Counselling Art Therapy - Vancouver: Associations

The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan, professional, and educational organization dedicated to the growth and development of the art therapy profession. Founded in 1969, the American Art Therapy Association is one of the world’s leading art therapy membership organizations.

The British Columbia Art Therapy Association (BCATA) was founded in 1978 to foster the professional development of art therapy in British Columbia. The Association acts as a provincial voice governing the standards and practice of the profession and its practitioners.
The BCATA provides professional registration for art therapists in British Columbia which entitles them to use BCATR after their name. The Association also upholds the BCATA Code of Ethics and encourages research with respect to art therapy. It is a registered non-profit society in BC.

CATA-ACAT works in cooperation with provincial art therapy associations to raise professional standards in the interest of public safety and trust. This includes upholding ethical standards; setting standards and processes for professional and registered designations for art therapists; working with art therapy training programs to ensure that they meet CATA’s educational standards; publishing a tri-annual online magazine and bi-annual academic journal, support and encouraging research about art therapy and raising awareness about of art therapy in Canada.

THE MISSION of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists is to be the primary source of knowledge, information, professional development and advocacy to promote Certified Music Therapists (MTAs) and music therapy.

We are the professional association of dance movement therapists in Canada. We work to promote, support, and develop the practice of dance movement therapy across the country.

​The Coalition includes Art therapy, Dance/Movement therapy, Drama therapy, Music therapy, and Poetry therapy.
Creative Arts Therapists are human service professionals who use arts-based interventions and creative processes for the purpose of ameliorating disability and illness and optimizing health and wellness. Treatment outcomes include, for example, improving communication and expression, and increasing physical, emotional, cognitive and/or social functioning. Creative Arts Therapists are trained and credentialed according to their distinct profession and each Creative Arts Therapy field is governed by a seperate professional association with a unique scope of practice. There are more than 15,000 Creative Arts Therapists practicing in the United States and around the world. Creative Arts Therapy organizations have been active in this country for over 50 years.

The North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) was established in 1979 to uphold high standards of professional competence and ethics among drama therapists; to develop criteria for training and registration; to sponsor publications and conferences; and to promote the profession of drama therapy through information and advocacy. The Association serves professionals and students in the United States and Canada, and the organization includes members throughout the world.

The American Counseling Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, ACA is the world's largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings.

Our vision is to position clinical mental health counselors to meet the health care needs of those we serve while advancing the profession.

APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 146,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members.

The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) is the largest association of clinical counsellors in BC with over 7000 Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs). We are a trusted source for mental health professionals, resources and education.

Founded in 1995 to promote the profession and practice of couple/marriage and family therapy in Canada.

We are a national bilingual association that promotes the profession of counselling and psychotherapy and its contribution to the mental health and well-being of all Canadians.

The Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA) is a nationally recognized, independent, self-regulated, non-profit organization registered in accordance with the National Corporate Registry of Canada. The Association is governed by a National Board of Directors which is elected by its members from all regions across Canada.

Federation of Associations for Counselling Therapists in BC (FACTBC) represents 12 professional counselling therapy associations that service British Columbians of all ages and support the diverse mental health needs of citizens of this province. Our vision is to see the public protected through the regulation of counselling therapists in British Columbia.

IAC is an International NGO with UN consultative status. Since 1966 we have worked to advance the development of counselling through practice, education, research, and advocacy initiatives. Get involved! - by joining us today as an individual Counsellor, or Organisation.