An Introduction

 

As an experienced Counsellor, author, work shop presenter, speaker and business builder, I have established a solid reputation as an innovator and leader within the Counselling industry. A pioneering person who thrives on challenge and positive change, I have been fortunate to hold a unique position within the industry for the last decade where I have been able to influence the evolution of the industry into a more cohesive and proficient profession. Renowned for my passion for articulating and promoting the positive benefits counselling offers to the community, I recognised the importance of providing appropriate training for students to become professionals, and establishing standards that give the public confidence in the profession through my position as CEO of the Australian Counselling Association and the many positions

 

My career, although short compared to some, has been both rewarding and challenging. Although I currently hold a number of prestigious positions, I have not lost sight of the importance of maintaining my grassroots connection to hands on practice.  As the CEO of ACA, the largest peak professional body of Counsellors in Australia, I regularly talk to consumers, academics, counsellors/psychotherapists, members and training institutes, in order to keep my finger on the pulse and remain grounded. As a result, I am in demand as a guest speaker at national forums, industry representative on training development boards, contributor of articles to professional journals, consultant for allied health business owners and as an author to publishers. I am also in demand as a counsellor within the local community where my clinic operates.

 

My influence in regard to helping raise the bar in counsellor training has been predominantly through sitting on curriculum development boards within the higher education sector and vocational education sector. In this time I have been able to help the attorney generals department implement new training standards for family therapists and mediators. I was individually responsible for the development of the first generic Diploma of Counselling to be delivered through the Industry Skills Council which was approved for TAFE college’s and private providers to deliver in December 2008. 

 

My long-term ambition remains what it has always been, to professionalise the counselling industry in Australia and Asia Pacific region and to improve the quality and accountability in the delivery of counselling services. I am also working to have professional counselling established within the commercial sector to help promote and deliver clinical programs aimed at improving the quality of life for the general community. Programs designed to help with body image, smoking, anxiety and other emotional issues need to be designed and delivered by professionally trained therapists as opposed to slick sales people and be based on sound proven clinical evidence. To this end I am involved in curriculum development and the delivery of professional services. My primary desire in the area of delivery is to modernise private practice and assist allied health professionals to present a warmer and more approachable face to the public. My strategy for achieving this is ongoing public education and professional education for practitioners. I have a strong personal commitment to lifelong education and to that end I am currently a PhD candidate.

 

My contributions to the counselling industry have recently been recognised in the Maquis Who’s Who in the World 2009 Edition.  

   

Professional Qualifications

 

Bachelor of Counselling University of New England 1999  Diploma in Applied Science (Counselling) Counselling College of Australia 1995

Diploma in Psychology International Correspondence School 1995 Diploma in Child Psychology International Correspondence School 1994

Currently undertaking a Masters of Guidance and Counselling at James Cook University (Townsville)

 

Professional Positions/Memberships/Awards

 þ       Fellow of the Australian Counselling Associationþ       Secretary General, Asia Pacific Rim Confederation of Counsellors þ       Associate Fellow Australian College of Health Service Executivesþ       Founding Member University of Notre Dame School of Counselling and Behavioural Sciences External Advisory Boardþ       Winner Quest Business Awards 2005 (Professional Services)þ       Full Member of Australian Institute of Managersþ       Member of Clinical Counsellors Association Inc.þ       Vice President Federation Psychotherapists & Counsellors of Queensland Inc. þ       Defence Force Service Medalþ       Defence Medal  

Career Summary

 

Dates	Employers	Positions
Current Professional Positions/Appointments
August 2004 –Present	Clinical Counselling Centre Grange, Queensland	Clinical Director
2000 - Present	Australian Counselling Association Grange	CEO
Previous Professional Positions
1999 - 2000	Returned and Services League Community Services Pinjarra Hills	Case Worker/Project Officer Part time 1999, full time 2000
1998 – 2000	Forest Lake Counselling Service	Full time Counsellor/Director
1995 – 1998	Veterans’ Community and Resource Centre Woodridge	Coordinator and Founder
1994 – 1995	Full time student – Diploma of Applied Science (Counselling)
Previous Employment
1979 – 1994	Defence Force, full time service in Australian Army & Army ReserveVarious locations in Australia and South East Asia	Soldier (most senior position; Platoon Sergeant). I spent 5 years in an elite unit and 10 years in Royal Australian Regiment. Specialist courses/positions: Senior instructor, small arms coach, marksman, machine gunner, section commander.

