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General Continuing Education Credits Program

Did you know that if you complete one pre-approved CCPA webinar per month (1 hour),
you will have enough CECs to renew your designation at the end of your 3 year period?

To be eligible for credits, an event must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Contributes to your professional development
  • Contributes to the professional development of others
  • Contributes to the advancement of the counselling profession.

What is considered for Continuing Education Credits (CEC)?

Learning Activities
TermDefinitionNumber of CECsRequired Documents
Independent study 
  • Engagement in self-directed, professional reading and/or research 
1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule A. 
Peer study 
  • Participation in regularly scheduled, collaborative, peer learning activities such as peer supervision, peer study groups, professional learning communities 
  • May be done in-person, or via teleconference, Skype, online etc. 
1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule A. 
Receiving postgraduate supervision 
  • Participation in regularly scheduled, formally structured, post-graduate supervision with a qualified supervisor 
1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule B, log of dates and duration of sessions signed by supervisor
Conferences, workshops, inservices, webinars 
  • Attendance at and/or participation in counselling/psychotherapy conferences, workshops, inservices, webinars
  • May be offered in-person, or via teleconference, Skype, online, etc.
  • Includes CCPA and Mental Healthy Academy webinars 
1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule A, Proof of Attendance 
Upgrading or training 
  • Completion of an upgrading/training course or program for additional qualifications in counselling/psychothera
  • May be offered in-person, or via teleconference, Skype, online, etc.
  • Includes Mental Healthy Academy coursework 
1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule A, Transcript/Certificate/Diploma. 
Graduate coursework 
  • Completion of a graduate level, post-CCC course related to counselling/psychotherapy. This can include practicum/internship courses. 
36 

credits per 1 semester course 

CEC Form, Schedule A, Transcript/Certificate/Diploma. Description of University courses can be taken from the course calendar or syllabus. 
Professional Involvement
TermDefinitionNumber of CECsRequired Documents 
Professional membership role Professional involvement in roles that are directly related to counselling/psychotherapy and which promote growth and development as a counsellor/psychotherapist.1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule A, Activity log. 
Professional volunteerism Engaging in pro bono work in a professional counselling or psychotherapy capacity including consultation, crisis counselling, disaster response, etc. 1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule A, Activity log 
Thesis/ Dissertation Committee Member (Advisor) Committee member for thesis/dissertation that has been completed 1 CEC per hour invested (reasonable estimate, no cap)CEC Form, Schedule A 
Presentation
TermDefinitionNumber of CECsRequired Documents
Presentation development 

*May be counted toward CECs one time only for each presentation 

  • First time development of a novel (new and original) counselling/ psychotherapy conference presentation, poster presentation, workshop, in-service, webinar, lecture, seminar, etc.
  • Planning, researching, designing, preparing and assembling resources/materials for the first time delivery of a novel (new and original) presentation, workshop, inservice, webinar, seminar, lecture, etc.
  • May be counted toward CECs one time only for each first time counselling/psychotherapy conference presentation, poster presentation, workshop, in-service, webinar, seminar, lecture, etc. As such, no CECs will be awarded for the repetition of the same presentations, workshops, in-service, webinar, seminar, lecture, etc
2-3 credits per hour of presentationCEC Form, Schedule A, Copy of invitation to present. 
Presentation delivery *May be counted toward CECs one time only for each presentation
  • First time delivery of a presentation at a counselling/psychotherapy conference presentation, poster presentation, workshop, in-service, webinar, lecture, seminar, etc.
  • May be counted toward CECs one time only for each first time counselling/psychotherapy conference presentation, poster presentation, workshop, in-service, webinar, etc. As such, no CECs will be awarded for the repetition of the same presentations, workshops, inservice, webinar, seminar or lecture. 
1 credit per hour CEC Form, Schedule A, Copy of invitation to present and/or accepted abstract. 

