Counselling Competency
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) has developed a set of competencies that need to be met by all professionals in the counselling field. The following list of competencies are a reflection of my learning throughout this program.
Counselling as a Profession including:
Ethical and Legal Issues in Counselling including:
Counselling and Consultation Processes including:
Human Development and Learning, including:
Diversity – Understanding and respecting human diversity within the Canadian multi-cultural society, including:
Assessment Processes, including
Research Methods, including:
Program Evaluation, including an understanding of how to conduct needs assessments, specify program objectives and evaluate the impact of counselling programs.
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Source: http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/en/accreditation/standards/
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) has developed a set of competencies that need to be met by all professionals in the counselling field. The following list of competencies are a reflection of my learning throughout this program.
Counselling as a Profession including:
- the history and philosophy of counselling as a helping profession
- the role and identity of professional counsellors and their relationships with other related professionals; professional organizations (primarily the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association) including mission and goals, membership criteria, activities, services to members, and current priorities
- required standards of preparation including certification and accreditation standards
Ethical and Legal Issues in Counselling including:
- certification standards and issues
- ethical standards of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and related bodies
- legal issues
- opportunity to apply ethical decision-making processes to case material
Counselling and Consultation Processes including:
- counselling theories that provide the student with a consistent framework to conceptualize client issues and identify and select appropriate counselling strategies and interventions. Presentation of theories should include the foundations of their development; their cognitive, affective and behavioural components; research evidence for their effectiveness; and their application to practice. Theories presented should reflect current professional practice.
- an understanding of essential interviewing and counselling skills so that the student is able to establish an effective therapeutic relationship and
- develop and maintain appropriate professional boundaries. The student should be able to understand and apply effective counselling approaches and techniques to facilitate client exploration of issues, examination of alternate perspectives, and development of appropriate actions with respect to the issues presented. It is recognized that these involvements will also require a measure of student reflection and self-exploration. A prepracticum experience of at least 40 hours of laboratory practice in basic counselling skills and simulated interviews is required of all students.
- a systems perspective that recognizes that all clients are part of larger societal, colleague, friendship and family systems. Curricular experiences are provided regarding systems theories (including family theories) and related approaches and strategies.
- a general model of consultation. This should include issues related to the development of consultation models, ways in which counselling and
- consultation approaches differ, strategies for effective consultation, and the opportunity to apply theoretical models to practice.
- ethical and legal issues related to counselling and consultation.
Human Development and Learning, including:
- an understanding of the application of theories of human development in understanding and working with individuals, families and groups experiencing developmental transitions across the lifespan
- an understanding of the application of learning theory and theories of personality in a variety of counselling and consultation processes
- an understanding of developmental issues, challenges and crises including, addiction, psychopathology, disabling conditions, etc.
- ethical and legal considerations
Diversity – Understanding and respecting human diversity within the Canadian multi-cultural society, including:
- variability in age, gender, culture and ethnicity, race, religious preference, sexual orientation, physical and psychical ability, socioeconomic status, lifestyle and family patterns
- issues and trends affecting diverse groups
- individual, family and group strategies with diverse populations
- legal and ethical issues
Assessment Processes, including
- knowledge related to the evolution of the development of individual and group assessment instruments and processes
- knowledge of basic concepts of measurement theory, including reliability and validity and related statistical concepts
- knowledge and the ability to use a variety of assessment approaches, including standardized and non-standardized instruments, computer based approaches, observational methods, etc.
- an understanding of the influences of issues of diversity regarding appraisal
- an ability to appropriately select, apply and interpret appraisal techniques and instruments within counselling and consultation processes
- ethical and legal issues related to assessment
Research Methods, including:
- knowledge of basic principles of qualitative and quantitative research design, along with related processes of data analysis
- an understanding of challenges involved in conducting counselling research
- knowledge of the influence of issues of diversity related to conducting research
- legal and ethical issues involved in research
Program Evaluation, including an understanding of how to conduct needs assessments, specify program objectives and evaluate the impact of counselling programs.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Source: http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/en/accreditation/standards/