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Certification Process

Certification criteria

All applicants for certification are required to submit materials for review as described below. Applications and supporting documentation are submitted in two stages. They can be uploaded and sent to us through the Member Log-in Area.

An applicant must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be licensed/registered/certified for independent practice by a provincial/territorial regulatory body (or equivalent);
  2. Hold professional liability insurance that covers all their professional activities;
  3. Be a member of CACBT-ACTCC in good standing (i.e., their membership dues must be up-to-date);
  4. Provide an up-to-date CV; and
  5. Provide additional information as specified under either Option A or Option B (described below).

Certification Requirements and Process

Certification applications are submitted in 2 stages:

Stage 1:

  • Applicants will be asked to submit an Application Form and other required documentation (e.g. CV).
  • Application fee: $150.00 + applicable tax (non-refundable)
  • Applications, supporting documentation and payment can be uploaded and submitted to us through your Member Log-In

Applicants are required to select either Option A or Option B as indicated on the Application Form. Please review the Application Form for more detailed descriptions of the criteria required for each option. 

Option A

Applicants are required to fulfill ALL criteria under if this is the option chosen:

  1. Formal training in CBT. At least 50 hours of training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
  2. Minimum CBT experience. Following the completion of their formal education and registration or certification, the applicant must have recent, substantial experience in CBT as an independent professional.
  3. Letters of support (at least two) supervisors or individuals familiar with the applicant’s practice.

Option B

The Applicant must be credentialed in CBT from another credible organization.

Stage 2:

  • If Stage 1 applications are favourably reviewed, applicants will be invited to submit Stage 2 application materials.
  • Application fee: $250.00 + applicable tax (non-refundable)
  • The Stage 2 materials can be uploaded and sent to us through your Member Log-In

Stage 2 application materials required:

  1. A recording of a CBT therapy session with a patient who consents for their case to be used for this purpose.
  2. A case history, formulation, and treatment plan for the same patient.

(Note that applicants have up to 3 years (in total) to submit application materials for both Stages 1 and 2)

Certification Task Force

In January 2020, the CACBT Board of Directors approved the formation of a Task Force to review CACBT’s certification requirements. This was in response to recent changes in the landscape surrounding certification (e.g., the advent of the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program, similar undertakings in other provinces), research emphasizing the role of supervision in attaining competence in CBT, and an identified need to standardize CACBT’s current certification process. The Task Force, which was comprised of current and previous members of the Board and other certified CACBT members with expert knowledge in CBT, met 11 times between April 2020 and April 2021. Multiple recommendations were made to revise CACBT’s current certification goals and processes. These recommendations include the following: developing a process for certifying courses and workshops; making and publishing (on the website) a list of certified CACBT members who provide consultation; revising the training requirements to limit passive forms of learning; requiring consultation to become certified; asking referees to provide specific information about an applicant’s skills; and the development of an appeal process. The implementation of these recommendations will standardize and equalize the certification process, reduce the burden on the Certification Chair and reviewers of the first stage of the application process, and bring CACBT’s certification requirements and processes to the forefront of the field.

View Certification Task Force Report - June 9, 2021

IMPORTANT: Upcoming Certification Changes for New Applicants (effective October 1, 2024)

 

We want to inform you of upcoming changes to the CACBT certification process. These new requirements apply only to individuals who are not yet certified. For those who are already certified, simply continue paying your annual membership fees to maintain your certification.

 

New requirements will take effect on October 1, 2024.  Current certification applications under the existing standards will be accepted until then, but we strongly encourage aligning with the new standards:

 

CACBT’s new certification standards are the result of a comprehensive review of the current certification process, the literature examining competency in CBT, and certification processes and standards for CBT in other countries. This was undertaken by the Task Force to Review CACBT’s Certification Requirements, which was comprised of experts in the area and was appointed by the CACBT Board of Directors. The Board and CACBT membership reviewed and approved the standards set forth in the Task Force recommendations in June 2021.

 

As such, the Board approved the following changes to the certification standards and process. As of October 1, 2024, to be eligible for certification, all applicants must meet the following requirements:

 

Changes to previous requirements:

  • Applicants must now have 50 hours of formal training in CBT. This can include CBT-intensive graduate coursework, practicum placements, rotations during a residency or post-doctoral fellowship, seminars, workshops, or courses in CBT. This may include either synchronous or asynchronous virtual training or in-person training. 20 hours of this training, however, must include experiential strategies and/or the evaluation of knowledge and/or competencies (these criteria have been defined in the application).

  • Applicants must have participated in a minimum of 20 hours of supervision and/or consultation in CBT. The supervision and/or consultation may have taken place before the applicant was licensed/registered, after, or a combination of the two.

 

  • Applications should be accompanied by two letters of support. Letters should be from clinicians who provided direct clinical supervision or consultation regarding CBT training and practice. Letters must now be submitted using our new standardized form. Letters that are not submitted in this format will not be accepted. Please do not email any application materials, including letters, directly to CACBT personnel.

 

  • Applicants who were not approved for certification will only be eligible to re-apply 2 years following their initial application.

 

As before, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Be licensed/registered/certified for independent practice in a field in which CBT falls within the scope of practice by a provincial/territorial regulatory body (or equivalent);
  • Hold professional liability insurance that covers all of their professional activities
  • Be a member of CACBT-ACTCC in good standing (i.e., their membership dues must be up-to-date)
  • Provide an up-to-date CV

 

The process to apply for certification is through the CACBT website. 

 

These updates ensure that CACBT certification communicates foundational knowledge and competence in CBT, and they will also allow us to process certification applications more efficiently.

 

We extend our sincere thanks to the Task Force for their valuable insights and hard work  in developing and implementing these modifications.

 

As a reminder, CACBT certification indicates to other clinicians, referral sources, relevant stakeholders and the Canadian public that you are a clinician who has demonstrated foundational knowledge and competence as a cognitive-behavioural therapist. We believe this distinction is essential to ensure that evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy is being provided to individuals across Canada.

 

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Certification Chair at certification@cacbt.ca.