What is a Psychologist?
What is the difference between Psychologists, Psychiatrists and Counsellors?
Should I be seeing a Psychologist?
What do Psychologists do?
How do I find a psychologist or psychological associate?
Who pays for the services of a psychologist?
How do I know if a Psychologist is right for me?
Who do I contact if I am in a crisis?
What are the educational requirements to become a Registered Psychologist?
How do I become a member or an affiliate of BCPA?
How do I locate an individual psychologist?

A psychologist is a professional trained in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health issues.

They are registered and regulated by the College of Psychologists of British Columbia (CPBC). In BC, only a member of CPBC may call him or herself a psychologist.

In order to be registered as a psychologist in British Columbia, an individual must have completed a graduate degree (currently a doctorate) as well as a one-year supervised internship. He or she must then pass professional examinations, and agree to follow an ethical code and standards of professional practice as defined in the Health Professions Act legislated by the Province of British Columbia.

All general members of the BCPA are registered with the CPBC as either a Registered Psychologist or a Registered Psychological Associate.

The degree designations you will see after a psychologist's name will most commonly be Ph.D., Psy.D. or Ed.D. Some psychologists in BC were registered before the Psychologists Act was passed by the provincial legislature in 1980, and have master's degrees, such as M. A., M. Ed. and M. Sc. No psychologists have been registered with master's degrees since 1980, so those currently practicing with master's degrees have many years of experience.