Counselling Therapist
- Delivery Method: In-class or online
- Duration: 90 weeks, including 6 weeks of private practice courses and a 2-week reading break
- Starts: Twice a year (April & October)
- Credential: Diploma
- Designation: Prepares graduates to pursue professional designations with the ACCT and CPCA
- Wages: Typically $80-$100/client hour in Private Practice
Accreditation and Recognition
Stenberg College is designated by the BC government’s Ministry of Advanced Education through the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB). PTIB is responsible for setting standards of quality and ensuring consumer protection. Stenberg College has also received the BC government’s Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation, which is BC’s brand or “seal” of quality post-secondary education for public and private institutions. This program is also approved by the Registrar.
All of our programs are developed in collaboration with industry to meet their needs which is why our graduates are so successful.
Over 98% of our graduates are employed in their field of study within 6 months of graduation (as per March 2018).
Professional Designations
This program prepares you to meet the requirements to become registered with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists in Canada (ACCT) and the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA).
Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA)
The CPCA is a nationally recognized, independent, self-regulated, non-profit association whose members are held to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Their members meet rigorous standards for education and training and clinical experience before they can use the RPC (Registered Professional Counsellor) designation. This program includes a course designed to prepare you for the CPCA Qualifying Examination, a requirement for membership with this association. Stenberg College provides FREE CPCA supervision services up to 24-months post-graduation from our Counselling Therapist Diploma Program.
Below is a summary of the designations available through the CPCA:
Student Member
- Enrolled in a college/university program which meets minimum education requirements OR enrolled in a course(s) which, in addition to previously acquired education, meet the minimum education requirements
RPC-C Registered Professional Counsellor Candidate
- Practicing counsellors who have not yet obtained the minimum clinical supervision required and are considered interns in the mental health field
RPC – Registered Professional Counsellor
- Minimum 600 hours in counselling and/or psychotherapy under clinical supervision by mental health professional(s)
- Include minimum 150 supervision hours, 250 direct clinical contact hours (DCC), and 200 practice hours
MPCC – Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling
- Practiced in the counselling field for a minimum of 5 of the last 8 years
- Completed minimum 1250 clinical practice hours including 750 DCC hours and 250 clinical supervision hours
Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS)
- CPCA member and/or mental health professional who provides clinical supervision to other mental health professionals
Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists in Canada (ACCT)
ACCT is a self-regulated competency-based professional association, registering counsellors with the designation of Registered Therapeutic Counsellor/Accredited Counsellor (RTC/AC), Master Therapeutic Counsellor (MTC) and Registered Counselling Supervisor (RCS). Below is a summary of each ACCT designation:
Student Applicant
- Presently enrolled in registered counselling certificate, diploma, or degree program
- Must not practice counselling except when supervised and part of training
RTC: Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
- Certificate, diploma, Bachelor’s, Postgraduate, Master’s degree or PhD in Counselling or related, or equivalent experience/training as determined by ACCT Team
- Minimum 150 hours clinical practice with supervision, practicum
- Must provide proof of Ethics Course
MTC: Master Therapeutic Counsellor
- Certificate, diploma, Bachelors, postgraduate certificate, Master’s degree or PhD in counselling or related, or equivalent experience/training as determined by ACCT Team
- Minimum 1000 hours direct client contact, 500 in Canada, 50 under supervision
RCS: Registered Counselling Supervisor
- Be an MTC, or have equivalent professional designation from another association
- At least 5 years, over 1000 hours experience, 120 hours supervised
- Proof of supervision training course completion
Supervision
Curriculum in the Stenberg program corresponds to the competencies set by the Federation of Associations for Counselling Therapists in British Columbia (FACTBC), of which ACCT and the CPCA are task group members for creating the counsellor competency profile for counselling therapists. You will have access to free clinical supervision and use of our counselling clinic for two years following your graduation while you work toward registration with ACCT and/or CPCA. In addition to your diploma, you will also receive industry-relevant certifications: Violence Prevention, Non-Violent Communication, and DSM-V.
Qualified graduates have the option to write the CPCA RPC-C (Registered Professional Counsellor Candidate) examination. To become a fully accredited Registered Professional Counsellor, graduates from Counselling Therapist programs must complete 150 hours of Supervised Practice. To assist our alumni with meeting this requirement, Stenberg College provides FREE CPCA supervision services with Moving Forward Family Services up to 24-months post-graduation from our Counselling Therapist Diploma Program. To qualify, graduates must attend monthly meetings as well as other CPCA supervision criteria. For those studying outside of the Lower Mainland, online sessions may be available.
This FREE Supervision Service will save graduates of Stenberg College’s Counselling Therapist Diploma Program approximately $5000 in supervision fees.