Counselling Psychology Applicants 2022 CANADA

[psyc1818]

1 hour ago, MHTherapy said:

Anyone else planning on bombarding OISE with emails this week lol this is getting ridiculous. My current manager wants to renew my work contract for another year but I don’t know if I should go ahead and sign it because I’m still waiting to hear from OISE. There’s so much planning I have to do for the rest of the year (vacations, family trips, work, volunteering) that I can’t make without knowing their decision. Really frustrating.

Feel this. My life literally feels like it’s on hold, I haven’t been able to plan anything for the next year because I don’t know what’s going on!

[ManukaHoney]

2 hours ago, MHTherapy said:

Anyone else planning on bombarding OISE with emails this week lol this is getting ridiculous. My current manager wants to renew my work contract for another year but I don’t know if I should go ahead and sign it because I’m still waiting to hear from OISE. There’s so much planning I have to do for the rest of the year (vacations, family trips, work, volunteering) that I can’t make without knowing their decision. Really frustrating.

I like this idea. Let’s all send emails so they feel more pressure to let us know of our results…lol..although i doubt it will work. 

At this point idk if I should be job hunting or not..i need to know what to do..and having my whole life on hold is crazy

[lmw1496]

On 4/1/2022 at 7:06 AM, ManukaHoney said:

For those who have applied a second or third time and got in, I was wondering whether you can share about what you did different in the second/third time around? What kind of experience did you add over the one year?

ALSO, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THIS:

Do you change your personal statement when you apply again? When you are sharing your “story”, I feel you can’t really change it because your “story” is:  why you want to pursue this degree and what brought you here. Would love to know from folks who have applied more than once. 

 

On 4/1/2022 at 1:37 PM, postpostmodern said:

After I got rejected, I picked up 3 volunteer positions (crisis line, support group facilitator, intake) and enrolled in a 1 year mental health college program. Also networked a ton with people in the field through cold-emailing and setting up Zoom chats just to talk about the field, their career and interests, my career and interests, etc. Read a ton of books about psychotherapy, counselling, theory. Put me in a much better place to write a statement and do an interview. Completely changed my personal statements and my "story" from the ground up. Stories aren't static, objective things. It's all about how you frame your experiences and ambitions, demonstrating your commitment to the career, and showing your potential to excel in it.

First, congrats on your acceptance @postpostmodern!! Fantastic news!

I always find it helpful and reassuring to hear the other side of the coin as well. I've been rejected 2 cycles in a row (still awaiting OISE but at this point my hopes aren't high).

After getting rejected the first time, I also picked up 3 new volunteer positions - crisis line responder, support group facilitator, and peer support mentor - in addition to a couple volunteer positions I already held plus my mental health related job. I also talked with people in the field to get their feedback on how to improve my application for re-applying, as well as to just talk about the field in general.

Like I've said before, my hopes for OISE aren't high and I'm gonna be looking into private institutions next. But, I wanted to share my experience for you all because it shows that this is super competitive. You can be getting the 'related experience' and doing the right things and it may not work out right away. 

[ManukaHoney]

1 hour ago, lmw1496 said:

 

First, congrats on your acceptance @postpostmodern!! Fantastic news!

I always find it helpful and reassuring to hear the other side of the coin as well. I've been rejected 2 cycles in a row (still awaiting OISE but at this point my hopes aren't high).

After getting rejected the first time, I also picked up 3 new volunteer positions - crisis line responder, support group facilitator, and peer support mentor - in addition to a couple volunteer positions I already held plus my mental health related job. I also talked with people in the field to get their feedback on how to improve my application for re-applying, as well as to just talk about the field in general.

Like I've said before, my hopes for OISE aren't high and I'm gonna be looking into private institutions next. But, I wanted to share my experience for you all because it shows that this is super competitive. You can be getting the 'related experience' and doing the right things and it may not work out right away. 

Don’t lose out hope yet! OISE hasn’t sent out any decisions to anyone yet. 

But, i know what you mean. It’s my first time applying (only applied to OISE too, restricted geographically) and just from reading from other posts from people who have been chosen and comparing my experiences to theirs, I feel so discouraged. If I dont get in this round, I will try the second round at OISE again and then apply to private schools too. 

[stillpsych]

6 minutes ago, ManukaHoney said:

Don’t lose out hope yet! OISE hasn’t sent out any decisions to anyone yet. 

But, i know what you mean. It’s my first time applying (only applied to OISE too, restricted geographically) and just from reading from other posts from people who have been chosen and comparing my experiences to theirs, I feel so discouraged. If I dont get in this round, I will try the second round at OISE again and then apply to private schools too. 

I'm in the same boat! I'm considering Yorkville starting in January if I don't get into OISE. I think the deadline for September already passed but OISE is my top choice since I'm also restricted to Toronto. Some people speak poorly about Yorkville but I see people going to that program and doing really well for themselves. My own therapist was a Yorkville student and she was amazing!

