Called to Care: Christian Counselling in Canada

The Growing Need

Mental health challenges are rising across Canada. Increasingly, individuals and families are navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and complex life transitions—often without enough support.

By midlife, 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health issue¹. The question is no longer if the need exists—but who will be equipped to respond.

For the Church, this moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

Scripture calls believers to “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus consistently moving toward those who are hurting—offering compassion, presence, and truth.

Today, that same calling continues.

Counselling, when rooted in a biblical worldview, becomes more than a profession. It becomes a form of ministry—walking alongside people in their most difficult moments with both clinical skill and Christ-centred care.

At Horizon Seminary, Registered Psychologist Heather Tomes has curated two counselling-focused degrees, designed to equip students for this kind of work:

• MA in Clinical Pastoral Counselling
• MA in Pastoral Psychotherapy

Both programs integrate counselling training with biblical and theological studies, helping students develop not only professional competence, but also spiritual depth and discernment.

Students are going to have the opportunity to take biblical and theological studies alongside their counselling courses, with built-in opportunities to reflect on how their faith shapes their counselling practice.

While both degrees share a common foundation, they are designed for different levels of clinical engagement.

The MA in Pastoral Psychotherapy prepares students for a deeper level of clinical practice, including trauma, grief, and emotional challenges, as well as the more moderate to severe mental health presentations.

Students receive training that integrates clinical excellence in psychotherapy within a robust biblical and theological framework, coupled with deep spiritual formation. The program requires 250 hours of supervised practicum experience.

Graduates of this 54 credit-hour program will be positioned to pursue registration with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)*, opening doors to professional and private practice.

The MA in Clinical Pastoral Counselling focuses on equipping students to support individuals through everyday life challenges, relational struggles, and mild to moderate mental health concerns.

This 48 credit-hour program prepares students for counselling roles in church and parachurch settings, counselling ministries, or private practice. It’s an excellent fit for those who feel called to provide competent counselling within private practice or ministry contexts.

Graduates will meet the academic requirements for gaining professional recognition as a member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and the Professional Association of Christian Counsellors and Psychotherapists.*

As mental health needs continue to grow, the opportunity for the Church to respond has never been greater. If you feel called to this kind of work, now is the time to take the next step.