How to Become a CBT Therapist in Ontario
Updated on July 25, 2024I used to think Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) was a little pond of knowledge. Still, since I have started to specialize in it, I realized that it is more like an ocean because there are so many different CBT therapies within it (e.g. cognitive processing therapy or CPT, prolonged exposure or PE, and exposure and response prevention or ERP).
Who can Practice Psychotherapy (e.g. CBT)?
Because CBT is a form of psychotherapy, you must first belong to one of the Colleges that can practice psychotherapy, which are:
These Colleges require a variety of education levels.
Fundamental CBT Courses
Next, you will want to take a foundational course in CBT. Sometimes, you can take a CBT course as an elective in university. Here are some foundational courses that we recommend:
CBT Certificate - Laurier
CBT Fundamental Skills - University of Toronto
Essentials of CBT through the Beck Institute
CBT Essentials through the Association for Psychological Therapies
CBT Basics Books
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Basics and Beyond
Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think
The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: Therapist Guide and Client Workbook
Cognitive Therapy for Challenging Problems
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Workbook
Schema Therapy: A Practitioner’s Guide
After you take a CBT essentials course and begin your learning, it is important to practice your skills with clients. You can do this through a practicum, volunteering, or if you are lucky - finding a job!
CBT Supervision
Most Colleges will require you to have supervision and you may be able to receive this while you are in school or work. If not, you may have to pay out of pocket for supervision. Sometimes, you can find a reduced rate if you can find a supervision group. Generally speaking, the CBT therapist will charge their client an hourly rate. We offer expert supervision at Virtual CBT Psychotherapy. Learn more about our supervision and consultation.
Certified CBT Therapist
You can also become a certified CBT therapist (but this is not mandatory to become a CBT therapist in Ontario). The Beck Institute offers different levels of certification. You can also register with a Canadian company: the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT). CACBT is located in Guelph, Ontario. Some of our CBT therapists at Virtual CBT Psychotherapy are registered with CACBT. The Feeling Good Institute also has a CBT registration process, as well as Laurier University.
Honing Your CBT Skills
Once you become familiar with CBT basics, you may want to consider building your skills by taking additional specialized courses. You can take courses so that you can treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE). You can become registered therapists in CPT and PE as well.
Celissa Vipond, RSW, will be a registered PE Consultant in 2024 and will be able to offer certification to therapists (please inquire using our email: virtualcbt@gmail..com). For more information on this process, visit the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA). ** Please note that you must take the 4-Day Intensive PE training through the CTSA to qualify for certification.
You could start reading books on these topics as well:
Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD: A Comprehensive Manual
Flexible Applications of Cognitive Processing Therapy: Evidence-Based Treatment Methods (a personal favourite!)
Getting Unstuck from PTSD: Using Cognitive Processing Therapy to Guide Your Recovery
Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Emotional Processing of Traumatic Experiences - Therapist Guide
Reclaiming your Life after a Traumatic Experience: A Prolonged Exposure Treatment Program - Workbook
Treating Trauma in Dialectical Behavior Therapy: The DBT Prolonged Exposure Protocol
Specialized CBT Courses
You can also look for courses in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and treat people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is also helpful to take a CBT course for depression and specific anxiety disorders. You can also become certified in these therapies through the same agencies that offer the training. Don’t forget to read some of our favourite books on OCD and here are our Amazon affiliate links:
Getting Over OCD: Second Edition: A 10-step Workbook for Taking Back Your Life
Exposure and Response (Ritual) Prevention for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Therapist Guide
Treating your OCD with Exposure and Response (Ritual) Prevention, Second Edition
The Imp of the Mind: Exploring the Silent Epidemic of Obsessive Bad Thoughts
Learn more about Virtual CBT Psychotherapy
The therapists at Virtual CBT Psychotherapy are trained in a variety of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies and offer gold-standard care to clients. Celissa, Dr. Steinhart and Alpar are trained CBT supervisors and consultants. You can book a free consultation to inquire about private CBT (PE, CPT, and ERP too) supervision or consultation with a social worker, psychotherapist or psychologist. Please note that our psychologist and psychotherapist only provide CBT consultation.
Please email us at virtualcbt@gmail.com if you have questions about private CBT supervision or consultation. You can also follow us on social media by clicking the links below. Learn more about our supervision and consultation fees (starting at 170$ per session). Email us if you are interested in a reduced rate and we can start a group.
Don’t forget to download your free CBT training plan below! It outlines all of the courses that were mentioned in this blog and more.
If you or someone you know is looking for specialized CBT, check out our services:
CPT and PE for PTSD (Trauma)
