Townsville Catholic Education (TCE) celebrated Guidance Counsellor Appreciation Day on 15 October 2026, aligning with Queensland Mental Health Week’s theme: Build Community, Build Wellbeing. The theme reflects a growing consensus in Australian educational research: student mental health is strengthened when schools cultivate connected, supportive environments where wellbeing is embedded in everyday practice.

Across the Diocese, Guidance Counsellors are central to this work. Their contribution is not simply supportive, it is transformative. Our Guidance Counsellors form a network of 31 qualified professionals who deliver counselling, assessment, early intervention, and collaborative wellbeing support across all TCE schools. Their practice is grounded in evidence-based frameworks and a deep understanding of the ecological factors that shape student development. Guidance Counsellors are dedicated to providing counselling, student support, classroom support and assessment services to all Catholic schools across the Townsville Diocese. This work is foundational to the mental health, learning, and long-term wellbeing of students.

Australian academic research consistently highlights the importance of early intervention in school-based mental health. The Australian Institute of Family Studies notes that early identification and timely support significantly reduce the escalation of mental health concerns in children and adolescents. Similarly, Beyond Blue’s Be You framework emphasises that students benefit most when wellbeing concerns are addressed holistically and supported through sustained relationships with trusted adults.

This aligns directly with the documented role of TCE’s Guidance Counsellors, who: “Develop and implement programs for students that have a focus on preventative and early intervention strategies… responsive to identified personal, social, emotional and educational needs.”

Their work spans:

• Individual counselling and therapeutic support
• Social–emotional skill development
• Classroom-based wellbeing programs
• Collaboration with teachers and pastoral staff
• Liaison with external health professionals
• Support for families navigating complex wellbeing needs

This multidisciplinary approach reflects contemporary Australian wellbeing frameworks, which emphasise that mental health is shaped by the interplay between school, family, community and individual factors.

One of the most academically grounded aspects of TCE’s wellbeing model is its ecological perspective, recognising that students exist within interconnected systems. As the Student Wellbeing & Pastoral Services documentation notes: “Any intervention with Primary and Secondary school students has to take particular notice of the student within the context of the family… realising that the responsibility for each student’s welfare and progress remains within the family and local school.” This mirrors the work of Australian scholars such as Professor Donna Cross, whose research highlights the importance of relational school cultures, and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, who argues that effective school-based mental health support must consider family dynamics, community influences, and the relational environment of the school. Guidance Counsellors operationalise this research every day, supporting students while strengthening the networks around them.

The theme “Build Community, Build Wellbeing” is not an abstract concept for Guidance Counsellors, it is embedded in their daily work. They:

• Build staff capability through professional learning
• Support teachers with planning and adjustments
• Facilitate group programs that foster belonging
• Strengthen relationships between students and staff
• Connect families with appropriate services
• Contribute to whole-school wellbeing planning

This community-building role is explicitly recognised in TCE’s documentation: “Guidance Counsellors provide professional expertise, leadership and support to the school community… to assist students in achieving positive educational, developmental and lifelong learning outcomes.” Their work reinforces what Australian research has long shown: students thrive when they feel connected, supported and understood within their school community.

The human impact: stories from across the Diocese

Supporting student resilience

Michael, Guidance Counsellor for Ryan Catholic College in Kirwan, reflects on the relational foundation of his work: “Guidance Counsellors are foundational in all our Catholic schools. They build strong relationships with students and get to know students really well.” He adds: “It’s about being present, being heard, being there for the individual that’s sitting opposite me in the office.”

Collaboration with teachers and pastoral staff

Principal of St Margaret Mary's Catholic College, Hyde Park, Kathleen McCarthy highlights the integrated nature of wellbeing support: “Our Counsellors are an invaluable part of our pastoral care team… just to make sure our girls get all the wellbeing and pastoral support that they need.”

Katelyn, a Guidance Counsellor also from St Margaret Mary's Catholic College, expands: “A consistent role that I play is in emotional regulation… equipping young people with some skills and strategies that they can use to regulate their emotions.”

Connecting school and home

Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors, Kellie Burton describes the bridging role Guidance Counsellors play: “Our role in the school is also around linking the classroom with home… bringing all the stakeholders together in that space.”

Supporting families through complex challenges

Principal of Columba Catholic College in Charters Towers, Shayne Harrison notes the increasing complexity of student needs: “We are finding more and more that we’re relying on accurate assessment and being able to work with external agencies… often more so with things going on at home.”

Yvonne, a Guidance Counsellor from Mount Isa school Good Shepherd Catholic College adds: “People are having to wait long to see people, and in the meantime they still continue to struggle… the Guidance Counsellors are there to support them during that time.”

Creating safe, welcoming spaces

Mason, St Michael’s Catholic School’s Guidance Counsellor on Palm Island, shares: “We’ve been very adamant on making sure our environment is a very welcoming space where kids can check in… having a bit of a yarn and then getting on to class.”

 TCE’s wellbeing leadership emphasises proactive planning, early identification of emerging needs, and coordinated support across schools. School Pastoral Support plays a key role in ensuring consistency, quality and professional supervision across the network. This system-wide approach reflects national trends in school wellbeing, where multidisciplinary teams are increasingly recognised as essential to supporting student mental health in a rapidly changing educational landscape. Guidance Counsellors are at the centre of this work not only responding to student needs, but shaping the wellbeing culture of each school. 

Guidance Counsellor Appreciation Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the professionalism, compassion and expertise of counsellors across the Diocese. Their work is often quiet, confidential and unseen yet profoundly impactful. Team Leader, Guidance Counsellors, Erin Stafford captures this perfectly: “Our Guidance Counsellors really are the only people as trained mental health professionals within the school environment… they have a really particular skill set.” 

As TCE continues to prioritise student wellbeing, the role of Guidance Counsellors remains critical. Their work embodies the spirit of Queensland Mental Health Week’s theme and reflects TCE’s commitment to supporting the holistic development of every student.

References 

Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS). Mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents.

Beyond Blue. Be You: National Education Initiative.

Cross, D. (Ed.). Research on school belonging and wellbeing, Telethon Kids Institute.

Carr-Gregg, M. Surviving Adolescents and associated school wellbeing research.

Queensland Mental Health Week. Build Community, Build Wellbeing theme resources.

Townsville Catholic Education. Student Wellbeing & Pastoral Services documentation.

Townsville Catholic Education. Guidance Counsellors documentation.