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
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
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
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
Graduate Coursework (compulsory)
1. Counselling Theory
2. Counselling Practicum
3. Counselling and Communication Skills
– (Compulsory as of September 2012).
4. Professional Ethics
– (Compulsory as of September 2012; September
2015 will require a standalone course).
Guide, Page 8-10
Graduate Coursework (additional)
Four courses from the following areas, only two per course area below
(as of September 2012):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
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
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
Certification Application Forms
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
CCC Application form with payment
Official Transcript
Course Syllabi
Practicum Description Form
Professional Reference Forms (2)
Valid Criminal Record Check
Guide, Page 12
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
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
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
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
Pre-Evaluation Applications
If an applicant is uncertain as to whether they will meet CCPA
requirements, they can apply for a Certification PreEvaluation.
• 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
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
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.