To foster public protection by regulating its members’ professional practice through a comprehensive Code of Ethics, competency-based assessment, ongoing evaluation, and clear expectation of compliance with professional Standards of Practice.

To promote and support members to develop excellence in professional skills for competent clinical counselling/psychotherapy.

The Association's leadership has shown that it will distinguish between the public interest and the professionals’ self-interest and in self-regulating will favor the former.

As professional, ethical counsellors and psychotherapists, our members have demonstrated knowledge of counselling modalities, supervised experience, and natural abilities specific to their chosen scope of practice. Within that therapeutic framework, these professionals effectively and efficiently assess client needs, develop, and maintain a therapeutic alliance, employ appropriate counselling interventions, and manage client cases. Additionally, our counsellors are committed to continued education, professional development, supervision, excellence in communication skills, and purposeful self-care and wellness practices.

WHAT ARE COMMON ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING CLINICAL COMPETENCY?

The main assumption that many associations, insurance companies, and employers make is to assume that a specific educational degree equates with clinical competency. But this is not the case.

There are many cases where well educated individuals with master’s or doctorate degrees have lacked clinical competency, done poor clinical practice and even unethical practice, and have cased harm to clients.

Another assumption is that the longer one is in clinical practice the more competent they become. This can be the case for dedicated clinicians, but it too is an assumption. Research has shown that those who are new to the practice of therapy or counselling can be sharper and better clinically due to their recent training and their hypervigilance to be a good clinician.

It is unfortunate that some who age in the profession can also become less effective and lazy when working with clients. It is for this reason that accountability, self reflective practice, continuing education, and continual clinical supervision are critical to maintain optimum clinical performance.

WHY IS THE CPCA COMMITTED TO A COMPETENCY BASED MODEL?

The CPCA is committed to a competency-based model of clinical practice because it is more holistic in its approach to understanding the nature of competency. It does not assume that competency is only based on a specific form of education, but rather encompasses all the aspects of what competency means in clinical practice and endeavors to ensure that competency is the highest priority within all of our clinicians.