• CACFT Awards

  Nomination Information and Procedures

  The CACFT Awards celebrates CACFT members who have contributed to and shown outstanding commitment to CACFT and the couple and family therapy profession. We invite members to nominate colleagues who have demonstrated exceptional contributions and commitment to CACFT and the couple and family therapy profession above and beyond the scope of their employment. The awards will be presented at the annual conference.

  Only one award in each category will be given in a calendar year. These awards will only be given if a suitable candidate meets all the criteria for the award. Awards will be held back in years when there are fewer than three nominations in the category or the nominees do not meet the criteria for the award. Once a member has won an award, they are not eligible for that same award for two calendar years following the year they won the award.

  Please note that self-nomination is not permissible for these awards.

  Nominations for CACFT Awards must be made by a CACFT member in good standing. Please include the following in the application and email the completed package to Donna Chamberlain at admin@cacft.ca before April 1, 2026

  ·      Name, email, phone number and membership number of the nominator

  ·      Name, email and phone number of the nominee

  ·      A biography of the nominee from a public source or written by the nominators.

  ·      A letter of reference from the nominator outlining why the nominee should win the award.

  To receive the award, the nominee must receive a recommendation from a majority of the CACFT Board of Directors, Committee Chairs and Branch Presidents. If the nominee is on the board or is a Committee Chair or Branch President, they must recuse themselves from all discussion and voting on that specific award.

  For the CACFT Indigenous Practice Award, the nominee must receive a recommendation from a majority of the CACFT Indigenous Relatives and Allies Circle, CACFT Board of Directors, Committee Chairs and Branch Presidents. If the nominee is on the board or is a Committee Chair or Branch President or the CACFT Indigenous Relatives and Allies group they must recuse themselves from all discussion and voting on that specific award.

   

  THE CACFT AWARDS

  CACFT Outstanding Volunteer Contribution Award 

  The CACFT Outstanding Volunteer Contribution Award may be awarded to a past or present volunteer RMFT member who has contributed considerably to the aims and objectives of CACFT. They have gone above and beyond other volunteer members in CACFT in the volunteer work they have done for CACFT. The recipient will be exempt from paying membership dues for five years if they remain in good standing.

  CACFT Professional Contribution Award 

  The CACFT Professional Contribution Award may be awarded to a member in recognition of outstanding professional contribution to couple & family therapy in Canada. The contribution can be in the realms of teaching, training, research, publishing, clinical practice or governmental policies and regulations. The recipient will receive $500.

  CACFT Student/Affiliate Award

  The CACFT Student/Affiliate Award may be awarded to a Student or Affiliate Member who has contributed considerably to the aims and objectives of CACFT. They have gone above and beyond other volunteer members in CACFT in the volunteer work they have done for CACFT. The recipient will receive $500.

  CACFT Supervisor Award

  The CACFT Supervisor Award may be awarded to an RMFT-S or RMFT-SM Member who has contributed considerably to the practice of supervision. They have gone above and beyond other supervisors in their role as an RMFT supervisor. The recipient will receive $500.

  CACFT Indigenous Practice Award

  The CACFT Indigenous Practice Award aims to honour excellence in advancing culturally safe counselling and psychotherapy services for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

  In addition to the criteria for the other awards, the nominee must be: currently engaged with Indigenous Peoples, community(ies) or contexts as a CFT involved in ongoing professional development related to issues that impact Indigenous Peoples; integrate Indigenous ways of knowing and healing in their practice; may be engaged in advocacy related to Indigenous mental health; the nominee does not have to self-identify as an Indigenous person although must clearly demonstrate their relationship to the Indigenous community they work with. The recipient will receive $500.

  The CACFT Book Award

  Purpose: To recognize book publications of CACFT members

  Amount: $300

  Criteria of eligibility

  1. The book must be written by a Canadian author or authors and must be published in the two years preceding the award event. The same book cannot be considered for two consecutive book awards due to the overlap of publication dates or event dates that may occur.
  2. The book must not be a compilation of articles arranged by an editor.
  3. The author must be a CACFT member in good standing. In the case of multiple authors, at least one author must belong to CACFT.

  To nominate

  1. You cannot nominate yourself. A member in good standing must make the nomination.
  2. Nominator name, email and phone number and support letter stating why this book should be considered for this award.
  3. Submit one copy of the book.
  4. Submit one electronic copy of an independent review that could be published in the Participator, the Canadian Journal for Couple and Family Therapy.

  General guidelines for assessment

  1. Originality
  2. The work must be considered a valuable contribution to the advancement of CFT in Canada
  3. Overall quality of style and presentation.

  The CACFT Research or Professional Article Award

  Purpose: To recognize research or publications of CACFT members

  Amount: $300

  Criteria of eligibility

• 1.        The article must be published in an established CFT Journal in the two years preceding the award event.
• 2.        The author must be a CACFT member in good standing. In the case of multiple authors, at least one author must belong to CACFT.

1. The article must report the results of an empirical inquiry in CFT or its related fields.
2. The author(s) must give consent for the article to be reprinted (if legally possible) in the Participator, the Canadian Journal for Couple and Family Therapy.

To nominate

1. You cannot nominate yourself. A member in good standing must make the nomination.
2. Nominator name, email and phone number and support letter stating why this book should be considered for this award.
3. Submit one electronic copy of the article.
4. If there is more than one author, indicate those who are primary writers and those who, as secondary writers, contributed to the research.

General guidelines for assessment

1. Originality
2. Methodology
3. Writing style and overall quality of presentation
4. Strengths and limitations
5. Findings and results
6. Importance of the work to CFT in Canada