Avril Carruthers

Master of Counselling

Completed: 1998

Specialisation: Counselling and Communication

Study mode(s): Sydney Campus

State: NSW

Fieldwork placement: SVDP Family Welfare Unit, Redfern
Assisting with administrative office tasks; assisting with counselling of Welfare Unit clients; participating in in-house skillsharing; attending supervision meetings; counselling volunteers, etc.

Professional membership(s):
CAPA (lapsed)

Experience at ACAP:
I enjoyed my classes, finding my fellow students to be interesting
people, intellectually stimulating and fun. I found the course instructors to be
of an excellent standard, well able to stimulate an enquiring mindset in students, communicate their knowledge and experience and deliver the required course content and more. Supervision was also excellent. The classrooms themselves were large and pleasant (although lack of natural lighting was less than ideal). Flexible courses meant I could choose to attend three units a day or one unit three mornings, afternoons or
evenings a week. Most useful, being in private practice, I could implement what I
had learned that day with a client in the evening. Assessments were
challenging with effective student support allowing adequate planning for study and assignments. Summer school courses, where fast-tracking was possible, were also excellent and extremely useful.

How personally and or professionally benefitted from study at ACAP:
ACAP benefitted me enormously not only in the very hands-on and
practical courses, furthering my learning of skills and deepening my knowledge of my profession, but also in gaining additional professional qualifications (Masters in Counselling). Having already been in private practice for many years prior to undertaking my Masters Degree with ACAP, my professional confidence increased and my counselling range as well, in direct proportion to the courses studied.

How used qualifications since graduation:
Private Practice (part-time since 1984, full-time continuously since 1990)

In private practice:
Yes

Business details:
The Ashbridge Trainings
Kingsford
(02) 9340 4874  (m) 0412 912 164
email: avrilcarruthers@optusnet.com.au

Description of services:
Counselling and psychotherapeutic services and personal growth facilitation with a large range of modalities as appropriate. Couple and family therapy. Some modalities include TA, CBT, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), EMDR, NLP, Existential counselling, regression etc. Spiritual growth work; meditation training; workshops in Character work and Astrodrama. Past-life regression and shifting emotional blocks.