I am now a Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Marriage and Family Therapist and Specialist, Pastoral Counsellor

Finally, it is all over and now I can just concentrate on my private practice, writing my books and having fun. I am still tempted to go further, but really, I should really focus on having fun. I am very pleased with my life and my accomplishments and where I stand today. I know there has been a lot of controversy about the new College of Psychotherapy. There has been so much resistence as I have mentioned but I have been waiting for some protection for the public ever since I walked into my first psychology class and heard that anyone, and I mean anyone can put up a shingle. Those days are finally gone. The process is still ongoing but the public will be protected. When I first began studying psychology I was so excited by everything I was learning. I memorized everything which was not that difficult because many courses repeated the same things until it was ingrained. As people told me that they were therapists, my interest mounted only to be dismayed when I heard them say they had a general bachelar degree or college or highschool with nada qualifications or training. It was not until I attended a lecture post graduate that I learned that "in the old days", if you had therapy yourself, you were considered qualified to provide therapy to others ---really? What were they thinking? I strongly encourage you the public that if someone when this is all over tells you that they are a psychotherapist, that you check that out. Check out the CRPO website for further information. There are annual fees to belonging to all this. I belong to the American Association of Family Therapy which I intend on staying with so I am available to Americans. I have an Ontario branch that I belong to and they afford us some protection because they are associations. There is going to be a divorce of sorts, perhaps, because it is expensive to carry both. I have decided to stay with the Canadians and Americans. Then there is the Pastoral Counselling, Specialist. I am in my second year with them. That costs too and every five years I have to requalify. I have three years to examine that. I was leaning towards leaving that, but I also see the benefits that being a specialist has on people. There is that need for spirituality and or religion to be recognized by so many for their healing. In my second last seminar I attended only last Friday, we were informed that 97% of Americans believe in God. When I mentioned this to someone I know, I was informed that as Canadians we must be a lot lower. That has made me ponder. We need more of our own research regarding this. That is my opinion and we need to do it right. I still remember attening a seminar at a hospital last year and when I heard of how the study had been conducted, I flinched. It simply was an invalid study and this was at a doctorate level. Research has never been my urge to study, though I realized I could easily become addicted when I prepared for my research proposal a few years back. I was so interested in my finding that new hypothisis were forming as I was receiving more information. Research can not prove but it can disprove. That is the only reason I did not continue with psychology which I think would have been a tad quicker than the route I decided to take to avoid research. I am always tempted to return but I know that I do not need to. However, I have that thirst for knowledge that comes with formal education. So, I need to remember which I always preach - balance. However, I can always manage balance. Can you? So that is where I am at right now. I need to update everything where I advertise. I still did not get my ebook so I am waiting for that before starting a new web site for my books where hopefully you will buy a few. This is an exciting time for me because things are all coming together. My third book is coming along nicely and I would say I have written about three quarters already of my first draft. It is easy for me to write. I have the gift of gab (some would not consider that a gift). So, I have another interesting seminar to attend this month and then I can hopefully balance in some real domestic stuff. I want flowers everywhere outside. I like the results but not the work. I need to paint my walls some more. So, it has been a long winter and spring is finally here. I actually turned off the furnace not too long ago and there is something wonderful with open windows (keeping safety in mind). So some things to think about for you - Where do you feel you are at in your life? What do you feel you have accomplished? Are you happy? Why not re-examine your life and look for the good in it? Often it is easy to become so focused with what is wrong, that someone misses what is right. If you can find one good person in your life that you can talk to without feeling judged that is a good start and there are lots out there. You just have to make that effort. I want to wish all the mothers a Happy Mother's day, I believe is this weekend. What do you think?