Key Facts
Course Overview
This three-day introductory course combines our previously offered Foundational and Intermediate programs. It is designed for individuals who are either currently supporting the growth and development of others and wish to enhance their skills, or those considering a career in counselling and looking for a first step.
Participants will develop core counselling skills essential for helping clients build resilience, strengths, and strategies for positive change. Through interactive exercises and guided role-plays, students will apply key counselling techniques while gaining hands-on experience in ethical, client-centered practice.
The course explores the connection between our inner cognitive and emotional lives and how they shape daily experiences and long-term decisions. From this foundation, participants will learn practical approaches to empower clients, foster self-awareness, and promote self-acceptance.
Please note: This course provides an introduction to counselling principles but does not qualify participants to work professionally as a counsellor.
What does this course offer?
What does this course offer:
Via a mix of group learning, role-plays, exercises and education sessions, following the completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish between counselling and coaching.
- Demonstrate psychological safety in practice.
- Demonstrate person-centred therapeutic alliance.
- Practice active listening skills.
- Apply non-verbal communication.
- Understand and apply micro-skills: reflecting, summarising, paraphrasing, check-ins.
- Understand challenging techniques.
- Apply scale-ruler questions to assess needs, relationships and decision-making.
- Understand the process of the adaptive self on authenticity and applications when working with clients.
- Apply principals for working with change.
- Understand and apply a strengths- and values-based approach to client work.
- Apply structured and unstructured goal-setting approaches with clients.
- Understand the concept of core emotions and emotional suppression and how to work at an emotional level with clients.
- Understand the concepts and application of gratitude and compassion.
- Practice and extend self-awareness in the counselling process.
Depending on the needs and counselling experience of the group members, the above learning objectives may be modified accordingly.
Course Structure
Delivery Method
This course is delivered from 9.00am until 4.30pm, across three days. It is delivered face-to-face at 391-393 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East VIC 3123.
Upcoming Course Dates
To be notified of when enrolments are open for 2026, please submit your interest here.
Our Trainers
Dr Renzo Vittorino
Renzo is the Course Director of the Graduate Internship Program at The Cairnmillar Institute. Renzo has extensive leadership and clinical experience spanning over 30 years. He has experience in working with individual and families, community, and organisational development. Renzo has extensive experience in the development and delivery of programs and training in trauma informed practice including the recently implemented Trauma Informed Leadership Program delivered to managers of Area Mental Health Services in Victoria in partnership with Centre for Mental Health Learning and Department of Health.
Further Information
Fees
Our course fees are inclusive of GST. Participants will receive a workbook and certificate of completion.
Standard Enrolment: $770
Concession*:Â $693
External Student or Cairnmillar Alumni: $550
Cairnmillar Student: $165
*Our programs attract a 10% concession for health care card holders, pensioners and people receiving benefits. Those applying for concessions must provide a copy (photo evidence is accepted) of their social security card, or health care card together with their application, via email to [email protected].
FAQ
Cairnmillar can offer this or other tailored courses for your organisation’s needs. If you have a group of 10 or more participants, we can come to you or deliver the workshop online. For further information, email the Professional Development Team at [email protected] or phone 03 9813 3400.
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