Why see a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) doctoral degree therapist from Chuck Jung Associates?
If you are experiencing emotional difficulties following a motor vehicle accident, you may be referred to a Registered Psychologist. Unfortunately you may not be able to find a Registered Psychologist accepting new referrals or there may be long waiting lists. Alternatively, you may be referred to a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), who is typically a trained therapist with a master’s degree.
Drs. Sarika Vadrevu and Jasmine Irani, Chuck Jung Associates, are RCCs of good standing but are also doctoral graduates in psychology. They have also applied for registration with the College of Psychologists of BC (CPBC). They currently bill their services to ICBC as RCCs. However, the level of training between a doctoral graduate RCC versus a master’s level RCC is vastly different. Below are only some of the differences in training.
Degree Attainment
The majority of RCCs have attained a master’s degree in counselling or a related field identified by the BCACC Board of Directors. Such programs will typically involve 1 to 3 years of introductory graduate level courses.
Doctoral graduated RCCs have had 4 to 8 years of introductory and advanced graduate level classes. At the completion of their doctoral program, they will receive either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), both of which are eligible for application to be a Registered Psychologist with the CPBC.
Qualification of Supervisors of Clinical Training
In their clinical training, the RCC trainer/supervisors are appointed by a university acceptable to the Board, to supervise a practicum in a master’s level counselling program (see eligibility).
In their clinical training, doctoral graduated RCCs must have been supervised by Registered Psychologists with a minimum of two years practicing as psychologists.
Internship/residency prior to obtaining doctoral degree
For the master level RCCs, there is no internships/residency requirement, in addition to their master’s program (see eligibility).
Doctoral graduate RCCs, must have completed a one year full time internship/residency, in addition to their doctoral program.
Hours of Clinical Training in Attaining their degree
The majority of RCCs have attained a Masters degree in Counselling or a related field. In order to qualify for membership in BCACC, their program must ensure they have a minimum of 100 hours of clinical training.
Doctoral graduated RCCs meet the training hour requirements of BCACC: but in applying to be a Registered Psychologist with CPBC, they would have completed 2200 or more hours by the time they completed their program. These hours would not include hours they may have accumulated during their completion of their master’s degree.
Post graduate Training
Once the RCC meets the membership requirement and is accepted into the BCACC, the RCC is deemed eligible to practice independently.
Once the doctoral graduated RCC meets the membership requirement of BCACC, they are also eligible to practice independently as an RCC. However, a doctoral graduated RCC applying to be a Registered Psychologist with the CPBC must also submit a supervision plan of their practice to the CPBC and receive weekly supervision by a Registered Psychologist (who has been practicing as a psychologist for at least two years) until they are accepted to the CPBC.
The above are only a few differences between an RCC with a doctoral degree and an RCC with a master’s degree.
To make a referral to Drs. Vadrevu or Irani, please click here or call our main office at 604-874-6424.
Further information regarding eligibility to be a RCC can be found here.
Further information regarding eligibility to be a Registered Psycologist can be found here.