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As National Pain Week begins, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) stands in solidarity with the one in five Australians living with chronic pain, an invisible but life-altering condition that impacts not only physical wellbeing but also emotional, social, and psychological health.

A growing chorus of experts, educators, and front-line workers are sounding the alarm: Australia’s children are not okay. A new report featured by 7News reveals that half of young Australians are experiencing psychological distress, marking what may be the most urgent youth mental health crisis in generations.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed the support of Kate Chaney MP, Independent Member for Curtin, following a constructive meeting this week to discuss the proposed Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

The VMHPAA Winter Edition 2025 Newsletter is packed with powerful updates, reflections, and resources for anyone passionate about a fairer, more inclusive mental health system in Australia.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed correspondence from ACT Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Education and Early Childhood, Yvette Berry MLA, in response to our concerns regarding the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

Today, on International Non-Binary People’s Day, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) proudly celebrates the identities, experiences, and contributions of non-binary people across Australia and around the world.

National Diabetes Week (13–19 July) rightly spotlights prevention - an effort that "matters at every stage of the journey," from reducing Type 2 onset to preventing complications in Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes .

In the July 2025 edition of The Australian Women's Weekly, the article "Nowhere to Turn" lays bare a devastating truth: Australia's mental health system is on the brink. Emergency departments are overwhelmed. Suicide rates are rising. Too many Australians, especially women and young people, have nowhere to turn.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) acknowledges the recent response from the Victorian Department of Education - Sharon Barry, Executive Director for Inclusive Education; regarding our concerns about the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists and their potential impact on counsellors working in schools.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) is pleased to report that our Secretary Ms Susan Sandy VMVMHPAA, met today with Richard Welch MP to discuss the serious impacts of the proposed Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists on private practices and community services.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) proudly acknowledges NAIDOC Week 2025, a powerful moment in the national calendar to honour the history, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This July, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) proudly celebrates Disability Pride Month, a time to recognise the strength, diversity, and dignity of individuals living with disability across Australia and beyond.

Today, Shane Warren (Chair) and Philip Armstrong (CEO) of the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) formally met with representatives from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - specifically the Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Division of the Primary and Community Care Group.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) is encouraged by the strong support received from Senator Katy Gallagher, who has formally written to the Federal Minister for Health, the Hon. Mark Butler MP, raising our concerns regarding the proposed Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) fully endorses The Australian Women’s Weekly exposé Nowhere to Turn: Inside Australia’s Mental Health Crisis, which underscores a mental health system at breaking point - overwhelmed, under-resourced, and fragmented.

In recent weeks, VMHPAA has lodged formal concerns with federal decision-makers, while also petitioning State Premiers, Health Ministers, and Senators to draw urgent attention to the following risks...

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) acknowledges recent correspondence from the Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People regarding the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

The Productivity Commission’s recent review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement confirms what many of us working in the community already know all too well: the agreement, while well-intentioned, has failed to deliver real outcomes for the people it was meant to support.

Take Your Dog To Work Day... Far more than just an excuse for cute selfies and furry office visitors, this day reminds us of the power of companionship, emotional support, and unconditional love, qualities our dogs offer freely and without judgment.

On this World Refugee Day, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) joins the global community in honouring the courage, resilience, and strength of refugees who have fled war, persecution, and torture in search of safety and dignity.