Edited April 4, 2022 by stillpsych

[ManukaHoney]

1 minute ago, stillpsych said:

i'm in the same boat! i'm considering yorkville starting in January if I don't get into OISE. I think the deadline for September already passed but OISE is my top choice since i'm also restricted to toronto...

Yeah, it’s nice that Yorkville has a January start date! I think for me, I would want to try again with OISE just to see if my second time around will give me any luck (would rather do that because of the tuition of Yorkville). 

However, I am also considering to apply to social work programs. Have you thought about doing that? For instance, UofT has a social work MA degree and you can specialized in the mental health field. You can eventually register as a psychotherapist too! Just a thought I would point that out because not many people are aware of that (and I didn’t know it until recently)  

[postpostmodern]

1 hour ago, lmw1496 said:

 

First, congrats on your acceptance @postpostmodern!! Fantastic news!

I always find it helpful and reassuring to hear the other side of the coin as well. I've been rejected 2 cycles in a row (still awaiting OISE but at this point my hopes aren't high).

After getting rejected the first time, I also picked up 3 new volunteer positions - crisis line responder, support group facilitator, and peer support mentor - in addition to a couple volunteer positions I already held plus my mental health related job. I also talked with people in the field to get their feedback on how to improve my application for re-applying, as well as to just talk about the field in general.

Like I've said before, my hopes for OISE aren't high and I'm gonna be looking into private institutions next. But, I wanted to share my experience for you all because it shows that this is super competitive. You can be getting the 'related experience' and doing the right things and it may not work out right away. 

This is a great perspective, thank you for posting this. I didn't mean to come off as if it was just all about checking the boxes! So much of getting accepted is up to mysterious factors that we can't predict. I wish you luck with OISE!

[ManukaHoney]

18 minutes ago, stillpsych said:

I'm in the same boat! I'm considering Yorkville starting in January if I don't get into OISE. I think the deadline for September already passed but OISE is my top choice since I'm also restricted to Toronto. Some people speak poorly about Yorkville but I see people going to that program and doing really well for themselves. My own therapist was a Yorkville student and she was amazing!

Also, may I ask what kind of people spoke poorly about Yorkville? We’re they also professionals? I am asking because I feel that individuals who speak poorly of it aren’t really educated/aware about the program that well. I have spoken and networked with MANY people who are currently in the Yorkville program and even a couple who have graduated years ago and have been in the workforce for a while, none of them have said anything negative about it. The only thing I hear repetitively is finding practicum, the only difference between OISE and Yorkville, is that with OISE they are responsible for finding you a practicum meanwhile in Yorkville you are left on your own to figure it out. Other than that, I really don’t see why people are talking so badly about it. It is recognized by CRPO, just like UofT is..

haha sorry for my rant but it just frustrates me when people talk badly about it only because it is private and they don’t really know it that well 

Edited April 4, 2022 by ManukaHoney

[WickedWorld91]

Looking for some advice from successful Counselling Psychology (thesis-based) applicants, as well as those who have applied to both counselling and clinical psychology programs.

So, I have been applying to both Clinical and Counselling psychology programs for the past 3 cycles. I went into this journey as a mature student realizing how competitive these programs are. This is a big reason why I went back to undergrad a second time so I could complete an honours in psychology and gain research experience. Although both programs are very competitive, I was told by numerous professors and others that counselling was significantly less competitive than Clinical. My ideal outcome has always been clinical, but I still hold counselling in high regard and am very open to this as a "Plan B". However, after applying to the MSc in Counselling Psychology at the University of Calgary three times and the Masters in Counselling (thesis-based) at the University of Alberta one time, I have yet to get an interview.

This is not to sound over-confident as I know it is common for people to apply for these programs for multiple years, but I am a bit perplexed how I managed to get an interview this year for a Clinical program but did not get an interview for either of the mentioned counselling programs. Here is my CV in a nutshell: Honours in Psychology (includes thesis) + two independent studies during undergrad, 3.8 GPA, 1 publication, 2 conference presentations, almost two years working with vulnerable populations (non-research), and over a year (currently ongoing) as a full-time research assistant also working with vulnerable populations, and some volunteer experience. I assumed this would competitive for counselling programs.

What are people's thoughts when it comes to different things that counselling might look for vs clinical? One thing I thought of is that counselling is looking more so for experience in the field rather than academic related credentials (e.g., publications). I could see how some people might have more experience working with vulnerable populations, although I wouldn't expect most of the younger applicants to have that much more, but maybe. That being said, I would expect thesis-based counselling programs to also value my academic credentials. One mistake I made in my first year of applying was not mentioning anything about social justice or diversity in my personal statement, I've since included a short paragraph on that. I am generally a good writer and have had my research proposal and letters of intent proofed by colleagues.

