About Us

ACA is Australia's largest single registration body for Counsellors and Psychotherapists with over 12,000 members. ACA serves a crucial role in advocating and advancing the profession of counselling and psychotherapy.

ACA's objectives include:

• Promote and advocate for the counselling profession.
• Represent its members to government and industry.
• Establish appropriate training standards for the profession.
• Accredit education courses for Counsellors.
• Assist members with employment and practice development.
• Recognise appropriate professional development opportunities for members.
• Establish and oversee codes of ethical practice.
• Assist the mental health consumer access ethical and appropriate service providers.

ACA has a proud 25 year history of advocating and advancing the profession of counselling and psychotherapy with governing bodies, achieving more than any other organisations in this area in Australia.

ACA has a solid international reputation, including formal affiliations with peak bodies in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Ireland and Papua New Guinea. The ACA also regularly engages with peak bodies in Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA and Malaysia. ACA is a founding member of the Asia Pacific Rim Confederation of Counsellors. Philip Armstrong, ACA CEO, is also the Chair of the steering committee for the Counselling and Psychotherapy Association of Commonwealth Nations. ACA participates in bi-annual conferences in Asia as part of its commitment to the Asia Pacific Rim region.

ACA is recognised as an Observer member of the World Health Organisation’s Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Reference Group for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in Emergency Settings.