REGULATING PSYCHOLOGISTS IN NOVA SCOTIA SINCE 1980
A

I am a graduate of the MA in counselling psychology from McGill in 2012. I graduated from the research stream of the program. At the time of my graduation, I do believe the program was APA accredited but was soon up for review. It is my understanding that when I graduated the program allowed for registration as a psychologist in provinces that allow so with a master’s degree. Both the internship and research streams of the program gave the same degree title.

I have reviewed your registration requirements and believe my program at the time met all of those criteria.

Given I took the research stream my program gave me a supervised practicum of about 65 client contact hours-in addition to other hours related to counselling work. I remembering reading that in order to register with NSBEP I need a total of 500 client contact hours, is this correct? I have been persuing a license with the Nova social college of counselling therapist as it was easier to gap client contact hours with them. They require 120. Given my circumstances I helped put a policy in place to obtain practicum hours out of a school setting in order to bridge the gap- A “bridging” practicum with the NSCCT. I did therapy under the supervision of, at the time the chair of the Nova Scotia counselling therapist at my local women’s centre and now have 165 client contact hours.

I’m currently trying to secure a position in mental health at my local hospital and am experiencing difficult both obtaining a clinical therapist position(because I don’t have what they call a clinical undergraduatendegree) and a position as a psychologist. They do need psychologist more so anyway and given I’m pretty certain my program at the time met the requirements to register with NSBEP (if I had enough clinical hours) I am wondering if I could obtain clinical hours that met NSBEP”S approval while working as a clinical therapist with the intent to then move into a psychologist position?I will send forward my unofficial transcritical to follow.

In order to be acceptable, a practicum must meet all of the following criteria:- all experience must be an official part of the master’s program.

– consist of at least 500 hoursn- must be supervised by a psychologist.

The 65 hours (even if bridged to 120 hours) would fall well short of what is required. As she has requested an opinion about registration eligibility at this time, I would indicate that I do not feel her version of program would qualify her for registration.

The way our legislation is worded is that it requires that the degree to meet the requirements. It does not contain a bridging option. In other words, the legislation does not allow the NSRP to have ways of remediate shortcomings after the program has been completed with the institution that awarded the degree.

She is welcome to complete the regular application process if she does not agree with this opinion. However, it may be more efficient for her to continue the pathway to registration with the College of Counselling Therapists.

Reference: 
Practicum Criteria