Editorial: Prioritising Consistent Research Training in Counselling and Psychotherapy Courses

With one focus area of the draft national standards dedicated to counsellors and psychotherapists undertaking research, an article on the research preparation offered by 90 accredited Australian training courses aptly recommends clearer and more consistent guidelines (Beel & Purvis, 2024). Exposure to research methodology and production would ensure that graduates are equipped with a minimum standard of research literacy which is essential for evidence-informed practice, professional identity, and the credibility of the profession. Volume 12 (2) of the _Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia_ (PACJA) also includes two reviews on under-researched topics: a systematic literature review on the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on adult mental health (Al Barak, 2024) and a scoping review on the impacts of self-harm scars on psychosocial functioning, quality of life, and recovery in people with histories of self harm (Linington, 2024). Two Practice Reflections showcase evidence- and theory-informed practitioner wisdom; one outlining eight steps to softening corrosive self-criticism (Pearson & Wilson, 2024), the other on developing an autobiographical narrative with older clients to enhance ego integration (Roser, 2024). Two final articles highlight the variation of therapeutic practices available in Australia. Firstly, "Gudu-Guduwa: Healing Disconnection Through Incorporating Bush and Animal-Assisted Therapies Into Therapeutic Practice: A First Nations Reflection" (Stawiarski, 2024) explores Indigenous approaches to bush therapy and equine-assisted therapy as well as connection with ancestral Country and healing when connection to Country is severed. Secondly, an art-based autoethnography study used a mixed methods research design to measure improvements in an international tertiary student's distress (Lai & Andrews, 2024).