Membership and Credentialing Committee 

Kathryn Guthrie, Chair

Purpose 

The CACFT/ACTCF Membership and Credentialing Committee is responsible for creating categories of membership and the credentials required for each, as well as designing processes and forms related to application and renewal in various categories.

The Committee designs and maintains oversight of the credentialing process (i.e. how credentials are assessed and recognized), which includes reviewing, from time to time, the categories of membership in CACFT, and identify the processes by which these categories are attained (i.e. what credentials are required)

Indigenous Allies Group

Cathryn Harris

This group is for members of CACFT/ACTCF who wish to be advocates and allies for Indigenous families in Canada, with the goal of supporting and developing their holistic well-being, their rights, and their freedom. Our goal is to walk beside Indigenous families and their communities and join our voices to theirs in the wider Canadian community. We look to our Indigenous mentors and members for guidance on how to best do that. We wish to reach out to other non-Indigenous Canadians to invite them also on the various paths to true reconciliation, and where indicated, bring Indigenous interests and well-being to the practical attention of appropriate governmental and legislative participants. If you would like to join this group please contact [email protected]

Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee's duties are to uphold the CACFT/ACTCF Code of Ethics.  We do this by consultations with members and other committees about ethical matters, reviews of the code of ethics, and through receiving and reviewing complaints of ethical violations. Questions? To get involved with this committee please reach out to the CAMFT office at [email protected]. 

Professional Development

Tim McCurdy-Myers

The task of the Professional Development Committee is to develop, administer and monitor the Continuing Education requirements of Association members, evaluate individual and organizational requests for Continuing Education approval when necessary, and provide professional development and continuing education opportunities for members, either directly or in association with other organizations. We need more committee members. Contact Tim at [email protected] if you would like to present a webinar or workshop to our members. 

International Conference Planning

Chelsea Carey, Chair

This committee has started planning  an International Conference for 2026.

Plans are beginning to take shape but the committee needs more volunteers.  

Elections Committee

A Chair and members are needed for this committee

The purpose of the Elections Committee is to find members that are willing to run for open positions on the CACFT/ACTCF Board of Directors.  The process and related duties include (1) searching out interested members, (2) call for nominations from the general membership, (3) gather candidates bios, (4) organize and run the elections digitally, and (5) coordinate any related communiques from the committee. Nominations are hosted annually typically during late summer.  Results of the election are announced at the Annual General Meeting.

While the voting members of CACFT/ACTCF vote for new board members, the board members themselves vote for the executive positions (ie., president, president elect, treasurer, and secretary). As a committee looking for potential candidates, we are conscious of succession planning for the executive and evenly distributed geographical representation of board members across Canada. We do need volunteers to help with this. Please contact [email protected] if you have a few hours to assist. 

Publications Committee

Lauren Birks, Chair

Participator is the name of CACFT/ACTCF's’s new journal that will be rolling out soon. This online journal will be focused on relational practice and practitioners, welcoming a wide variety of voices and ideas. If you would like to assist in any way by being a contributor and/or reviewer, please email [email protected] . 

Insurance Committee

 Sandra Scott, Chair

The main goal of the Insurance Committee is to have RMFTs added to the standard contract wording for large insurance providers (Canada Life/Great-West Life; Manulife; Sun Life and Blue Cross). A bit of background for anyone unfamiliar with group insurance policies/plans, many of you may have clients who have confirmed that your services are covered under their plan. However, those are currently non-standard (likely large companies or government departments, or forward-thinking smaller companies) plans. Our goal is to have RMFTs added as treatment providers for therapy/counselling under all standard plans.

A healthier workplace means fewer sick days, and disability claims overall. When people have choice and they are not out of pocket they can get the help they need when they need it and from the therapist that they feel comfortable with.

We have now some marketing materials, as education is the key.   We need to educate the general public, plan members, benefits administrators and decision makers at companies, sales/account managers and decision makers at insurance providers.  Next steps will also be launching marketing materials onto websites and social media, as well as hopefully radio/television. This is an exciting project. 