Sorry for the rant. If anyone has any suggestions based on the details I've provided, that would be much appreciated!

[ManukaHoney]

47 minutes ago, WickedWorld91 said:

Looking for some advice from successful Counselling Psychology (thesis-based) applicants, as well as those who have applied to both counselling and clinical psychology programs.

So, I have been applying to both Clinical and Counselling psychology programs for the past 3 cycles. I went into this journey as a mature student realizing how competitive these programs are. This is a big reason why I went back to undergrad a second time so I could complete an honours in psychology and gain research experience. Although both programs are very competitive, I was told by numerous professors and others that counselling was significantly less competitive than Clinical. My ideal outcome has always been clinical, but I still hold counselling in high regard and am very open to this as a "Plan B". However, after applying to the MSc in Counselling Psychology at the University of Calgary three times and the Masters in Counselling (thesis-based) at the University of Alberta one time, I have yet to get an interview.

This is not to sound over-confident as I know it is common for people to apply for these programs for multiple years, but I am a bit perplexed how I managed to get an interview this year for a Clinical program but did not get an interview for either of the mentioned counselling programs. Here is my CV in a nutshell: Honours in Psychology (includes thesis) + two independent studies during undergrad, 3.8 GPA, 1 publication, 2 conference presentations, almost two years working with vulnerable populations (non-research), and over a year (currently ongoing) as a full-time research assistant also working with vulnerable populations, and some volunteer experience. I assumed this would competitive for counselling programs.

What are people's thoughts when it comes to different things that counselling might look for vs clinical? One thing I thought of is that counselling is looking more so for experience in the field rather than academic related credentials (e.g., publications). I could see how some people might have more experience working with vulnerable populations, although I wouldn't expect most of the younger applicants to have that much more, but maybe. That being said, I would expect thesis-based counselling programs to also value my academic credentials. One mistake I made in my first year of applying was not mentioning anything about social justice or diversity in my personal statement, I've since included a short paragraph on that. I am generally a good writer and have had my research proposal and letters of intent proofed by colleagues.

Sorry for the rant. If anyone has any suggestions based on the details I've provided, that would be much appreciated!

So, I want to preface by saying that I spent the majority of my university degree (psych with thesis) preparing and volunteering in research labs at my school and a research lab in a hospital, currently writing manuscripts and also did some conferences. I was mentored by many grad students who are in the clinical field..in other words, I was intensely preparing to apply to clinical programs, and had minimal experience in working with vulnerable individuals (volunteered at a shelter and did some peer support for a bit, which is considered really small compared to others).

As I was preparing everything to apply to clinical grad school, I realized that this is not something I actually wanted. I was not really ready to do 6 years of research,especially since  I really didn’t like research. Not trying to toot my own horn, I know I am good at research and I was advised by many to apply to clinical, including my supervisors,  but I always felt like I was kind of faking it when I talked about it (like, no I don’t love the stats, I don’t love the data collection, it seemed tedious work to me). Also, I didn’t see myself studying research JUST to be a therapist. I was always aware of the counselling programs, but I guess the prestige that came with the clinical program and the PHD just seemed too good to not go for at the time when I was doing all the volunteer work for research. 

Long story short, I actually didn’t even end up applying to the clinical field. I kid you not, I decided that I don’t want to do clinical anymore when it was October, 2 months before the application cycle closed..and I had to apply to counselling when I really wasn’t prepared for it since all my training was focused on research research & more research. I didn’t even know what to write in my letter of intent…

However, I was honest with myself and thought that if I want to help people, it doesn’t have to be with a PHD. 

I talked to so many people, including my professors and they told me that I am definitely prepared for it since my training was all research based and it is considered “higher” and more intensive and since I was a “competitive candidate for clinical” then I “must be an amazing candidate for counselling”. 

I applied to OISE and still don’t know whether I will get in or not. However, what I do know is that after doing SO much research in this, that  notion that “clinical is more competitive than counselling” is totally wrong. True, numbers-wise, clinical programs accept less students. However, counselling programs are still very competitive considering that they take many students who don’t solely have a psych or social work degree, which means you are up against many more people from different backgrounds, etc. 

 

My suggestion to you: consider social work programs, I spoke to someone on this thread and because of them, I will be applying to social work next round. UofT has a mental health specialization in the social work field, so there is always that. You can also become a registered psychotherapist after the social work program. Also, get your supervisors to read your statement. Make it personal. 
when talking about your experiences in the statement letter, I suggest you consider choosing 2 of your roles at different places and talking about what that taught you etc, vs talking about ALL of your roles in your cv. I hope that makes sense and I hope this is helpful. 

