Canadian Association for Couple and Family Therapy

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CACFT MEMBERSHIP EXPLAINED

CACFT aspires to promote excellence in the practice of Marriage/Couple and Family Therapy, while at the same time welcoming a diverse array of professionals who seek to integrate systemic perspective and practice in their work. We use the term “Marriage and Family Therapy” as a form of acknowledgment and respect for the pioneers of our field who brought our profession into being. We are an inclusive association that is open to and accepting of couples and families in all of their myriad permutations.

To this end, CACFT has created a variety of categories of membership, and is committed to being open to many approaches and varieties of experience and training.

While our standards of credentialing are rigorous, we strive also to make them accessible. Candidates are encouraged to enter into a process of dialogue and reflection which will enable them to identify the resources they bring to practice from diverse backgrounds and forms of training and experience, as well as the resources they may yet need to practice with autonomy and confidence, joining the ranks of those who promote excellence in the field.

Those who are members in good standing with AAMFT may apply for membership with CACFT, in the same (or related) category, if they meet CACFT requirements. If this applies to you please click here for more information and application form.

If you have a Masters in Social Work CACFT welcomes your application for membership. We realize that you have worked hard to get your MSW licence. At the same time, the training you had may not have included all the courses we are looking for. Please click here to learn more.

CACFT is not a regulatory body.

As such, all CACFT members are required to be in compliance with the regulatory laws of the jurisdiction(s) in which they practice. In jurisdictions where there is provincial, state, or government regulation of the practice of psychotherapy, counselling therapy or couple/marriage & family therapy, members must provide CACFT with proof that they are in compliance with such regulation. It is each member's responsibility to be aware of, and to ensure that they are practicing within, the laws of the jurisdiction(s) in which they practice. It is incumbent on the member to notify CACFT of any changes to their regulatory status.
Those who are members of other professional bodies may apply for membership in a category reflective of their training and experience.
Those who hold provincial or state MFT licenses which are equivalent to CACFT/ACTCF membership categories may apply for membership in that category (such as the TCF license in Quebec). Applicants who are not residents in Canada may apply to be non-resident members in any category for which they are eligible.

BECOMING A:

STUDENT MEMBER

ASSOCIATE MEMBER

REGISTERED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST (RMFT)

RMFT SUPERVISOR QUALIFYING

RMFT SUPERVISOR

RMFT SUPERVISOR MENTOR

AFFILIATE MEMBER

RETIRED MEMBER

STUDENT MEMBER

Candidate demonstrates enrolment in a graduate level program of study to become a Marriage/Couple and Family Therapist, or to practice in a related field.

This includes:

Candidates in graduate level programs which are specifically designed to train Marriage/Couple and Family Therapists.

Candidates in graduate level programs which include sufficient courses to meet the criteria for Registered Marriage and Family Therapist credentialing.

Candidates in programs which are pre-approved as COAMFTE programs by AAMFT or IFTA’s IACSTE approved programs.
FYI: http://www.ifta-familytherapy.org/approvedprograms.html. or https://www.coamfte.org/COAMFTE/Directory_of_Accredited_Programs/MFT_Training_Programs.aspx

Candidates in a graduate level program of study to follow some other career path (e.g. nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, psychology, social work, clinical counselling), wanting to learn how to practice from a systemic perspective.

PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS

The degree must include a supervised practicum (supervised client contact hours with individuals, couples, and families). A minimum of 150 supervised client contact hours is required. Applicants who did not complete the full 150 hours practicum during their graduate program may document the remaining hours with initial post graduate client contact hours supervised by an RMFT Supervisor, Supervisor Qualifying, or by an Alternate Supervisor pre-approved by CACFT specifically for that applicant.

Wondering what courses you should take? Have a look at the list of Required Coursework. Student Member annual dues are $50.00. You may want to look at the requirements for Associate members which is the category you will be be able to apply for after graduation. Applications can be found here.

Definition of Direct Client Contact Hours (DCC)

Time spent in direct contact with the therapist and the client(s) in the active process of therapy.

Activities not considered Direct Client Contact hours: scheduling, case planning, observation of therapy, documentation, case consultation

ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Candidate has completed a Masters’ or Doctorate degree or equivalent in a helping profession, and is practicing as a Marriage/Couple and Family Therapist, or in a related profession, and is working from a systemic perspective and has completed 150 Direct Client Contact Hours.

