Tabor’s Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sam Smith, was recently interviewed by Maz on Life FM about the growing need for counsellors and the important role counselling plays in supporting healthier, more resilient communities.
Counselling: Supporting People Before They Reach Crisis
Tabor’s Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sam Smith, was recently interviewed by Maz on Life FM about the growing need for counsellors and the important role counselling plays in supporting healthier, more resilient communities.
During the interview, Sam explained that counselling is not limited to helping people who have a diagnosed mental illness. While counsellors can support people living with recognised mental health conditions, they also work with those experiencing stress, emotional difficulty, relationship challenges, life pressure or a sense of being overwhelmed.
Counselling can provide support before these difficulties become more severe.
“People do not need to wait until they reach a crisis before seeking help,” Sam emphasised. Early support can help people better understand what they are experiencing, develop healthier coping strategies and put practical supports in place.
Supporting the whole person
One of the distinctive strengths of counselling is its holistic approach.
Rather than focusing only on a diagnosis or a particular illness, counsellors seek to understand the whole person. This includes their emotional, relational, social and personal wellbeing, as well as the experiences and circumstances that may be contributing to their current challenges.
At the centre of this process is the relationship between the counsellor and the client.
Sam highlighted the importance of finding a practitioner whom a person can trust, feel comfortable with and connect with. Because counselling involves sharing personal and sometimes painful experiences, the quality of the therapeutic relationship is essential. Finding the right counsellor may take time, but feeling safe and understood is an important part of the counselling process.
A growing need in the community
Sam also discussed the increasing demand for mental health support across Australia.
Psychologists and other mental health services are under significant pressure, with many people facing long waiting periods, high costs or limited access to services. These challenges can be particularly significant for people living in regional areas or experiencing financial disadvantage.
Counsellors can provide an important additional form of support within the broader mental health landscape. By working with people at different stages of their wellbeing journey, counsellors can help address concerns early and support people through difficult seasons of life.
This growing community need also creates meaningful career opportunities for people considering counselling as a profession.
Is counselling the right career for you?
Sam encouraged people to consider counselling if they genuinely care about others and are comfortable having meaningful conversations.
Counselling may suit people who are willing to sit alongside others during difficult experiences, who are curious about what lies beneath the surface and who want to help people feel heard, valued and supported.
Sam described counselling as a privilege. Counsellors are trusted with people’s deeply personal stories and are given the opportunity to respond to each person with dignity, respect and genuine care.
The work can be emotionally demanding, but professional training helps counsellors develop the skills they need to work safely and sustainably. Counselling students learn how to remain compassionate and connected while also maintaining appropriate professional and emotional boundaries.
Witnessing courage and resilience
Although counsellors regularly hear stories involving pain, loss and difficulty, Sam explained that the profession is also deeply inspiring.
Counsellors have the opportunity to witness people’s courage, resilience and determination. They see people begin to understand themselves more clearly, develop healthier ways of responding to challenges and take meaningful steps towards change.
This combination of challenge, trust and hope makes counselling a deeply rewarding profession.
Sam’s conversation with Maz presented counselling as holistic, relational and profoundly meaningful work. It is a profession that responds to a growing community need while helping individuals build healthier, more connected and more resilient lives.
For people who care deeply about others and want to make a practical difference, counselling may be more than a career. It may be a calling.