PACFA and the DTAA

This page explains the relationship between DTAA and PACFA (The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia) for DTAA Provisional and Professional Members in Australia.

DTAA’s status with PACFA
At the present DTAA is a Member Association of PACFA. The DTAA pays PACFA an annual fee proportionate to the number of our Prof. and Prov. Prof. members who live in Australia.  Unfortunately this does not offer these DTAA members any additional benefits unless they hold a degree in Psychotherapy or Counselling separate to their DMT degree, and apply to PACFA to join as a Psychotherapist or Counsellor.  A DTAA member who believes they have the appropriate training, supervision and clinical hours can apply to join the PACFA National Register.  The application process occurs through PACFA and is entirely separate from DTAA.

Training required for eligibility for the PACFA Register

PACFA is the professional credentialing body for the profession of psychotherapy and counselling ONLY.  As a result many members of the DTAA may find themselves ineligible to join the PACFA Register, even if they meet or have met DTAA’s Professional requirements.  PACFA Training Standards changed in 2018, and as a result it will only accept Psychotherapy or Counselling training that holds AQF levels 7-9 (university Bachelor level) or above accreditation.

Benefits of listing on the PACFA Register

Listing on the PACFA Register offers exposure to a broader potential client and employer group nationally than the DTAA’s Register. PACFA’s new portal will have a selection option that will help potential clients identify DM therapists.  It also entitles a Registrant to access funding such as NDIS, where the practitioner is dealing with a client whose funding package requires ‘ACA membership or equivalent’. Currently while DMT is not recognised as a specific modality by the NDIS, PACFA Registration gives dance movement therapists opportunities for funding that is not available to people who are only listed only on DTAA’s Register. DTAA is working to address this but the outcome is currently uncertain. Find out more about DTAA and NDIS here.

What you will need to understand in order to vote at the AGM 2022

Before the 2022 AGM, all Provisional Professional and Professional members (wherever they reside) will be sent a ballot asking whether DTAA should remain a Member Association of PACFA.  This is an important ballot because it impacts DTAA’s financial resources as well as the equality/inequality offered to its members.  It behooves you to understand the issues behind this simple question.

The following video and powerpoint explains the advantages and disadvantages to DTAA remaining a Member Association of PACFA.  It will also help you understand how remaining a member association of PACFA creates a disproportionate financial partiality for Australian members, but only those those with Psychotherapy or Counselling degrees.

The seminar was held on the 12th April 2022 by the Workplace Development Committee in order to explain the PACFA-DTAA relationship and the issues behind the question of DTAA remaining a Member Association of PACFA. You can watch the recorded seminar here. You can also view the powerpoint and the Q and A discussions occuring during the seminar.