The
Right People at the Right Time in the Right Place
The
Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) envisions “a
country where all Canadians enjoy good mental health. Canadians with a
lived experience of mental illness, their families and care providers must have
access to the care, support and respect to which they are entitled and in
parity with other health conditions.” Having the right people at the right time
at the right place with the right expertise to meet Canadians in their time of
need is critical. This vision resonates particularly strongly with us at the
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Like CAMIMH, we
live, work, plan, and dream the principle of “health promotion and the
treatment of mental illnesses (being) timely, continuous, inter-disciplinary,
culturally appropriate, and integrated across the full life cycle and the
continuum of care (i.e. physical and mental health; social supports and
tertiary care to home/community care)” (http://camimh.ca/about-camimh/).
Who are We?
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
(CCPA) is the national, bilingual home to approximately 5000 mental health
professionals in all provinces and territories. We have a 48-year history of advocating for
the role of psychotherapy and counselling in increasing and supporting the
mental health, wellness, and happiness of the Canadian people. CCPA supports
cultural diversity and the importance of foreign-trained healthcare
professionals in mental health. We actively encourage and support the provision
of services independently and in collaboration with other mental health
professionals using a team approach based on client need.
Our members are
experts and specialists in numerous mental health areas related to both medical and DSM diagnoses and to traumatic life events and
transitions (e.g., ADHD, PTSD, OCD, brain trauma, grief, anxiety, eating
disorders, stress, depression, suicidality, anger, infertility, addiction,
work-life balance, relationships) and they use a variety of titles in their
daily work including counsellor,
nurse, psychologist, social worker, professor, counselling therapist,
psychotherapist, clinical counsellor, school counsellor, career counsellor, and
many many more.
Counsellors and psychotherapists in our Association
work in a variety of settings including rehabilitation centres, correctional
services and industry, providing a diversity of services to clients across the lifespan
including children, teens, adults, couples, families, and groups in a variety
of settings. A large number of
our members work in schools, colleges and universities. Others work for
non-profit agencies and in private practice. Many members work in the
employment sector and in employment assistance programs. Still others work in
program development, counselling administration and government.
What is Counselling and How Does it Fit in the Continuum of
Care?
The continuum of care requires professional
attention to timeliness, interdisciplinary cooperation, integration, and
continuity of care based on elements that include the social, cultural, and emotional
landscape and needs of the individual or group seeking assistance. The historic
distinction between counselling and psychotherapy (1960s-1990s) has diminished
in the 21st century as therapeutic interventions, standards of
practice and training requirements have evolved; most mental health practitioners
now view their work on a continuum and many of our CCPA members use the terms counselling
and psychotherapy interchangeably. Our psychotherapists and certified
counsellors hold a shared vision, scope, and standard of practice based on
aligned theoretical bases, established domains of competency, current
professional ethics and practice.
The nationally validated definition of counselling speaks of “a
relational process based upon the ethical use of specific professional
competencies to facilitate human change. Counselling addresses wellness,
relationships, personal growth, career development, mental health, and
psychological illness or distress. The counselling process is characterized by
the application of recognized cognitive, affective, expressive, somatic,
spiritual, developmental, behavioural, learning, and systemic principles.” (http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/_documents/Symposium/).
Learn More Online and Join us in Nova
Scotia
Our
website for practitioners and persons interested in the counselling and
psychotherapy profession is located at www.ccpa-accp.ca. We also host a public-facing
website for members of the public who are curious about the profession of
counselling and psychotherapy and how it might be of assistance to them. The
public-facing website is located at www.talkingcanhelp.ca.
CCPA also hosts both research conferences and practice-based
conferences. Our next national conference is May 14 – 17, 2013 at Westin’s Nova
Scotian Hotel in Halifax, Nova Scotia. With more than 70 presenters and keynote
speakers Michael Ungar, Slyvie Giasson and Martin Antony, the conference
promises to deliver information related to the breadth and depth of the
profession. To learn more or register for the conference, go to:
