It is both an honour and a privilege to serve as President for the 2019-2021 term and to build upon the hard work and legacy of past Boards.  Our association has a rich history of representing and serving counsellors and psychotherapists, and we have many reasons to be grateful, proud, and excited about the future.  Over the past four years, I have served on our Board as New Brunswick Anglophone Director and as President-Elect.  I am committed to utilizing my skills and strengths such as advocacy and outreach, counsellor education and supervision, and collaboration and relationship building to contribute toward the growth of our association and profession regionally, nationally, and internationally.

I have been a guest in beautiful Wolastoqey territory since my birth and I currently live in Ekpahak (which is now known as Fredericton).  As a Canadian Certified Counsellor-Supervisor and Licensed Counselling Therapist, I enjoy serving in various professional roles such as clinical supervisor, practitioner, researcher, and university instructor.  Most recently, my doctoral research was performed in partnership with Indigenous Scholars, Elders, and community members with the vision of bringing Piluwitahasuwawsuwakon (a Wolastoqey word transliterated as actions in support of truth and reconciliation) into counsellor education and practice.

As your President, I will work diligently and in collaboration with our dedicated 2019-2021 Board of Directors and our highly proficient National Office Staff led by our brilliant Chief Executive Officer, Barbara MacCallum.  Together, we bring diversity and wealth of knowledge, expertise, and decades upon decades of experience.  I am eagerly anticipating what we will accomplish together during this term of service for our membership, association, and profession.

Merci Beaucoup, With Gratitude,

Wela’lin, Woliwon!

I have a PhD in Counselling Psychology, am a counsellor at Mount Royal University (Calgary), a counselling educator, mentor, supervisor, writer, researcher, and presenter. I have been a long member of CCPA and belong to several chapters (Career; Counsellor Educators & Supervisors; Social Justice; the Indigenous Circle, as well as the AB/NWT chapter). I have been involved with the latter three chapters since their inception and have served on the Board of the AB/NWT chapter as PD Director, President-Elect, President, and Past-President. At the national level, I served as the Regional Director for AB/NWT from 2015-19 and am honoured to serve as President-Elect for 2019-21. I believe strongly in the ethics, values and mission statement of CCPA and love the profession of Counselling!

John has been a member of CCPA since 2002. He was a member of the 2011 National Symposium on Inter-Provincial/Territorial Mobility within the Counselling Profession. He also served on the working group developing a National Clinical Supervision Competency Framework. He was a committee member of a CCPA initiative on provincial regulation in Canada.

John’s education includes a Bachelor of Science (Psychology), a Master of Divinity and a Master of Education in School Psychology. After working for ten years in parish ministry, he served as a faculty member and campus counsellor at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) for 27 years. Since retirement from the college, he has established a private practice in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia – MD Counselling & Educational Consulting. In addition, he continues to work on projects for NSCC.

John has been a volunteer in his community for many years. With his wife, he was active in Scouting and coaching their children in various sporting programs. He coordinated Special Olympics in Dartmouth for a number of years and continues to coach basketball and curling for Special Olympics athletes. He was active in the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) serving on many committees and as a Member of the NSTU Provincial Executive. He also served as the first Chair of the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists (NSCCT).

John lives in Dartmouth with his wife. They have three adult children.

“Serving CCPA as a member of the Board and President is an exciting and rewarding way to give back to our members who have made such a tremendous contribution to the profession. Our Mission and Vision statement encapsulates whom we are as professionals, united in a common bond and common purpose, stretching across our country.”

Vision and Mission Statement

The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) is a national and bilingual organization dedicated to the enhancement of the counselling/psychotherapy profession in Canada. In fulfilling its mandate, the Association promotes research, education, policies, and appropriate standards of practice for the provision of accessible, competent and accountable counselling services throughout the human lifespan in a manner sensitive to and inclusive of the pluralistic nature of society. The Association endorses therapeutic approaches across the continuum of care that have sound theoretical underpinnings consistent with current established knowledge in the field, that withstand scholarly review and demonstrate efficacy, safety, and benefit to the client. The Association strives to understand the needs of the diverse community of counsellors and psychotherapists and their clients in Canada and is committed to providing a strong voice for the promotion and advancement of counselling and psychotherapy.

http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/constitution-bylaws/

Carrie Foster is the Anglophone Director for Quebec. She has been a member of the CCPA since 2010. She has been active in her communities on various boards promoting and advocating for the needs of those she serves. This includes nine years of service on the board member of the Quebec Counselling Association (QCA), most recently as President and past president.

She is a licensed couple and family therapist and psychotherapist, and a certified Canadian counselor and registered drama therapist. Her career spans over 30 years, with a background in hospital, healthcare and community settings. In particular, she has worked extensively in youth care, developing and leading creative workshops for children and teens, and with homeless women with mental health needs, offering group and individual therapy. Carrie currently specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples. With individuals and families, she integrates psychodynamic, narrative and action-based approaches to address relationship distress, depression, anxiety, trauma and LGBTQ issues. Carrie has a special interest in helping couples navigate sexual intimacy issues.

