Professional Training
Interested in a professional career as a Couple and Family Therapist?
Are you interested in an exciting career? If you care about people, are interested in promoting healthy relationships, and want to make a difference in the lives of children, teens and adults, then family therapy may be the profession you are looking for. Being a family therapist allows you the opportunity to witness personal growth, healing in relationships, and the resilience that families have to make positive changes in their lives together.
To become a couple and family therapist, both a Master’s Degree and clinical experience and supervision are required. Often a bachelor’s degree in various disciplines such as psychology, social work, or nursing, will qualify you for entry into a Master’s program for couple and family therapy (see below). Sometimes people decide to pursue a career in family therapy after they have received a Master’s degree in a related discipline and are then required to take additional courses in couple and family therapy. For more information about a career as a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist, click here.
OAMFT actively encourages people as they journey toward receiving the training required. The Commission on Education serves to ensure that appropriate educational opportunities exist in Ontario. For more information select from the following:
- COURSES at the University of Guelph
- Are you looking for an APPROVED SUPERVISOR to supervise your clinical work or to discuss your career?
- Are you ready to take OAMFT JOINTLY OFFERED COURSES IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY accepted by AAMFT for Clinical Membership?
- Do you want to apply to a COAMFTE – Accredited Masters Degree Program in Couple and Family Therapy ?
- Are you looking for ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND COURSES which provide degrees and/or courses accepted by AAMFT for Clinical membership?
- Are you looking for PRACTICA & INTERNSHIPS IN MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY?
- Information on MFT Core Competencies
COAMFTE Accredited Masters Degree Program in Couple and Family Therapy
The University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, graduate program in Couple and Family Therapy is an intensive program combining academic courses and clinical training. This master’s degree program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
The program is designed to produce sophisticated therapists and scholars by integrating contemporary theory, research competence, and systemic approaches to therapy and in the understanding and treatment of families today.
This integration is coupled with high standards of professional and ethical conduct, attention to broader social issues affecting families, and an emphasis on issues of diversity and gender (both women’s and men’s experiences).
For more information
Additional Training and Courses
Tyndale University and Seminary
Tyndale University College & Seminary is founded upon a rich tradition of Christian education which has continued for over a century. At the graduate level, Tyndale offers the Master of Divinity with a major in Counselling. This program has two tracks, one preparing students to work in clinical settings in agencies or private practice, and the other preparing students to work in local churches, or church-related ministries or in chaplaincy. Through academic study, personal and peer reflection, spiritual information, and practical experience, we seek to equip our students to appropriately assess and therapeutically respond to the personal and relational experiences of individuals, couples and families within the Christian and broader Canadian communities.
While Tyndale is NOT an AAMFT accredited school, it does offer all of the courses that are required by AAMFT for Clinical membership. The MDiv degree in Counselling and many of the counselling courses are accepted by AAMFT for Clinical membership on the basis of individual student application. Second year students will be involved in an on-campus pre-internship counselling skills training program for three hours a week throughout the academic year. These skills are then honed during the counselling-related internship requirement in the third year of the program.
Contact the Rev. Dr. Paul Scuse for details.
pscuse@tyndale.ca
University of Guelph Office of Open Learning
The Ontario Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, with the University of Guelph Office of Open Learning, jointly offers courses for professionals through the Certificate Program in Couple and Family Therapy Studies. These courses are developed with the requirements of AAMFT Clinical membership in mind and introduce the major theories and central concepts that form the foundation of couple, family and marriage therapy. The courses are accepted by AAMFT for Clinical membership on the basis of individual student application. They are taught at the University of Guelph and occasionally at other locations.
If you are interested in receiving information about courses being offered, visit www.couplefamilytherapystudies.ca and click on Certificate Program, or call University of Guelph, Office of Open Learning at 519-824-4120. You may also send Georgina Rogers an email.
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Contact Dr. Tom O’Connor for details.
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Toronto Centre for Pastoral Counselling Education
Toronto School of Theology , University of Toronto
Offers a 400 hour unit of pastoral counselling education September-May. Imbedded in the educational unit are courses that enable students in the program to accumulate course credits towards AAMFT clinical membership. Supervision of clinical work is provided by AAMFT Approved Supervisors.
Lawrence A. Beech Ph.D. 416-494-7302 lawrence.beech@sympatico.ca
See the Toronto Institute for Pastoral Education website for further details www.tipe.ca
Saint Paul University – Ottawa
Graduate Certificate in Couple Counselling and Spirituality
St Paul University is offering a 6 course certificate in couple and family counselling. Many of these courses are part of the Masters program in counselling. While this certificate is not an AAMFT accredited school, it does offer all of the courses that are related to the AAMFT guidelines for clinical membership.
Contact Martin Rovers for details.
613-236-1393 ext 2301
mrovers@ustpaul.ca
Practica and Internships
| AGENCY (click name below) |
LOCATION | CONTACT PERSON | CONTACT NO. |
| Addiction Services for York Region | 15150 Yonge St., Ste. 201 Aurora ON L4G 1M2 |
Judith Stinson | 905-898-7023 ext 202 |
| Catholic Community Services of York Region | 21 Dunlop Street, Richmond Hill ON L4C 2M6 |
Brenda Spitzer | 905-770-7040, 800-263-2075 Extension 246 bspitzer@ccsyr.org |
| Catholic Family Services Peel Dufferin |
The Emerald Centre 10 Kingsbridge Garden Circle Unit 400 Mississauga ON L5R 3K6 |
LaRee Walters-Boadway | lwalters-boadway@cfspd.com |
| Child & Adolescent Services | City of Hamilton Social & Public Health Services Div. Hamilton, ON |
Geri VanEngenLouise Oke | 905-546-2424 X3686 905- 546 2424 X 3691 |
| Family Counselling & Support Services | 409 Woolwich Street Guelph ON |
Marion MacLean | 519-824-2431 |
| Family Service Thames Valley | 125 Woodward Avenue London, ON N6H 2H1 |
Sandra Savage | 519-433-0183 |
| Ottawa Couple & Family Institute | 1869 Carling Ave., Ste. 201 Ottawa, ON K2A 1E6 |
Gail Palmer | |
| Reach out Centre for Kids (ROCK) | 471 Pearl Street Burlington, ON |
Karen Young | 905-634-2347 ext 227 |
| Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team | 25 Joseph Street Kitchener, N2G 4X6 |
Annette Dekker | 519-578-2100 ext 262 amidekker@yahoo.ca |
| Access Counselling & Family Services | 460 Brant St Ste 200 Burlington, L7R 4B6 |
Connie DeForest | 905-637-5256 info@accesscounselling.ca |
