Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

OICBT Directors are familiar with and endorse the CCTC 2020 Consensus Statement and, CPA’s Psychology Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Report with particular mindfulness to the ways in which clinical psychology needs to adequately address the impact of social determinants of health and experiences in its conceptualizations of Indigenous and other racialized peoples.

Diversity-informed care is integrated into assessment and intervention rotations. The OICBT is cognizant of the ways clinical psychology needs to adequately address the impact of social determinants of health and experiences of oppression in its conceptualizations and service delivery of marginalized peoples, including how assessment, diagnoses, and suggested treatment interventions may further contribute to their marginalization. OICBT has reviewed its referral, intake, training and clinical interventions to better incorporate principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity.

In their Assessment rotation, residents are encouraged to consider the way in which clients’ various identities may have contributed to their functioning, including diversities related to language, immigration status, gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, and race, ethnicity, and culture, and disability. Clients are encouraged to describe their goals and aspects of their being that are important to them within the context of assessment (and intervention recommendations) so that clinical work can be completed with these goals integrated in collaboration between the client and clinician. For some clients, this may mean inviting important others into assessment activities to increase their comfort and trust in the assessment process. Outcomes measures are also in the process of being reviewed to assess reliability and validity amongst diverse populations

As part of Intervention rotation(s), residents are encouraged to have discussions with clients about their identities and encourage the use of non-clinical psychology supports (e.g., identity-based organizations and support groups, spiritual communities, and holistic healing methodologies) to the extent that the client believes these would be relevant and helpful. Links between clients’ psychological difficulties and generational trauma, racism, sexism, heterosexism and other oppressions should be, with the client’s permission, discussed in therapy and incorporated into treatment plans where appropriate. Residents also participate in OICBT and city-wide seminars that emphasize the importance of effectively incorporating social identity factors into CBT-based case conceptualizations. Residents also learn to practice CBT in a culturally competent fashion that recognizes the impacts of oppressions, microaggressions, and/or prejudice on clients mental health. The OICBT provides a devoted diversity seminar to increase the knowledge, self-awareness, and skills to work more effectively with the context of diversity informed care.

As part of OICBT’s commitment to anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and social justice-based recruitment, OICBT encourages all qualified applicants to apply, especially those from historically disadvantaged groups. Although OICBT’s clientele primarily requests services in English, there is opportunity for bilingual residents to provide psychological services in French. To improve access to the interview process regardless of candidates’ geographical location, all interviews will be conducted virtually. Successful candidates who have specific accessibility needs are encouraged to discuss these with the Training Director before residency begins so that accommodations can be put into place.

The core principles and values of the OICBT residency program directly arise from, and are embedded within, our wider institutional mission. The mission of the OICBT residency program is to provide an experience of sufficient breadth and depth in evidence-based training to prepare residents for post-doctoral specialization and competence for autonomous practice and registration as professional psychologists within Canada, with a commitment to ethical standards of professional practice and a strong professional identity. The OICBT recognizes the importance of the provision of supervision and training for the next generation of psychologists.

The core principles and values of the OCBT residency program which arise from this mission, include:

1. A dynamic balance between training in more generalist models of psychological practice as well as specialized CBT assessment and treatment for specific client populations

2. An emphasis on training residents in the delivery of evidence-based treatment approaches within psychology

3. The importance of research in helping to guide the decisions we make before, during and after the delivery of evidence-based care to our clients as emphasized within the scientist-practitioner model

4. A fundamental diversity focus and specifically training of populations presenting with a broad range of problems across the life-span, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and sexual orientation

5. Opportunities to work within interdisciplinary teams as leaders in directing assessment and treatment within this context

6. Commitment to using a competency-based training model to ensure training benchmarks are obtained during the residency year and in preparation for autonomous practice

7. Opportunities to receive training in a variety of theoretical approaches and modalities across different levels and intensities of treatment within a stepped care treatment model

8. The provision of training that is developmental in nature, taking into account the residents pre-existing abilities, skills and competencies, and to adjust the pace and content of training based on these individual differences and training needs.

9. A commitment to supporting developing clinicians in their adherence to the standards and guidelines of ethical clinical practice as outlined within our legislative and professional governing bodies

10. Commitment to teaching our residents to tailor their treatment approaches to client needs and resources by offering individual, group, out-of-office and more intensive treatment options

11. Opportunities for residents to directly observe, and be observed by, psychologists across the roles of service provision, supervision, training, program development and evaluation

12. The development of future psychologists who are equipped to function as autonomous professionals across the multiple roles of a psychologist including service provision, research, consultation and supervision

The philosophy of training reflected in the mission statement, principles, and values of the residency program as outlined above is highly consistent with the mission and goals of the OICBT in general. More specifically, the mission of the OICBT is to provide clinical psychology services that are empirically supported, responsive to our clients’ needs, and reflective of their level of financial and personal resources. This is accomplished through the emphasis on: 1) using research in our decisions about treatment; 2) emphasizing the central role of Psychology in generating and directing treatment within treatment teams; 3) tailoring of treatment to patient needs and resources by offering individual, group, out-of-office and more intensive treatment options; 4) reinforcing our strong ties to academic and hospital institutions through hospital and educational affiliations; and 5) supporting continued professional development, supervision and teaching for all staff through in house training and supervision experiences.