 

One last thing, I know someone who was accepted in the Master of Teaching OISE program and her experience was considered very minimal compared to someone else who was rejected who had much more experience than her. It also seems that luck plays a big role. You may have everything they are looking for, but they are just restricted on how many people they can take. 

Edited April 4, 2022 by ManukaHoney

[JustTryingMyBest]

I am on the exact same boat as everyone who is extremely frustrated and confused having not heard back from OISE. Hang in there everyone! 

On another note, I'm seeing a lot of people who have not heard back from Ottawa and wondering if others have heard back. I applied to the MEd program at Ottawa and received a response mid-February and was accepted. I am seeing a couple on the forum saying they were accepted, couple saying they were rejected and a few saying they have not heard back at all. There's no interview for this program so this must mean there's a difference between those who were rejected vs those who didn't hear back, right? I would say not hearing back may be a good thing? Maybe you're on a wait list or they're still deciding on who to offer the last few spots to? I'm not exactly sure, but wanted to offer my theory for those who might be super anxious about it. Good luck everyone! 

[psychmaybe]

1 hour ago, WickedWorld91 said:

Looking for some advice from successful Counselling Psychology (thesis-based) applicants, as well as those who have applied to both counselling and clinical psychology programs.

So, I have been applying to both Clinical and Counselling psychology programs for the past 3 cycles. I went into this journey as a mature student realizing how competitive these programs are. This is a big reason why I went back to undergrad a second time so I could complete an honours in psychology and gain research experience. Although both programs are very competitive, I was told by numerous professors and others that counselling was significantly less competitive than Clinical. My ideal outcome has always been clinical, but I still hold counselling in high regard and am very open to this as a "Plan B". However, after applying to the MSc in Counselling Psychology at the University of Calgary three times and the Masters in Counselling (thesis-based) at the University of Alberta one time, I have yet to get an interview.

This is not to sound over-confident as I know it is common for people to apply for these programs for multiple years, but I am a bit perplexed how I managed to get an interview this year for a Clinical program but did not get an interview for either of the mentioned counselling programs. Here is my CV in a nutshell: Honours in Psychology (includes thesis) + two independent studies during undergrad, 3.8 GPA, 1 publication, 2 conference presentations, almost two years working with vulnerable populations (non-research), and over a year (currently ongoing) as a full-time research assistant also working with vulnerable populations, and some volunteer experience. I assumed this would competitive for counselling programs.

What are people's thoughts when it comes to different things that counselling might look for vs clinical? One thing I thought of is that counselling is looking more so for experience in the field rather than academic related credentials (e.g., publications). I could see how some people might have more experience working with vulnerable populations, although I wouldn't expect most of the younger applicants to have that much more, but maybe. That being said, I would expect thesis-based counselling programs to also value my academic credentials. One mistake I made in my first year of applying was not mentioning anything about social justice or diversity in my personal statement, I've since included a short paragraph on that. I am generally a good writer and have had my research proposal and letters of intent proofed by colleagues.

Sorry for the rant. If anyone has any suggestions based on the details I've provided, that would be much appreciated!

I was in a very similar position to you actually. 3 clinical based RA roles, teaching roles, a psych hons degree AND an MSc in Neuroscience and it took me three application cycles. One of the RA roles was at UBC itself, but in psychiatry. Turns out, I was leaning far too much on the clinical and research for counselling, and that as a result, I didn't appear a good fit. This time around my statement essentially stripped out my clinical work (still mentioned on my CV mind) and focussed almost entirely on my counselling related work, experience and specific theoretical approaches that my schools utilised in their programs. It seems to have worked. 

It really does seem to boil down to whether or not the school thinks you are a good fit, especially with your background. It's akin to a job application. You may have all the experience required, but so may someone else, so why are you a better fit for the position. If things don't work out this time, whilst it may seem counterintuitive, letting your clinical CV speak for itself whilst your statement speaks to why you are a good fit for the program and profession. 

As an aside, I hear you. I think this profession seriously lacks a clinical, research heavy background practitioners, with a real need for evidence based practice, but I guess that's what distinguishes it from clinical psych. 

[WickedWorld91]

1 hour ago, ManukaHoney said:

So, I want to preface by saying that I spent the majority of my university degree (psych with thesis) preparing and volunteering in research labs at my school and a research lab in a hospital, currently writing manuscripts and also did some conferences. I was mentored by many grad students who are in the clinical field..in other words, I was intensely preparing to apply to clinical programs, and had minimal experience in working with vulnerable individuals (volunteered at a shelter and did some peer support for a bit, which is considered really small compared to others).