 

Professional Writing Activities
TermDefinitionNumber of CECSRequired Documents
Scholarly 

writing and reviews 

  • Scholarly writing about counselling and/or psychotherapy
  • Includes journal article, book chapter, book
  • Authoring or co-authoring a published piece of writing
  • Reviewing journal articles, book chapters, books, etc. 
1 credit per hour invested (based on reasonable estimate) CEC Form, Schedule C, copy of article or book. 
Applied writing 
  • Applied writing for the workplace or profession related to counselling and/or psychotherapy
  • Includes training and procedural manuals, handbooks, newsletters such as Cognica, blogs, facilitation of online professional association discussion forums
1 credit per hour invested (based on reasonable estimate) CEC Form, Schedule C, copy of article or book. 
Thesis/ Dissertation Writing 
  • Completion of thesis or dissertation as part of a postCCC graduate level program 
1 credit per hour invested (based on reasonable estimate) CEC Form, Schedule C, copy of thesis/dissertation (link to electronic version is sufficient) 

Books

CEC Application Form

Do you hold a CCC designation and you would like to submit your education hours for credits?

View Form

Totem

Indigenous CEC Application Form

Do you hold a CCC designation and you would like to submit your indigenous based education hours for credits?

View Form

Supervisors

CEC – CCC-S Application Form

Do you hold the CCC-S designation and want to submit your hours of supervision related education?

View Form

Person Giving Presentation

CEC Pre-Accreditation Application Form

Would like those who attend your presentation to be able to receive CECs from the CCPA?

View Form

FAQ for Members Seeking Continuing Education Credits (CEC)

What are the benefits of Continuing Education?
  • documents the wide variety of counselling related workshops, conferences and other field based events often taken by counselling practitioners
  • includes a transcript which records all accumulated CE credits which is sent free of charge to CCPA members upon request
  • provides educational institutions with an official record of learning outside of formal educational programs
  • provides present or potential employers with an official record of learning relevant for job maintenance, career advancement or job applications
  • provides official documentation for organizations such as Teacher Qualification Services who determine placement on salary scale based on training experience
  • provides documentation of training or learning required for local, provincial, or national certification in the counselling profession.
How do I apply for CECs?
  1. Research continuing education opportunities that are of interest to you.
  2. Determine whether the event is pre- approved for continuing education credits with CCPA (check with the provider, check on the CCPA website under Continuing Education Credits, check with CCPA National Office.
  3. Attend the event.
  4. Complete the Continuing Education Credit Application Form and have the facilitator sign your attendance at the event or submit a proof of participation (e.g. copy of the University transcript certificate, signed letter from presenter, etc.)
  5. Submit a proof of the length of the event (e.g. copy of the program, certificate with the hours of attendance, etc.)
  6. Submit the form to CCPA National Office (please include your address, e-mail, etc.)Notes: Attendance at the National CCPA Conference (annual event) automatically generates Continuing Education Credits that are then included in your record of CECs.

Incomplete applications may be returned to the sender. CCPA reserves the right to determine the number of CECs awarded after reviewing the CEC Application Form.

If you have more than 36 Continuing Education Credits for a three year period, the extra Continuing Education Credits cannot be applied to the next three years.

How many Continuing Education Credits Do I Need?

As a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) you must obtain Continuing Education Credits (CECs) in order to maintain your certification. The requirement is 36* CECs over the course of each three year period that you are certified. The CECs must be obtained in a relevant counselling or psychotherapy area.

Please note that while your certification expiration date is every three years, membership fees and certification fees are payable annually.

Upon request, CCPA can send you an official CEC transcript. Additionally, you may print an unofficial CEC transcript for yourself by logging onto our website.

How are events for Continuing Education Credits reviewed?

