Professional Associations and credentials for Counselors , Psychotherapists and Psychologists
What is the difference between a Psychologist, a Counsellor, and a Social Worker?
Psychologist
In BC, Psychologists generally need to be trained at the Ph.D level, in Alberta you can become a Registered Psychologist with a Masters level education. Thus, for Catherine Cloutier, MA, RCC despite having a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, her professional designation is that of a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC).
Counsellor
The vast array of training, credentials, and professional designations is confusing in the counselling field. Each title represents different backgrounds including training and credentials. There are many more designations not listed. A comprehensive list of Canadian provincial and national counselling associations can be found on the the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association website.
Counselling is an unregulated profession, which means that a person can call themselves a counsellor without having had comprehensive training. There are many possible designations within the counselling field. It is important to check the credentials of a counsellor, such as education level and that they belong to a professional association.
Fully trained counsellors should have a Masters Degree and belong to a professional association. Because the profession is not regulated in British Columbia, when selecting a counsellor it is important to check the counsellor’s credentials to see that they are fully trained with post-secondary education at a Masters level.
Social Worker
Where Do Social Workers Work?
Social workers work in a variety of settings: family services agencies, children’s aid agencies, general and psychiatric hospitals, school boards, correctional institutions, welfare administration agencies, federal and provincial departments. An increasing number of social workers work in private practice. Social workers can practice with a Bachelor’s degree in social work, if selecting a counsellor in private practice, it is important to check that they have also earned a Clinical Masters degree in social work as well as the Bachelor of Social Work degree.“93% of those in the social worker occupational category are employed either in the health and social services or government industries, with 74% in the former and 19% in the latter. Relatively few social workers are employed in private practice offices, but the number almost doubled between 1991 and 1996.”1
1 In Critical Demand: Social Work in Canada, Vol. 1, Final Report From: https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/what-social-work
