The CPCA has two Counselling Scopes of Practice - (1) the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice and (2) the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice.  In the application form, you will be asked to choose your counselling scope of practice.  As such, the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice is aligned with the Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC) designation.  

The Provisional status to the RPC designation means that the counsellor is in the process of obtaining 600 hours of supervised counselling practice which involves:

• 150 Hours of Supervision
• 250 Direct Client Contact Hours and
• 200 Professional Practice or Currency Hours

Please refer to the CPCA Guide for Provisional Counsellors to answer questions about the Provisional status of your counselling designation. The provisional designation is a full practicing designation.  The Provisional status of the designation is to support members in the early stages of their counselling practice. Once the 600 hours are complete a member can complete a Qualifying Application to become a RPC full designation without the "provisional" status.

After review of your RPC Provisional application, there is a CPCA Qualifying Exam (QE) for the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice. Successful completion of the CPCA Qualifying Exam is required to obtain an RPC Provisional designation. 

• RPC Provisional Application Form
• Guide for Provisional Counsellors

The CPCA has two Counselling Scopes of Practice - (1) the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice and (2) the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice.  In the application form, you will be asked to choose your counselling scope of practice.  As such, the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice is aligned with the Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling (MPCC) designation.  

The Provisional status to the MPCC designation means that the counsellor is in the process of obtaining 600 hours of supervised counselling practice which involves:

• 150 Hours of Supervision
• 250 Direct Client Contact Hours and
• 200 Professional Practice or Currency Hours

Please refer to the CPCA Provisional Guide for Counsellors to answer questions about the Provisional status of your counselling designation. The provisional designation is a full practicing designation.  The Provisional status of the designation is to support members in the early stages of their counselling practice. Once the 600 hours are complete a member can complete a Qualifying Application to obtain an MPCC full designation without the "provisional" status.

After review of your RPC Provisional application, there is a CPCA Qualifying Exam (QE) for the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice. Successful completion of the CPCA Qualifying Exam is required to obtain an MPCC Provisional designation. 

• The MPCC Provisional Application Form
• Guide for Provisional Counsellors

The CPCA has two Counselling Scopes of Practice - (1) the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice and (2) the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice.  In the application form, you will be asked to choose your counselling scope of practice.  As such, the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice is aligned with the Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC) designation.  

To obtain the full RPC designation requires that the applicant has obtained 600 hours of supervised counselling practice which involves:

• 150 Hours of Supervision
• 250 Direct Client Contact Hours and
• 200 Professional Practice or Currency Hours

To verify these practice hours, please use the Substantiation Form signed off by your Supervisor(s) to confirm the above hours.  If you do not have these hours, please apply for the designation with a provisional status. 

Please refer to the CPCA Provisional Guide for Counsellors to answer questions about the Provisional status of your counselling designation. The provisional designation is a full practicing designation.  The Provisional status of the designation is to support members in the early stages of their counselling practice. Once the 600 hours are complete a member can complete a Qualifying Application to become a RPC full designation without the "provisional" status.

After review of your RPC application, there is a CPCA Qualifying Exam (QE) for the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice. Successful completion of the CPCA Qualifying Exam is required to obtain an RPC designation. 

• The RPC Full Designation Application Form
• The RPC Substantiation Form

The CPCA has two Counselling Scopes of Practice - (1) the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice and (2) the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice.  In the application form, you will be asked to choose your counselling scope of practice.  As such, the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice is aligned with the Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling (MPCC) designation.  

To obtain the full Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling (MPCC) designation requires that the applicant has obtained 600 hours of supervised counselling practice which involves:

• 150 Hours of Supervision
• 250 Direct Client Contact Hours and
• 200 Professional Practice or Currency Hours

To verify these practice hours, please use the Substantiation Form signed off by your Supervisor(s) to confirm the above hours.  If you do not have these hours, please apply for the designation with a provisional status. 

Please refer to the CPCA Provisional Guide for Counsellors to answer questions about the Provisional status of your counselling designation. The provisional designation is a full practicing designation.  The Provisional status of the designation is to support members in the early stages of their counselling practice. Once the 600 hours are complete a member can complete a Qualifying Application to become a RPC full designation without the "provisional" status.

After review of your MPCC application, there is a CPCA Qualifying Exam (QE) for the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice. Successful completion of the CPCA Qualifying Exam is required to obtain an MPCC designation. 

• The MPCC Application Form
• The MPCC Substantiation Form

Members who have held an RPC or MPCC designation for more than 8 years (out of the last 10 years) are eligible to become a CPCA Registered Qualified Supervisor (RQS).  Becoming a Counselling Supervisor does not change your current designation, but rather adds a second designation, allowing the member to provide counselling supervision within their scope of practice.  

• This application is only open to members who hold an RPC or MPCC designation from the CPCA and have been in clinical practice for a minimum of 8 of the last 10 years.
• This designation requires 30 hours of specific training in clinical supervision.  You can get this training from a variety of sources.  [List of Supervision Training Options]
• The process to receive an RQS designation is a 2-Step process:

Step 1: Become an RQS Provisional by completing the following:

• Complete the RQS Application Form 
• Gather all documentation needed (see page 1 of the application)
• Send to qualifying@thecpca.ca with "RQS Application" in the subject line with all attachments.
• Send RQS Application fee of $75 (plus applicable fees and taxes)
• Once approved, the difference in your membership dues will be required.
• Send RQS Recommendation Form to those who are recommending you (see details in the application form) and have them forward it to qualifying@thecpca.ca

Step 2: Complete Supervision Hours as an RQS Provisional

• Complete 100 hours of documented counselling supervision as a provisional RQS
• Provide verification that you received clinical supervision for these supervision hours 
• Submit the RQS Supervision Hours Verification Form to qualifying@thecpca.ca

Note: An RQS applicant who has already completed 100 hours of supervised clinical supervision hours may be eligible to submit these hours if they were completed after 30 hours of required supervision education.

• The RQS Application Form
• The RQS Recommendation Form
• The RQS Supervision Verification Form