As I was preparing everything to apply to clinical grad school, I realized that this is not something I actually wanted. I was not really ready to do 6 years of research,especially since  I really didn’t like research. Not trying to toot my own horn, I know I am good at research and I was advised by many to apply to clinical, including my supervisors,  but I always felt like I was kind of faking it when I talked about it (like, no I don’t love the stats, I don’t love the data collection, it seemed tedious work to me). Also, I didn’t see myself studying research JUST to be a therapist. I was always aware of the counselling programs, but I guess the prestige that came with the clinical program and the PHD just seemed too good to not go for at the time when I was doing all the volunteer work for research. 

Long story short, I actually didn’t even end up applying to the clinical field. I kid you not, I decided that I don’t want to do clinical anymore when it was October, 2 months before the application cycle closed..and I had to apply to counselling when I really wasn’t prepared for it since all my training was focused on research research & more research. I didn’t even know what to write in my letter of intent…

However, I was honest with myself and thought that if I want to help people, it doesn’t have to be with a PHD. 

I talked to so many people, including my professors and they told me that I am definitely prepared for it since my training was all research based and it is considered “higher” and more intensive and since I was a “competitive candidate for clinical” then I “must be an amazing candidate for counselling”. 

I applied to OISE and still don’t know whether I will get in or not. However, what I do know is that after doing SO much research in this, that  notion that “clinical is more competitive than counselling” is totally wrong. True, numbers-wise, clinical programs accept less students. However, counselling programs are still very competitive considering that they take many students who don’t solely have a psych or social work degree, which means you are up against many more people from different backgrounds, etc. 

 

My suggestion to you: consider social work programs, I spoke to someone on this thread and because of them, I will be applying to social work next round. UofT has a mental health specialization in the social work field, so there is always that. You can also become a registered psychotherapist after the social work program. Also, get your supervisors to read your statement. Make it personal. 
when talking about your experiences in the statement letter, I suggest you consider choosing 2 of your roles at different places and talking about what that taught you etc, vs talking about ALL of your roles in your cv. I hope that makes sense and I hope this is helpful. 

 

One last thing, I know someone who was accepted in the Master of Teaching OISE program and her experience was considered very minimal compared to someone else who was rejected who had much more experience than her. It also seems that luck plays a big role. You may have everything they are looking for, but they are just restricted on how many people they can take. 

Thanks for the thoughtful response! I do agree there's a certain prestige around Clinical and people just automatically work towards that without fully realizing why they want to do it or whether they actually enjoy research. However, I am coming at this from a bit of a different angle than you for two reasons: First, I really enjoy research. I have been very reassured in this as I've been working as a full-time research assistant for going on two years and I plan to look for more research jobs once this contract is up. Second, my end goal is becoming a registered psychologist so I have to be careful in the type of Masters that I pursue if I want to move on to a PhD someday. At this point, I don't care whether I get there via Clinical or Counselling. I just want it to be research focused so that I have those skills in case I decide I want a job someday that focuses on research rather than practice. The reality is I want both research and practice, so I am being fussy, but a thesis-based program is really the way to go for me. Unfortunately, these happen to be the most competitive.

[T.O.hopeful]

2 hours ago, WickedWorld91 said:

Looking for some advice from successful Counselling Psychology (thesis-based) applicants, as well as those who have applied to both counselling and clinical psychology programs.

So, I have been applying to both Clinical and Counselling psychology programs for the past 3 cycles. I went into this journey as a mature student realizing how competitive these programs are. This is a big reason why I went back to undergrad a second time so I could complete an honours in psychology and gain research experience. Although both programs are very competitive, I was told by numerous professors and others that counselling was significantly less competitive than Clinical. My ideal outcome has always been clinical, but I still hold counselling in high regard and am very open to this as a "Plan B". However, after applying to the MSc in Counselling Psychology at the University of Calgary three times and the Masters in Counselling (thesis-based) at the University of Alberta one time, I have yet to get an interview.

This is not to sound over-confident as I know it is common for people to apply for these programs for multiple years, but I am a bit perplexed how I managed to get an interview this year for a Clinical program but did not get an interview for either of the mentioned counselling programs. Here is my CV in a nutshell: Honours in Psychology (includes thesis) + two independent studies during undergrad, 3.8 GPA, 1 publication, 2 conference presentations, almost two years working with vulnerable populations (non-research), and over a year (currently ongoing) as a full-time research assistant also working with vulnerable populations, and some volunteer experience. I assumed this would competitive for counselling programs.

What are people's thoughts when it comes to different things that counselling might look for vs clinical? One thing I thought of is that counselling is looking more so for experience in the field rather than academic related credentials (e.g., publications). I could see how some people might have more experience working with vulnerable populations, although I wouldn't expect most of the younger applicants to have that much more, but maybe. That being said, I would expect thesis-based counselling programs to also value my academic credentials. One mistake I made in my first year of applying was not mentioning anything about social justice or diversity in my personal statement, I've since included a short paragraph on that. I am generally a good writer and have had my research proposal and letters of intent proofed by colleagues.