OR

Candidate has completed a qualifying graduate program in a helping profession and has completed five (or more) of the courses required to become an RMFT and has completed 150 hours of Direct Client Contact Hours.

Candidate is currently completing academic and/or practice requirements to become a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist as set out by CACFT: (see details following)

Wondering what courses you should take? Have a look at the list of Required Coursework. You need a minimum of 5 required courses to join as an Associate member. Associate Member annual dues are $110.00. CACFT Student members please use the 'transfer' to Associate application. Applications can be found here.

PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

The degree must include a supervised practicum (supervised client contact hours with individuals, couples, and families). A minimum of 150 supervised client contact hours is required. Please click here for full details on practicum requirements. You may wish to ensure ahead of time that your supervision can be recognized by CACFT/ACTCF.

REGISTERED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST (RMFT)

Educational Requirements:

A qualifying degree will be defined as an integrated course of study which includes a minimum of five of the required courses and which is obtained at an educational institution that is affiliated/accredited with/by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
A qualifying Master's or Doctorate degree from an accredited educational institution where the degree specifies that the graduate has graduated from a Marriage/Couple and Family Therapy program
A qualifying Master's or Doctorate degree from an accredited educational institution that led them to possess a valid LMFT from an American state or a valid TCF license from the province of Quebec. If you have an LMFT license and wish to join CACFT please click here for an application.
A qualifying Master's or Doctorate degree in an allied mental health field from a regionally accredited educational institution.
The school must be affiliated with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) or be affiliated with an AUCC accredited college or university. See Appendix A for more information.
***Note: Association of Theological Schools (ATS) who meet the educational requirements will be considered eligible
**For Overseas Applicants: in order for a degree to be considered as a “qualifying graduate degree”, the program needs to be BOTH determined by a credentialing service (member of National Associaton of Credential Evaluation Services) to be equivalent to a Canadian graduate degree, and fulfill the educational requirements
Curriculum Requirements: While the ideal is to complete these curriculum requirements within ten years of completing the relevant degree, it is recognized that many factors may impinge on this ideal. When this is not possible, application can be made for exceptions (e.g. illness, maternity leave, paternity leave, family situation and other extenuating circumstances, etc.)
In total, eleven courses are required in five basic areas of study for a total of 33 semester credits. Please click here to see the Required Coursework form.

The equivalent of one course is defined as three semester credits, or 36 didactic contact hours (i.e.lecture/classroom hours).

RMFT applicants must have all 11 (eleven) of the Required Courses. Please click here for a list of the required courses. RMFT annual dues are $137.50. Applications can be found here.

Truth and Reconciliation Reflection Requirement for RMFTs

Recognizing the gravity of Canada’s actions with First Nations/Indigenous cultures, families, and children, both past and present, all RMFT applicants, including AAMFT Clinical Fellows and LMFTs requesting grandparenting into RMFT membership, are expected to have an awareness of this history and the current issues as well as the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Applicants are required to submit a 6 – 8 page, double spaced Reflection Paper, (i.e. personal rather than academic in focus) in which they outline and reflect on

the impact of the historical and current issues and findings of the TRC on their own history and beliefs;
the impact of the same on their own professional identity;
how the historical and current issues and findings of the TRC can be understood through a systemic lens
the impact of the same on their systemic practice and how it can be acknowledged and addressed in therapy.
Applicants may want to reference the TRC findings, The Indian Act, current Indigenous authors and their works, and cultural experiences and teachings.

If you identify as Indigenous, we ask that you complete a reflection paper regarding how your own experience and learning informs your therapeutic practice and professional identity, particularly with a systemic lens.

Please click here for some reflection questions you might consider as you reflect on these pieces:

Your paper must accompany your RMFT application.

Call to Action (English)

Call to Action (French)

Please click here for more resources which may assist you with your paper and your clinical practice.

PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS

The degree must include a supervised practicum (supervised client contact hours with individuals, couples, and families). A minimum of 150 supervised client contact hours is required. Applicants who did not complete the full 150 hours practicum during their graduate program may document the remaining hours with initial post graduate client contact hours supervised by an CACFT Approved Supervisor, Supervisor Qualifying, or by an Approved Alternate Supervisor pre-approved by CACFT specifically for that applicant.

