Does my supervisor have to have the Registered Counselling Supervisor (RCS) designation?
Your supervisor is not required to have the ACCT supervisor designation RCS. They also do not have to be a member of ACCT.
Non-ACCT supervisors must meet the following requirements:
- Hold a certificate or diploma; bachelor's degree; postgraduate certificate; master’s degree or Ph.D. in counselling or a related field from a registered school.
- Have extensive professional experience, including a minimum of 5 years of registered counselling practice as an RTC or equivalent (or a combination of 5 years registration between ACCT and other counselling association(s)/provincial college(s)).
- Have attained at least 1000 direct contact hours (500 in Canada), and received a minimum of 120 hours of supervision (60 in Canada).
- Be a registered member in good standing in a recognized counselling or related professional association whose members practice counselling therapy.
- Have completed a supervision
training course. - Have current liability insurance.
- Accept and work within ACCT’s Supervisor Code of Ethics and ACCT’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
If your supervisor is not an ACCT member, we require that you meet the criteria outlined on the Application Process.
Is supervision mandatory for RTCs?
Supervision is mandatory for all ACCT counsellors. To account for your supervision, both you and your supervisor would keep a current log of your direct client contact hours, the hours spent with your supervisor and your supervision reports or evaluation. It is an annual requirement for membership that you report a minimum of 8 hours of supervision per year.
If I have completed 200 direct contact hours with supervision before I am finished my education can I join ACCT as an RTC?
The membership criteria for RTCs includes both an education and a practicum or supervision requirement. Both of these pieces are required in order to qualify. All Registered Therapeutic Counsellors must hold a certificate, diploma or a degree in counselling or a related field. For more information on the RTC requirements, please review ACCT Counsellor Criteria.
What are the fees for joining ACCT?
Please see all fee details on the ACCT Application Process page.
What are the benefits of joining ACCT?
Please review the Membership Benefits page
