Survey Results

1. Survey Results Labour Mobility Working Group of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association HRSDC CCPA

2. A Note About Terminology “Profession” and “counselling” were used consistently as general, umbrella terms to describe the breadth and depth of more specific titles and actions used across the nation. Results from the survey confirmed clear understanding of generic term “counselling profession” as inclusive of (among others): Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that the “definition of counselling” and the “scope of practice” were inclusive of them despite their personal use of more than 70 different specific counselling-related titles and more than 250 practice types.

3. Why Do A Survey? To determine levels of agreement in Canada for a definition of counselling and psychotherapy, and a scope of practice statement for counselling and psychotherapy practitioners and organizations. To determine equivalencies between provincial and territorial scopes and definitions to national definitions. When this equivalency is achieved, labour mobility is enhanced. Validating equivalent definitions and scopes results in acknowledgement of a single profession. Core of the survey: “Do these statements describe you and your organization?”

4. What Was Presented? MANDATED TITLES (through statutory- or self-regulation) counselling therapist (BC, NS, NB) psychotherapist (ON, BC) mental health therapist (ON) conseiller/conseillèred’orientation (QC) Marriage and Family Therapist (QC) Career Counsellor (NB) orienteur (QC) orienteur professionnel (QC) psychoeducateur (QC) clinical counsellor (BC) Counsellor (QC) Vocational Guidance Counsellor (QC) An opportunity to indicate preferred titles was presented.

5. What Was Presented? DEFINITION Counselling is a relational process based upon the ethical use of specific professional competencies to facilitate human change. Counselling addresses wellness, relationships, personal growth, career development, mental health, and psychological illness or distress. The counselling process is characterized by the application of recognized cognitive, affective, expressive, somatic, spiritual, developmental, behavioural, learning, and systemic principles.

6. What Was Presented? SCOPE OF PRACTICE The counselling profession: is attentive to and responds to diversity and inclusiveness; works in the best interest of individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, communities, and the public-at-large; works in the domains of cognition, emotion, expression, somatics, human development, behaviour, learning, and interactive systems; promotes mental health by developing and enhancing: personal, relational, sexual, career, and spiritual growth and well-being, personal awareness and resources, decision-making and problem-solving; remediates or provides treatment for disorders in cognitive, behavioural, interpersonal, and emotional functioning; applies specific and recognized evaluation and assessment methods; may also include supervision, education, training, consultation, research, diagnosis, and referral.

7. Why Ask Demographic Questions? People differ!!! Knowing the diversity provided a context for the results. Asking about demographics and professional attributes allowed us to link responses to: Geography Background Age Gender Enabled a report on who owns what part of the diversity.

8. A First Look At the Survey: Counting Things Highlights: 46 Organizations 1,416 respondents Every province and territory represented in responses 322 men (22%) and 1,026 women (70.2%) responded to entire survey 113 (7.7%) non-completers 54.6% between ages 41 and 60; 21.1% were under 41, and 16.8% were over 60. 982 (69.4%) city, 255 (18.0%) suburban, 309 (21.8%) rural, 55 (3.9%) remote areas. 156 (11.0%) members of visible minorities 98 (6.9%) had disabilities 57 (4.0%) self-identified as Aboriginal 1,231 (86.9%) went to school in Canada; 299 (21.1%) in US; 92 (6.5%) elsewhere

9. Counting Things (continued) 199 (14%) have BA’s, 919 (65.0%) Master’s degrees, 127 (9%) have doctorates 2,720 courses and significant training events Practice: 5 years or less – 25.8%, 20 years or more – 15.5% 595 (42.0%) in private practice 397 (28.0%) in schools and universities 30% in agencies and health care settings 76.6% worked most frequently with adults; youth 20.3%; children 11.9%. 818 (57.8%) practiced general mental health counselling 423 (30.0%) family & marriage, 282 (20.0%) addictions, 222 (15.5%) career; 171 (12.1%) school-based, and 138 (9.7%) post-secondary 38 different national associations listed, with CCPA most frequent

10. Counting Things (continued) More than 70 different preferred professional titles were added by respondents to those titles listed. Most frequently added titles were: Registered Psychotherapist Counselling Therapist Clinical Counsellor

11. Questions and Comments?

12. Typical or Diverse? Survey draws on the thoughts and opinions of a wide diversity of people. Composite Survey Respondent (based on averages) Female 40 – 60 years old Works in a city Multiple and complex identities Studied in Canada Master’s level of education Identifiable specialization Practiced for 5 to 20 years Works with adults doing general mental health counselling Identifies as a psychotherapist, counselling therapist or clinical counsellor.

13. Survey Completers vs. Non-completers “What is the probability that we are dealing with two different groups?” Survey non-completers did not differ from completers. Details show that the groups appear to differ in some ways, but not in any systematic way, and not in ways that cannot be accounted for by random variability. From this standpoint, the groups are the same.

14. Think Twice? How Come? The survey asked respondents to: look at the definition and scope of practice and to record their level of agreement. look at each component and record their level of agreement. once again rate their entire level of agreement. Allowed the capture of both first impressions and “sober second thought”. May have increased the reliability of the results. Responses from these two points of view did not differ in any way that cannot be accounted for by chance variation. Crucial point of validity for our survey: shows that the respondents gathered a first impression of statements that respondents thought through the statements having considered them, respondents maintained their endorsement. Can be assured that the survey results hold up under scrutiny and review.