Professional Credentials and Affiliations

• Licensed couple and family therapist with the Quebec Order of Social Workers and Couple and Family Therapists (OTSTCFQ)
• Licensed Psychotherapist with the Quebec Order of Psychologists (OPQ)
• Registered Drama Therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA)
• Canadian Counselling Certification with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA)
• Intensive Sex Therapy Program, Guelph University
• Intensive Sexual Attitudes Reassessment (SAR) Training, American College of Sexologists
• Member of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
• Senior member of the Montreal Institute for Developmental Transformations (DvT Montreal)
• Past President of the Quebec Counselling Association
• Sc., Couple and Family Therapy, McGill University
• A., Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University
• A. Theatre and English Dramaturgy, University of Ottawa
• Member of: Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec.

Coming soon!

Click here to read the 2018 BC & YK Report. 

Blythe Shepard, Ph.D. is of British and Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) ancestry and a professor in Counselling Psychology at the University of Lethbridge. She served on the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) Board and Executive for 10 years and is now President Emerita. She was a member of the BC Task Group responsible for the creation and revision of entry to practice competencies for counsellors. In 2018, she co-chaired the CCPA Clinical Supervision Competency Framework project. Dr. Shepard is the treasurer of the International Association for Counselling (IAC) and chairs the IAC Indigenous Roundtable.  She provides counselling services to rural youth and women and offers supervision to clinical supervisors in Canada.

Click here to read the 2018 AB & NWT Report.

It is an honour to represent Saskatchewan as it’s Director for 2019-2021 term. Participating on the board is an enriching experience in so many ways and it is a privilege to be a part of a team that not only creates and develops initiatives at a Provincial and National level but breathes life into them and makes sure that they are enacted.   I am excited to see where the next two years take us.

I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor and a Registered Canadian Art Therapist, holding a Master’s Degree in art Psychotherapy from Concordia University in Montreal (1994), with undergraduate work being done in England. I have been in private practice for over 22 years and prior to that worked in First Nation Government with Health transfer, building resources and resilience within the 23 communities under its umbrella.  I have a wide range of experience in both urban and rural environments including Indigenous Communities. I have facilitated, presented, developed workshops and programming on a Provincial and National level and hope to continue to bring all the skills I have learned, through these various endeavours, to bear upon this position.

I welcome your input, insights and questions and look forward to continuing to support and advocate for our profession.

Click here to read the 2018 SK Report.

I am honoured to serve as the Regional Director for Manitoba and Nunavut. I value the commitment that members of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association have to high ethics and standards for services.

Since joining CCPA in 2004, I became a Certified Counsellor (CCC) as well as a Counsellor – Supervisor (CCC-S). I have had the rewarding opportunity of serving on the Manitoba Chapter Board and served on the CCPA Student Travel Awards Committee. I am a member of the Counsellor Educators and Supervisors Chapter.

I hold a Master of Education (Counselling) from the University of Manitoba, as well a Post-Baccalaureate in Counselling and Guidance from the University of Calgary, and a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology & Sociology) from Brandon University.

Professionally, helping people learn, overcome challenges, grow and flourish is an ongoing passion for me. I am fortunate to be able to pursue this focus as a counsellor, counsellor supervisor and counsellor educator. I have worked in the field of family violence and trauma since the late 1980s helping families deal with the impact of abuse. I serve on several committees that work towards research, education and development in the field of family violence prevention and healing.

Since 2004, I have been the Executive and Clinical Director of Bravestone Centre Inc.  I provide clinical supervision for staff as well as university students doing their practicum in the areas of counselling. Since 2000, I have taught counselling at both the college and university levels, most recently in the Faculty of Education and Extended Education at the University of Manitoba.

I am excited to connect with my fellow CCPA members. Together we provide a strong voice for the advancement of counselling and psychotherapy.

I welcome your ideas, suggestions, and questions.

Click here to read the 2018 MB & NU Report.

Hello and Salam!

I’m excited to join the CCPA Board of Directors as the Ontario Anglophone Director and have the opportunity to work with amazing counsellors on both the national and local level! I’ve been with the CCPA since 2014 when I joined as a Student Representative at McGill University. Since, I’ve had the privilege of working on the Awards Committee, sitting as a Member-at-Large on the Social Justice Chapter, and participating in the Leaders of Tomorrow program. I have also served on the Board of Directors for our affiliate organization, the Quebec Counselling Association. I currently work in the community non-profit sector as a Mental Health and Crisis Counsellor and have experience in corporate and education settings. My areas of special interest are working with newcomers and reducing mental health stigma in marginalized communities through community education.

If you have an idea of how we can work together to serve the GTA/Ontario/Canadian counselling community, I would love to hear from you!

Click here to read the 2018 ON Anglophone Report.

Coming soon!

Coming soon!

Click here to read the 2018 QC Francophone Report.

Carrie Foster is the Anglophone Director for Quebec. She has been a member of the CCPA since 2010. She has been active in her communities on various boards promoting and advocating for the needs of those she serves. This includes nine years of service on the board member of the Quebec Counselling Association (QCA), most recently as President and past president.

