Bringing you up to date with services and my adapting to the pandemic

I am in awe of how quiet my street is. Saturday I went for my walk when people normally are not up and there was just enough of sole walkers to be able to maintain my social distance. I have seen people I didn’t know lived in the area. The city is not built for social distancing. Even though there weren’t many people out walking, I still found myself walking on the roadway to avoid getting too close. That is why it is difficult for me to go out and so I have begun a twenty minute work out tape. My body tells me it is out of shape by the crackling I hear and feel. My work has always led me out and about and now my work has me sitting and sitting and more sitting. Not too much as changed for me. I still get up at my usual time and go to sleep at my usual time, something I try to motivate clients to do, to build a natural clock for their bodies. I am still aware of my coffee breaks and lunch breaks and sometimes I call it a day, early and sometimes I need to work later. All in all, it is pretty much how I have been working except that now I have decided to do all my work on telephone or electronic until the pandemic is over. It is safer for all. For the past two weeks, I have been reading and researching everything about building an electronic practice. One of the questions I have asked is if this is something temporary or just until the pandemic is over? I have decided to keep it all. This has also given me something to think about as I review all my associations. As you know I dropped my title of Pastoral Counselling because the name had changed to Psycho Spiritual Therapist. However, I am still an associate. Should I stay or should I go? What are the benefits and is it worth the expense? I am with the American Association of Family Therapy? They are expensive and associated with the Ontario Association of Family Therapy. Should I stay or leave? I have sent them an email to determine if I am able to have American clients on my platform which will be compliant with them. As a Registered Psychotherapist, I am able to practice in Ontario. Not all provinces are regulated but with time, that should happen. I have written before in my blogs how in the past anyone more or less could provide therapy without qualifications, but no more. I was horrified when I learned that in my undergrad. There are still competitions where one thinks they are better than another. I remain amused by that. Isn’t that a common trait? In the past companies provided EAP programs covering psychologists and Social Workers and some have remained in that mindset. It is the employer who determines what the client is covered for and so one insurance company or EAP program hired by the company will provide only what that company wants. Not everyone is aware of who is regulated now and what can be extended. We have sheets to hand out to people who may not be covered by one association, but I have never handed one out. I don’t believe that clients should fight for causes, but our own associations and perhaps the government to point out what regulation is and what it entails. The Colleges are there to protect the public. I would like to see this extended to all services. There should always be ethical concerns for all areas of work, especially during these days. Some provinces are specific of what platform they don’t want. I have chose a platform that has all the requirements for psychotherapy in Europe, Canada and USA. I know that if I leave Canada to provide my services to another country, I cannot stay away and still keep my registration for more than one year. I know that regardless of the platforms I am using, I need to know if the state, province, country allows it and if my college is ok with it. I need in top of that to know, what the duty to report are, and if that is in conflict with anything. Since I have a private practice, I am mindful that I can only do so much. My own self care is the most important concern, because if I am not mentally or physically healthy, I cannot certainly help anyone else. One of my associations, the Canadian Association of Family Therapy has been most helpful these couple of weeks since the Corona Virus has changed everything. It is this Association (CAMFT) has the only recognition for Canada for family and couple are therapists. Not everyone knows that. We meet up on-line on a weekly bases across Canada and ensure we are all ok and we are up to date on what we need for our clients. I have also signed up for a two hour course with them “The Couples that play together, stay together.” I talked a bit about that last year where I attended Guelph University, for a seminar. You can read about that in previous blogs. I have also signed up for an one hour webinar with York University - The role of the Patient Navigator in the Global Pandemic. So, I am still working as I normally do without the fun attached. I love learning and keeping up to date. I also love the social part of it, as many of us do. So, with this pandemic I have had to change and adapt. Don’t we normally do that when something confronts us and forces us to change? If the pandemic did not happen, I would not have continued with telephone counselling nor would I have started an electronic practice (Ok, it is not up and running yet but I should be practising with it very soon). I want it up and running soonest of course for clients. I am looking at next Tuesday. This platform is more elaborate than I needed, but I would rather over do it than the opposite. I need to provide the best I know. This has been a cramming time. However, this will permit more options for people. I will continue with face to face, once the pandemic is over. It is the most secure. I will continue with the telephone (land line) because not all people are comfortable with computers (telephone is more secure than cell phone). I think the electronic practice may allow me to spend more time in a warmer climate. Imagine if I can go South in the winter? Possibilities is what I can explore now as I look into the ethics and regulations. If this pandemic had not occurred, I would not be exploring all these new options. I would not be experiencing all these new ways of communication and socialization. How is the pandemic affecting you? Do you have enough food, shelter? Are you safe? Has any of this given you the opportunity for some reflection and hope for change? What do you think? www.redigondapsychotherapy.com www.silvaredigonda.com