Counselling Therapy
Counselling therapy can help when your thoughts, feelings, mood or behaviours make daily life difficult.
Counselling therapy is talk therapy. A Registered Counselling Therapist (RCT) works with you to help you feel better and make changes that matter to you. You might work on thoughts, feelings, behaviour, relationships or coping skills. Counselling therapists use different approaches. Some use tools like art, music or animal-assisted therapy. Counselling therapists work with adults, youth, children, couples, families, and groups. They may work in private practice, hospitals, clinics, schools, or other settings.
What is a Registered Counselling Therapist?
To become an RCT, a master’s degree in counselling therapy is required This includes course work and clinical training.
After graduation, applicants can be licensed as an RCT candidate. They work under the supervision of an experienced RCT. This period of supervision is two to five years. It includes at least 2,000 hours of supervision. After they complete this period, they may practise independently as an RCT.
Registered Counselling Therapists must renew their license every year and report professional development.
Only those licensed with the College may use the title Registered Counselling Therapist.
Check the License Status Check on our website to make sure your therapist holds a license.
What to Expect from a Registered Counselling Therapist
When you work with an RCT, you can expect safe, ethical, and quality care. They are accountable to the College for their work and their professional conduct. They must follow the College’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Standards set clear rules for how RCTs must practise.
Your RCT will:
- talk with you about the benefits and risks of counselling therapy;
- talk with you about what to expect during counselling therapy;
- ask for your consent;
- set goals with you;
- make each session have a clear focus, with time to talk about concerns and plan next steps;
- keep professional boundaries to support a safe and confidential space.
During counselling therapy, RCTs are expected to:
- put your well-being first;
- work with you to understand your needs;
- check-in to see what is helping and what may need to change;
- follow the profession’s standards of practice.
Registered Counselling Therapists have training to:
- respect diversity and inclusion;
- work in their client’s best interest;
- support mental health using knowledge of thoughts, feelings, behaviour, body-based (somatic) experience, learning, development, and relationships;
- help people build and strengthen:
- their personal life, relationships, career, spirituality, and sexual health,
- self-awareness and personal supports,
- decision-making and problem-solving;
- help treat concerns that affect thinking, feelings, behaviour, or relationships;
- use recognized assessment and evaluation tools when needed;
- take part in supervision, training, consultation, research, referral, and other professional activities.