The University of Notre Dame Australia is reshaping counselling education through a renewed, practice-led curriculum and a strong commitment to improving public understanding of complex issues such as mental health and addiction.
Notre Dame's Bachelor and Master of Counselling programs have recently undergone a major renewal, including the introduction of new courses designed to challenge stigma and foster empathy in the future workforce.
This commitment was reflected in a recent Addiction Symposium held at the Fremantle Campus, bringing together staff, students and community members to discuss addiction and mental health.
The event featured an interdisciplinary panel of academics, spanning political science, theology, psychology, social justice and paramedicine, encouraging deeper reflection on addiction.
Associate Program Coordinator and Lecturer for Counselling Fremantle, Mark Holdsworth, said staff aimed to reach beyond the boundaries of the university and contribute to a more humane and constructive public understanding of mental health.
"The Addiction Symposium was created as a way of contributing meaningfully to the public conversation around addiction and mental health," he said.
"At its heart was a desire to invite the wider community into a more compassionate, informed and courageous engagement with issues too often reduced to stigma or misunderstanding.
"We were proud to host an event that affirmed the dignity of every human person and encouraged a more thoughtful response to suffering, complexity and care."
Notre Dame's counselling courses bring together clinical relevance, in-person learning, strong skills development and professional formation in a distinctive way.
The Master of Counselling program has been expanded to include Advanced Counselling Skills, Addiction Counselling, Psychosexual Counselling and Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Practice.
The undergraduate and postgraduate programs are taught by academic staff who are also clinical practitioners, ensuring students are grounded in both theory and the realities of professional practice.
"We are proud of the distinctive character of our programs," Mr Holdsworth said.
"These developments help position Notre Dame as a place where counselling education extends beyond the classroom and is animated by dialogue, reflection and contemporary practice.
"This helps shape graduates who are thoughtful, capable and ready to meet the complexities of human experience with competence and care."
Plans are in place to build on the success of the inaugural Addiction Symposium through future events focused on challenging public stigma.
