Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy Students
Investigating the Placement Opportunity
The information below is intended to help you secure a great placement that not only meets
ACAP counselling requirements but one that will also give you valuable experience in the
field that you hope to gain employment.
Understand ACAP’s counselling requirements:
Before you contact the agency please ensure that you understand the placement and
counselling requirements so that you are very clear about what you need to ask:
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One student placement totalling 240 hours, including 80 hours of face to face
counselling and/or counselling group therapy
See a minimum of 2 clients, and/or run one therapeutic group per week
Be in the placement for a minimum of 1-2 days per week over two consecutive ACAP
terms, approximately 8-9 months
Carry out the placement in conjunction with Advanced Placement and Supervision,
(APS) 1 and 2
Start the placement 4-6 weeks before commencing APS1.
What is client counselling?
Not all contact with clients will be included in your 80 hours of client counselling.
During student placement, MCP students are required to carry out a minimum of 80 hours
of counselling, in conjunction with clinical supervision provided within the units Advanced
Placement & Supervision 1 and 2 (APS1 and 2).
NOTE:
MCP students undertaking their first clinical placement as a counsellor will have
specific requirements to meet as listed below.
Students with significant counselling experience or previous counselling
placement experience have more leeway with the mode of counselling and client
base they can counsel on placement (see below). Should you wish to undertake a
placement that varies from the requirements below, contact you placement
coordinator to discuss and request approval.
Sydney Campus
(NSW, ACT and offshore)
T 02 9964 6300
studentplacementsyd@acap.edu.au
Brisbane Campus
(QLD and NT)
T 07 3234 4416
studentplacementbris@acap.edu.au
Melbourne Campus
(VIC)
T 03 8613 0600
studentplacementmelb@acap.edu.au
Adelaide Campus
(SA, TAS and WA)
T 08 81104018
studentplacementadel@acap.edu.au
First counselling experience students:
 Face-to-face counselling or psychotherapy sessions. You should plan to see each
client on at least 3 occasions or more to allow a counselling relationship to develop
(there may be a few clients you only see once or twice but the majority should be
ongoing appointments).
 Group work and co-therapy or co-facilitation of a therapy group as long as the
student takes a lead role as co-facilitator and is not observing the group or assisting
 Clinical assessment interviews with follow through counselling sessions
 AFTER you have completed min 40 hours of counselling with adults as described
above, you may THEN include crisis counselling, telephone counselling, Skype face
to face counselling, motivational interviewing, mindfulness sessions and single
session clinical interviews
Students with previous counselling placement or work experience:
 All counselling experiences as listed above with no restriction on the number of hours
 Counselling work with children 12 years old and under must be approved by your
placement coordinator so specialised clinical supervision can be provided
What does not count towards counselling hours on placement?
Casework, counselling research, pastoral care, support groups, 12 step groups, education
sessions with a teaching/learning format, informal work with individuals children and families
etc. These activities would be counted as general placement hours.
Professionalism and Ethics
It is important to remember that whilst on placement you are representing ACAP. Please
familiarise yourself with the Code of Conduct and Safe and Ethical Practice on Placement
documents available on this portal so that you are clear about what is expected of you.
When speaking with prospective placement agencies ask the following questions:
Counselling:
1. What kind of general activities would I be able to take part in with your organisation?
(Ask more about these experiences so you can understand if this is an agency where
you can develop your counselling skills and experience). Engage the supervisor and
agree that all these activities will be great and allow you to experience the full range
of services. Listen for counselling opportunities
Sydney Campus
(NSW, ACT and offshore)
T 02 9964 6300
studentplacementsyd@acap.edu.au
Brisbane Campus
(QLD and NT)
T 07 3234 4416
studentplacementbris@acap.edu.au
Melbourne Campus
(VIC)
T 03 8613 0600
studentplacementmelb@acap.edu.au
Adelaide Campus
(SA, TAS and WA)
T 08 81104018
studentplacementadel@acap.edu.au
2. Say - One of the requirements is that I undertake one to one counselling with clients
over 18 years. I need to see a minimum of 2 clients a week for at least 3 sessions,
hopefully more. Is this something that I will be able to do in your agency?
3. If Yes – great. If No – explore if they would be open to introducing counselling for
clients. Eg our students have introduced counselling in women’s refuges and in
employment services)
4. If the answer is a clear no - As One to one counselling is not available, I will need to
facilitate a formal group therapy program each week. Do you currently run formal
group work therapy for clients dealing with - for example anxiety? Depression?