Student/Affiliate Committee

The Student/Affiliate committee is set up to encourage and hear the voice of the MFT student and affiliates.  Our committee meets to discuss topics of interest and the best ways to approach student/affiliate interests, concerns and questions.  Presently, our committee organizes the monthly Student Hangouts where students come together virtually to meet and talk.  Some of our committee members meet with MFT programs across Canada which aids in building relationships with MFT students; this includes an orientation to CACFT/ACTCF and its accreditation process.  We are always looking at new ways to connect and communicate with our present and future MFT students and affiliates. We are looking for  more committee members who are available to meet every 4-6 weeks. 

comité francophone

Marg Barkman, président du comité

La mission du comité francophone est d'augmenter à la fois notre présence dans la communauté francophone ainsi que d'augmenter notre adhésion francophone afin que CAMFT devienne une organisation véritablement bilingue.

The mission of the Francophone committee is to increase both our presence in the Francophone community as well as to increase our Francophone membership so that CAMFT becomes a truly bilingual organization.  

Emergency Response Team 

Soon after the pandemic hit we realized many people were going to need a therapist to help them through tough times and many would not have the money to get that help. With the help of our members CAMFT created the ERT. A member of the public can complete our online form on our home page, asking for help. The CAMFT office will reach out to one of the members of the ERT who contact the client and provide three free sessions. We have had many requests from all across Canada although, most of been in Ontario. If you would like more information on the ERT please click here. If you are an RMFT and would like to be added to the list of ERT volunteers please contact [email protected]. 

Branches 

David Fung, Chair

The Branches Committee came into being in 2019 (at the time known as the Regional/National Working Group).  Its original mandate came from the strong CACFT/ACTCF board recognition that grassroots entities best form the regional bonds and relationships, and the organic networking that results, that a national organization alone cannot do. 

The existence of, and mandate for, the Branches Committee was formalized soon after our last AGM as a standing committee of the board; and most significantly, our mandate now has a home in our amended bylaws which makes provision for branches. 

The current mandate of the Branches Committee is to work towards expanding and facilitating regional and special interest entities that will allow for CACFT/ACTCF members in those groups to come together to identify their own needs, initiatives, and projects for advocacy, public relations, community awareness, advancement of the profession, and networking. 

“The CAMFT believes that adding sub-groups to the organization to represent regional interests should be done in a way that facilitates maximum flexibility and ability to incorporate as many disparate forms of regional entities as possible so long as there is a commitment to furthering the profession of marriage/couple family therapy/systems therapy.” 

British Columbia Branch of CACFT/ACTCF

President Katherine White

This Branch was the first to be created, thanks to the hard work of BC members. If you would like to join this Branch please complete the application form. Please note there is an extra cost to join this Branch.

Email [email protected] 

Alberta CACFT Branch 

Tony Falasca, President

Our mission as an Alberta Branch is to provide an Alberta-based network of like-minded professionals to support, equip, and educate through a systemic perspective. Our vision is to become a province where healthy systems strengthen and enhance the holistic well-being of individuals, couples, families, and the greater community. 

2SLGBTQQIA+ Group

Wade Alexander Chair

CACFT/ACTCF's 2SLGBTQQIA+  interest group is a discussion and working group dedicated to serving 2SLGBTQQIA+ clients, providers and communities. Members please watch the Monday Updates to see when the next meeting will be. 

We welcome all folks within the general membership whether you belong to the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, or you may be interested in how to best support our community –please attend our meetings– you are welcome here.

Bridges Group

Anjali Joseph, Chair 

This group provides space for us to look at the intersections and observe, share and exam some of the intersections between race and culture, mental health and family systems. The group meets on a monthly basis. This is not a BIPOC group, it is a group for everyone. 

Accreditation Working Group

Kathryn Guthrie, Chair

This very hard working and committed group, with representatives from all but one of the Canadian schools who train C/MFTs across Canada (from Montreal to Langley) has been working for the past 3 years to create an accreditation process and policy for CACFT/ACTCF. This process will have a profound influence on the future. 

Strategic Planning Working Group

Cameron Keller, Chair

Every quarter the Board of Directors dedicates one of our bi-weekly Board of Directors meetings to reviewing our strategy and tracking our actions.  We are very proud of the ways in which we’ve been able to move the needle during this last year on each of the our Strategic Objectives.  

Ontario Group

Chair Ayo Akanbi

The Ontario group serves as a discussion forum and meeting space for CACFT/ACTCF members who reside in Ontario. The emphasis is on how to best support each other and further the practice and profession of CFT in Ontario. The group is seeking members who are willing to take on leadership roles. If you are interested in joining the conversation please email [email protected]