If you are planning to supervise Registered Psychotherapists (Qualifying) or students in Ontario, you have probably noticed that dozens of providers now advertise a 30-hour supervision course that "meets CRPO requirements." The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) will not tell you which ones do. It does not approve, accredit or recommend any supervision course, and it leaves the responsibility for choosing a suitable course with you (College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario [CRPO], 2024, n.d.-b).
The good news is that CRPO has published exactly what a qualifying course should look like. This checklist walks through those criteria so you can evaluate any course before you pay for it, and keep the right evidence afterward in case CRPO asks.
The short answer: A 30-hour supervision course is consistent with CRPO's expectations when it (1) is facilitated by people experienced in training clinical supervisors, (2) shows post-graduate rigour such as admission requirements, a course outline, a reading list and evaluated assignments, (3) bases completion on more than attendance, and (4) covers the content areas in CRPO's Supervision Course Guideline (CRPO, 2024). No course is "CRPO-approved," so be cautious of any provider that says it is (CRPO, 2026).
Who needs a 30-hour supervision course?
CRPO requires every clinical supervisor to complete 30 hours of directed learning in providing clinical supervision. For anyone who begins providing clinical supervision on or after April 1, 2026, that directed learning must be 30 hours of coursework on providing clinical supervision. Supervisors who began before that date can count a broader mix of learning, including coursework, supervised practice as a supervisor, peer or group learning, and structured independent reading (CRPO, n.d.-a).
The course is one of five criteria. A supervisor must also be registered in good standing with a college whose members may practise psychotherapy, have five years of clinical experience since graduating, meet CRPO's independent practice requirement of 1,000 direct client contact hours and 150 hours of clinical supervision, and complete CRPO's free online learning module on clinical supervision (CRPO, n.d.-a). For a full walkthrough of the April 2026 changes, see our article on what actually changed in CRPO's clinical supervision rules, and our overview of CRPO supervision requirements.
Even if you began supervising before April 2026, CRPO strongly recommends that all supervisors complete a 30-hour course if they have not already (CRPO, 2026).
Why CRPO does not approve supervision courses
CRPO's position is direct: it does not pre-approve or accredit supervision courses, and supervision training programs should not describe themselves as CRPO-approved (CRPO, 2026). The College's self-assessment tool for supervisors repeats the point, stating that CRPO is not able to recommend or pre-approve directed learning activities related to clinical supervision (CRPO, n.d.-b).
Instead, CRPO Council approved a Supervision Course Guideline on December 12, 2024. The guideline sets out what a course must demonstrate and what content it should include, and it places responsibility on the individual to confirm that a course meets their needs (CRPO, 2024).
In practice, this means two things. First, a phrase like "CRPO-approved" on a course website is a red flag, not a reassurance. Second, a provider's statement that its course "meets CRPO requirements" is a claim you should be able to check against the guideline yourself.
The three features every course must have
The guideline separates required features from recommended content. These three are framed as requirements (CRPO, 2024).
1. It is facilitated by people experienced in training clinical supervisors
The guideline specifies that a course must be facilitated by individuals experienced in training clinical supervisors (CRPO, 2024). That is a different qualification from being an experienced supervisor. Look for an instructor bio that describes both: years of providing supervision, and experience teaching or training others to supervise.
2. It shows signs of post-graduate rigour
CRPO expects a supervision course to look like post-graduate continuing education. The guideline gives four examples of rigour: admission requirements, a course outline, a reading list, and assignments with an evaluative component (CRPO, 2024). If a provider cannot show you a course outline and reading list before you register, ask why.
For every requirement in order, see our step-by-step guide to becoming a CRPO clinical supervisor.
3. Completion is based on more than attendance
Successful completion must be based on more than attendance (CRPO, 2024). Watching 30 hours of recorded video and clicking "complete" does not, on its own, meet that standard. Look for a course that evaluates your learning through assignments, such as a written supervision agreement, a case analysis, or a statement of your approach to supervision.
