bc psychologist€¦ · bc psychologist summer 2009 204 – 1909 west broadway vancouver bc v6j 1z3...

BC PsychologistSummer 2009

204 – 1909 West BroadwayVancouver BC V6J 1Z3

T: 604-730-0501F: 604-730-0502

Family

Letter from the President …p.5

Letter from the Executive Director …p.6

Why are depressed spouses at risk? …p.8

News & Announcements …p.11

The BCPA Awards …p.12

Lose the parent, lose the child …p.13

A Forum overview …p.14

Guarding Minds @ Work …p.17

Family history …p.19

What is a great marriage? …p.21

Benefits of membership …p.24

And the numbers said …p.27

21

19

8

24

In this issue…

4 bc psychologist www.psychologists.bc.ca

BC PsychologistEDITOR IN CHIEF

Michael Foreman, Ph.D., R.Psych.PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Rebecca SmithART DIRECTOR & ASSISTANT EDITOR

Giovanna Di SauroEXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Jeni Campbell

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPRESIDENT

Michael Foreman, Ph.D., R.Psych.VICE PRESIDENT

Joti Samra, Ph.D., R. Psych.TREASURER

Derek Swain, Ph.D., R.Psych.DIRECTOR

Jordan Hanley, Ph.D., R.Psych.DIRECTOR

Robert Colby, M.Sc., R.Psych.DIRECTOR

Ted Altar, Ph.D., R.Psych.DIRECTOR

Jeanne LeBlanc, Ph.D., R.Psych., ABPP

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SUBMISSION DEADLINESWinter Issue: November 15 | Spring Issue: March 1

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PUBLICATION DATESWinter Issue: January 15 | Spring Issue: April 15

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HOW TO CONTACT USSuite 204 - 1909 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1Z3

Phone: 604-730-0501 | Email: [email protected]

ADVERTISING POLICYThe publication of any notice of events, or advertisement, is

neither an endorsement of the advertiser, nor of the products or services advertised. The BCPA is not responsible for any claim(s)

made in an advertisement or advertisements mailed with this issue. Advertisers may not, without prior consent, incorporate in a subsequent advertisement, the fact that a product or service had been advertised in the BCPA publication. The acceptability of an advertisement for publication is based upon legal, social,

professional, and ethical consideration. BCPA reserves the right to unilaterally reject, omit, or cancel advertising

Canada Post Publications Mail #40882588COPYRIGHT 2009

© BC PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

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bc psychologist 5 www.psychologists.bc.ca

e are currently in the process of formalizing a strategic plan that we hope

will give some structure and continuity to the Association’s efforts in developing a public presence and relationship with government. We need to be able to articulate goals for the profession, and we will need to consider answers to questions that we may or may not be asked:

What can psychologists uniquely

provide to mental health care?What is the relevance of training,

qualifications, and accountability?What roles should psychologists take

in mental health delivery?What can be done to improve access to

psychologists and what would be the methods of payment?How would we fit in a

multidisciplinary system?How can we contribute to the

sustainability of health care?I believe we can offer a variety of answers that reflect well on the range and value of psychologists’ services; however, we need to be able to organize these answers and have an opportunity to express them.We continue to seek opportunities for input to the development of the intended provincial ‘Ten Year Mental Health Plan’, and answers to the above questions will reflect on the roles and responsibilities we would hope psychologists to have in the possible evolution of an integrated mental health system. Current emphasis is given to the most obvious effects of significant mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness recognized in the DownTown East Side; but there

W

Letter from the President

will need to be recognition of the value of “upstream” services to children and families at risk, schools, adolescents, the workplace, and so forth, if we hope to have better impact on mental health and social adjustment in the long run. There will need to be a public and political interest in taking a long-term view to the benefits of a proactive mental-health system.As reported in a recent Maclean’s magazine article (18 May 2009; “How healthy are you?”), psychosocial issues and emotional health rank near the top of people’s health concerns, and reflect the connection of mental health with effects on physical health. As such, mental healthcare is seen as a significant contributor to healthcare more generally. Historically, however, mental health care has been the “poor cousin” of physical health care. Stigma and lack of information have continued to be obstacles to the development of a truly integrated healthcare system. We have current opportunities to develop better recognition of the contributions of psychologists to public health and public policy, both within healthcare and within the collection of other settings where psychologists work.I hope these issues are of some concern and interest, and that you, the reader, will be motivated to support the efforts of the Association in working toward the future of the profession.

