Click here to apply for membership
Apply to Become a Member
Becoming a member of the CCPA means joining Canada’s leading group of professional peers and experts, who provide essential services to the mental health and well-being of Canadians
CCPA is a national bilingual professional organization dedicated to serving the interests of Canadian counsellors and psychotherapists who work in many diverse fields of education, employment and career development, social work, business, industry, mental health, public service agencies, government and private practice.
A membership with CCPA is different from certification with CCPA. This distinction between membership and certification is for the benefit of the public. Certification represents a successful evaluation of a member’s qualification to practice. Membership does not. Should you wish to use a qualification designation from CCPA, you must seek certification, which will permit the use of the letters CCC as the appropriate statement about qualifications to practice counselling. Only those who were approved for certification can use the title CCC
At Work for You!
Have you ever wondered what type of work we do for members behind the scenes? It’s been another busy year!
What do you need to become a member?
Professional Membership
• Membership application form;
• Proof of graduation (in the form of a copy of your degree certificate or a copy of your transcript);
• Annual membership fees of $185.00.
Student Membership
• Membership application form;
• Proof of current student status (using our Proof of Student Form).
• Annual membership fees of $85.00.
Joint Membership
Joint membership is available between CCPA and the following associations:
- Prince Edward Island Counselling Association – Psychotherapist Counselling Chapter (PEICA-PCC)
*You must be CCC certified with CCPA in order to apply for the CCPA-PEICA membership. Please apply as a Professional member, complete the certification process, then get in touch with National Office to become a PEICA member.
Why should I become a member?
Certification
CCPA developed the Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) certification process, available only to qualified Professional members, to promote professional accountability and visibility. Certification identifies to the public and professional peers those counsellors who have met specific professional standards. We offer members who have their CCC the opportunity to be part of our Directory of Certified Members.
Continuing Education
CCPA has developed the Continuing Education Credit (CEC) system, free to members, to recognize professional development activities and promote continuous education.
Standard
CCPA has adopted a Code of Ethics which serves as a guide to the professional conduct of all its members. We have also adopted a comprehensive Standards of Practice for Counsellors.
Insurance
We offer professional members, who hold the CCC certification and to Student members enrolled in a Masters degree program in Counselling, exclusively for coverage during their practicum, a comprehensive professional liability insurance policy at low cost. CCPA’s partnership with The Personal entitles you to exclusive benefits on home and auto group insurance.
Publications
CCPA publishes a quarterly newsletter, COGNICA, dedicated to keeping our members informed about current trends in counselling in Canada. An online version, including past issues, is available through the Member Portal, a members only section of the website. We also provide electronic bulletins to members who subscribe to our monitored list-serv. Four times a year, we publish the Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy (CJCP) which provides members up to date information on counselling research, innovative practices, and book reviews.
Member Portal
We offer a “Members only” restricted zone on our site which provides access to:
- previous issues of Cognica
- employment opportunities
- updates on provincial regulation
- member’s incentive program
Events, Special Interests and Awards
CCPA co-sponsors, with local coordinating committees, an annual national conference dedicated to providing members with new ideas and new techniques to help them meet the needs of clients. CCPA has special interest and regional chapters across Canada. There is also an Awards program to recognize outstanding contributions by its members to our profession in the areas of research, writing, training, program development and bilingualism. CCPA works actively with other associations and with government departments, to promote its professional projects.