Educational Requirements:

• A qualifying degree will be defined as an integrated course of study which includes a minimum of five of the required courses and which is obtained at an educational institution that is affiliated/accredited with/by Universities Canada.
• A qualifying Master's or Doctorate degree from an accredited educational institution where the degree specifies that the graduate has graduated from a Marriage/Couple and Family Therapy program
• A qualifying Master's or Doctorate degree from an accredited educational institution that led them to possess a valid LMFT from an American state or a valid TCF license from the province of Quebec. If you have an LMFT license and wish to join CACFT please click here for an application.
• A qualifying Master's or Doctorate degree in an allied mental health field from a regionally accredited educational institution.
• The school must be affiliated with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) or be affiliated with an AUCC accredited college or university. See Appendix A for more information.
• ***Note: Association of Theological Schools (ATS) who meet the educational requirements will be considered eligible
• **For Overseas Applicants: in order for a degree to be considered as a “qualifying graduate degree”, the program needs to be BOTH determined by a credentialing service (member of National Associaton of Credential Evaluation Services) to be equivalent to a Canadian graduate degree, and fulfill the educational requirements
• Curriculum Requirements: While the ideal is to complete these curriculum requirements within ten years of completing the relevant degree, it is recognized that many factors may impinge on this ideal. When this is not possible, application can be made for exceptions (e.g. illness, maternity leave, paternity leave, family situation and other extenuating circumstances, etc.)
• In total, eleven courses are required in five basic areas of study for a total of 33 semester credits. Please click here to see the Required Coursework form.

The equivalent of one course is defined as three semester credits, or 36 didactic contact hours (i.e.lecture/classroom hours).

Post-Graduate Requirements:

Minimum of two (2) years of professional work experience in marriage and family therapy following receipt of master's or doctorate degree are required to attain the Registered Marriage and Family Therapist designation. Post-graduate clinical experience includes both client contact and supervision hours, which must be completed/received concurrently. All clinical work must be supervised by a qualified supervisor (RMFT Supervisor, Supervisor Qualifying, or by an Alternate Supervisor pre-approved by CACFT/ACTCF (specifically for that applicant.)

Applicants must receive a minimum of 200 hours of supervision while concurrently providing at least 1,000 hours of client contact in therapy with individuals, couples or families which is demonstrably systemic. For graduates of a CACFT accredited or COAMFTE program, all DCC hours accrued during the graduate program will count towards the RMFT total. For graduates of other programs, applicants will require a practicum including a minimum of 150 hours of DCC and 30 hours of supervision. Hours in excess of these totals accrued during the program will be counted towards the RMFT hours requirement. Supervision hours will be counted in a ratio of one supervision hour for every five client contact hours toward the hours requirements. (as a result, in some cases not all supervision hours accrued during the graduate program are counted).

At least 100 of the 200 required supervision hours must be individual supervision. (i.e. supervision received one-on-one with the supervisor, or as part of a dyad in which both supervisees participate with their own case material). CACFT will accept a maximum of 100 hours of group supervision. The two years of professional work experience will still be required.

Definition of Direct Client Contact hours: Time spent in direct contact with the therapist and the client(s) in the active process of therapy. Activities not considered Direct Client Contact hours: scheduling, case planning, observation of therapy, documentation, case consultation.