Counsellors in Aotearoa New Zealand are not state regulated, meaning anyone can practice as a counsellor regardless of their qualifications or experience. However, to be employed as a counsellor, most organisations require practitioners to hold membership with a professional body such as the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC). NZAC requires all members to have completed either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Counselling. These qualifications are offered through various tertiary institutions across Aotearoa New Zealand.
You can view a list of NZAC-accredited counselling education programmes here: https://nzac.org.nz/site/membership/accredited-education-programmes?nav=sidebar
Holding membership with NZAC indicates that a counsellor has received a high level of formal education and training, and is committed to ethical and professional practice in accordance with NZAC’s standards and Code of Ethics.