You may have heard that, like some other health professions, a Counselling Therapist will need to demonstrate “currency” as part of their application for regulation, if all goes according to plan. As in Ontario, PEI, New Brunswick and probably Alberta, FACTBC is recommending that whatever College regulates us should require that an applicant for registration must demonstrate that they have been active in the profession to a specified level over a specified period of time.
The Registration Guide for the proposed BC Registration model for Counselling Therapists contains the following language:
“All applicants must be “current” in the practice of the profession. Specifically, they must have engaged in professional activities related to counselling therapy in the 3 year period immediately prior to application. Someone who completed their education and training several years earlier but never practiced would not be current, and therefore would be ineligible for registration.
To establish currency, applicants must:
- have completed their education and training program in the 12 months immediately prior to application; or
- be completing their education and training program after having
- substantially completed it; or
- have completed their clinical experience requirement, i.e. direct client contact and clinical supervision hours, in the 12 months immediately prior to application; or
- have completed 750 currency hours within the 3 years immediately prior to application; or
- have completed upgrading activities acceptable by the Registration Committee.
Currency hours are defined broadly and include a range of professional activities related to counselling therapy, in addition to direct client work.
The period for demonstrating currency is the 3 years immediately prior to the date on which an applicant’s completed application and fee are submitted to the College. The purpose of the currency requirement is to demonstrate recent professional activity related to the practice of the profession.”
The intent of such a requirement is to try to ensure that practitioners wishing to register with the College are not just dusting off a dream career that was never pursued or that has been “on hold” for years. Applicants will be required to provide evidence of recent professional activity which could include direct client contact hours, the provision of supervision, teaching, research and other activities that impact the profession.
Given the substantial portion of our profession that works part-time, the creators of the Registration Process were well aware of the potential problems that might follow from such a requirement if it was inflexible. Therefore, the Registrar was to be granted leave to adjust this requirement to acknowledge the impact on professional activity of life patterns such as parental leave or periods of public service and the Registration Committee was empowered to establish equivalent variations as required.
The requirement for currency at the time of registration is aligned with the proposed requirements for on-going professional development and on-going clinical supervision.
It amazes me that, in the spirit of competence, we are moving more toward a restrictive model of practice. AS an example, In order to advance in one’s chosen career in the counselling/therapy field as a clinical coordinator, one must show experience in such – and equivalent education and training is often overlooked. The clinician, therefore, is limited to “lateral” moves within the profession with no hopes of advancement.
Likewise, the new or returning therapist now has a barrier to overcome to be recognized as competent in the field, while those who may be registered, yet show lack of competence, remain in practice. They are protected by those who would not want to see a fellow colleague reprimanded for improper behavior or incompetent practice. I have little faith that the profession will, and should, respond positively to this recommendation