She is a licensed couple and family therapist and psychotherapist, and a certified Canadian counselor and registered drama therapist. Her career spans over 30 years, with a background in hospital, healthcare and community settings. In particular, she has worked extensively in youth care, developing and leading creative workshops for children and teens, and with homeless women with mental health needs, offering group and individual therapy. Carrie currently specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples. With individuals and families, she integrates psychodynamic, narrative and action-based approaches to address relationship distress, depression, anxiety, trauma and LGBTQ issues. Carrie has a special interest in helping couples navigate sexual intimacy issues.

Professional Credentials and Affiliations

• Licensed couple and family therapist with the Quebec Order of Social Workers and Couple and Family Therapists (OTSTCFQ)
• Licensed Psychotherapist with the Quebec Order of Psychologists (OPQ)
• Registered Drama Therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA)
• Canadian Counselling Certification with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA)
• Intensive Sex Therapy Program, Guelph University
• Intensive Sexual Attitudes Reassessment (SAR) Training, American College of Sexologists
• Member of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
• Senior member of the Montreal Institute for Developmental Transformations (DvT Montreal)
• Past President of the Quebec Counselling Association
• Sc., Couple and Family Therapy, McGill University
• A., Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University
• A. Theatre and English Dramaturgy, University of Ottawa
• Member of: Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec.

Click here to read the 2018 QC Anglophone Report.

Meredith has been a member of CCPA since 2005 and is excited to be representing NB at the National Board as the Anglophone Director.  Meredith is also a member of the College of Counselling Therapists of New Brunswick and looks forward to liaising between this group and the CCPA.

She works as a guidance counsellor in Anglophone School District – South and as a licensed counselling therapist in private practice at KV Psychology and Counselling Clinic.  She currently chairs the Minister’s Mental Health Services Advisory Committee for the province and is involved in other mental health volunteer work in her community.  She is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor and believes in educating and empowering people to advocate for mental health support and system change.  She was also selected and participated in CCPA’s Leaders of Tomorrow program in 2015 and received the CCPA Counsellor Leadership Award in 2018.

Click here to read the 2018 NB Anglophone Report.

Serge graduated from l’Université de Moncton in 2004 with a Masters in guidance counselling – Maîtrise en orientation.  Upon program completion, he immediately started working as a conseiller en orientation and conseiller en carrière (guidance counsellor and career counsellor) in Northern New Brunswick for DPETL and SD. As years passed, Serge moved on to work at CCNB Dieppe, JHS of Moncton, École Samuel-de-Champlain, three different francophone schools in PEI, and the CNIB.

He has been working with Corrections Canada since 2008 as a correctional program officer in Moncton, NB.

Click here to read the 2018 NB Francophone Report.

George is a former stand out Olympic Solidarity and NCAA Division 1 Scholar Athlete for his native Zimbabwe and for St. John’s University in New York. After his track and field career, he spent over 15 years providing collaborative, culturally-responsive, community-based services to diverse populations including First Nations, African Canadians and Newcomers to Canada in a broad range of settings from remote northern First Nation communities, to rural, urban, and inner-city settings.

Since coming to Canada in 2006, George’s work has spanned the lifespan, including facilitating anti-bullying workshops, FASD work, family support, and community- based case management. Currently, he is a Clinical Therapist with the NSHA and works in private practice in New Glasgow. George believes in leadership through service and can be often found volunteering his time to learners, mentoring young athletes, participating in local festivals, and coaching. George completed education and leadership preparation programs at St. John’s University and Acadia University.

Click here to read the 2018 NS Report.

Coming soon!

Click here to read the 2018 PEI Report.

Coming soon!

Click here to read the 2018 NL Report.

Tânisi!

It is an honour to serve as the National Indigenous Director!

My spouse, Michael, and I live in beautiful Canmore, Alberta where we spend lots of time in nature with our dog, Lulu. Lulu is a resilient rescue dog who offers support as a certified therapy dog 🙂

As a Métis Citizen of Alberta and a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, I am interested in supporting the CCPA in pursuits of continual efforts to decolonize with the intention of Indigenization and continued movement towards reconciliation and conciliation.

With an earned Ph.D. I am dedicated to continual growth as a registered psychologist, co-creator/director of our thriving private practice, Canmore Counselling and the Trauma-Informed Yoga Psychology School, a registered yoga school for helping professionals. By integrating theory and practice, I am interested in experiences of cultural and holistic practices in relation to the counselling profession and as a support to those healing from trauma.

I have been a member of the CCPA since 2009 and an active board member of the Counsellors for Social Justice Chapter since that time. As the past-chair, and in this new role as Indigenous Director, I will continue to create opportunities to: supporting capacity building initiatives, participate in ceremonies, share teachings, and work collaboratively in responding to the TRC’s Calls to Action.

Looking forward to connecting with you!

With goodness,

Melissa Jay, Ph.D.

Registered Psychologist