Content checklist: what the course should cover
The guideline lists the content areas a supervision course should include, without limiting other topics (CRPO, 2024). Compare any course outline against this list:
- Definitions and purposes of supervision
- The regulatory context of supervision, including CRPO's own requirements and standards
- Theories and models of supervision
- Structure and process of supervision
- The supervisory relationship, roles and responsibilities
- Practice contexts, such as private practice, agencies and institutions
- Ethical and legal issues, including ethical decision-making models and duty to report
- Ethical supervisor business practices and insurance
- Diversity and cultural humility
- Evaluation of the supervisee
- Safe and effective use of self by the supervisor, such as parallel process, transference and countertransference
- The supervision agreement
- Issues in supervision: reviewing raw material such as records and recordings, knowing when to intervene in a supervisee's clinical work, clarifying the limits of the supervisor's role, giving and receiving feedback, managing conflict, and knowing when to seek consultation from a more experienced supervisor
A strong course outline will map its modules to these areas clearly. If several are missing, or the outline is too vague to tell, treat that as a reason to ask questions before registering. CRPO's Professional Practice Standards also set expectations for supervisors under Standard 4.1, Providing Clinical Supervision, and a good course will connect its content to that standard (CRPO, 2025b).
Why the quality of your training matters
It is tempting to treat the 30 hours as a box to tick. The research suggests the choice of course deserves more care than that.
Supervision is widely understood as its own professional intervention, distinct from psychotherapy, teaching or consultation, with its own body of theory and skills (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019). Being an excellent therapist does not automatically make someone an effective supervisor.
Training can close that gap. A systematic review of 11 controlled studies of supervisor training found that training had a substantial effect on supervisors' learning, and identified the methods with the strongest empirical support: corrective feedback, educational role-play and observational learning (Milne et al., 2011). Those are active, practice-based methods, which is worth weighing when you compare a live, interactive course with a self-paced one.
The stakes for supervisees are real. In one study of 363 supervisees, 93% were currently receiving supervision that met the researchers' criteria for inadequate supervision, and 35% were currently receiving supervision that met their criteria for harmful supervision (Ellis et al., 2014). No single study settles the question, but the finding is a sober reminder that supervision quality cannot be assumed, and that preparation matters.
Questions to ask a provider before you register
- Who facilitates the course, and what is their experience training clinical supervisors, not only providing supervision?
- Can I see the full course outline and reading list before I register?
- How does the outline map to the content areas in CRPO's Supervision Course Guideline?
- What are the admission requirements?
- How is completion assessed beyond attendance? What assignments are evaluated, and by whom?
- Is the course delivered live, self-paced, or a mix? How much active practice, such as role-play and case discussion, is included?
- What documentation will I receive on completion, and does it state the number of hours?
- What happens if I miss a session or cannot finish on schedule?
What to keep as evidence
You do not submit your course to CRPO in advance. However, CRPO staff may request evidence of your 30 hours of directed learning, a letter verifying your qualifications, and a statement describing your approach to supervision (CRPO, n.d.-a). Keep the following together in one place:
- Your certificate of completion, showing the course title, provider, dates and number of hours
- The course outline and reading list
- Your evaluated assignments
- A written statement of your approach to supervision. If your course includes a philosophy of supervision assignment, it can be adapted for this purpose.
- Confirmation that you completed CRPO's online learning module on clinical supervision
CRPO also notes that supervisors should be able to give their supervisees a letter attesting that they meet each of the supervisor criteria (CRPO, n.d.-a). Having your course records organized makes that letter simple to write. CRPO's Clinical Supervision: A Guide for Supervisors, Applicants, and Registrants is a helpful companion resource as you set up your supervision practice (CRPO, 2025a).
How our course measures up
Ontario Supervision offers a CRPO-aligned 30-hour clinical supervision course, taught live on Zoom by Catherine Howson, MA, RP. Catherine has practised psychotherapy since 2005 and has provided clinical supervision since 2012. She has completed more than 30 hours of supervision training, including clinical supervision training through McMaster University, Clinical Supervision Foundations through the ATTC Network, trauma-informed supervision through Safeguards, and relational approaches to supervision through Adler University.
