About Interest Groups
PACFA Interest Groups are informal groups of members who come together to explore aspects of practice and to provide networking, learning and support opportunities.
Interest Groups are new to PACFA and members are encouraged to support the new Interest Groups that have been formed so that we can offer members a range of interesting groups relating to their shared professional interests.
- Modalities, interventions, client groups or work settings
- Social policy issues affecting practice
- Professional standards in areas of shared interest
Older People Interest Group
In December 2020, the Older People Interest Group was formed. The Older People Interest Group aims to raise awareness of counsellors with experience in working with older people and advocate for their recognition, raise issues to Government through appropriate channels, and promote good practice when working with older people. The latter may include developing or highlighting sound practice resources, and creating professional development opportunities for working with older people. Older people for this purpose are described as age 50+ to recognise the diversity of ageing and life experiences. Hence, the descriptor is not restricted to people who receive aged care services or people who receive the age pension. We welcome your ideas for professional development and your support as we grow this Interest Group.
Contact: [email protected]
Proposed new Interest Groups
- Trauma-informed Practice Interest Group
- Clinical Supervision Interest Group
Infants, Children, and Young People
Expression of Interest's are invited from members who are interested in joining a special interest group dedicated (SIG) to the infants, children, and young people and it is open to any member who works therapeutically with children (0-11 years) and young people (12-25 years). The SIG aims to draw together counsellors and psychotherapists working in a wide range of settings and with diverse training and experience who have a strong interest in professional practice and professional development relevant to this cohort.
Objectives include:
- To develop low-cost PD’s to support counsellors and psychotherapists already working with, or looking to learn how to work effectively with infants, children, and young people and their families and/or carers.
- To offer a community of practice that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and consultation, and provides opportunities to share information, knowledge, and expertise.
- To provide consultation to PACFA regarding Federal and/or state policy and legislation concerning the mental health and emotional well-being of infants, children, and young people and assist with drafting documents.
- To partner with other key agencies and bodies and build a stronger reflexive alliance and strategic partnerships that enable us to achieve the goals of the SIG.
- To develop and extend the practice knowledge and expertise of counsellors and psychotherapists at any stage of their career.
- To elevate the voices of infants, children, and young people and act as their advocates for their inclusion in society, policy, and initiatives that impact or involve them.
Domestic Violence and Family Law
PACFA’s Domestic Violence and Family Law Special Interest Group supports counsellors and psychotherapists working with domestic and family violence, intimate partner abuse, parenting, separation, and engagement with family law systems.
The SIG was established in recognition of the specialist knowledge, ethical awareness, and practice depth required to work safely and effectively in these contexts. It offers a collegial and reflective space for practitioners across community services, private practice, and statutory environments who encounter domestic and family violence in their work, whether as specialists or in everyday therapeutic practice.
Developing Skills for Complex and Ethical Practice
Members of the SIG share a commitment to strengthening practice knowledge in areas such as:
- Therapeutic responses informed by statutory and systemic awareness
- Understanding the impacts of violence on children, parenting capacity, and family systems
- Working with accountability and safety without collapsing complexity into adversarial or diagnostic frameworks
- Ethical and defensible documentation and court-related reporting
- Managing documentation produced from therapeutic work with clients such as letters, reports, subpoenas, information sharing, and professional boundaries.
The group seeks to deepen definitions, dialogue, and good practice principles to support high‑quality and ethically grounded therapeutic work.
Activities and Structure
The group supports ongoing learning, collaboration, and professional engagement through:
- Monthly online meetings, with alternating times to maximise accessibility
- Reflective practice discussions and case presentations (de‑identified)
- Resource sharing, including research summaries and practice tools
- Development of position papers and advocacy‑ready documents
Members are encouraged to share real‑world insights, what works, where challenges arise, and how systemic constraints shape practice.