Sorry for the rant. If anyone has any suggestions based on the details I've provided, that would be much appreciated!

Hey, I think you should consider broadening the schools you apply to. I'm assuming you must live in Alberta but if you're open/able to move out of province, that would help expand your options by applying to other programs. You can also look into online counselling programs like Yorkville and Athabasca. I don't know anything about Athabasca but I know Yorkville tuition is quite expensive and is 2.5 years long, which is longer than other programs, but it does provide you the flexibility of not needing to leave your home province.

Similar to the previous poster, MSWs are also an option but it is program specific so you would need to look into one that specializes in providing clinical training. But just to correct something previously mentioned, people with MSWs become Registered Social Workers (RSW). RSWs along with other certain registered bodies (e.g., RNs, OTs, RPs, psychologists, etc.) are legally allowed to practice the controlled act of psychotherapy. And therefore can call themselves a Psychotherapist. But when calling yourself a Psychotherapist, you must mention your registration or credentials first. So for RSWs, something like this would be permitted: "Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist". Note, I'm basing this off of Ontario's Registration criteria, so obviously I would check for your province specifically, if interested. 

Edited: okay i see your most recent post about having a strong interest in research. Then i would say disregard the MSW option and consider applying to other programs to increase your chances! 

Edited April 4, 2022 by T.O.hopeful
Edited after seeing research interest

[WickedWorld91]

25 minutes ago, psychmaybe said:

I was in a very similar position to you actually. 3 clinical based RA roles, teaching roles, a psych hons degree AND an MSc in Neuroscience and it took me three application cycles. One of the RA roles was at UBC itself, but in psychiatry. Turns out, I was leaning far too much on the clinical and research for counselling, and that as a result, I didn't appear a good fit. This time around my statement essentially stripped out my clinical work (still mentioned on my CV mind) and focussed almost entirely on my counselling related work, experience and specific theoretical approaches that my schools utilised in their programs. It seems to have worked. 

It really does seem to boil down to whether or not the school thinks you are a good fit, especially with your background. It's akin to a job application. You may have all the experience required, but so may someone else, so why are you a better fit for the position. If things don't work out this time, whilst it may seem counterintuitive, letting your clinical CV speak for itself whilst your statement speaks to why you are a good fit for the program and profession. 

As an aside, I hear you. I think this profession seriously lacks a clinical, research heavy background practitioners, with a real need for evidence based practice, but I guess that's what distinguishes it from clinical psych. 

Very helpful, thank you. This is really what I was wondering about leaning on clinical/research background versus counseling experience. Was the program you're in thesis-based?

[ManukaHoney]

57 minutes ago, T.O.hopeful said:

Hey, I think you should consider broadening the schools you apply to. I'm assuming you must live in Alberta but if you're open/able to move out of province, that would help expand your options by applying to other programs. You can also look into online counselling programs like Yorkville and Athabasca. I don't know anything about Athabasca but I know Yorkville tuition is quite expensive and is 2.5 years long, which is longer than other programs, but it does provide you the flexibility of not needing to leave your home province.

Similar to the previous poster, MSWs are also an option but it is program specific so you would need to look into one that specializes in providing clinical training. But just to correct something previously mentioned, people with MSWs become Registered Social Workers (RSW). RSWs along with other certain registered bodies (e.g., RNs, OTs, RPs, psychologists, etc.) are legally allowed to practice the controlled act of psychotherapy. And therefore can call themselves a Psychotherapist. But when calling yourself a Psychotherapist, you must mention your registration or credentials first. So for RSWs, something like this would be permitted: "Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist". Note, I'm basing this off of Ontario's Registration criteria, so obviously I would check for your province specifically, if interested. 

Edited: okay i see your most recent post about having a strong interest in research. Then i would say disregard the MSW option and consider applying to other programs to increase your chances! 

Are you able to pursue PHD after completing the Yorkville program?

[WickedWorld91]

1 hour ago, T.O.hopeful said:

Hey, I think you should consider broadening the schools you apply to. I'm assuming you must live in Alberta but if you're open/able to move out of province, that would help expand your options by applying to other programs. You can also look into online counselling programs like Yorkville and Athabasca. I don't know anything about Athabasca but I know Yorkville tuition is quite expensive and is 2.5 years long, which is longer than other programs, but it does provide you the flexibility of not needing to leave your home province.

Similar to the previous poster, MSWs are also an option but it is program specific so you would need to look into one that specializes in providing clinical training. But just to correct something previously mentioned, people with MSWs become Registered Social Workers (RSW). RSWs along with other certain registered bodies (e.g., RNs, OTs, RPs, psychologists, etc.) are legally allowed to practice the controlled act of psychotherapy. And therefore can call themselves a Psychotherapist. But when calling yourself a Psychotherapist, you must mention your registration or credentials first. So for RSWs, something like this would be permitted: "Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist". Note, I'm basing this off of Ontario's Registration criteria, so obviously I would check for your province specifically, if interested. 

