NBACT – New Brunswick Association of Counselling Therapists, was incorporated in January 2009. Members of the Association are professional counsellors who work in a variety of occupations, and who are interested in pursuing the statutory regulation of Counselling Therapists in the province of New Brunswick.
Presently, anyone in the province can practice mental health counselling under a variety of different titles, often in private, unsupervised settings with emotionally vulnerable clients. In addition, there is no guarantee that the practitioner has any professional affiliation, supervision, or even formal training in mental health therapy. The potential risks are considerable, and members of the profession have a duty to ensure that the public has access to and can identify qualified, ethical and experienced counselling professionals in the field of mental health.
It is with this in mind, that we invite other counsellors, and counselling students in the province to join NBACT in support of the goals of the Association:
- To support and promote the development of legislation to govern the practice of therapeutic counselling by Registered Counselling Therapists
- To establish and maintain a registration process for members who meet specific educational and experience criteria
- Until such time as statutory regulation is achieved, to regulate the practice of therapeutic counselling in New Brunswick by its members through implementation of a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, and the establishment and maintenance of a professional conduct process for practitioners
- To promote public awareness and support for the practice of therapeutic counselling
- To promote the professional development of counsellors, and to provide opportunities for counselling therapists to share information, research findings, viewpoints, and common concerns
Currently, membership is open to Canadian Certified Counsellors in New Brunswick, or counsellors who are eligible to apply for certification through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Membership is also open to Canadian students enrolled in a Masters degree program in the field of counselling at an AUCC recognized educational institution. A criminal record check is required for all new applicants.
To apply for membership, download and return our Application for membership Form.
To renew your existing membership, download and return our renewal form.