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10/Nov/2016

When working with clients who are educated and work within healthcare related fields, we often hear from them comments such as, ‘I am embarrassed because I am supposed to be the one taking care of others’ health, yet I cannot even take care of myself’ or ‘I am not used to being on this side of the equation – being the one needing help – it just doesn’t feel right because I was always a strong person who was able to cope with anything’ or even ‘it took me a very long time to seek help because I thought I could handle it all on my own’.

It should never be assumed, by health and safety professionals themselves or others, that this group of individuals is somehow hardwired with all the answers and with resistance to suffering and mental illness.  Suffering is a part of human experience, and mental illness can easily result from weakened or poor methods of coping with that suffering (i.e. trying to avoid it altogether), no matter who the host body is.

first-respondersHealth and safety professionals are exposed to illness, injury, and death, day in and day out.  Although there may be an element of decreased sensitivity to these types of events, in that, as exposure increases, one may be less triggered or affected by it than they were on their first day on the job, there is by no means an immunity to the types of emotional distress that these events typically bring forth.

Health and safety professionals, as expressed in the common comments above, may feel ashamed, embarrassed or weak for experiencing mental health difficulties, and may in fact be reluctant to or may avoid seeking help for mental health issues arising as a result of their work.  That being said, it seems that a more appropriate approach to mental well-being amongst individuals in this line of work is prevention or early intervention through, perhaps mandatory, education and training.  It is one thing to learn how to treat, counsel, or assist others towards health and well-being, however, it is something completely different learning how to take care of yourself.  How often do you have to remind yourself that you should take your own advice?  How often do you assist a friend, family member, client, or patient through a difficult situation, yet feel completely lost when you find yourself in that exact same situation?  Health and safety professionals are, no doubt, at higher risk of being exposed to traumatic situations or events, and should therefore be properly trained, not only on how to respond on the front-line, but also how to respond to the resulting internal distress, which is often experienced behind closed doors.

Knowing what tools and strategies to use in difficult situations, and knowing how to respond appropriately to sadness, anger, grief, trauma or whatever else may arise, as it arises, may allow health and safety professionals to be more resilient within their careers — but it does not stop there.  Regularly setting aside time for reflection, communication, and support within the workplace to let all employees know that they are not alone and to provide a refresher on the various coping mechanisms is another key component to mental well-being.

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3/Nov/2016

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WHO are we?

OHS consists of a team of Cognitive Behavioural Therapists that have extensive knowledge and experience in helping individuals lead a more fulfilling life despite the challenges, struggles and barriers that typically get in the way.  We are skilled in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Behavioural Activation, and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy.  If you would like more information about any of these therapies, you can find that here: https://ohs-jma.com/about-us/what-we-do/

WHAT can we do for you?

Do you ever feel like you are living on auto-pilot?  Like you are just ‘going with the flow’ or simply ‘going through the motions’?  Do you feel disconnected from people and things that matter to you?  Or perhaps you know someone who has been feeling this way and could use some help.  If so, you’re not alone – and we can help!

We offer private, one-on-one counselling that can be tailored and targeted towards any challenges that you may be facing, including (but not limited to):

  • Panic Disorder
  • Agoraphobia
  • Social Anxiety
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Grief and Loss
  • Anger Management
  • Addictive Behaviours (food, sex, drug, alcohol, work)
  • Stress
  • Phobias
  • Mood Disorders

You do not have to be diagnosed with mental illness in order to seek help!  Our team works with a broad range of clients and we ensure that each and every treatment program is individualized.  We will work with you to identify your goals and values and will help you move towards those goals and values, while using specific strategies to manage the barriers that show up along the way.  Our mission is to embrace the values that allow individuals to lead their lives with meaning and purpose in order to increase overall vitality.  Our knowledgeable team is committed to delivering evidence based services with respect, compassion and integrity to our clients and our customers.

WHERE are we located?