Domestic Violence? Anger Management? Self Esteem etc? (Support groups and 12
step groups are not formal therapy programs. Formal programs follow a manual and
often have a workbook. They are not purely educational – they allow the group to
explore and deepen their understanding of the content and how their lives are
affected. Clients develop insights and the facilitator is able to guide the discussion
without dominating it.)
5. If yes – would I be able to be trained to facilitate those groups? Perhaps co-facilitate
to start with then as I gain confidence and skill, perhaps facilitate the group myself?
The supervisor may be present or not. I can facilitate or co facilitate with another
student or facilitator
6. If no – is this kind of group something that you feel could be of benefit to your clients?
Eg do you find that (XXX) is something that many of your clients deal with? I could
research a formal program (have it approved, promote the program then run it for a
group of clients for 6 or 12 weeks on my placement day. It would be an extra service
your agency offers but would not require any extra workload on staff as I will do it all.
I’ve completed the unit Group work Theory and Practice so have a sound
understanding of group therapy and the dynamics of group. My clinical supervisor at
ACAP will guide my practice and monitor progress of my skills. I will report in to my
Sydney Campus
(NSW, ACT and offshore)
T 02 9964 6300
studentplacementsyd@acap.edu.au
Brisbane Campus
(QLD and NT)
T 07 3234 4416
studentplacementbris@acap.edu.au
Melbourne Campus
(VIC)
T 03 8613 0600
studentplacementmelb@acap.edu.au
Adelaide Campus
(SA, TAS and WA)
T 08 81104018
studentplacementadel@acap.edu.au
placement supervisor / you each week with an update on how the group is
progressing. Do you think this could be possible?
7. If yes – this should be a good placement.
8. If no – this placement does not meet requirements for a clinical placement. Thank the
supervisor for considering you. Let your Placement Coordinator know there is a nonclinical volunteer opportunity available and we will promote that to other noncounselling students.
9. If you feel that it’s ‘close’ but you can’t quite get them ‘over the line’, or you are not
sure if the group work would meet requirements, call your placement coordinator
and she will call them and talk it all through with the supervisor
Once you have determined that you can meet counselling requirements:
10. I’d like to meet with you to discuss the placement further so we can work out if this is
going to be a good fit for us both. When would you be available to meet with me in
the next few days?
11. Would you like me to send you a copy of my resume now or to bring it with me when
we meet? Email address? Anything else that you would like me to bring with me?
At the meeting: (print the brochures and handouts available at Information for Supervisors,
preferably in colour, and take these along)
12. Confirm all details of the counselling work available discussed previously
13. The days that I would love to do are x or Y. Would one of these days work for the
organisation?
Sydney Campus
(NSW, ACT and offshore)
T 02 9964 6300
studentplacementsyd@acap.edu.au
Brisbane Campus
(QLD and NT)
T 07 3234 4416
studentplacementbris@acap.edu.au
Melbourne Campus
(VIC)
T 03 8613 0600
studentplacementmelb@acap.edu.au
Adelaide Campus
(SA, TAS and WA)
T 08 81104018
studentplacementadel@acap.edu.au
14. I will need to remain on placement at least until XXX (calculate your finish date based
on 7 hours per day of placement. you MUST remain on placement for a minimum of
2 terms and cannot finish before this as you must bring client counselling to
supervision for the entire 2 terms. Many students need to remain on placement after
term ends to ensure you have a minimum of 240 hours )
15. I’d like to start in X weeks. Would that be possible? (you need to start before term
commences – 4 to 6 weeks early is best. It’s possible to start closer to term but you
MUST be counselling by week 4 of term to pass your placement and supervision unit
so keep that in mind.)
16. ACAP will cover my insurances while on placement (certificates of currency are
available if required). I can’t start until I register the placement as this is when the
insurance cover will commence.
17. I will complete a registration form for the placement and submit it to you for your
approval. The link will arrive in your email box in the next day or 2. Please complete
it and approve it and ACAP will email us both to advise the placement is registered
Sydney Campus
(NSW, ACT and offshore)
T 02 9964 6300
studentplacementsyd@acap.edu.au
Brisbane Campus
(QLD and NT)
T 07 3234 4416
studentplacementbris@acap.edu.au
Melbourne Campus
(VIC)
T 03 8613 0600
studentplacementmelb@acap.edu.au
Adelaide Campus
(SA, TAS and WA)
T 08 81104018
studentplacementadel@acap.edu.au