What inspired you to be a counsellor? Would you change your decision to be one? Why or why not?

When I was in my last year of high school (which was quite some time ago), a group of my friends were using drugs. I would have long conversations with them about their desire to take substances, financial costs, self-esteem, legal ramifications and other facets to this. I was never judgemental, I was concerned for them and just wanted to understand what ‘drove’ them to partake.

From there, at the ripe of age of 18, I decided I wanted to work with and support people – I wanted to be a counsellor, and that’s exactly what I did. Six months after leaving school, I was successful in obtaining a job with Queensland Health at a detox unit and methadone clinic. My counselling career had begun.

That was in the early 1980s. Counselling has been a passion of mine for over 40 years and has afforded me some amazing experiences (working around Australia, starting up and operating my own private practice, working in conjunction with the US Embassy in Africa – to name just a few). It has also taught me much about human beings and their behaviours. I believe working as a clinical counsellor is a very privileged position. Clients allow us into their worlds and they share with us their most intimate thoughts and feelings. To be part of and witness a client’s healing and growth – how cool is that? I see that as an honour and, given this time again, I would not change my decision to follow this career path.

What is your current role(s)?

I have a number of roles at the moment, all associated with the counselling profession. I own and operate a private counselling practice and have done for the past 10 years. I am also an accredited mediator and professional supervisor. I teach numeracy and literacy to adult students in several Indigenous communities in Cape York, while also working as acting CEO in another Indigenous community based in Far North Queensland. I support a number of organisations as their employee assistance provider, offering counselling, workshops and professional supervision. Additionally, I support several counsellors throughout Australia via professional supervision. Counselling offers such a diverse range of opportunities – I love it all.

How many clients do you see each week?

That varies; generally, I can see approximately 10 to 15 clients per week in a counselling capacity. I also support counsellors through professional supervisions, deliver workshops, offer mediation and teach numeracy and literacy skilling through my private practice. It’s pretty cool that counselling can offer such a diverse range of supports.

What are you working on, and what do you love about it?

I have a number of heartfelt projects on the go at the moment. The first is the development and delivery of a men’s and women’s group program in an Indigenous community. This program is to be delivered later this year in collaboration with community members. This is in its final stages of development.

I am a strong advocate, both personally and professionally, in supporting our veterans. I, along with a veteran delegation, met with a Federal Minister in October to discuss the need for counsellors to be included in the Medicare Rebate Scheme, in the hope that veterans have increased and widened access to social, emotional and psychological support. This process has been months in the making.

I guess what I love about it is the fact that it’s about all things counselling. The range and diversity the counselling domain offers is so interesting and always centres around the delivery of support to other human beings. I have found this to be rewarding and extremely heartwarming on a human level.

Name a highlight of your Australian Counselling Association (ACA) membership.

Having become a counsellor back in the early 1980s, I was accepted into ACA under the grandparent clause. This was definitely a milestone in my counselling career; to be accepted as a member of such a significant association was a privilege and an honour. More recently, I have presented at two ACA conferences (ACA’s National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Counselling Conference in Adelaide and the 5th Asia Pacific Rim International Counsellors and Psychotherapists Conference in Singapore). To stand before my peers sharing my knowledge and professional practice was a meaningful experience.

If you could give yourself advice (when you were a new graduate), what would it be?

First, find a good supervisor. Professional supervision is imperative to any counsellor’s wellbeing, professional development and growth. I engage in regular supervisions with my amazing supervisor, Dr Judith Boyland. Her wisdom, caring, knowledge, sense of humour and experience has been, and is, invaluable to me (thanks Judy xo 😊 ). I believe all graduates would be well-placed in seeking out professional supervision from the commencement of their career and throughout.

Second, connect with other counsellors. I have found engaging with like-minded professionals is both enriching and invigorating. To converse and share with other counsellors allows for a deeper understanding of the trials and tribulations encountered by the counselling profession, while also sharing the many triumphs. Again, this is an invaluable part of learning and developing as a counsellor.

Third, be kind to yourself, remembering it takes time to develop your own personal counselling style and approach. When I commenced my counselling career, I was going to save the world. With a head full of theories, techniques, therapeutic approaches and modalities, I was set to change the world! My good intentions and open heart very soon meant I was burnt out, disheartened and somewhat confused. After many tears and lots of talking with colleagues who had been in the profession for a number of years, I learned to go slow and to be kind to myself while I was doing it. Having said that, the famous words of Carl Jung come to mind, and have stood me good stead. He said: “Learn all the theories, master all the techniques, but as you touch another human soul be just another human soul.” If, as counsellors, we are able to do this, support for the client will flow.

Great stuff, go well beautiful counsellor, you got this.😊 ■

Take care,
Yvette Carter

Reference

Goodreads (2023).
Quote by C.G. Jung:
“Know all the theories, master all the techniques…”
(goodreads.com)