The cornerstone of the OICBT’s residency program is the scientist-practitioner model in which residents are encouraged to rigorously examine and inform their professional services in light of current research, account for the selection of services (such as types of intervention or selection of specific assessment measures), and evaluate the impact of their services. The services delivered by residents as part of their training are evidence-based. The clinical training staff at OICBT models the integration of academic and professional roles through their dedication to training, research, management/leadership and professional practice. This commitment to the scientist-practitioner model of training is congruent with the accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology from which psychology residents originate. It is also a reflection of the emphasis that the program places on the scientific bases of psychological practice. The residency program at the OICBT also recognizes the varied roles in which an autonomous psychologist must practice. With this awareness, the goal of the OICBT is to provide training experiences that enhance competencies that will prepare residents to not only provide clinical services and training and supervision of personnel and other mental health professionals, but also to develop new clinical service programs, evaluate their interventions, implement research projects, and take leadership roles in management and administration.

There are five core foundation and functional skills areas in the practice of Clinical Psychology that underlie the specific training goals within the OICBT residency program. These areas include interpersonal relationships, assessment and evaluation, intervention and consultation, research, and ethics and standards. These areas are consistent with the core competencies required by the College of Psychologists of Ontario for the professional practice of psychology, as well as the areas that are assessed in the quarterly evaluations of the residents. The specific objectives embedded within our developmental and competency-based model of training, therefore, are outlined specifically within each of these skill areas. The goals and objectives of our residency program, moreover, involve the development of competencies across each of these areas, according to the level of skill and knowledge expected within these domains at the end of the residency training year. The level of competency expected at the end of the year corresponds directly to the level of abilities needed for a graduating resident to receive a certificate authorizing supervised practice by the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO). These foundational skills are also highly aligned with the competency benchmarks used to evaluate candidates applying to practice autonomously in professional psychology (four of the five skill areas are used in the CPO evaluation). The ethics and standards competency required for registration as an autonomous member of the CPO is embedded across all areas of skills development and competency attainment through an emphasis and focus on ethical decision making.

Requirements for Candidacy:

In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, only applicants who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada will be considered. Applicants should be enrolled in a CPA- or APA-accredited doctoral program in clinical psychology. If the program in which the student is enrolled is not accredited by the CPA or APA, the program’s content and structure (and hence the student’s academic and practical preparation) must be equivalent to those clinical psychology programs that are CPA-accredited.

Eligibility for residency requires that students have completed the following prior to undertaking the residency year:

• all requisite coursework,

• all practicum requirements outlined by their doctoral training program,

• approval of their doctoral thesis proposal prior to application for residency.

Applicants more likely to be ready to submit or defend their thesis prior to commencing the residency will be, all other things being equal, ranked more highly.

Applicants must demonstrate a minimum of 600 practicum hours (direct + support + supervision) that includes a minimum of 300 hours total direct client contact (mix of intervention and assessment), 150 hours of supervision, and the remaining hours as support activities. Applicants are not rated on the basis of “raw number of practicum hours” as we feel the quality and depth of practicum training is more relevant than total number of hours. A minimum of five integrated written assessment reports, and provision of therapy to a minimum of five patients/clients is required to apply.

As part of OICBT's commitment to anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and social justice-based recruitment, OICBT encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including those from historically disadvantaged groups. OICBT is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness. We are better able to grow and learn together within a diverse team of residents and employees. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring in terms of their education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran's status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.

The OICBT’s residency program (APPIC program code number: 188011) in clinical psychology is a member of the Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs (CCPPP) and a provisional member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and adheres to APPIC policy regarding internship offers and acceptances. This residency site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.

This residency program is participating in the APPIC Internship Matching Program. All applicants must register with the National Matching Services to be considered for this residency.

The OICBT is committed to employment equity and hires on the basis of merit. We encourage applications from members of groups that are marginalized based on their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, racialization, disability, and/or status as First Nations, Métis, Inuit or Indigenous.

Applicants must complete the following through the Applicant Portal of the AAPI online:

1. Completed APPIC Application

2. Verification and electronic signature completed by the University Training Director attesting to the applicant’s readiness for an internship

3. The names and contact information (i.e., phone number, email address, title, place of employment) of 3 persons familiar with the applicant's clinical and professional experience and performance. One of these referees should be the applicant’s thesis supervisor.

4. Graduate transcripts

5. Curriculum Vitae

We encourage applicants to indicate their preferences for training experiences within their cover letters, as this allows us to make every effort to ensure that applicants who interview at our site are able to meet with potential supervisors during the interview.

Completed applications must be received no later than Monday November 14, 2022.

Aligned with the suggested CCPPP member program guidelines, we will be following the recommended 2-step process with respect to interview notification and interview scheduling. Specifically:

Step 1: All offers to interview with OICBT will be made on Friday December 2, 2022, by email. Applicants are not expected to make any commitments on this day.

Step 2: After 11:00 am in the Eastern Time Zone on Monday December 5, 2022 applicants who have been offered an interview are welcome to contact OICBT via email to respond to interview offers. We will not be scheduling any interviews before this time.

The OICBT will be conducting interviews on the following dates within the CCPPP East/Atlantic window of January 9-20, 2023. Please note that due to COVID-19, possible travel restrictions and physical distancing needs, all interviews for OICBT 2023-2024 interview dates will be virtual (phone or videoconferencing). We will not be offering any in-person interviews.

• Monday, January 9, 2023

• Friday, January 13, 2023

• Monday, January 16, 2023

• Friday January 20, 2023

This residency site agrees that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any resident applicant.

If you have any questions about our program, please do not hesitate to contact:

Dr. Natasha Ballen (Training Director – Residency Program)
411 Roosevelt Avenue, Suite 200
Ottawa, Ontario, K2A 3X9 Tel: (613)–820-9931 x227
Email: drnballen@oicbt.ca

For more information about the OICBT please visit: www.ottawacbt.ca