What’s the Difference Between Counsellors, Psychotherapists, and Social Workers?

When you search for therapy and counselling services in Windsor Essex, you will find a lot of options.  I want to provide information that will help you make an informed choice about your services so that you can find the services that best fit your needs.

First you learned about the differences between counselling, psychotherapy, and social work, and now it’s time to learn about the differences between counsellors, psychotherapists, and social workers.  Know that it’s your right to ask questions about credentials and experience.  While you search for services, be on the look out for the following credentials: Canadian Certified Counsellor, Psychotherapist, and Social Worker.  In this post I will first provide a definition of each credential, followed by an outline of registration requirements, specifics on what to look for, and then end with information on insurance coverage.  Let’s get started.

Counsellors

The term counsellor is not regulated and as a result anyone can use the title because there is no governing body that specifies education, experience, ethics, or standards of practice.  See What’s the Difference Between Counselling, Psychotherapy, and Social Work to learn more about regulation.  However, the term Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) is regulated.  It is regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and therefore is described as follows:

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.

Counselling is 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.

Requirements for Registration

Requirements to become a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with the CCPA include:

• A master’s degree in counselling psychology
• Direct practice experience that demonstrates recent and relevant professional counselling experience:
  • A new graduate of less than 5 years must demonstrate a minimum of 150 hours of supervised direct client counselling hours.  Examples of direct client hours include facilitating or co-facilitating a group, family, or couples session; providing real-time therapy to an individual, couple, family or group; conducting assessment activities, such as clinical interviewing/therapeutic observation)
  • A graduate of over 5 years must demonstrate completion of 800 hours of direct client contact of counselling experience and a reference from a supervisor.  Examples of direct client hours include facilitating or co-facilitating a group, family, or couples session; providing real-time therapy to an individual, couple, family or group; conducting assessment activities, such as clinical interviewing/therapeutic observation.

Additional information about requirements for CCC can be found here.

In addition to being registered with CCPA, a Canadian Certified Counsellor must be registered with a professional college – such as the College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO) or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) – in order to provide counselling services in the province of Ontario.

What to Look For

Look for the following when you are searching for counselling services in Windsor:

• Master’s degree in counselling psychology (MACP or MA in Counselling Psychology)
• Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)
• Registered Social Worker (RSW) or Registered Psychotherapist (RP) or Registered Psychotherapist Qualifying (RP, Qualifying).

Here’s an example: Jane Smith, MACP, CCC, RSW

To find out if a practitioner is registered with CCPA click here, or CRPO click here or OCSWSSW click here.

Insurance Coverage

It’s always important to check with your insurance provider to verify your coverage because providers may only cover specific credentials.  Canadian Certified Counsellors are typically covered under Clinical Counsellors or clinical counselling.

Registered Psychotherapist (RP) or Registered Psychotherapist Qualifying (RP, Qualifying)

A Registered Psychotherapist is regulated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO) and is defined as follows:

Registered Psychotherapists work with individuals, couples and families in individual and group settings. Psychotherapy occurs when the Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and client enter into a psychotherapeutic relationship where both work together to bring about positive change in the client’s thinking, feeling, behaviour and social functioning. Individuals usually seek psychotherapy when they have thoughts, feelings, moods and behaviours that are adversely affecting their day-to-day lives, relationships and the ability to enjoy life.

Requirements for Registration

Requirements to become a an RP with the CRPO include:

• Master’s degree in counselling psychology, psychology, education in counselling psychology, relational and family therapy). See here for more examples.
• Pass a registration exam called the Canadian Professional Standard for Counselling and Psychotherapy (CPSCP)
• For qualifying (RP-Qualifying) status the member is in the process of completing 450 hours of direct patient contact and at least 100 hours of clinical supervision where that clinical supervision relates to those hours of direct patient contact.
• For Registered Psychotherapist status the member must practise psychotherapy with clinical supervision until such time that he or she, i. has completed at least 1000 hours of direct patient contact; and ii. has completed at least 150 hours of clinical supervision related to the 1000 hours of direct patient.

Additional information about requirements for RP’s can be found here.

What to Look For

Look for the following when you are searching for counselling services in Windsor:

• Master’s degree (MA, MACP, MPsyc)
• Registered Psychotherapist (RP), or RP Qualifying

Here’s an example: Jane Smith, MACP, RP or Jane Smith, MACP, RP Qualifying (meaning they are still completing 450 hours of direct patient contact and at least 100 hours of clinical supervision).

To find out if a practitioner is registered with CRPO click here.

Insurance Coverage

It’s always important to check with your insurance provider to verify your coverage because providers may only cover specific credentials.  Registered Psychotherapists are covered under Psychotherapist or psychotherapy.

Registered Social Worker with a Masters in Social Work (RSW, MSW)

A Registered Social Worker is regulated by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and is defined as follows:

Typically, College registrants have obtained a Bachelor of Social Work degree (BSW), a Master of Social Work degree (MSW) or both. In Ontario, a BSW program is four years in duration and an MSW program is a further one to two years..

According to the College’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, the scope of practice of the profession of social work means the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of individual, interpersonal and societal problems through the use of social work knowledge, skills, interventions and strategies, to assist individuals, dyads, families, groups, organizations and communities to achieve optimum psychosocial and social functioning.

Requirements for Registration

Requirements to become an RSW (either RSW/BSW or RSW/MSW) with OCSWSSW include:

• A bachelors degree of social work (BSW), a master’s degree in social work (MSW), or a combination of academic qualifications and experience performing the role of a social worker.
• Have engaged in the practice of social work or social service work within the five years immediately before the date of the application, or otherwise satisfy the Registrar that you are competent to perform the role of a social worker or social service worker. Note: This requirement does not apply to applicants who have obtained the academic qualifications required for registration with the College within the five years before the date of application.