On April 1, 2026, the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) will introduce a new training requirement for supervisors who guide new and developing psychotherapists.

Why does that matter — for therapists and for clients?

To understand the significance of this change, it helps to take a brief look at the history of psychotherapy in Ontario.

Until 2015, psychotherapy was not regulated in Ontario. In theory, anyone could market themselves as a psychotherapist, and some did so without much formal training. Others, like myself, sought out rigorous private training programs when we chose psychotherapy rather than psychology as a professional path. (The distinction between the two professions is subtle but important and relates largely to differences in focus and practical orientation.)

Many psychotherapy training programs, before regulation, placed strong emphasis on experiential learning. Students studied theory, but they also practiced constantly: working through exercises, participating in role-plays, and often completing personal therapy as part of their training. By the time they graduated, new therapists had considerable experience conducting sessions and setting up a professional practice.

After graduation, they continued learning through supervision with more experienced therapists — a form of apprenticeship that helped refine practical skills.

When CRPO was established, training standards for psychotherapists became more formalized and standardized. Programs now require a specific number of hours of coursework and a broader academic understanding of different therapeutic models. This has strengthened the scientific and theoretical foundations of the profession.

At the same time, practical training has increasingly shifted into the post-graduation supervision period. Although students still complete internships, much of the hands-on development of clinical skills now happens after graduation under the guidance of supervisors.

Until now, however, supervisors themselves have had relatively few formal requirements: five or more years of clinical practice and 30 hours of supervision training, which could be completed through self-study, coursework, or supervised experience.

In other words, supervision training has been in a similar place to psychotherapy itself before regulation.

The new CRPO standards change that.

Supervisors will still need at least five years of clinical experience, but the training requirement is now more clearly defined. Supervisor training programs must include 30 hours of structured education with clear admission and evaluation standards, and they must cover specific topics such as:

• ethical and legal responsibilities, including duty-to-report
• ethical supervisory business practices and insurance considerations
• diversity and cultural humility
• evaluation of supervisees according to their developmental stage and clinical context
• effective and safe use of self in supervision (including parallel process and transference dynamics)
• navigating challenges and difficulties within the supervisory relationship

The intention is clear: supervisors — the teachers who guide new therapists during their apprenticeship — will be better prepared and better supported in their role. In the long run, that means stronger training for therapists and safer, more effective care for clients.

At the same time, I believe that supervision training should not become overly theoretical. Just as therapists need practical experience to develop confidence and skill, supervisors need practice as well.

For that reason, I have been developing a supervisor training program that combines the new CRPO requirements with substantial experiential learning, so that supervisors-in-training can practice the skills they will need in real supervisory conversations.

I still remember my first therapy session after graduating in 2000. I was a nervous wreck. My client and I got through the hour, but it was only afterward, when I reviewed the session with my supervisor, that I began to understand what had happened — what had gone well, what hadn’t, and what I could learn from it. That conversation was the moment I realized that I could grow into the role of therapist because I had guidance and support.

Years later, when I conducted my first supervision session from the other side of the table, I found myself almost as nervous as my supervisee. In that moment, I understood something important: my role was to provide enough steadiness and clarity that my supervisee could safely bring their uncertainty and questions into the room and learn from them.

Over the years, I supervised many therapists, learning mostly through experience, conversations with colleagues, and a great deal of reading. When CRPO was established in 2015, I took the first formal supervision training available. It was a fascinating experience: I discovered how much I had already learned through practice — and how much more there was to understand.

That additional learning strengthened my confidence as a supervisor, just as my own supervisor’s guidance had strengthened my confidence as a therapist many years earlier. Today, one of the most rewarding parts of my work is watching supervisees grow in clarity and confidence as we review their clinical work together, and knowing that they are growing into competent and compassionate therapists for their clients.

With the new CRPO requirements coming into effect, I am looking forward to helping the next generation of supervisors develop the same confidence and skill in their own supervisory practice.

In this spirit, I have developed a 30-hour supervisor training program that meets the new CRPO requirements while also providing practical, experiential learning within the course itself. The first cohort will take place as a live online immersive program from June 8–12, designed for experienced therapists who are preparing to step into supervision. I’ll be sharing more information about the program shortly.

Photo by Riccardo Annandale on Unsplash