Counselling educational events are reviewed and approved by CCPA. Approval of events as eligible for CECs occurs in two ways:

In most cases, some educational events are pre-approved as eligible for CECs by the event sponsor. The promotional material or registration form will indicate whether the event has been pre-approved.
You can apply for approval of an educational event for CECs before the event occurs. You can also apply for approval up to three (3) years after you attend the professional development activity, Apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The Continuing Education Credit Accreditation Form is available for this purpose. You must provide proof of attendance when application for CECs is made after the event was attended.
*Important: Please note even if an event if approved for CECs, it will only count towards your 36* required hours for certification if the event has taken place within your current certification period.

How are continuing education credits added?

The continuing education credits are added according to start date and will fall within this time period on your transcript.

What do I do if my Continuing Education Credit is rejected?

Appeals Procedure
If you wish to appeal a decision regarding your application for CECs, notify the national office in writing providing the reason(s) why you believe your application should be reconsidered. Your appeal will be forwarded for consideration to the CCPA Certification Committee.

NOTE: CCPA reserves the right to determine the amount of CECs awarded after considering each CEC application.

What are relevant counselling or psychotherapy areas for Continuing Education Credits?

CECs shall be oriented to the enhancement of a professional counsellor’s self-awareness, knowledge, and skills and competencies. CCPA promotes engagement in counselling-related and psychotherapy-related activities that link directly to the entry-to-practice counselling and psychotherapy competencies. Professional activities related to ethics, group counselling, diversity and social justice, receiving supervision, and current trends in counselling and psychotherapy are deemed particularly relevant

How do I Access my Continuing Education Credit Transcript?

A cumulative record of your CEC transcript listing all the CECs for which you were awarded, is kept at CCPA national office. This transcript is issued upon request. The transcripts have a CCPA embossed seal and include the following information about the counselling related educational events for which you were awarded Continuing Education Credits:

  • Event name.
  • Event dates and total hours involved.
  • The leader’s name and sponsoring organization (if applicable).
  • The amount of Continuing Education Credits.

All CEC records and transcripts are treated as confidential documents and access to the records is restricted. No transcript is issued to a third party without the written request of the transcript holder.

Continuing Education Credit Fees

Members of CCPA utilize the CEC system at no cost.

Non-members are required to pay the following fees:

Event application for CEC credit – $30.00
Issue of CEC transcript to a third party – $30.00

Are CECs eligible for credit with regulatory colleges?

*Disclaimer for members who also belong to a regulatory college: CCPA cannot guarantee that continuing education credits granted by CCPA will be eligible for credit with regulatory colleges.

How do I get my CEC transcript?

Please email [email protected] to request a transcript.

FAQ for Providers of CECs

What is the Application Procedure for Professional Learning Session Pre-Approvals?

Individuals or organizations who offer counselling educational events to counselling practitioners can apply to have these events pre-approved for Continuing Education Credits (CECs). Application can be made by using the Pre-Accreditation Form. Once approved for CECs, the following statement can be included in the promotional material and/or the registration form:

“Continuing Education Credits available from the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association”.

Conferences or workshops that are offered on a regular basis can apply for pre-approval of Continuing Education Credits on an ongoing basis if one of the following conditions is met:

  • The organizer is a member CCPA.
  • The leader(s) or instructor(s) are members of CCPA.
  • The majority of participants are members of CCPA.

Once approved for CEC’s, the event provider will be notified of the number of CECs awarded to each participant at the pre-approved event. A form will be transmitted to the event provider for distribution at the event. The form provides information about the event and what the participant must do to receive credit. Participants can then mail the form to CCPA National Office. Alternatively, the forms can be collected and sent by the organizers of the educational event to National Office on behalf of the participants.

There is no fee charged to have an educational event approved for CECs.

What are the Eligibility Requirements for CCPA Continuing Education Credits?

The following criteria are required for the activity to be eligible for CECs:

  • The educational event provides knowledge and skills to enhance counselling practice.
  • The qualifications of the event leader are suitable and relevant to the topic area, the educational goals, and level of information being disseminated.
  • Participants are provided with high quality, up to date information.

All decisions relating to accreditation shall be decided in the sole and absolute discretion of CCPA taking into consideration any and all factors that it sees fit.