Mike Foreman, Ph.D., R.Psych.

Mike Foreman is the President of the BCPA Board, and a Registered Psychologist practicing in Surrey, BC. He is also the Editor-in-Chief for the BC Psychologist.

f


ear current and future BCPA members, there are more reasons than ever before for

you to be a member, and for the BC Psychological Association to exist and expand. Healthcare in British Columbia is in the process of change—we all know this. But who is mapping out this change, and what will these changes mean for the Registered Psychologists of BC and for the public that we serve? At this moment, the government is crafting a new “Ten-Year Plan for Mental Health”. They are turning to the healthcare and mental health stakeholders for input—Registered Psychologists must be at the table during these discussions. Everyone is aware that the power to influence is directly proportional to the level of public interest and consistency of effort. Registered Psychologists have a duty to the public and to the profession to ensure that mutual interests are served and protected. There are more than 1,100 of you in BC. You work in various settings with disparate populations, but you are all united in your commitment to the science and profession of psychology. You are all registered and regulated by the same College, and you are all committed to delivering the best care to your clients. So I must ask you: why aren’t you all members of BCPA? Mission StatementBCPA provides leadership for the advancement of the profession and science of Psychology in the service of our membership and the people of British Columbia

If BCPA is working in the interest of all British Columbians, then it is

D

Letter from the Executive Director

in your interest to work with us. We will—without a doubt—achieve greater power with greater numbers. We need all Registered Psychologists to be members, and we need all our members to participate and contribute to our efforts. If you are a frequent reader of this publication, you will know that we are always pleading for participation and feedback. You will know that we have been engaged in a concentrated effort to surge forth in advocacy for the profession, and in public education efforts. If you have looked at our website, read this publication, read our e-mail announcements, involved yourself in the Forum discussions, or attended any of our events, you will know that we are making efforts—the best efforts we can— without greater support and participation from the majority of our Members. But…we are still falling short.Indeed, we are falling short of our full potential—not for lack of planning, not from lack of desire, administrative effort or will—but because of lack of resources. You are our resources. Therefore, I am going to take this opportunity—the only time during the year when I am actually addressing all Registered Psychologists in BC—not only to try to induce you again with all the “carrots” of membership (on page 24), but also to speak to you of the opportunities we will inevitably miss if our resources and organizational effort cannot respond to this time of change. While other professional organizations are rising up and running to catch the train of change, we must not linger Continued on page 23

Rebecca Smith

Rebecca Smith is the Executive Director of the BC Psychological Association. She can

be reached at [email protected]


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epression and marital distress are commonly co-occurring (Whisman, 1999), and

spouses with both presenting issues are among the most difficult to treat in psychotherapy (Whisman, 2001a). Consistent with gender differences in base rates of depression, maritally distressed wives are at more risk of depression than distressed husbands; however, depressed husbands and wives are at equal risk for marital distress (for reviews, see Gotlib & Beach, 1995; Whisman, 2001b). Several theoretical perspectives have been proposed to account for the association between depression and marital distress, and the stress generation model of depression

(Hammen, 1991) has rapidly gained support in the last decade among depression and marital researchers. Hammen (1991) developed the stress-generation model in response to the observation that people with depression experience more interpersonal stress (e.g., conflict events) and that they are more likely than people without a history of depression to play an active role in the stressors they experience. Although it may be unintentional, these individuals may actively create difficult situations through their choices, actions, and reactions in their relationships with others. Thus, although there is support for the idea that experience of stress can lead to depression, at least for

Why are depressed spouses at risk?

DPatrick Poyner-Del Vento, M.A.,

and Rebecca Cobb, Ph.D.

