Counselling Service

Other information

Usage of the Counselling service

The reception area of the service notes telephone and 'in person' contacts and the records show that there were approximately 7000 of these in 2003. Personal counselling is a core activity of the service and last year some 750 individuals were seen during more than 2560 sessions. A further 1000 plus students participated in group programs. These figures strongly suggest that the programs and services offered by the Counselling Service are seen as useful and relevant by the student population. More information is available in the Counselling Service Annual Report.

Services for staff

Counsellors are available for consultation with groups or individuals on matters relating to student welfare.

Staff can make an appointment to see a Counsellor to help with a referral or in a crisis. Counselling is also available to staff on a fee-for-service basis. The University, through an Employee Assistance Program, provides access to counselling for staff via Resolutions [phone (03) 9883 5005].

Group programs for staff are provided on a fee-for-service basis, covering topics such as team building, stress management or work place communication. The staff development workshop ‘Dealing with distressed students' has been run successfully on a number of occasions in recent times. We will also design programs to meet your needs.

Intern program

The Counselling Service Intern Program has operated since 1978, providing:

• Placements for trainee counsellors
• Placements for Masters and Doctoral students (counselling and clinical psychology)
• Supervision for practitioners seeking general experience
• Supervision for Registration and membership purposes

Interns are predominantly students engaged in post-graduate Psychology or Counselling Courses who, as part of their course, are required to do a professional placement. They have usually had some counselling experience prior to applying for an internship.

Each year the Counselling Service accepts four to six interns. Their work consists of providing individual counselling while receiving regular supervision from a permanent staff member of the service. Staff have a range of interests and influences and are all registered psychologists. They are available to meet supervision requirements for registration with the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria, membership of the Australian Psychological Society and its Counselling and Clinical Colleges, Victorian Association of Family Therapists membership and other organisations.

Individual supervision is augmented by weekly group supervision, and interns are encouraged to participate fully in the professional life of the Counselling Service. An internship consists of two days work, and runs from March to November. The program can, however, be adapted to the needs and interests of the participants. We are also prepared to discuss paid supervision for those unable to make the time commitment required for the Intern Program.

Jean Russell, who was a student in La Trobe University's Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Human Services, was a participant in the internship program in 2003. She writes:

"I found the Counselling Service at La Trobe to be a very supportive environment, which is essential to surviving points of high stress throughout the year! The time I spent there was really memorable. Through supervision I was able to explore ideas, evaluate my own understanding, skills and knowledge, determine my strengths, and identify where gaps exist. I especially enjoyed the small group supervision. The individual interests of the staff meant that we were exposed to different therapeutic approaches. This made for stimulating debate, which I can honestly say was a highlight of my week.”

Interviews for those interested in joining the intern program are usually conducted in November the previous year. Interested persons are encouraged to contact the Counselling Service by telephone in the first instance.

Annual Report

The 2008 annual report (PDF 73KB) of the Counselling Service is available in PDF format.