Effective Dec 3, 2025, NSOTR has released of two new practice standards on Advertising and on the Sale of Appliances and Equipment. These practice standards do not introduce new rules. Instead, they continue rules on that existed in the former Occupational Therapy Regulations. The new practice standards explain and clarify these rules and answer frequently asked questions.
NSOTR consulted registrants and our regulatory partners on these new practice standards in Summer and Fall 2025, and we revised the draft standards after considering the feedback we received.
Standards for Psychotherapy
The Board has also approved new practice standards for Psychotherapy and has designated psychotherapy as reserved practice. “Reserved practice” means an activity, procedure, or service that involves enough risk to clients that the NSOTR Board requires registrants to have additional education, training, or other requirements beyond the entry-to-practice level and approval from NSOTR before they can engage in it.
The Standards for Psychotherapy will be published in January. The Standards and the reserved practice designation for Psychotherapy will come into effect no earlier than June 1, 2026, after an implementation period. Detailed information on these new standards and how to apply for authorization to engage in psychotherapy reserved practice will be shared with registrants in early January.