We have offices located in Burlington, Etobicoke, Toronto, Markham, Scarborough, and London.  We can see you at whichever office location is more suitable for you!  We also offer telephone or Skype-based counselling services if none of our locations are convenient for you.

 WHEN are we available?

Right away!!  At OHS we do not have a waiting list and can guarantee offering an appointment time within 5 business days of receiving your request.

WHY choose us?

  • We are dedicated to providing innovative, cost efficient educational and treatment solutions that lead to excellent outcomes in a timely fashion.
  • Our services are accessible and we strive to provide an initial appointment no more than 5 business days following a call to our office or our receipt of a referral form.
  • Our treatment is individualized and goal oriented and we monitor an individual’s progress in a very structured manner in order to determine whether we are being effective.
  • Our services are cost effective both in terms of reducing the duration of an individual’s suffering and reducing costs associated with work accommodation, absenteeism and work disability.
  • Our treatment is short term usually lasting 4 months or less.
  • We have worked extensively with employers and have significant expertise in return to work planning and implementation.
  • We can provide vocational assistance for clients who are not currently employed.
  • We understand issues related to absenteeism and disability and are able to help navigate through that system.

HOW to get started!

We are currently offering a FREE CONSULTATION for anyone wanting to explore our service.  The consultation will consist of you meeting with one of our Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, and going through a structured interview to help us understand your current difficulties.  Based on this interview, we will let you know what our treatment recommendations are, at which point you can decide whether you would like to engage in treatment with us.

In order to set up your FREE CONSULTATION, contact Michelle Urbanc at (905) 317-8890 or at info@ohs-jma.com.

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13/Oct/2016

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When we suffer emotionally, we often try as hard as we can to change those emotions – we try to hide them, we try to push them away, or we try to not feel them at all.  In our attempt to do this, we realize that the opposite usually tends to happen.  In trying to hide our emotions, we may isolate ourselves from our friends and family so that they do not see our suffering.  In trying to push them away, we struggle and we fight and, most times, we fail.  And in trying to not feel them at all, we avoid participating in our lives with the hope that if we avoid situations that produce the emotions, we can avoid the emotions altogether.  The reality is, emotions – whether pleasant or unpleasant – are part of the human experience, and we cannot change that.

I love the words of the serenity creed authored by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971):

serenity-prayer

Although we cannot control or change the emotions we experience over the course of our lives, we can respond to them differently.  Behavioural Activation (BA) can help us to do just this.  The goal of BA is to increase our engagement with meaningful activities no matter what emotions may be present.  For example, if you are feeling anxious, particularly in social settings, the goal of BA would be to follow through with a planned valued action, such as getting together with friends, despite that anxiety.  If you cancel your plans with friends because of how you are feeling, you are attempting to control the anxiety through avoidance, and you are reinforcing the idea that you can only engage with your friends when you are not feeling anxious.  The problem here is that avoidance creates a pattern in favour of short term relief, such that each time you feel anxious, you will avoid interacting with friends in order to feel less anxious.  Choosing to behave based on how you feel can cause you to lose sight of your values and lose your sense of purpose in this world, but behaving based on what is important or meaningful to you – your values – can increase fulfillment, pleasure, and achievement in life.

We must find the serenity to accept that we cannot control our emotions – they will come and go as they please – and the courage to change our behaviours and behave in a way that will enrich our lives.  In order to do this, take some time to think about what matters to you, and what gives your life purpose.  Remember, there are many different domains of life, so decide what you value in each of those domains – family relationships, social relationships, health, work, community, spirituality, personal growth – and then set goals to move in the direction of those values no matter what is going on in your internal repertoire of emotions.

Here is an example of how you can implement this in your life TODAY!

Domain: Health
Value: Physical Fitness
Goal/Planned Activity: This afternoon, at 5:30 p.m. I will go for a 30 minute run outside (even if I am tired from work, or sore, or fearful that I will not be able to run for a full 30 minutes)

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