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Is PESI Accredited in Canada

Is PESI Accredited in Canada?

As a therapist, you’re no stranger to the annual continuing education credits (CECs) requirements of your regulatory body.

If you’re anything like me, you probably race the clock each year to ensure that your CECs are in on time for renewal. However, one of the struggles is finding approved CECs that count toward your professional development plan.

PESI, a non-profit that aims to provide affordable trainings for healthcare professionals, is a great place to look when working toward your CECs.

However, the question is, is PESI accredited in Canada?

This article discusses PESI accreditation in Canada to help you determine if PESI trainings can count toward your CEC requirements.

What is Accreditation? 

As defined by Cambridge Dictionary (n.d.), accreditation is “the act of officially recognizing, accepting, or approving of something,” such as a training or course. In Canada, every regulatory body controls their own continuing competency requirements, including the approval of courses for CECs. As a result, the trainings that each regulatory body recognizes may vary across professions as well as provinces. 

For the purpose of this article, the terms “accreditation” and “accredited” will directly refer to the recognition or approval of PESI courses by regulatory bodies, specifically for the purpose of CECs towards continuing competency program requirements. 

Canadian Regulatory Bodies and PESI Accreditation

As already mentioned, each regulatory body determines their own continuing competency program requirements, including the accreditation of CEC trainings. As regulatory bodies differ across provinces and professions, it would be impossible to identify every Canadian regulatory body’s position about the use of PESI trainings for CECs. However, this section aims to provide valuable insights about whether PESI is accredited in Canada.  

According to the PESI website (n.d.), the following Canadian regulatory bodies and associations accredit their trainings:

  • Canadian Psychological Association (Canadian Psychological Association, n.d.).
  • Canadian Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • The Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation
  • Canadian Athletic Therapists Association
  • The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
  • Association of Social Work Boards

In addition to accreditation, many regulatory bodies in Canada adopt a self-directed approach to their continuing competency programs where professionals have the autonomy to choose trainings or courses that reflect their professional learning goals, instead of following an approved list of trainings that may not be relevant to the therapists practice goals. Such regulatory bodies acknowledge that limiting educational opportunities to accredited programs only can be counterproductive to the main purpose of the continuing competency program: to build practice skills, maintain “competence” in one’s area of practice, and enhance client care. 

Scan QR Code or click on image to search clinical supervisor and consultant listings on the Canadian Clinical Supervision therapist directory to find your perfect match!

For example, if a therapist is a grief counsellor working with adults, then they may not benefit professionally from attended a play therapy training. Although, the training may provide insightful information, if that training doesn’t align with the therapist’s practice area, career trajectory, or professional learning goals, then how does it build continued competence?

Essentially, the self-directed approach demonstrates that CECs are not just another checkbox, instead a professional tool to help therapists grow professionally. Due to the autonomous nature of self-directed continuing competency programs, therapists registered with regulatory bodies that follow this approach are typically permitted to use PESI courses towards their CEC requirements, providing that the training aligns with their professional learning goals.

Some Canadian regulatory bodies that follow a self-directed approach includes but not limited to the Alberta College of Social Workers (2023), Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (2017), and College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (n.d.), to name a few. 

Please be advised that the above is not an exhaustive list of regulatory bodies. In addition, listed regulatory bodies continuing competency programs are subject to change. As a result, it’s best practice to review and/or consult with your regulatory body’s continuing competency program requirements before choosing specific courses, trainings, or programs for the purpose of CEC attainment.

PESI Trainings for Clinical Supervisors

Maybe you’re considering becoming a clinical supervisor but you’re wondering is PESI accredited in Canada for clinical supervision?

Similar to the continuing competency requirements, in Canada, regulatory bodies determine their own criteria, requirements and standards with respect to becoming a clinical supervisor. As a result, the requirements vary across provinces and professions. Depending the on the regulatory body, possible requirements include having a specific level of education; obtaining a certain number of practice hours; having a specific number of years of experience; successfully completing clinical supervision trainings; passing an examination and/or completing a self-assessment to determine one’s skills and scope to become a clinical supervisor (Das, 2024, March 10) or a combination of any of the above. 

Regulatory bodies that require the successful completion of a clinical supervision training, may have accredited or in-house trainings required by members or they may follow a self-directed approach to choosing clinical supervision trainings. While other regulatory bodies do not require trainings to classify one’s self as a clinical supervisor.

If your regulatory body, follows a self-directed approach or does not require a training to become a clinical supervisor, but you feel by taking a course you could improve your skills and confidence, then PESI has catalogue of great clinical supervision trainings designed for new, aspiring, and seasoned clinical supervisors.

Conclusion

Returning to the question, is PESI accredited in Canada? 

The answer is it depends on the regulatory body and their CECs requirements. 

Although PESI is fully recognized and approved by specific Canadian regulatory bodies and associations, there are also others that have a pre-approved list of trainings that PESI may not be included.

In addition, as many Canadian regulatory bodies take a self-directed approach to their continuing competency programs, therapists registered in these regulatory bodies often have the autonomy to choose courses that best fit their professional development goals.

PESI Discount Code

As PESI partners, we have two specially curated course lists with exclusive discounts for therapists and clinical supervisors.

PESI Courses for Therapists

If you’re a therapist, check out our exclusive PESI Trainings course list for therapists.

PESI Courses for Clinical Supervisors

If you’re an aspiring, new, or seasoned clinical supervisor, check out our specially curated PESI clinical supervision course lists for clinical supervisors.


Disclaimer #1

This article is not written on behalf of or for any regulatory body or association and this article has not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by regulatory bodies in any way. This is an interpretative review of available PESI accreditation and Canadian regulatory bodies continuing competency program information. For specific questions about regulatory requirements, please contact your regulatory body directly.


Disclaimer #2

This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as professional or regulatory advice. In addition, the regulatory bodies and their CEC requirements mentioned in this article are subject to change. As a result, it’s advisable to always review and/or consult with your regulatory body’s continuing competency program requirements before choosing specific courses, trainings, or programs for the purpose of CEC attainment.


Disclaimer #3

Links, referrals or promotional codes listed in this article may be affiliate links where Evaspare Inc. receives monetary compensation, at no extra cost you, when you make purchases through our affiliate links.


References

Alberta College of Social Workers. (2023). Continuing Competency Program Manual. Retrieved from

https://acsw.in1touch.org/uploaded/web/website/Competence%20Program%20Graphics/FIN_CCManual_March2023.pdf

Canadian Psychological Association. (n.d.). CPA Approved Sponsors of CE Activities. https://cpa.ca/professionaldevelopment/sponsors/

Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). accreditation. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/accreditation

College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (n.d.). Professional development FAQ. Retrieved from https://crpo.ca/registrant-information/registrant-requirements/quality-assurance-program/

Das. K. (2024, March 10). How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Psychotherapy. Retrieved from https://kayladas.com/how-to-become-a-clinical-supervisor-in-psychotherapy/

Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. (2017). Continuing Competence Program: Instruction Guide. Retrieved from

https://www.ocswssw.org/wp-content/uploads/OCSWSSW-CCP-Instruction-Guide-2018-English-revisedJuly2018-v2.pdf

PESI. (n.d.). Continuing Education Provider Information. Retrieved fromhttps://catalog.pesi.com/page/continuing-education-provider-information-4877

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