CASE Study with us Master of Guidance and Counselling

Meet Master of Guidance and Counselling Alumna Diana Cheatley

What would you say to someone considering whether to do the Master of Guidance and Counselling at JCU?

The online model through JCU really worked for me, as it allowed me to care for my children while working alongside my studies. I would recommend the degree to anyone wanting to gain additional skills in the mental health and counselling space. It’s also an Australian Counselling Association (ACA) Level 2-accredited course. JCU offers Commonwealth-supported places, which lowered my fees significantly, and I felt the lecturers were genuinely engaged, caring and passionate about delivering interesting and meaningful content.

What was your undergraduate degree in and what motivated you to switch into counselling?

I originally completed a Bachelor of Graphic Design before changing careers after the premature birth of my son. Living in the disability space sparked my interest in mental health and human behaviour, leading me to complete a Graduate Diploma of Psychology and a Master of Guidance and Counselling.

I initially wanted to support families of children with disabilities, and that focus has grown over time into supporting young people and their families.

Did you get any credit towards your studies for prior experience?

Yes, my Graduate Diploma of Psychology gave me credit towards the elective subjects, so I did not need to complete them. This left eight subjects remaining in the Master of Guidance and Counselling.

Was the course flexible?

Yes I was able to study the Master of Guidance and Counselling online from my home in Victoria near Echuca, which gave me the flexibility to work while completing my Masters. This allowed me to gain valuable experience alongside my studies. 

Actually, I appreciated both the online flexibility and the live lectures that required attendance, as they helped provide structure and kept us connected with lecturers and peers on a regular basis.

I felt very supported by the lecturers and connected to other students. The lecturers were responsive to emails, and we had time at the end of each lecture to ask questions. We also had online forum discussions where both peers and lecturers could answer questions, especially around assessments.

What did you enjoy about the content? 

I really enjoyed the online intensives where we practiced our counselling skills with peers, and I found these one-week blocks incredibly valuable. I also loved learning about Narrative Therapy and Person-Centred Therapy.

And I enjoyed the group assignments where we worked alongside our peers. It helped build friendships and connections, creating a supportive environment as we worked through the course together.

How did doing the degree help you gain employment?

The course gave me the credibility to apply for roles in the mental health space. I’m currently working as a youth worker, which provides a balance of face-to-face guidance and a social work model. This includes linking young people with supports to improve their wellbeing and engagement in education and providing guidance and support to help them achieve a higher quality of life.

The Master of Guidance and Counselling helped me gain Australian Counselling Association (ACA) membership, which strengthened my ability to secure work in the mental health space and deepened my confidence in practice. I’m currently working as a youth worker, where I provide direct guidance and support to young people while also connecting them with appropriate services to improve their wellbeing and engagement in education.