/01/2023
The 4th National NDIS & Mental Health Conference 2023 will be held on 20- 21 February in Sydney. The theme for the conference is: ‘Improving Recovery, Capacity Building and Wellbeing.’

Studies confirm increase in mental distress among younger girls in Australia

Posted on 13/01/2023
Two new studies published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry reveal alarming levels of mental illness among young people, particularly teenage girls.

Mental health needs lost in sideshow debate

Posted on 13/01/2023
Orygen's Professor Patrick McGorry says the debate over cutting 10 extra Medicare-subsidised psychological therapy sessions under the Better Access initiative is a 'sideshow' to broader structural reform of the mental health system.

Fast track Provisional New Graduate membership

Posted on 12/12/2022
Eligible students, apply for Provisional New Graduate membership by 31 December 2022 to have your membership application processed and your Certified Practising Counsellor badge by the end of January 2023.

Congratulations to the 2022 PACFA Student Award recipients

Posted on 8/12/2022
The winners of the PACFA Outstanding Graduate Prize 2022 have been announced.

New opportunities to join PACFA and lead the profession in 2023

Posted on 7/12/2022
PACFA has seen continued growth and is seeking qualified candidates for two roles: Head of Accreditation and Practice & Policy Manager.

Upcoming CPD for December 2022

Posted on 7/12/2022
The last CPD event of the year takes place on 13 December 2022 and explores the importance of the beginning and ending process in clinical practice.

Creative arts therapy on Victorian Schools Mental Health Menu

Posted on 6/12/2022
Arts therapy and music therapy are now on the Victorian Education Department Schools Mental Health Menu List. Victorian schools can use their mental health fund to engage PACFA members who are creative arts therapists.

Infants, Children and Young People Interest Group EOI

Posted on 6/12/2022
PACFA’s fledgling Infants, Children and Young People Interest Group is seeking expressions of interest from members who would like to join the group, ahead of a meeting to be held in early 2023.

Mental Health in the News

Posted on 6/12/2022
Read about the Jalngangurru Health Project in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, which is connecting patients with Indigenous Healing Practices.

Member profile: Ernst Meyer

Posted on 6/12/2022
The newly elected Convenor of the College of Psychotherapy discusses his plans to promote and grow the membership of the College.

Mental Health in the News

Posted on 6/12/2022
PACFA member Lissy Abrahams has written an opinion piece about the once taboo subject of money for the online news site The OZ, published by The Australian.

Streamlining memberships for Christian Counsellors Association of Australia

Posted on 6/12/2022
PACFA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Christian Counsellors Association of Australia (CCAA) to streamline the processes its members must undertake for membership in PACFA.

PACFA at the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy Presentation in Canberra

Posted on 6/12/2022
PACFA CEO Johanna de Wever participated in Mental Health Australia’s Policy Day at Old Parliament House in Canberra on Friday 25th November.

Psychotherapy and Counselling Today coming to your mailbox

Posted on 6/12/2022
The 2022 issue of our print magazine, Psychotherapy and Counselling Today, will begin to appear in members’ letterboxes mid-December.

Mental Health in the News

Posted on 6/12/2022
Acclaimed Melbourne author Anna Spargo-Ryan describes her experience of anxiety in a memoir entitled A Kind of Magic.

PACFA’s member platform has highest-level data security measures

Posted on 6/12/2022
The platform PACFA uses for our membership database and website, iMIS EMS, has been certified under the International Organisation for Standardisation’s (ISO) global standards for information security management systems.

PACFA office closure over holiday season

Posted on 2/12/2022
The PACFA offices will be closed from 21 December to 9 January 2023.

Articles from the December 2022 edition of PACJA online now

Posted on 2/12/2022
Read articles from The Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia (PACJA), online now.

Conference recordings now available to all members

Posted on 2/12/2022
Recordings for 4 of the 'Safety Through Diversity' conference days are now available at our website, as a member-only benefit.

Provide feedback on the National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy

Posted on 2/12/2022
The National Mental Health Commission is developing a national strategy to address mental health-related stigma and discrimination, and would like your feedback

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Safety Through Diversity Conference, 14-18 November

Posted on 4/11/2022
The full program for PACFA’s Safety Through Diversity Conference 2022 is available to view. Tickets are limited, so register now to make sure you’re part of the ‘festival of ideas’.

Member profile: Dr Cathy Bettman

Posted on 4/11/2022
Dr Cathy Bettman and her fellow collaborators on Day 4 of the ‘Safety through Diversity’ conference explore how research can best support the presence and influence of our professions in Australia.

PACFA counsellor member advocates for the profession in Australian publication

Posted on 4/11/2022
Caroline Romeo has drawn attention to the need for counsellors in aged care in an opinion piece for Australian Ageing Agenda magazine.

Senator Jacqui Lambie meets with PACFA

Posted on 4/11/2022
PACFA CEO Johanna de Wever and Immediate Past President Dr Di Stow met with Senator Jacqui Lambie in a constructive video conference in October.

Kiritapu Murray steps into National New Zealand Role

Posted on 4/11/2022
Kiritapu Murray has tendered her resignation from her position as Practice Advisor in order to take up a role as Māori Director, Te Puaruruhau at the national children’s hospital in Auckland, New Zealand.

Results of the ballot on proposed changes to the PACFA Constitution

Posted on 4/11/2022
The results of the three proposed amendments to the PACFA Constitution have been received by the PACFA Board.

Mental health in the news

Posted on 4/11/2022
Therapists who demonstrate warmth and competence can shape their patients’ expectations by inspiring more positive beliefs about the effectiveness of therapy, says new study.

Mental health in the news

Posted on 4/11/2022
SBS, the Australian Special Broadcast Service has launched a mental health initiative: 'Mind your Health.'

Perinatal Mental Health Week 6-12 November

Posted on 4/11/2022
Perinatal Mental Health Week (PMHW) offers a great opportunity to recognise the mental health struggles of new parents and to let them know that help is available; others are there for them, and they understand the challenges they face.

Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard Launch

Posted on 4/11/2022
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare is releasing a Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard to support best practice care for stillbirth prevention and investigation, and bereavement care following perinatal loss.