The Designation of “ Canadian Certified Counsellor”: Obtaining Certification with CCPA

1. The Designation of “Canadian Certified Counsellor”: Obtaining Certification with CCPA Monika Gal, M.Ed., CCC, CCPA Registrar Blythe Shepard, Ph.D., CCC, CCPA President-Elect

2. Benefits of Certification • Certification versus Membership • Represents a successful evaluation of a member's qualification to practice. • Allows the use of the letters CCC Guide, p 3 - 7

3. Requirements (September 2012) • Member in good standing with CCPA • Training Criteria: Master's degree in counselling (or related field) with coursework in: • counselling theories, skills and ethics • Four courses that align with a selection of 13 coursework areas approved by CCPA, and • a counselling practicum/internship with at least 120 hours of direct client counselling • Two (2) professional references to support applicant and attest to their level of skill Guide, Page 8

4. Pathways to Certification 1- CACEP Accredited university graduates 2- Full Certification Application 3- Pre-Evaluation Application 4- Membership, certification or registration in a counselling or counselling-related Association with equivalent requirements

5. Graduate Coursework (compulsory) • Counselling Theory • Counselling Practicum • Counselling and Communication Skills • (Compulsory as of September 2012). • Professional Ethics • (Compulsory as of September 2012; September 2015 will require a standalone course). Guide, Page 8-10

6. Graduate Coursework (additional) Four courses from the following areas, only two per course area below (as of September 2012): • Counselling and Communication Skills (Compulsory Sept 2012) • Professional Ethics (Compulsory Sept 2012) • Assessment Processes • Counselling in Specialized Settings • Counselling Intervention Strategies • Consultation Methods • Diversity Issues • Gender Issues • Group Counselling • Human Development and Learning • Lifestyle and Career Development • Psychological Education • Research and Evaluation Guide, Page 9-10

7. Practicum Requirement (Compulsory) • Must be a part of a graduate-level counselling program • Must be supervised by a qualified on-site supervisor: • Expertise in the area of counselling, including conceptual knowledge and practical experience in the field of counselling • A Masters degree or higher in the area of counselling (or equivalent) • Minimum of four years of successful practice in the counselling field • Belong to CCPA; another recognized association in the field of counselling, or any provincial/territorial regulatory college. • Must engage in recognized counselling activities, including: • co-facilitating groups or couple/family sessions, providing real-time therapy as defined by CCPA, conducting assessment activities. • Must complete at least 120 hours of direct client counselling hours (150 hours by September 1, 2013) Guide, Page 8, 10

8. Certification Application Forms • CCC Application form with payment • Official Transcript • Course Syllabi • Practicum Description Form • Professional Reference Forms (2) • Valid Criminal Record Check Guide, Page 12

9. Alternative Pathways If the applicant is unable to provide some of the required documentation for the application, or if he/she does not meet certain requirements, he/she may still be able to obtain certification through one of four alternate pathways. Option 1: for applicants whose supervisor is not available to sign the practicum form - Submit a letter attesting to the nature of the supervision obtained by the applicant, the supervisor’s qualifications, the nature of the counselling experience, and the number of hours of direct client counselling, Guide, Page 13

10. Alternative Pathways Option 2 (Challenge of Competency) : for applicants who cannot provide a record of their practicum placement but have sufficient work experience • Proof of 3 years of full-time counselling practice or equivalent (ie- 4500 hours) in the last 10 years, via letter(s) from employer(s) • Two additional Professional Reference Forms, one of which must be completed by a clinical supervisor who holds CCC certification or is licensed/registered to practice counselling. Guide, Page 14

11. Alternative Pathways Option 3: for applicants who cannot provide a record of practicum and have insufficient work experience • This option is restricted to only those applicants who enrolled in a graduate program prior to 2007, and their program did not include a practicum that meets CCPA requirements • Process involves completing additional hours of counselling practice and supervision, pro-rated based on the applicant’s amount of work experience (letter from supervisor or employer) • Applicants must obtain a supervisor, successfully engage in formal supervised practice and submit a time timetable for completing the required hours Guide, Page 14

12. Alternative Pathways Option 4: for applicants who completed a practicum but their practicum hours are insufficient • Applicants must have a minimum of 80 hours to qualify for this option • Applicants must engage in professional counselling practice that is supervised by a supervisor which meets CCPA requirements. They must obtain a specific number of additional supervision hours based on the hours of client counselling already completed • CCPA does not require a specified number of client counselling hours; supervision hours are paramount. Guide, Page 15

13. Pre-Evaluation Applications If an applicant is uncertain as to whether they will meet CCPA requirements, they can apply for a Certification Pre-Evaluation. • The purpose is to determine if the applicant meets the requirements as well as identify gaps or omissions which need to be addressed in order to meet the requirements • Pre-Evaluations are commonly completed by international applicants, graduates from counselling-related fields, or students requesting assistance in course or practicum placement selection. Guide, Page 16

14. Evaluation and Appeals Process • The Registrar is a professional counsellor who is responsible for managing the certification process and evaluating all applications. The process of evaluating an application may take anywhere from 2-6 weeks. • Initial appeal: If the applicant disagrees with the Registrar’s evaluation of a certification application, they may request an initial appeal by members of the Certification Committee. It is the applicant’s responsibility to include additional information to support their application. • Final Appeal: If the applicant disagrees with the decision of both the Registrar and the Certification Committee, he/she may request an appeal from the Appeals Committee. Guide, Page 17-18

15. Question & Answer We welcome questions about CCPA’s certification requirements and the application process. Questions about a specific application can be addressed one-on-one with the Registrar after the presentation has concluded.