This year, Ontario adopted legislation to create a new regulated health profession under the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). Shalem’s counselling staff are not only becoming registered members of the CRPO, but are able to offer clinical supervision for other therapists looking to become registered.

The CRPO has been developed in order to ensure that anyone offering psychotherapy has received the necessary education and supervision, and that we are all being accountable for our work, and ethical in our practice.

Similar to the colleges that govern the work of nurses, physicians and surgeons and other health professionals, the intention of this college is to protect the public from those who might try to work in the field without being qualified or competent to do so by maintaining the use of evidence based standards of practice and are held accountable for their conduct and practice.

Shalem is committed to having all of our clinical staff become members of this regulatory body. All of our therapists are either working toward CRPO certification or are already qualified. Shalem is also committed to having all of our affiliated therapists who provide counselling through our Counselling Assistance Program (CAP), Counselling Assistance Plan for Students (CAPS) and Clergy Care program become members of this or another regulatory body by March 2017.

While only members of CRPO are authorized to use the protected title of Registered Psychotherapist, the CRPO legislation recognizes that certain other professionals such as Social Workers and Psychologists are qualified to provide psychotherapy. In fact, there are four other professional colleges in Ontario whose members are also authorized by the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) to practise psychotherapy—the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (CSWSSW) the College of Psychologists, the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Occupational Therapists.

Some of Shalem’s staff and affiliates are already members of these other regulatory bodies, and as such they are recognized as being qualified to provide psychotherapy under the RHPA and CRPO legislation. Those not yet members of any of these regulatory bodies have a window of opportunity to apply to the CRPO.

Experienced therapists can apply to be “grandparented” into the CRPO by demonstrating their past education, supervision and work experience. Therapists who are newer to the profession need to take a qualifying exam and work under the supervision of a more experienced psychotherapist until they have gained enough experience themselves. The CRPO mandates that new psychotherapists receive 100 hours of supervision in order to become fully certified.

Shalem has a number of experienced therapists who are qualified to offer this type of clinical supervision. This benefits our own staff, who receive ongoing clinical supervision from our Clinical Director. It also means that Shalem can offer supervision to therapists outside our agency who are working toward their CRPO certification and are looking for supervisors to help them. To inquire about external supervision opportunities, email or call our office (866.347.0041).

Shalem’s clinical team is pleased to be able to offer psychotherapy and supervision in a faith-based context that meet the CRPO’s standards for professionalism, competence and ethical practice!