Patrick Poyner-Del Vento is a PhD

candidate at Simon Fraser University

studying the role of stress and depression in marriage. Rebecca Cobb is an assistant

professor at Simon Fraser University

studying the longitudinal course of marriage and

the prevention of marital distress.


some people (see Hammen, 2005 for a review), it is clear that the association between stress and depression is not a simple unidirectional link. Research supports the stress-generation model; depressed individuals generate stress in their lives, even when not depressed, perhaps because of enduring problematic interpersonal functioning (e.g., Pettit & Joiner, 2006; Joiner, Wingate, Gencoz, & Gencoz, 2005). Although little is known about who is more likely to engage in stress generation, one emerging risk factor is maladaptive personality traits. For example, individuals with high attachment anxiety or avoidance are more prone to stress generation during a depressive episode (Bottonari et al., 2007). Neuroticism (Lakdawalla & Hankin, 2008) and sociotropy (Shih, 2006) also increase the risk of stress generation in depressed individuals.Although depressed individuals may play a part in creating difficult circumstances in multiple domains such as in relationships with work colleagues, of particular interest for couples and family therapists is the stress that may occur in intimate relationships. In the marital context, stress generation may take the form of a depressed spouse negatively influencing the course of the marriage through reductions in intimacy, social support, or dependency and increases in hostile behaviors or disruption of routines (Davila, Bradbury, Cohan, & Tochluk, 1997). The negative effects of stress generation may also be indirect through disrupting relationships with other family members (Jones, Beach, & Forehand, 2001), or in other domains (e.g., work, school, friendships) (Shih, 2006) which ultimately can affect individuals’ ability to function well in their marriages (e.g., Bahr, 1979; Gimbel & Booth, 1994). For example, a depressed spouse may neglect relationships with other family members, in-laws, or friends, leading to decreases in overall levels of social support, which

results in poorer health and fewer resources to cope with potential marital difficulties. Alternatively, a depressed spouse’s deteriorating job performance or poor management of finances may also negatively impact the marriage by increasing the frequency of more negative marital interactions (e.g., Story & Repetti, 2006). In the Transition to Marriage Study conducted at Simon Fraser University, we examined whether chronic stress from non-marital domains mediated the association between depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction over 18 months in 200 newlywed couples. Non-marital chronic stress fully mediated the association between depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction for husbands and partially for wives (Poyner-Del Vento, 2009). This suggests that, as husbands become depressed, they may be generating more stress in non-marital domains (e.g., strains in relationships with family or in-laws, poorer management of finances), which in turn feeds back into the relationship (e.g., more hostility and blaming, less support and intimacy). For wives, the same pattern occurs, but there remains a direct effect of depressive symptoms on marital satisfaction.The research on stress generation in marriage has many potential benefits for psychologists and marital therapists, who are often charged with the task of treating depressed and maritally distressed spouses. Although the stress generation model emphasizes that depressed individuals’ interpersonal interactions differ from those of non-depressed individuals, it is important to note that depressed individuals may have more difficult lives (e.g., stressors that may be more dependent on circumstance rather than self-generated), and we do not want to imply that depressed individuals are to blame for the difficulties they may experience (cf. Hammen, 2006).


However, it may be useful to consider the extent to which these people actively contribute to problems in their lives and whether they have more control over stressful circumstances than they may believe. Education would also likely be useful for both spouses. Non-depressed spouses may have some awareness about how their partners contribute to their individual and collective stress, and understanding the process of stress generation may help couples to focus on identifying triggers for interpersonal stress, and improving coping skills within and outside the marriage rather than blaming the depressed spouse. ReferencesBahr, S. J. (1979). The effects of welfare on marital stability and remarriage. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 41, 553–560.Bottonari, K., Roberts, J., Kelly, M., Kashdan, T., & Ciesla, J. (2007). A prospective investigation of the impact of attachment style on stress generation among clinically depressed individuals. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 179–188.Davila, J., Bradbury, T. N., Cohan, C., and Tochluk, S. (1997). Marital functioning and depressive symptoms: Evidence for a stress generation model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 783–802.Gimbel, C., & Booth, A. (1994). Why does military combat experience adversely affect marital relations? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 691–703.Gotlib, I. H., & Beach, S. R. H. (1995). A marital/family discord model of depression: Implications for therapeutic intervention. In N. S. Jacobson & A. S. Gurman (Eds.), Clinical Handbook of couple therapy (pp. 411–436). New York: Guilford Press.Hammen, C. (1991). The generation of stress in unipolar depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100, 555–561.Hammen, C. (2005). Stress and depression. Annual

Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 293-319.Hammen, C. (2006). Stress generation in depression: Reflections on origins, research, and future directions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62, 1065–1082.Joiner, T., Wingate, L., Gencoz, T., & Gencoz, F. (2005). Stress generation in depression: Three studies on its resilience, possible mechanism, and symptom specificity. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 24, 236–253.Jones, D., Beach, S., & Forehand, R. (2001). Stress generation in intact community families: Depressive symptoms, perceived family relationship stress, and implications for adolescent adjustment. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 18, 443–462.Lakdawalla, Z., & Hankin, B. (2008). Personality as a prospective vulnerability to dysphoric symptoms among college students: Proposed mechanisms. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 30, 121–131.Pettit, J., & Joiner, T. (2006). Stress Generation. Chronic depression: Interpersonal sources, therapeutic solutions (pp. 27-39). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Poyner-Del Vento, P. W. (2009). The role of chronic stress in the association between depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction. Unpublished master’s thesis, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.Shih, J. (2006). Sex differences in stress generation: An examination of sociotropy/autonomy, stress, and depressive symptoms. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 434–446.Story, L. B., & Repetti, R. L. (2006). Daily occupational stressors and marital behavior. Journal of Family Psychology, 20, 690–700.Whisman, M. (1999). Marital dissatisfaction and psychiatric disorders: Results from the national comorbidity survey. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 108, 701–706.Whisman, M. A. (2001a). Marital adjustment and outcome following treatments for depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinicial Psychology, 69, 125–129.Whisman, M. A. (2001b). The association between depression and marital dissatisfaction. In Beach, S. R. H. (Eds.): Marital and Family Processes in Depression: A Scientific Foundation for Clinical Practice (pp. 3–24). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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looking for guest editors for bc psychologist

write to [email protected] today!

Do you want to contribute to BC Psychologist, but you do not have enough time to write?Do you have any expertise with the populations/topics targeted by our upcoming newsletters?Do you have a wealth of personal contacts in the fields of clinical psychology or psychological research?

What are you waiting for? Become the next guest editor! The themes of the upcoming newsletters are: family, children & adolescents, psychology of sex & love, psychology in a multicultural society.

•••


News & Announcements

MilestonesSadly, we announce the passing of a former BCPA member, Dr. Esther Strauss, through the words of one of our members:“It is with a very heavy heart and a strong sense of loss, I write to all of you about the passing of Dr. Esther Strauss. She died last night (June 17th) surrounded by friends and family. Her loss is immeasurable. As both a colleague and a friend I already miss her incredible presence. I know she had a vast impact on the field of neuropsychology and was personally involved in training many of the province’s neuropsychologists”. ~Dr. Lara RobinsonWorkshops & talksDr. David W. Ballard, APA Assistant Executive Director for Corporate Relations and Business Strategy, will present a short workshop on October 16, 2009. Please consult page 29 of this issue for more details.The BCPA will also be hosting a workshop on DBT presented by Dr. Alexander Chapman on October 30, 2009. You can also find a preliminary workshop schedule for BCPA CE events on page 31 of this issue of the BC Psychologist. Remember to check the website a month before the workshops you are interested in for more informationBCPA Annual General MeetingThis year’s BCPA Annual General Meeting will be held on November 27, 2009 at the Arbutus Club, in conjunction with a workshop presented by Dr. Kallos-Lilly and the BCPA Awards Reception. Pre-registration will be required for attendance.

Beyond the Blues Depression Screening Beyond the Blues: Depression and Anxiety Education and Screening Day community events will be held on October 8, 2009 and volunteers are needed! You can find more information at www.heretohelp.bc.ca/connect/education-events, and you can also contact the organisers at [email protected] if you are planning to get involved.

f Registered Psychologist

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The BCPA Awards: how and why to participateA brief history of the BCPA Awards and its winners through the years

volunteers, with no help from staff, and no office space. What I do know is that the Excellence in Teaching Award is named after Dr. Donald Sampson (who retired from UBC in the ‘70’s), much beloved by several generations of students, both majors and non-majors, for his inspired teaching. The Practice of the Profession Award was named after Dr. Park O. Davidson, who began his career at UBC just about the time Sampson was leaving. Davidson was a pioneer in the development of community mental health services. Tragically, Davidson and his wife were killed in a head-on collision on the TransCanada Highway as they were going to Alberta for a family Christmas.The Elizabeth Huntsman Advancement of the Profession Award was established in 2005 through the efforts of the staff of the BCCH Psychology Department, who felt that BCPA did not have an award which adequately recognized the contributions of psychologists such as Dr. Huntsman, who had served an exceptionally administratively creative directorship of the BCCH department. The BCCH psychologists developed the award criteria and presented the request to the BCPA board for approval. The newly established award was then announced as a complete surprise to Dr. Huntsman at her retirement party.Continues on page 18

