Your Pathway to Professional Membership
Transition Pathway for AQF 6-8 students and tier members

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Practice Hours

Q: Do my 750 hours need to be from consecutive years?
A: No. The 750 hours can be accumulated over approximately 5 years, and no more than 10 years in total. The years do not need to be consecutive.

Q: What activities count toward the non-client 50% of hours?
A: Non-client practice hours include clinical documentation, session planning, case conferences, professional supervision, related meetings, client note taking, relevant training sessions not counted in CPD (i.e. OH&S, orientation etc.)

Q: Do group therapy sessions count toward direct client contact?
A: Yes. Group therapy sessions, psychoeducation groups, and therapeutic workshops all count toward direct client contact. Hours are counted per session hour. They are not multiplied by the number of participants.

Q: Can I include placement hours from my training?
A: Yes. Placement hours completed as part of your training program count toward your total practice hours.

Q: Do mindfulness or meditation retreats count?
A: Participation may count toward CPD hours if they are directly relevant to your creative arts therapy practice and you can articulate this relevance. Certificates must be included.

Q: Does reading professional literature count towards CPD?
A: Professional reading does not count. Attending webinars, seminars, presentations or running these do.

Q: Does personal therapy count toward any category?
A: Personal therapy does not count toward practice hours or supervision hours. It may, however, be referenced as part of your reflective practice in capability narratives.

Supervision

Q: How is 'external' clinical supervision defined?
A: Your supervisor must be external to your immediate professional practice and provide either individual or small group supervision. They should not be a direct colleague supervising your day-to-day work or manager. Your supervisor may be your employer if they hold appropriate clinical qualifications and provide formal, structured supervision. Your supervisor should not be a family member, friend or close personal relation.

Q: Does my supervisor need to be a creative arts therapist?
A: No. A clinical psychologist or other qualified allied health professional with relevant clinical supervision training and experience is acceptable. They must be a member of a professional association. If your supervisor is not a creative arts therapist, it is advisable to note this in your submission.

Q: Can my supervisor also sign off my client contact hours?
A: Yes. A supervisor who is also your employer may sign off both your supervision log and your client contact log, provided they have direct knowledge of your practice and work activities. The key requirement is that the person attesting to your hours must be able to genuinely verify and attest to your work based on their direct oversight or familiarity with your practice. This may include a supervisor, manager, team leader, or employer.

Q: What if I have gaps in supervision records?
A: Gaps in supervision may be identified during assessment. Where gaps exist, you can address these through your Professional Development Agreement by committing to a structured supervision arrangement going forward. Gaps will not automatically disqualify you but must be acknowledged.

CPD

Q: Is there a minimum number of CPD hours required?
A: All practising members of ANZACATA are required to complete a minimum of 25 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) annually.

Q: Does AQF6-8 coursework count toward CPD?
A: Yes, relevant AQF 6-8 coursework counts toward CPD. Hours completed in your AQF 6-8 training may also count toward non-client practice hours if they involve supervised clinical practice components. Please indicate this clearly in your log.

Q: Is MIECAT an approved bridging institution?
A: ANZACATA is in the process of negotiating agreements with accredited partner institutions for bridging study. Please contact ANZACATA directly for the current list of approved institutions.

Assessment Process

Q: What does 'equivalency to two years of formal postgraduate study' look like?
A: This is assessed holistically across your qualifications, supervised hours, reflective submissions and CPD. It does not require a formal two-year degree. Assessors will consider whether your overall portfolio demonstrates the depth of knowledge and practice typically developed through graduate-level training in creative arts therapies.

Q: I have many years of clinical art therapy experience and relevant tertiary study, well beyond that typically gained from a Master degree. How does the Transition Pathway recognise this experience?
A: Extensive clinical experience and relevant tertiary study are significant assets and are explicitly valued in the assessment process. The Transition Pathway is competency-based, allowing your experience to be presented as direct evidence against the Five Capability Areas; practice hours, supervision history, case examples, and reflective practice drawn from years of work will typically constitute strong evidence in their own right. Where your existing qualifications and experience already meet a capability requirement, no further remediation is needed. A Professional Development Agreement is only used to address genuine gaps identified during assessment, not to discount existing expertise.

Q: The estimated total cost to complete the Transition Pathway (up to $7,815) feels prohibitive. Is this what most members will actually pay?
A: The costs outlined in Section 9 is an estimate only. This assumes a member needs every assessment stage and the full CPD and supervision allowance. Transition Members who can draw on existing assessments, qualifications, or supervision records from other recognised bodies will typically face a reduced cost and timeframe rather than the full estimate. By comparison, students completing a Master of Creative Arts Therapies would typically pay between A$40,000–$60,000 (or more for internationals).

Q: Can I submit a draft or partial portfolio for preliminary feedback?
A: Yes, there is an optional Initial Screening fee of $250, where you can receive preliminary feedback on the documentation rather than content. However, we strongly encourage you to work with a supervisor to review your evidence content before final submission.

Q: Can gaps in my training or practice be addressed within the application window?
A: Yes. If you have gaps in supervision, CPD, or other areas, you have time to address these before or after your submission. Where gaps are identified by assessors, a Professional Development Agreement will be co-created with your supervisor and submitted to ANZACATA. It is acceptable to state that you are currently working on a particular capability area and the date for when this will be completed.

Q: I'm a Certified Practising member of PACFA's Creative and Experiential Therapies (CCET), which involved peer-reviewed evaluation of my arts-based capabilities and clinical hours. Will ANZACATA offer an exemption from assessment given this has already been validated by another NASRHP-aligned body?
A: ANZACATA does not currently offer a blanket exemption from assessment on the basis of other professional body credentials (e.g. PACFA CCET certification). This is because NASRHP requires ANZACATA, as the regulating body for Creative Arts Therapists, to independently verify that its own Professional Membership standard has been met. Recognition from another association cannot substitute for this. However, you are encouraged to submit your PACFA assessment documentation as supporting evidence within your portfolio. Assessors can take this into account when reviewing your Capability Reflections, hours logs and supervision records, which may reduce the additional evidence you need to gather and streamline your review.