Dear Readers,

These past few weeks have been truly unlike anything we’ve experienced before. As a mental health professional, I can only imagine what some of you are experiencing – whether it be fearing the virus, feeling the disconnect and isolation build as you continue to follow the guidelines to stay at home, having to care for vulnerable people, providing essential services, or the many other issues that can be stirring your pot.

In light of all the chaos, I wanted to provide an update to all my clients, past, present and future ones – I want to bring you all up to speed on what steps I am taking to continue to provide support, changes that I am implementing and how I wish to contribute to stopping the spread in our community.

Continue to offer flexibility and availability:

• I have switched over to telephone and online counselling sessions so that I can provide you with support and help you stay connected to your inner connections and outer connections with ease.
• I try to be as available as possible to move appointments around where adjustment is needed during the unpredictability and changing needs for ourselves and our loved ones.
• Opportunity to receive counselling supports from the comfort of your own home or safe space.

While establishments have slowed down, I have not:

• Behind the scenes, I am working to implement new systems and adjust old ones to enhance how services are provided.
• Making the booking process more seamless, easy access to invoicing and billing, and corresponding through a secure online platform.
• You will be notified when the new electronic medical record platform is ready, so that you can create your own unique account with capacity to create your own username and password for full access.

Temporary Changes to Services and Safe Transitions

• For the well-being of all my clients and to comply with all the provincial mandates and guidelines from public health authorities – all sessions with be done virtually, however, not permanently.
• Once clearance is provided from public health authorities to lift distancing practices, telephone sessions will come to a close and clients will be given the option to return to the office for in-person sessions or continue with online sessions using the secure video platform. 

Community Contributions

• I am finding new ways to provide mental health support to those most vulnerable and in need in our community.
• Volunteering some of my time each week to provide pro bono sessions to health care workers who have been heavily impacted on the frontlines.
  
• Continue to take time to educate the community on how to engage in safe practices in keeping mental health alive and thriving during the time of uncertainty and physical distancing that we face.