15. Agree vs. Disagree Language No difference in responses across English and French respondents. Education Education made a difference on agreement 10% of responders with a doctorate indicated some level of disagreement 1.25% master’s educated respondents indicated some disagreement. Interpretation: Doctorally prepared practitioners are a minority group schooled in critical analysis and hierarchy Not surprising that they would show a higher rate of disagreement, although disagreement is still minor Comforting that as a group, showed over 90% support for the statements

16. Agree vs. Disagree Age of Clientele Respondents with clients who are either very young or very old increased the probability of disagreeing statistically detectable. Interpretation When examined in detail, those working with children and seniors were so few in number that the pattern could not be discerned This group was very supportive, just not as supportive as the overall respondents There was very high agreement with the core concepts presented in this survey across all groupings of the respondents, however, some groupings appear to be slightly less high in their approval than some others

17. What Did We Learn? As groups, those with doctoral education and those who work with the far ends of the lifespan are supporters of the definition and scope, but not as strongly supportive as all other respondents. Important Note: We are asking statistical questions Such questions apply to populations and samples The answers to such questions cannot be applied to individuals

18. Predictors A great deal of diversity in respondents Most answers were in the agree range Still room for variation Does diversity of respondents account for some response variability? Geographic location Age of practitioner Being remote or not remote Education Being part of a national association

19. Geographic Location Territory respondents showed stronger support for the definition than for the scope of practice statement Not a big difference (approximately 3%) Interpretation In remote areas a solid professional identity is required. Not having a city’s range of resources, your scope of practice can become very large.

20. Age of Practitioner Those in their thirties and those in their fifties differed on their support for the definition, with the younger group showing more variability. Statistically, while these groups differed from each other, neither of them differed from overall respondents. Interpretation Younger group of practitioners may show a bit more range in their responses due to the impact of specificity of recent training and limited experience.

21. Remote or Not Remote DEFINITION OF COUNSELLING When taking a second look at the definition of counselling, strong endorsement continued for all groups. Those working in remote settings were detectably likely to dampen their agreement, while those in non-remote areas were likely to agree even more with the definition. This pattern did not show up for the scope of practice statement.

22. Education DEFINITION OF COUNSELLING Masters prepared respondents liked the definition. Doctorally trained respondents liked the definition more than Masters prepared respondents. SCOPE OF PRACTICE Doctorally prepared respondents liked the definition. Masters trained respondents liked the definition more than Doctorally prepared respondents. These differences were small (less than 3%) and within the context of high overall agreement.

23. Being Part of a National Association Being part of a national association contributed to the scatter in the data. The problem of “how much can you blow up this picture before it becomes too fuzzy?” showed up on the comparison of associations. Being part of a national association contributed to the scatter in the data, but there was no statistically discernable pattern to this variability.

24. No Difference is News! Your province Statutory regulation in your jurisdiction Years of practice None of these factors makes any difference to levels of agreement. There were weak trends for private practitioners to be more supportive of the scope of practice, and for creative arts practitioners to be especially supportive of the definition, but neither of these was large enough to reveal any detail.

25. Core Statistical Results Level of Agreement with Definition (First View)

26. Core Statistical Results Level of Agreement with Definition (Second View)

27. Core Statistical Results Level of Agreement with Scope of Practice (First View)

28. Core Statistical Results Level of Agreement with Scope of Practice (Second View)

29. Summary of Quantitative Results Consistently over 93% agreement Always less than 4% disagreement Remarkable expression of near-consensus Demonstrates that while we differ in: our places of work job titles ages, modalities client bases We have an amazing diversity but a rock-solid core identity as a profession

30. Crucial Anchor Point Results are a crucial anchor-point for our profession The survey findings allow us to assert that we are not a collection of identities, but rather, we are one profession with the capacity to embrace diversity.

31. Listening to the Voices (Qualitative Data) Opportunities given throughout the survey for respondents to tell us about their thoughts, feelings, ideas, reactions and creative responses. Commentary adds richness and depth of connotation to the responses received. Qualitative researchers reviewed every comment to identify themes and categories of feedback.

32. Listening to the Voices (Qualitative Data) Some respondents commented on the definition and scope as being insufficiently specific. We wanted to present a definition and scope in which the maximum number of professionals would find a place for their practices and professional orientations without suggesting that any one of them should engage in all those services or adopt all orientations. Some respondents liked the connotation, but not the expression of it. Many comments indicated agreement in principle, but suggested other wording, or other grammatical structures.

33. Listening to the Voices (Qualitative Data) Some respondents disliked words with medical connotations. The material presented is, we think, very relational and process-oriented, there were also words like “diagnosis” and “disorders” that carried an unwanted connotation of a medical model for some. Some respondents thought they might be required to do everything within the definition and scope. The intent of the definition and scope was to include the breadth and depth of the profession, some of the commentary showed that respondents were thinking that such definitions would require them to fulfill all possible dimensions of a therapist role.

34. Listening to the Voices (Qualitative Data) The definitions of some words makes a difference. There were many thoughtful comments about how different the definition and scope could be, depending on how the words were defined. “Spiritual”, “expression” and “mental health” are three examples of words that led to questions and comments about their definitions.

35. Summary 46 organizations and 1,416 individuals responded to a survey intended to validate a definition of counselling, a set of titles, and a scope of practice for the counselling profession as a whole. The result was a near-consensus provided by respondents representing a wide range of ages, modalities, specializations, roles, locations, and educational backgrounds. The establishment of this level of agreement within our profession can now provide a strongly endorsed foundation for building ethical codes, standards of practice, registration standards, and governance models that define a profession with national identity and mobility

36. Questions and Comments?

37. Thank you / Merci