Our Certificate of Domestic Violence – Counselling is ideal professional development and a pathway towards and careers in counselling, social work, psychology, community services and welfare support work.

Future growth: Very strong

Unemployment: Low

Career pathways: Counselling, social work, psychology, community services and welfare support work.

Why Study Domestic Violence Counselling?

Counselling is an important therapy for people experiencing domestic and family violence. Domestic abuse takes many forms, including intimate partner violence – which includes physical, sexual, stalking or emotional and psychological harm.

Domestic violence can also include other members of household, including parents, siblings, relatives and roommates.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 11.8 per cent (or 2.2 million) of Australian adults have experienced violence from a partner.

If you work in a helping profession, skills in domestic violence counselling are crucial.

Domestic Violence Statistics – Australia

Family, domestic and sexual violence is a major health and welfare issue.

• 1 in 6 (1.6 million) women have experienced physical, and/or sexual violence by a cohabiting partner since age 15.
• 1 in 16 (0.5 million) men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a cohabiting partner since age 15.
• 1 woman a week and 1 man a month were killed by a current or former partner in the two years from 2012-2014
• 2,800 women and 560 men were hospitalised in 2014-15 after being assaulted by a spouse or partner
• Family and domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness
• Intimate partner violence is the greatest health risk factor for women aged 25-44 years
• The estimated cost of violence towards women and children is $22 billion
• Almost 1 in 4 (23%) women and 1 in 6 (16%) men have experienced emotional abuse from a current or previous partner since the age of 15
• Almost 1 in 5 (18%) women and 1 in 20 (4.7%) men have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15

Vulnerable Groups

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
• Young women
• Pregnant women
• Women with disabilities
• Women experiencing financial hardship
• People who experienced abuse or witnessed domestic violence as children

Careers in Counselling for Domestic Violence

Psychologist

Psychologists are experts in human behaviour and can help people to change the way they think, feel, behave and react. Psychologists study the brain, memory, learning and human development. Psychological treatment can be used to help those affected by domestic and family violence.

Counsellor

A counsellor helps people with concerns or problems, including anxiety, depression, grief or relationship difficulties. These professionals are important in helping find positive ways to address issues, explore options, develop strategies and increase self-awareness in domestic violence situations.

Social Worker

Social workers provide emotional and practical support to people who have experienced domestic and family violence. They help survivors work through legal issues, explore options and choices, find accommodation, counselling, financial

Welfare Support Worker  

A welfare support worker or community services worker will help individuals, families and groups with social, emotional and financial difficulties to improve their quality of life through education, support and working towards changing their social environment.

Types of Domestic Violence Counselling

Individual counselling

This type of counselling is tailored to the specific needs of the individual and their circumstances. The client will receive one-on-one counselling from a professional counsellor to address their feelings and experiences and to formulate goals to move forward.

Support groups

Support groups provide for shared experience and reinforce that the domestic violence survivor is not alone. It’s a powerful counselling tool that promotes wellbeing and builds a sense of universality among group members.

Integrative therapies

Yoga, meditation and mindfulness are integrative therapies that can help promote enhanced wellbeing among those who have experienced domestic violence.

Creative therapies

Art, music, writing, singing, drama and craft therapies can all improve psychological health and aid in recovery for those who have experienced domestic violence.

Couples therapy

Couples counselling is never appropriate if either partner feels unsafe. The counselling must include a thorough assessment of the individuals and the relationship to determine if other forms of therapy (see above) are necessary first steps.

Certificate of Domestic Violence and Counselling

Certificate of Domestic Violence and Counselling is an online course that will provide you with the skills and strategies to counsel people who have experienced domestic and family violence.

In this online domestic violence course, you will learn to recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence and provide counselling to those impacted.

In this counselling online domestic violence course, you will learn about:

• Recognise and respond to domestic violence
• Counsel clients affected by domestic and family violence
• Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
• Facilitate the counselling relationship and process
• Select and use counselling therapies

Learning outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking online domestic violence course in counselling includes learning about:

• Support those affected by domestic and family violence
• Values and philosophies of domestic violence work
• At risk groups – women and children
• Rural and regional communities
• Indigenous communities
• Pregnant women
• Economic costs
• Social and health costs
• Historical and political context
• Criminal justice
• Support client and worker safety
• Prevention strategies
• Client and worker safety
• Risk assessment
• The Danger Assessment (DA) scale
• Records reports and referral information
• Record keeping systems
• Review existing case information
• Establish professional relationships
• Positive behaviours demonstrating respect
• Behaviours that compromise professional relationships
• Conducting interviews and interactions with clients
• Developing an awareness of risk
• Prevention strategies
• Client/worker safety
• Perpetrators
• Encouraging participation
• Maintaining privacy
• Sensitivity to individual differences
• Structured counselling approach
• Analyse existing client information
• Legal and ethical considerations
• Transparent management of personal information
• Health and safety legislation
• Initial counselling session
• Engaging with clients
• Building rapport
• Active listening
• Effective questioning
• Communication techniques
• Following the client’s story
• Encouraging client to tell their story
• Closed questions
• Legal and ethical considerations
• Equal opportunity
• Anti-discrimination legislation
• Mandatory reporting legislation
• Duty of care
• Client presenting and underlying issues
• Engaging with clients
• Select counselling therapies
• Identify and prioritising client needs
• Establish desired changes
• Creative problem-solving techniques
• SMART goals
• Client’s developmental status
• Client’s response to change
• Piaget’s cognitive development (4 stages)
• Freud’s psychosexual stages of development (5 stages)
• Id, ego and superego

And more…

If you want to gain the skills to counsel those impacted by domestic and family violence, consider our online domestic violence course in counselling, Certificate of Domestic Violence and Counselling.