Against this checklist, the course:
- Is built module by module against the content areas in CRPO's Supervision Course Guideline
- Publishes a full course outline and reading list, built around Thiessen's (2023) A Clinical Supervision Training Handbook alongside CRPO's own guide and practice standards
- Is intended for psychotherapists who meet CRPO's independent practice criteria
- Bases completion on more than attendance: participants submit a supervision contract for their own setting and a referenced philosophy of supervision
- Uses live small-group practice in every module, including role-play and case discussion
- Issues a certificate of completion documenting 30 hours of training in clinical supervision
The next cohort runs April 23 to May 2, 2027. You can see the full curriculum, schedule and tuition on the course page.
Frequently asked questions
Is any 30-hour supervision course CRPO-approved?
No. CRPO does not pre-approve or accredit supervision courses, and asks training programs not to describe themselves as CRPO-approved (CRPO, 2026).
Can I combine shorter workshops to make up 30 hours?
If you began supervising before April 1, 2026, CRPO accepts a broader mix of directed learning, including multiple courses and other activities. If you begin on or after April 1, 2026, CRPO's wording refers to a 30-hour supervision course (CRPO, n.d.-a, n.d.-b). If you are considering combining shorter courses, confirm directly with CRPO how your situation will be assessed.
Does a self-paced online course count?
The guideline does not require a particular delivery format, but it does require evaluated assignments and completion based on more than attendance (CRPO, 2024). Check how any self-paced course assesses your learning.
Do I need to send my certificate to CRPO?
Not in advance. Keep it with your other records, because CRPO staff may request evidence of your directed learning (CRPO, n.d.-a).
I supervise RPs but I am a social worker or psychologist. Does this apply to me?
CRPO's supervisor criteria apply to any supervisor whose supervision will count toward CRPO registration requirements, including members of other Ontario colleges whose members may practise psychotherapy (CRPO, n.d.-a). For more on which supervision counts, see our article on what counts as clinical supervision under CRPO.
The bottom line
Because CRPO does not approve courses, the responsibility for choosing a good one sits with you. Use the guideline as your checklist: an experienced facilitator, real academic rigour, evaluation beyond attendance, and full coverage of the required content. Then keep your records organized so you can answer any request from CRPO with confidence.
If you are preparing to supervise, especially as demand for supervisors grows with CRPO's 2027 practicum changes, we would be glad to have you in our 30-hour clinical supervision course.
References
Bernard, J. M., & Goodyear, R. K. (2019). Fundamentals of clinical supervision (6th ed.). Pearson.
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (2024, December 12). Supervision course guideline. https://crpo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Supervision-Course-Guideline-Dec1224.pdf
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (2025a, March). Clinical supervision: A guide for supervisors, applicants, and registrants. https://crpo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Clinical-Supervision-Guide-Mar1325.pdf
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (2025b). Professional practice standards for Registered Psychotherapists (Rev. ed.). https://crpo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CRPO-Standards-Jan124-Revised-Dec1125.pdf
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (2026, April). Does CRPO approve clinical supervisors or supervision training? https://crpo.ca/?p=3146
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (n.d.-a). Supervision requirements. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://crpo.ca/registrant-information/clinical-supervision-information/supervision-requirements/
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (n.d.-b). Clinical supervisor self-assessment. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://crpo.ca/registrant-information/clinical-supervision-information/clinical-supervisor-self-assessment/
Ellis, M. V., Berger, L., Hanus, A., Ayala, E. E., Siembor, M. J., & Swords, B. A. (2014). Inadequate and harmful clinical supervision: Testing a revised framework and assessing occurrence. The Counseling Psychologist, 42(4), 434–472.
Milne, D., Sheikh, A., Pattison, S., & Wilkinson, A. (2011). Evidence-based training for clinical supervisors: A systematic review of 11 controlled studies. The Clinical Supervisor, 30(1), 53–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/07325223.2011.564955
Thiessen, E. W. (2023). A clinical supervision training handbook: Becoming a reflective systemic supervisor. Tellwell Talent.
