In December 2025, the Board of the Regulator designated Psychotherapy as a “Reserved Practice” and approved the draft Standards for Psychotherapy. Since that date, NSOTR has completed additional consultation to ensure the Standards and the requirements for Reserved Practice are clear, appropriate, and aligned with public protection.
Following this consultation, we invite feedback from registrants on:
- proposed changes to the draft Standards for Psychotherapy
- the proposed requirements for Psychotherapy Reserved Practice
Please note that this information is for consultation only and is subject to change. Your feedback will inform the final version of the Standards and the Reserved Practice requirements.
Consultation:
To participate, please complete a survey on the proposed changes and requirements before March 6, 2026:
The purpose of this survey is to explain the practical effects of these changes for occupational therapists and get feedback from registrants who practice psychotherapy on:
- how the changes may affect your practice
- any difficulties you perceive in applying the new requirements/standards to your practice
- whether the requirements are clearly explained and whether additional clarification is required
We estimate that this survey should take between 15-30 minutes to complete.
All responses are anonymous and confidential. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this process.
What if I don’t practice psychotherapy?
This survey is designed for registrants who practice psychotherapy or intend to do so in the future. However, registrants who do not practice psychotherapy may still view the text of the survey, which explains the proposed changes and requirements, on the NSOTR website.
CLICK HERE FOR JUST THE INFORMATION (no survey)
We invite you to provide any specific feedback to info@nsotr.ca prior to March 6, 2026.
Timeline:
We appreciate your patience in sharing these proposed changes and requirements. We recognize that registrants have been eager to learn more about the new Standards and Reserved Practice process. We are committed to ensuring the final Standards and Reserved Practice process are clear, appropriate, and aligned with our public protection mandate.
Please note that NSOTR will adjust the implementation date of the new Standards for Psychotherapy (originally projected to be no earlier than June 1, 2026) in light of this delay, so that registrants and organizations have sufficient time to prepare for implementation. We will provide further communication after March 6, 2026 when the final Standards and materials are ready for release.
Thank you again for your contribution to the development of these important documents and processes.