 

Current Position Snapshots

 Clinical Director

Clinical Counselling Centre www.counsellingcentre.com.au

Grange, Queensland

August 2004 – Present

 I established the Clinical Counselling Centre (CCC) in 2004 to provide counselling and psychological services to the local community, and offer training opportunities for Interns. CCC operates out of a seven-room professional suite, with professional services being provided by Clinical and general Psychologists, Counsellors/Psychotherapists and Social Workers. As Director I am responsible for the successful operation of the Centre, training of interns and the development and promotion of mental health programs and workshops. The Clinic has developed a reputation as specialising in Post Natal Depression, with several support groups run in the Brisbane area, and Relationship and Couple issues. CCC also supplies an EAP program to Australia’s largest suppliers of Veterinary services, Animal Industries, and their client group for grief & loss and trauma issues. My specific areas of accountabilities are:  Training counsellors in specific specialisations such as relationship issues, grief and trauma, Business Planning, Marketing and Promotions, Human Resources Management, Financial Management and Professional Supervision of professional staff, writing and developing of clinical programs, face to face counselling.  

I undertake regular supervision with Catherine Dodemont (M. Couns) and Dr Travis Gee (MAPS) and deliver several hundred hours of counselling services per year to clients at CCC.     

 Chief Executive Officer

Australian Counselling Association www.theaca.net.au

Grange

2000 - Present  

ACA is Australia’s largest peak professional membership body for psychotherapists and counsellors. Initially employed as a Members Liaison Officer, I was subsequently offered a contract position to provide managerial consultancy services through my newly established business, ACCS followed by a full time employed position as CEO. Under my management, ACA has grown from a small association with only 500 financial members to a peak national organisation with over 3000 financial members and 7000 subscription members. The sustained growth has been achieved through developing standards, aggressive marketing strategies, and the development of services and benefits to members.  I am listed on www.expertguide.com.au  as a primary contact point for the media for counselling and therapy issues specialising in relationship and men’s issues. 

 

My achievements with ACA also include:

 

¨        Have appeared on Today To-nite, A Current Affair and other popular news shows to comment on human interest stories and counselling issues

¨        Quoted and interviewed, Courier Mail, Vogue, Cleo, Bulletin, Financial Times, Age and many other news outlets commenting on counselling issues such as relationship, youth and other general areas of interest

¨        Spoken on national ABC, local and rural radio stations commenting on human i9nterest stories and counselling issues.

¨        Designed and implemented a National Disciplinary Board to introduce accountability into the profession and give consumers a pathway of recourse

¨        Negotiated the cheapest professional indemnity and public liability insurance in Australia for Counsellors

¨        Designed, produced and disseminated over 400,000 public education brochures

¨        Founded the Counselling Australia Journal in 2000 (still current editor), the only professionally refereed and peer reviewed journal produced by any Australian Counselling Association

¨        Founder and currently Managing Editor of the International Web-based CPH (Counselling, Psychotherapy and Health) Journal

¨        Represent ACA on Advisory Committees for tertiary and TAFE courses where I have input into curriculum design and appropriateness

¨        Organised and coordinated several profitable National and State based conferences (and currently organising an International Research Conference)

¨        Successfully negotiated acceptance by a private health fund provider for rebates for counselling services (private provider numbers), a first in Australia

¨        Negotiated the first International Research Conference which will be co-hosted by ACA in Brisbane in 2006 for the International Association of Counselling

¨        Recipient of the first fellowship awarded by ACA

¨        In response to the Asian Tsunami disaster (2004), organised several hundred counsellors, social workers and psychologists into a national register offering free counselling services to aide workers and their families upon their return to Australia

¨        Chair of the first International Counselling Conference in Hong Kong 2008

¨        Founder of the Asia-Pacific Rim Confederation of Counsellors.

