What GPs Think of Counsellors: A Survey of Attitudes Regarding Relevance and Expertise

Abstract

One hundred and five general medical practitioners (GPs) from the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales participated in a survey of their knowledge of, and attitudes towards, counsellors. Data indicated that GPs considered counsellors to be relevant mental health professionals to whom the great majority would refer patients. They also indicated that they would seek personal assistance from counsellors should the need arise, and would pay reasonable fees for such assistance. Counsellors were judged by GPs to be the preferred mental health professional (ahead of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers) for nine out of 20 client presenting problems. However, these positive findings were balanced by a need stated by the GPs for counsellors to be tertiary trained and registered, with the most significant drawback of counselling being the lack of such training and expertise. Implications arise from these data for the formalisation of registration processes for counsellors.