Whether it’s because of the chaotic world we live in or the busy lives people lead nowadays, mental health services are increasingly being used in Australia. The counselling sector, in particular, is set to grow considerably over the coming years, which means an entirely new wave of qualified professionals to meet the demand.
Whether talking about relationship counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), there’s a whole host of rewarding roles that can be pursued. One of the most popular ways to train for this kind of work is via online counselling courses like our CPD-endorsed Aged Care Counselling in the Community Courses
Even the Best Counselling Courses Online Present Challenges
Delivered online rather than face-to-face, the flexible learning experience offers high-quality education, as well as the ability to study as and when you please. However, success - even with these great online classes - is not guaranteed, as you still have a few barriers to overcome.
In this blog, we look at those barriers and how you can successfully train to offer counselling services for real. The right learning environment needs to be created, and here we show you how to tip the balance in your favour.
Barrier #1 - Not Enough Time
One of the primary barriers people face when taking counselling courses online is a distinct lack of time. Even with modern information technology on your side, you still need to put enough time aside to obtain the required know-how. As such, you need to focus on your time management.
You could use a traditional paper schedule or one of the many apps found online, like Clockify and Toggl. Support from this kind of tech can make all the difference and keep you on track.
Barrier #2 - Getting Stuck in Your Online Program
When taking online therapy or counselling training, you don’t have a teacher with you in person, assisting you in real time. So, your progress through your coursework could be hampered if you were to find any healthcare counselling topics challenging.
Here, you need to reach out, and with all OCA online learning, that’s to your own personal expert mentor. They’ve worked in the Australian counselling sector for real, so they’ll have the answers you seek and a wealth of insight to impart.
Barrier #3 - Technical Issues
In this world of social media, most things require an internet connection and an element of tech-savviness. However, this might be your first time dealing with this kind of technology, so it’s not a given that you’ll be conversant with what’s required in counselling courses online.
To those ‘in the know’, you should ensure that you’ve got a stable online connection and ensure all of your devices are fully charged up. Then, when engaging in training such as our Counselling Skills Course, you can have an online discussion with customer support if you have any more issues.
Barrier #4 - Losing Motivation & Engagement
If at any point you become unsure about a career in counselling, or life gets a bit much, it can be easy to lose motivation when studying on an online learning platform like ours. Online counselling courses, and indeed all online learning options can be impacted in this way.
This is one of the most common challenges people encounter when taking online counselling courses, so you should take the time to rediscover your passion. Try to remember what made you sign up in the first place - such as your desire to help others.
With your ultimate goal firmly in your mind, you’ll hopefully re-acquire that fire for learning. Also, try and focus on the work you’ve already completed for that extra bit of motivation.
Barrier #5 - Lack of Practical Application
Online learning is an effective way to study to be a professional counsellor, as the course material is of high quality, and with OCA, our content is industry-led. However, the natural follow-up to learning the theory side of things via counselling courses online is to gain practical experience of actually using your skills on real people.
A good way to get over this problem is to engage in role-plays and practical exercises with friends and family members. Internships and volunteering also represent a great way to obtain that important real-life experience that all counselling health professionals need.
OCA Counselling Courses Online - Your Key to a Rewarding Career
Options like our CPD-endorsed, video-based counselling courses online offer the most convenient and affordable professional development learning available. It’s mentally stimulating training that encourages further learning, but if you do face any of the described challenges along the way, be sure to implement the solutions offered.
Created in collaboration with top industry experts, you get all the skills you need, but on your own terms. Furthermore, upon completion, you get Micro-credential badges that look great on your CV! To get a closer look at the experience you get when taking OCA online courses, be sure to take a look at our informative Student Study Demo.
Alternatively, if you’d like to speak to us directly about your precise training needs, all you need to do is call 1300 611 404 or email support@onlinecourses.com.au.