 

To ensure ACA was established soundly within Australia at the state level in 2000 I founded several State Chapters; Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland followed by South Australia, Western Australia, ACT and Tasmania. Since then I have worked with each of these Chapters, except ACT which is still a Chapter, to develop into incorporated non-profit state associations and wrote the constitution for each of these associations to enable them to incorporate. I was also the founder and wrote the constitution for the only professional body in counselling, Clinical Counsellors Association Inc, to gain joint membership to ACA and PACFA. I was the secretary to the CCA for its first 3 years of operation. 

 Counsellor

Private Practitioner, Supervisor & Presenter

National

1995 – Present  

In 1993 I spent time working with the Army Community Services, as part of a placement whilst studying a qualification in Welfare Work at TAFE, working with veterans on their return from peace keeping duties. This was my first experience in a counselling position and it was then I realised that I needed to undertake further studies in counselling. I also worked in a voluntary capacity at a long term youth shelter (Jasper House) in Fairfield (Sydney) for girls. I was the second only male to be accepted into this service. My position required me to work with young girls from the age of 12 to 16 who were state wards and who had been sexually abused from a young age.

 

Approximately 8 months later I was part of an overseas deployment where 7 soldiers were killed and several were seriously injured in a field training accident. I was sought out by the Commanding Officer to help with trauma and grief issues. 12 months later I was discharged due to the accumulated impact of several physical injuries I had picked up over the years to my knees. I was able to maintain my journey in counselling and undertook a full time counsellor training program (Diploma) in Logan at the Counselling College of Australia and completed further placements within the Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service and Commonwealth Rehabilitation Services. On graduation I was employed by the Returned Services League (RSL) as a counsellor working with Veterans and their families. I founded the Logan Veterans and Community Resource Centre (LVCRC) with the Logan & Districts RSL sub branch as part of my position and also was successful in applying for several hundreds of thousands of dollars to put in place community projects and counselling services. Whilst working at the LVRC my work was formally recognised through several community awards and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The LVCRC is still operating today. Whilst working at the LVRC I ran a Veterans Support Group at Forest Lake where counselling services were offered to veterans and their families. This service founded the Forest Lake sub branch of the RSL through the support group in 1997.  

 

As I became more in demand outside of the veteran community I opened a part time practice in Forest Lake (suburb of Brisbane City). Several years later I left the RSL and went into full time practice for several years. During that time I completed my Graduate degree at UNE. In 1999 I was approached by the Queensland State Branch of the RSL to help establish a Veterans Information and Support Service (ISS) based in the war homes at Pinjarra Hills. This also required offering counselling services to veterans and their families in war homes. I was only able to offer my services part time due to my thriving practice. By 2000 I was not able to continue working in both my private practice and the ISS. I chose to dedicate my time to the ISS and ceased full time practice and only operated my private practice as an after hours service. By April, 2000 I had fully established the ISS and decided I wanted to become more involved in the counselling industry within Australia. I applied for an advertised position with the Australian Counselling Association and was successful with my application. I have not looked back since.  

 

Private Practice:  Since first establishing my own practice in 1995, I have gained a reputation as a solid hands-on practitioner. I receive word of mouth referrals from around Australia and Asia. I also supervise, primarily clinical counsellors, from around Australia and in the past Asia. This reputation has enabled me to develop several successful workshops that have been delivered nationally for the last 6 years. MY workshops have covered subjects such as Professional Supervision for Counsellors (this workshop has developed into the only accredited training program for Supervisors in Australia), How to Develop a Private practice (which has led to the publishing of 2 books on the subject), Lifelines and Advanced Communication Techniques for Non Counsellors.  These workshops have been presented to allied health professionals and medical professionals within government departments, College of Surgeons, international and national conferences and to the private sector.

 

In 2006 I established a network of support groups for mothers and fathers impacted on by Post Natal Depression through my clinic offering free counselling and support services. These groups were taken over by the FPCQ in 2008. In 2004 I was a special guest presenter at the National Conference for Hypnotherapists in Sydney and was also a special guest speaker at the prestigious national conference of The Australian Society of Association Executives in 2004. I have presented at various national and state conferences for ACA as well as performed the task of MC at many conferences. My latest presentation was in July 2008 at the Inaugural Asia Pacific Rim Conference of Counsellors in Hong Kong.  

