Advanced Diploma of Counselling

The practicum unit requires students to complete 140 hours of practical placement activities on-site at Iona Trinity College's Counselling Clinic, located only at the Rhodes campus. This includes a minimum of 40 hours of face-to-face client counselling (requiring approximately 4 clients per week) and up to 100 hours of counselling-related activities such as writing client case notes, attending meetings, research, administration, observation, and professional development training. Students also participate in 2.5 hours per week of group and individual clinical supervision.

The annual tuition fee for the 2026 academic year is $18,360, with an estimated total tuition cost of $36,720 (subject to annual increases) for the full two-year course.

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to: demonstrate a coherent knowledge of the principles, theoretical perspectives and concepts utilised in major approaches to counselling/psychotherapy; apply counselling knowledge and skills to address the client's needs; engage in ethical and culturally sensitive therapeutic practices; use critically reflective practice skills to establish and maintain therapeutic counselling relationships in clinical practice contexts; apply relevant codes of practice and principles of legal and ethical practice when working with clients; and care for the vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised in the community with compassion, skilful and respectful service.

The course is structured over two years full-time, with students completing 16 core units across four semesters, each unit worth 10 credit points. Year 1 covers foundational topics such as counselling theories, therapeutic skills, motivational interviewing, ethical practice, case formulation, trauma informed counselling, and cross cultural counselling. Year 2 progresses to mental health, anxiety and depression, substance abuse, grief and loss, group counselling, child and adolescent counselling, and culminates in a counselling practicum in Semester 2.

Assessment tasks for the practicum unit include a Counselling Session assessment, a Reflection Journal, and a Case Study. Students are also required to document their counselling hours in a Log Book (signed off by the Practicum Supervisor), participate in a mid-point review at week 6 and a final review at week 13, and attend weekly group and individual clinical supervision sessions.