Edited: okay i see your most recent post about having a strong interest in research. Then i would say disregard the MSW option and consider applying to other programs to increase your chances! 

Thanks for the response! You are right about broadening the schools I've applied to. I just moved from the Maritimes to Alberta about a year and a half ago so I was reluctant to have to move again unless I got into clinical, but for the next cycle I will definitely be a lot less fussy about geography. 

[WickedWorld91]

19 minutes ago, ManukaHoney said:

Are you able to pursue PHD after completing the Yorkville program?

It is unlikely, however, it might be possible to qualify for a PsyD with that type of Masters.

Since you have to complete a dissertation as part of a PhD (i.e., an extensive publishable research project that you have to defend to a committee), you would have to have completed a thesis-based Masters program OR have completed a course-based Masters with additional extensive research experience. The problem with the latter option is that it's challenging to get the necessary research experience to prepare you for a dissertation outside of a Masters program. 

[T.O.hopeful]

35 minutes ago, ManukaHoney said:

Are you able to pursue PHD after completing the Yorkville program?

I'm not really sure this program would set someone up to directly enter a PhD program but it would depend on the program and what their admission requirements are. There are PhD programs that accept students whose masters weren't thesis-based if they can demonstrate research experience in other ways. But i don't think this is common for clinical psych PhD programs. I think what would more likely happen if someone wanted to do a PhD after Yorkville is they may have to enter at the masters level and then transition into the PhD after 1 or 2 years, depending on the program.

[stillpsych]

17 hours ago, ManukaHoney said:

Also, may I ask what kind of people spoke poorly about Yorkville? We’re they also professionals? I am asking because I feel that individuals who speak poorly of it aren’t really educated/aware about the program that well. I have spoken and networked with MANY people who are currently in the Yorkville program and even a couple who have graduated years ago and have been in the workforce for a while, none of them have said anything negative about it. The only thing I hear repetitively is finding practicum, the only difference between OISE and Yorkville, is that with OISE they are responsible for finding you a practicum meanwhile in Yorkville you are left on your own to figure it out. Other than that, I really don’t see why people are talking so badly about it. It is recognized by CRPO, just like UofT is..

haha sorry for my rant but it just frustrates me when people talk badly about it only because it is private and they don’t really know it that well 

Don't apologize haha! To your first reply though, I thought about social work but I found the programs emphasized a sociological perspective but there's no courses focused on critical multicultural practice. I also found most of the courses were "Social Work practice in X" but I want to take courses like couples counselling, family therapy, trauma which are more characteristic of counselling psych programs like OISE or Yorkville. 

For the Yorkville critics: my first boss in a psyc clinic said not to do that program but then she went on to hire a bunch of people and practicum students from that program so I kind of disregarded that. My current boss, also a psyc clinic, suggested the program or Adler if I don't get into OISE. I have also seen some comments on reddit about the program but mostly related to the cost. I see Yorkville grads doing really well and being competent practitioners, the only issue is for me is the cost, I'm sure I'd be able to find a practicum. 

[ManukaHoney]

12 minutes ago, stillpsych said:

Don't apologize haha! To your first reply though, I thought about social work but I found the programs emphasized a sociological perspective but there's no courses focused on critical multicultural practice. I also found most of the courses were "Social Work practice in X" but I want to take courses like couples counselling, family therapy, trauma which are more characteristic of counselling psych programs like OISE or Yorkville. 

For the Yorkville critics: my first boss in a psyc clinic said not to do that program but then she went on to hire a bunch of people and practicum students from that program so I kind of disregarded that. My current boss, also a psyc clinic, suggested the program or Adler if I don't get into OISE. I have also seen some comments on reddit about the program but mostly related to the cost. I see Yorkville grads doing really well and being competent practitioners, the only issue is for me is the cost, I'm sure I'd be able to find a practicum. 

That’s understandable! Just FYI, I spoke to someone who graduated from the OISE psychotherapy program and she told me that she felt the program lacks the multicultural training aspect and to keep that in mind. 

RE private institutions: You’re totally right, I have seen many Yorkville undergrads excelling! Spoke to a few and they told me the experience is what you really make out of it there. I just wonder what the main difference between the Adler & Yorkville program is..I’m wondering because I am considering to apply to them next year.

I’ve also heard a few good things about University of Athabasca. It’s a public uni, I don’t think many people heard of it either. They have an online master of counselling program. 

[Edge98]

19 hours ago, WickedWorld91 said:

Looking for some advice from successful Counselling Psychology (thesis-based) applicants, as well as those who have applied to both counselling and clinical psychology programs.

