When searching for a legitimate therapist in Canada, you'll encounter two main types of credentials that indicate a practitioner is qualified and accountable. The first type includes professionals regulated by provincial law. These therapists must be registered with their provincial regulatory college, which has the legal authority to set standards, investigate complaints, and discipline members. The second type consists of practitioners who hold credentials recognized for their high reputation and rigour within the mental health field across Canada.
It's important to understand that not every province has established regulatory frameworks for mental health professionals. In these provinces, technically anyone can claim to be a therapist without any formal training or oversight. However, this doesn't mean you have no way to find a legitimate therapist. In this list, we include all credentials that are highly recognized within each province's mental health system, whether they're regulated by law or recognized through professional associations with rigorous standards.
While Canada's healthcare system is provincially led, the Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) designation serves a unique nationwide role. This national certification provides a consistent standard across all provinces and is particularly valuable in provinces where counselling therapy isn't yet regulated by provincial law. The CCC demonstrates that a practitioner has met stringent national standards for education, supervised practice, and ethical conduct.
Below is a comprehensive list of regulated mental health credentials available across Canada, organized by province and territory.
National Credentials
Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)
Regulated by: Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Website: https://www.ccpa-accp.ca
Practises in: All provinces and territories across Canada
The CCC designation is a nationally recognized certification that demonstrates a counsellor has met high standards for education, clinical training, and professional practice. This credential is particularly valuable in provinces where counselling is not yet regulated by law.
Alberta
Counselling Therapist (CT)
Regulated by: The Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta
Website: https://www.acta-alberta.ca/
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: Alberta College of Occupational Therapists
Website: https://acot.ca
Registered Provisional Psychologist
Regulated by: College of Alberta Psychologists
Website: https://www.cap.ab.ca
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Regulated by: College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta
Website: https://www.crpna.ab.ca
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: College of Alberta Psychologists
Website: https://www.cap.ab.ca
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: Alberta College of Social Workers
Website: https://www.acsw.ab.ca
British Columbia
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia
Website: https://chcpbc.org
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
Regulated by: BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
Website: https://bcacc.ca/
Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW)
Regulated by: British Columbia College of Social Workers
Website: https://bccsw.ca
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Regulated by: British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives
Website: https://www.bccnm.ca
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: College of Psychologists of British Columbia
Website: https://collegeofpsychologists.bc.ca
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: British Columbia College of Social Workers
Website: https://bccsw.ca
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC)
Regulated by: Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada
Website: https://acctcounsellor.com/
Student Member (Clinical Counsellor)
Regulated by: BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
Website: https://bcacc.ca/
Manitoba
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba
Website: https://www.cotm.ca
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Regulated by: College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba
Website: https://www.crpnm.mb.ca
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: Psychological Association of Manitoba
Website: https://www.cpmb.ca
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: Manitoba College of Social Workers
Website: https://mcsw.ca
New Brunswick
Licensed Counselling Therapist (LCT)
Regulated by: College of Counselling Therapists of New Brunswick
Website: https://www.cctnb.ca
Licensed Psychologist
Regulated by: College of Psychologists of New Brunswick
Website: https://www.cpnb.ca
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: New Brunswick Association of Occupational Therapists
Website: https://www.nbaot.org
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: New Brunswick Association of Social Workers
Website: https://www.nbasw-atsnb.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: Newfoundland & Labrador Occupational Therapy Board
Website: https://www.nlotb.ca
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: Newfoundland and Labrador Psychology Board
Website: https://www.nlpsychologyboard.ca
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: Newfoundland and Labrador College of Social Workers
Website: https://www.nlcsw.ca
Northwest Territories
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: Government of Northwest Territories
Website: https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca
Nova Scotia
Counselling Therapist (CT)
Regulated by: Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists
Website: https://nscct.ca
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: Nova Scotia College of Occupational Therapists
Website: https://nscot.org
Registered Psychologist (RP)
Regulated by: Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology
Website: https://www.nsbep.org
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: Nova Scotia College of Social Workers
Website: https://nscsw.org
Ontario
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
Website: https://www.coto.org
Registered Nurse (RN)
Regulated by: College of Nurses of Ontario
Website: https://www.cno.org
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: College of Psychologists of Ontario
Website: https://www.cpo.on.ca
Registered Psychotherapist (RP)
Regulated by: College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
Website: https://www.crpo.ca
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) (RP(Q))
Regulated by: College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
Website: https://www.crpo.ca
Registered Social Service Worker (RSSW)
Regulated by: Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Website: https://www.ocswssw.org
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Website: https://www.ocswssw.org
Prince Edward Island
Counselling Therapist (CT)
Regulated by: College of Counselling Therapy of Prince Edward Island
Website: https://www.cctpei.ca/
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: Prince Edward Island College of Occupational Therapists
Website: https://www.peiot.org/
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: Prince Edward Island Psychologists Registration Board
Website: https://www.peipsychology.org
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: PEI Social Work Registration Board
Website: http://socialworkpei.ca/
Québec
Psychologue
Regulated by: Ordre des psychologues du Québec
Website: https://www.ordrepsy.qc.ca
Psychoéducateur/Psychoéducatrice
Regulated by: L'Ordre des psychoéducateurs et psychoéducatrices du Québec
Website: https://www.ordrepsed.qc.ca/
Psychothérapeute
Regulated by: Association des psychothérapeutes du Québec
Website: https://psychotherapeutesquebec.ca/
Sexologue
Regulated by: Ordre professionnel des sexologues du Québec
Website: https://opsq.org
Thérapeute conjugal(e) et familial(e)
Regulated by: Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec
Website: https://www1.otstcfq.org
Thérapeute en relation d'aide
Regulated by: Corporation internationale des thérapeutes en relation d'aide et des coachs
Website: https://citrac.ca/
Travailleur/Travailleuse social(e)
Regulated by: Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec
Website: https://www1.otstcfq.org
Saskatchewan
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Regulated by: Saskatchewan College of Occupational Therapists
Website: https://www.scotsk.ca
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Regulated by: Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan
Website: https://www.rpnas.com
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: Saskatchewan College of Psychologists
Website: https://skcp.ca
Registered Psychologist (Provisional)
Regulated by: Saskatchewan College of Psychologists
Website: https://skcp.ca
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Regulated by: Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers
Website: https://www.sasw.ca
Yukon
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Regulated by: Government of Yukon
Website: https://yukon.ca/en/professional-licensing
Registered Psychologist
Regulated by: Government of Yukon
Website: https://yukon.ca/en/professional-licensing
How to Use This List
When searching for a therapist, verify their credentials by checking the appropriate regulatory body's online registry. Look for their registration number, confirm they're in good standing, and ensure there are no practice restrictions. Remember that while this list includes regulated credentials, the specific services each professional can provide may vary based on their training and scope of practice.
If you're unsure which type of professional would best meet your needs, consider reaching out to the regulatory colleges directly or using reputable therapist directories like Stellocare, where you can search by credential type, specialization, and therapeutic approach while ensuring all listed practitioners hold legitimate credentials.
This article was written by Nicholas Wong, the founder of Stellocare. Nicholas is a Registered Social Worker in Ontario and holds master's degrees in both Family Counselling and Computer Science. He is dedicated to merging technology with mental health practice.
About Stellocare
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