N.B. Not all hours can be acquired post-graduation. The degree must include a practicum with at least some hours of client contact.

In the case of programs whose practicum requirements exceed 150 hours, there are two categories:

Programs which are COAMFTE approved: all hours acquired within the program are counted toward the 1000 hours total required to become an RMFT.

Programs which are not COAMFTE approved: the 150 practicum hours must be completed before beginning to acquire the 1000 hours required to become an RMFT.

POST-GRADUATE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

for RMFT applicants

Minimum of two (2) years of professional work experience in marriage and family therapy following receipt of master's or doctorate degree are required to attain the Registered Marriage and Family Therapist designation. Post-graduate clinical experience includes both client contact and supervision hours, which must be completed/received concurrently. All clinical work must be supervised by a qualified supervisor (RMFT Supervisor, Supervisor Qualifying, or by an Alternate Supervisor pre-approved by CACFT/ACTCF (specifically for that applicant.)

Applicants must receive a minimum of 200 hours of supervision while concurrently providing at least 1,000 hours of client contact in therapy with individuals, couples or families which is demonstrably systemic.

At least 100 of the 200 required supervision hours must be individual supervision. (i.e. supervision received one-on-one with the supervisor, or as part of a dyad in which both supervisees participate with their own case material). CACFT will accept a maximum of 100 hours of group supervision. As mentioned above, graduates of COAMFTE accredited programs must complete 500 client contact hours for their graduate practicum; hours from a COAMFTE program can be used at a ratio of one supervision hour for every five client contact hours toward the post-graduate hour requirement. The two years of professional work experience will still be required.

Definition of Direct Client Contact hours:

Time spent in direct contact with the therapist and the client(s) in the active process of therapy.

Activities not considered Direct Client Contact hours: scheduling, case planning, observation of therapy, documentation, case consultation

BE SURE YOUR SUPERVISORS ARE:

RMFT-Supervisor Qualifying, RMFT-Supervisor, RMFT-Supervisor Mentor

AAMFT Approved Supervisor

If your supervisor does not have one of these designations, and you want your supervision hours to count with CACFT, your supervisor can apply to be a pre-approved Alternate Supervisor.

RMFT member annual dues are $137.50. Please click here for an application.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO TRANSFER FROM ASSOCIATE TO RMFT MEMBER

Minimum of two (2) years of professional work experience in marriage/couple and family therapy following receipt of master's or doctorate degree are required to attain the Registered Marriage and Family Therapist designation.

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS REQUIRED FOR RMFTs

RMFT is the gold standard designation for Couple and Family Therapy practice in Canada. To maintain this standard of excellence we expect all RMFTs to complete 16 hours of Professional Development per year to maintain their RMFT status. This is a means of recognizing all the hard work and training that our RMFTs do every year. Please click here for more information about the CEU requirements.

SUPERVISOR QUALIFYING

The candidate has practiced as an RMFT for at least two years, and has a minimum of three years of post graduate experience, with a minimum total of 1500 clinical hours (during and post-training). Please click here for an application.

SUPERVISOR

The candidate has practiced as an RMFT for at least five years, and has a minimum of five years of post graduate experience, with a minimum total of 2000 clinical hours (during and post-training). A 30 hour graduate level course (or equivalent) in clinical supervision is required. Please click here for an application.

SUPERVISOR MENTOR

The candidate has practiced as an RMFT Supervisor for at least two years and has provided a minimum of 75 hours of supervision to a minimum of five supervisees since becoming an RMFT Supervisor. Please click here for an application.

AFFILIATE MEMBER

You have completed a Master's degree or equivalent, and are in another professional career (e.g. nursing, medicine, occupational therapy) and want to practice from a systemic perspective. You are regulated through registration, certification, or licensure. Affiliate member annual dues are $82.50. Please click here for an application.

RETIRED MEMBER

RMFT and Associate members of CACFT who have made the decision to cut down their case load (clients and supervisees) to 200 hours or fewer a year are eligible for the retired member category. RMFTs and Associate members may apply for this category. Retired member annual dues are $82.50. Please click here for an application.

Contact the CACFT/ACTCF

(416) 907-4620

[email protected]

Address:

P.O. Box 1064

Tottenham, ON.

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