Our Mother of Good Counsel Clinical Excellence Award

The Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to recognize outstanding clinical psychotherapy practice which embodies the Mission of the organization. The recipient of this award displays exceptional clinical skills in psychotherapy, marked by their upstanding reputation within their local community and diocese. CPA members and non-members may apply or nominate other CPA members or non-members who meet criteria.

Candidate Criteria: 

1. Fully licensed (LPC, LMHC, LMFT, Psychologist, LCSW)

2. Practicing psychotherapist for a minimum of 5 years. 

3. Practicing Catholic and evident commitment to Catholic anthropology in his or her clinical practice.

4. Demonstrated service within their local community and diocese. 

Submission Requirements:

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Essay that details the nominee’s commitment to Catholic anthropology in clinical practice, devotion to service within the community and diocese, and dedication to social justice and minority inclusivity in clinical practice (minimum 1000 words, maximum 1500 words). Please answer the following questions in your essay:

1. How does the nominee integrate the teachings of the Catholic Church into psychotherapy practice? 

2. What additional clinical skills or specialties has the nominee obtained that set him/her apart from other clinicians? 

3. What parish or diocesan ministries does he or she collaborate with and how does this relate to his or her psychotherapy practice? 

4. What has the nominee done to make his or her services more accessible to minority groups? 

5. How does the nominee advocate for social justice on a local, national, or global scale?

• 1 letter of recommendation from colleagues, priests, religious, diocesan leaders, and/or community leaders. 
• Must know the nominee for a minimum of 1 year. 
• Please include professional affiliation(s) (if applicable) and contact information.
  

Pope St. John Paul II Academic and Research Excellence Award

The Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to recognize outstanding academic literature and research that honors the dignity of the human person and embodies the Mission of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association. The recipient of this award has positively contributed to our understanding of Catholic psychotherapy and made a substantial effort to narrow the gap between research and clinical practice.  CPA members may nominate another CPA member or a non-member, and invite non-members to make appropriate nominations for this award.

Candidate Criteria:

1. Fully licensed as a mental health professional in their region of practice
2. Published or seeking publication in a peer reviewed academic journal or reputable publishing company (if book or book chapter). 
3. First author on publication or manuscript submission
4. Documented good standing in primary diocese of practice/residence

Manuscript submissions must include the following:

• APA formatting;
• An integration of Catholic Magisterial teaching with psychotherapy principles;
• A novel contribution to the research and/or formation or application of psychological theory informing integration of Catholic faith in mental health practice.

Other publication types (books or book chapters) must address two or more of the following:

• Mental health practitioners among the defined target audience, or 
• An intended application for training of mental health practitioners; and
• Demonstrate a Catholic perspective in keeping with Magisterial teaching, and essential dignity of the human person. 

Submission Requirements:

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Completed manuscript or chapter
• Cover letter describing how this scholarly literature applies to Catholic clinicians and narrows a gap between research/literature and practice (500-700 words)

St. Martin de Porres Intrinsic Dignity Award

Foundational to the ministry of the Catholic Church is acknowledging the intrinsic dignity of each human being and actively supporting the needs of the underserved, oppressed, and/or marginalized persons in society. Catholic psychotherapists, researchers, educators, administrators, and spiritual leaders who minister to these persons have an essential role in the ministry of the Church as a whole. Therefore, the Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to especially recognize those who have made laudable efforts to reduce discrimination and uphold the dignity of all human persons.

CPA members may nominate another CPA member or non-member.

Candidate Criteria:

1. Mental health professional or affiliate, fully licensed or certified to practice in his or her region and area of expertise
2. Dedicated to ensuring that mental health services are accessible to one or more marginalized groups. 
3. Actively involved in advocacy, ministry, or social justice initiatives that explicitly align with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. 

Submission Requirement:

• Curriculum vitae or resume of nominee
• Essay (500-1000 words) that details the efforts of the nominee to reduce social injustices that undermine the dignity of the human person and how this has supported the mental and spiritual health of the minority group(s) that the nominee serves.

St. Hildegard of Bingen Outstanding Supervisor Award

This award reflects the Catholic Psychotherapy Association’s commitment to supporting the growth of our interdisciplinary psychotherapy practice through outstanding mentorship and supervision. The supervisor is a primary gatekeeper of ethical clinical practice and provides his/her supervisees with meaningful personalized support as they develop their therapeutic self. The Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to especially recognize supervisors who approach these supervisory tasks from a Catholic lens in which their mentorship involves prayerful spiritual reflection and guidance. 

CPA members may nominate another CPA member or non-member

Candidate Criteria:

1. Approved supervisor in his/her state of practice and respective psychotherapy discipline. 

2. Currently supervising at least 1 supervisee in his/her respective psychotherapy discipline. 

3. Actively integrates spiritual guidance into supervisory practice. 

Submission Requirement

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume of Supervisor
• Essay (500-1000 words) written by one or more of the supervisor’s past or present supervisees detailing the supervisor’s commitment to ethical practice, self-of-the-therapist support, and spiritual guidance.

Scholarships

Scholarship applications to attend the 2023 CPA conference are accepted November 1st through December 15th prior to each conference.

What kind of scholarship?

Scholarship recipients will receive registration for the full annual CPA Conference, including pre-conference days and CEUs if applicable. When the annual conference is in-person, travel vouchers may be offered depending on the funds available.

How can I support CPA scholarships?

You may support students, emerging professionals, seminarians, and professionals in missionary settings to receive the benefit of attending the CPA conference by making a donation. Donations received and tagged for “scholarships” will be tracked by the Treasurer, and added to the CPA Scholarship Fund. The number and amount of scholarships given will be determined by the current balance of the CPA Scholarship Fund.

Who is eligible to apply?

• Applicants must be current CPA members or eligible for membership as Student, Academic, or Clinical members. Examples of eligible persons are as follows:

• • Graduate students in psychology or a related field.

  • Clergy, seminarians or religious who have an interest in the field of mental health.

  • Pre-licensed professionals in the mental health field, holding an advanced degree, but not yet fully/independently licensed.

  • Other mental health professionals who serve in less-advantaged, isolated, and/or missionary settings.

How to apply

• To apply, eligible persons will submit the following documentation by December 15, 2023. Please make sure all requirements are met and documentation is completed before filling out the form. Here is the LINK.  

• • • Curriculum Vitae

    • Letter from the applicant, including:
    1. How you heard about the Catholic Psychotherapy Association
    2. Why you wish to attend the CPA conference
    3. How your attendance at the CPA conference will benefit others
    4. Names of those who support your application via letters of support (below), and how you know them
       

    • Two letters of support or recommendation that address the applicant’s faith and study or practice related to mental health. If the applicant is a seminarian or religious, one letter should be from their superior or formator and indicate permission to attend the CPA conference if a scholarship is awarded to the applicant.

Applicants will be notified regarding whether they have been selected to receive a scholarship by January 15, 2023. If they accept the scholarship, registration for the CPA conference must be completed by January 31, 2023