30 July 2014
What You Should Know About The CRPO
In case you haven’t heard (and I’m not surprised if you haven’t, so don’t feel bad) there is a new College that has been formed to represent and govern over (i.e. regulate) psychotherapy in Ontario.
The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (or CRPO) is, in brief, necessary. It’s necessary because currently anyone can put a sign on their office saying Psychotherapist and there would be no need to qualify that professional attribution. Under the new College (whose proclamation date is currently set for Autumn 2014) you would need to be registered with the College in order to practice as a psychotherapist. Not only will the College provide some much needed representation for psychotherapy (representation which Psychologists and Psychiatrists currently enjoy), but also some much needed infrastructure for the protection of those working with therapists who may have qualifying complaints.
Don’t get me wrong, no one wants to hear about therapists not doing their job properly. But there are examples of incompetence and misconduct in every profession – and that is what psychotherapy is: a profession. Under the College we are legally obligated to protect the interests of our clients in the same way that lawyers and doctors are.
As well as ensuring protection for the public and an umbrella for my profession, it is my hope that CRPO will also be able to make it easier for insurance companies to recognize (and eventually provide more coverage for) psychotherapy, making it easier for those clients with employee health benefits to reap the rewards.
Got any questions about CRPO? Go ahead and ask me. I’m in the process of registering so I’m brushed-up on the topic! You can also check out their website (currently in Transitional form) here.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
filed under: CRPO• general info• regulation
8 July 2014
Therapist FAIL
Although the point of therapy is to work with someone who allows room for you to share your thoughts and feelings, someone who (I should hope) works to help you feel understood, it’s not rare—even with the most experienced therapists—to experience moments of miscommunication.
It might be that they neglect to recall aspects of your biography correctly (attributing, say, a sister to you when you only have a brother). Or it might be that they forgot that you went on a well-deserved vacation and didn’t inquire about it.
Indeed there may be a point when your therapist disappoints you, makes you feel misunderstood—at worst, somehow bruised. It’s important to find a way to represent yourself in these moments; after all, as therapists we are often telling you to “be fair to yourself”. What could be more fair than representing yourself with someone who is supposed to be there to help you do that very thing?
A good therapist will receive your feedback without inappropriate objection. There’s a chance that what you have to share might catch them off-guard if, say, they weren’t aware of anything they’ve said being hurtful. But here’s the thing: this is their job, and a good therapist should give you space to talk about anything—including feedback about the therapist and your relationship with them.
One of the best things I can do as a therapist is to help a client represent themselves in the world. If I cannot accept their feelings towards something I might have done then that speaks to a professional issue with me, not with a personal problem of the client’s.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
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