So, I have been applying to both Clinical and Counselling psychology programs for the past 3 cycles. I went into this journey as a mature student realizing how competitive these programs are. This is a big reason why I went back to undergrad a second time so I could complete an honours in psychology and gain research experience. Although both programs are very competitive, I was told by numerous professors and others that counselling was significantly less competitive than Clinical. My ideal outcome has always been clinical, but I still hold counselling in high regard and am very open to this as a "Plan B". However, after applying to the MSc in Counselling Psychology at the University of Calgary three times and the Masters in Counselling (thesis-based) at the University of Alberta one time, I have yet to get an interview.

This is not to sound over-confident as I know it is common for people to apply for these programs for multiple years, but I am a bit perplexed how I managed to get an interview this year for a Clinical program but did not get an interview for either of the mentioned counselling programs. Here is my CV in a nutshell: Honours in Psychology (includes thesis) + two independent studies during undergrad, 3.8 GPA, 1 publication, 2 conference presentations, almost two years working with vulnerable populations (non-research), and over a year (currently ongoing) as a full-time research assistant also working with vulnerable populations, and some volunteer experience. I assumed this would competitive for counselling programs.

What are people's thoughts when it comes to different things that counselling might look for vs clinical? One thing I thought of is that counselling is looking more so for experience in the field rather than academic related credentials (e.g., publications). I could see how some people might have more experience working with vulnerable populations, although I wouldn't expect most of the younger applicants to have that much more, but maybe. That being said, I would expect thesis-based counselling programs to also value my academic credentials. One mistake I made in my first year of applying was not mentioning anything about social justice or diversity in my personal statement, I've since included a short paragraph on that. I am generally a good writer and have had my research proposal and letters of intent proofed by colleagues.

Sorry for the rant. If anyone has any suggestions based on the details I've provided, that would be much appreciated!

Fellow Alberta student here... I am currently attending U of L's MEd Counselling Psychology program and was admitted directly after undergrad. Based on what you've said here (and what others have mentioned), I think your heavy research focus may be more directed at clinical programs, rather than counselling. For example, U of C's counselling program is heavily oriented towards social justice and many profs there focus on qualitative research. So if your interests and experience don't align well in this area, it may be a reason you haven't been selected for an interview. I would also recommend expanding your application geographically and apply outside of Alberta. When I applied, my supervisors told me to apply to 10+ programs if I had the ability and funds to do so. Additionally, I would spend time focusing your statement to each school and potential supervisor (if the program is thesis based). In my program, it is so interesting to see how some people have come straight from undergrad while others have 5+ years experience in the field. You seem to have more than enough experience, so it might be your statements or letters of recommendation that are holding you back here.. I'm not sure. I'd be happy to chat over private message if you have any other questions! Best of luck in you future applications  

[ManukaHoney]

37 minutes ago, Edge98 said:

Fellow Alberta student here... I am currently attending U of L's MEd Counselling Psychology program and was admitted directly after undergrad. Based on what you've said here (and what others have mentioned), I think your heavy research focus may be more directed at clinical programs, rather than counselling. For example, U of C's counselling program is heavily oriented towards social justice and many profs there focus on qualitative research. So if your interests and experience don't align well in this area, it may be a reason you haven't been selected for an interview. I would also recommend expanding your application geographically and apply outside of Alberta. When I applied, my supervisors told me to apply to 10+ programs if I had the ability and funds to do so. Additionally, I would spend time focusing your statement to each school and potential supervisor (if the program is thesis based). In my program, it is so interesting to see how some people have come straight from undergrad while others have 5+ years experience in the field. You seem to have more than enough experience, so it might be your statements or letters of recommendation that are holding you back here.. I'm not sure. I'd be happy to chat over private message if you have any other questions! Best of luck in you future applications  

Hey! I am wondering whether your program is in person or online? I’m restricted geographically (Toronto) and am just looking for as many online programs as I can 

[Edge98]

7 minutes ago, ManukaHoney said:

Hey! I am wondering whether your program is in person or online? I’m restricted geographically (Toronto) and am just looking for as many online programs as I can 

The MEd is an in-person program (with Covid it has been online but this is changing). There's also an MC program with intake every 2 years (next is 2023 I think). That program is part time primarily online with some in person sessions that run for a week or more at a time. 

In terms of online in Canada, I think your options are Yorkville, Adler, and Athabasca. Athabasca is a professional program that is part-time and designed for working professionals. I'm not familiar with Adler, but Yorkville might be an option to look into if you can afford the tuition fees. 

[MHTherapy]

Hey, has anybody reached out to UofT/Todd regarding their application status? I emailed yesterday and haven’t gotten a response yet but everyone says Todd replies pretty quickly so just wondering if anyone who reached out has heard back from them/him?