 I have appeared in a professional capacity on a number of current affairs programs, both television and radio, where I have provided professional comments on psychotherapy and counselling topics. Additionally, in 2002 I was invited to participate in the Queensland Forum on Justice in Sexual Abuse Allegations. I also appeared as a Moderator at the 2006 Happiness Conference in Sydney where the Dalai Lama was the special guest. Professional and Industry Representation Industry Reference Group, Skills Training Council, Higher Education

2008: Develop Graduate Diploma of Counselling, Metavision

2007 - 2008: IRG Develop the First generic Diploma of Counselling

2007: IRG, Reaccreditation of Diploma of Counselling, AIPC

2006: Attorney Generals Department (IRG), Skills Training Council to develop Vocational Graduate Diploma in Family Therapy

2006: Development Board, Bachelor of Counselling Degree delivered by AIPC (Higher Education)

2006: Development board, South Bank TAFE, Graduate Certificate in Counselling

My lobbying and mediation skills are well developed from a decade of working within an industry that has in past been disjointed through self interest of competing professional bodies all vying for dominance. I have been required to work with this system and negotiate on behalf of counsellors and in the interest of the public.

 

I have been actively lobbying for counsellors and psychotherapists for over six years and was responsible for several pieces of legislation being rewritten after challenging them. I was personally responsible for negotiating with the Mental Health Association (Qld) to establish rebateable services by counsellors in Queensland in regional and rural areas. The funding for this comes from Queensland Health who have committed to extend it till 2010

 

I was also the first person to successfully lobby for rebates for counselling by a private health fund, HIF-WA which then led to Grand United also offering rebates for ACA registered counsellors. I also led the push to have the Department of Human Services (Vic) to not adopt the First Work Force Study.

 

I am one of four founders of the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP) which has now been established as the industry register for counsellors and psychotherapists. ARCAP is the outcome of many years of lobbying and mediating between competing bodies to put aside self interest for the betterment of the profession.

 

Publications

 Editor: 

‘Counselling Australia’, Australia’s, peer reviewed professional journal, since 2000 to present

 

‘cph’ (Counselling, Psychotherapy and Health): Managing Editor, 2006 to present, web based International Research Journal, DEST registered.

  

Educational Texts

 

‘Practice of Clinical Supervision’: Philip Armstrong, John Barletta, Nadine Pelling, Australian Academic Press, 2009

 

‘Case Incidents in Counselling for International Transitions’ edited Nancy Arthur and Paul Pederson, Part 4, Military and peace Keeping Transitions, Case incident 17, Philip Armstrong, American Counseling Association, 2008

 ‘Practice of Counselling’: Philip Armstrong, Nadine Pelling, Randolph Bowers, Thomson Nelson (now Cengage), 2006 ‘Establishing an Allied health service’: Philip Armstrong, Thomson (now Cengage) Publishing 2006 ‘Building a Successful Practice’, Philip Armstrong, Inlearning Publications, 2005. (sold out now on second edition being published by international publishers Thomson/Nelson) Technology in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice: A Practitioners’ Guide, co-authored chapter “Professional Supervision via the phone” Palgrave Publishing 2003.    Articles in Professional journals International Journal of Psychology Volume 41, Issue 3, June 2006 ‘The Australian Counselling Association: Meeting the needs of Australian Counsellors’  Counselling Australia “Professional Supervision”, Volume 4 Summer 2001 (Australian Counselling Association) Cognica “Professional Supervision”, Vol XXX1111 no 4 October 2002 (Canadian Counselling Association)  Management Magazine “Managing a Professional Body” October edition 2004.     Interviews/professional comments Interviewed by and quoted in the Bulletin Magazine, Cleo, Vogue and most major newspapers in Australia.  Professional commentary on psychotherapy and counselling on current affairs programs such as Today Tonight, A Current Affair and ABC radio.