ach year, in early summer, the call for BCPA Awards nominations goes out to

BCPA members and to BC university psychology programs. I have been a member of the Awards Committee for a while now. I started out as one of about five members and learned how it is all done. This training was fortunate, because somehow, when I wasn’t looking, those other members faded away, and I was the only member of the Awards Committee left standing. BCPA staff happened to mention to me that the Board was thinking of cancelling the Awards that year because there didn’t seem to be anyone around who knew how to do it and I said, “Oh, I know how, I’ll do it this year.” And, I must say, it has been one of the most enjoyable committees I’ve every served on. Members of the Awards Committee get to give things away that people are delighted to receive. We get to ask people to do things that they are passionate to do. No arm twisting, no begging.My knowledge of the creation of the two oldest awards (the Sampson and the Davidson) is murky, even though I was a member of one of the early boards, shortly after the Psychologists Act was proclaimed in the ‘70’s. This ignorance may be related, at least in part, to the fact that all the work of the early BCPA/CPBC was done by psychologist

Carol Macpherson,

Ph.D., R.Psych.

Carol is the Chair of the BCPA Awards

Committee. She is a Registered

Psychologist practicing in Vancouver, BC.

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Lose the parent, lose the child

A mantra for supervising clinicians in working with families and young people

eing able to work with clinicians as they find their stride in their work, and support them as they

develop their own approach, has many rewards. I find that providing supervision to other clinicians has two major benefits: being able to take part in a clinician’s growth, and being able to grow as a clinician yourself as you work to articulate what it is that you do in your work. Becoming an effective supervisor is much like gaining competency doing therapy; you gain competence through experience, training and supervision. Learning how to provide effective feedback, encouraging self-reflection, and exploring counter-transference are all essential skills in providing supervision with all therapist experience levels (Falender & Shafranske, 2004). Being mindful of the clinician’s level of experience is also important, providing more support and direct instruction to novice therapists, and less direct instruction with more experienced—keeping in mind that, according to Falender and Shafranske (2004), it takes five years for a therapist to reach competence and ten to reach mastery. Regardless of years of experience, one area that clinicians often seek supervision for is in their work with children and families.Many therapists find themselves in the situation of needing to engage families

Deborah Bell, Ph.D., R. Psych.

Deborah Bell is one of the proprietors of To the Moon and Back Psychological Services in Vancouver and Surrey. Deborah enjoys sharing her love of both clinical work and the spirit of children through teaching and supervising practitioners in their clinical work. She teaches at the graduate level and supervises clinicians at all levels of career development.

Band, in particular, parents in the therapy process and have received little training as to how to do it. The most common pitfall I see in my work is the clinician getting stuck trying to engage the child while forgetting about the parent. This can have disastrous consequences. Certainly we have seen a lot of interventions and research that tells us that parent involvement is essential for the effective treatment of children (e.g., Barkley, 1997; Chorpito & Barlow, 1998; Roff, 2008). This is where my mantra comes in: Lose the Parent, Lose the Child. Developing the skills to engage the parent, while not appearing to the child to be siding with the parent, is an important challenge for a therapist. Part of this challenge hinges on the therapist’s views of the parents and their role in the child’s problems. It can be difficult in many family or child counselling situations to not blame the parents for the challenges the child is experiencing. Being able to support the clinician in recognizing these feelings, and knowing what to do with them, can be a big part of this work. It is always important to remember, when working with families, that when parents phone a psychologist to get help with their child, before they even pick up the phone, they feel judged, feel like they have failed as parents. Continues on page 16


In the beginning… there was listserv—a Forum overviewA brief overview of the history and function of the BCPA member-only E-mail Forum

resources. Such topics are consistently very engaging, and the cogency of the responses gives one renewed respect for the knowledge, thoughtfulness, and experience of our fellow psychologists. The conversations that ensue from the original post produce a wide range of perspectives and information, and give all who participate (even if only by reading the posters’ emails) an opportunity for considerable reflection. We all grow from such discussions.However, the most frequent use of the Forum seems to be the search for resources and referrals. Hardly a week passes without several requests for psychologists with a particular expertise (including multilingual ability) and/or in a particular geographical area, who accept clients. Responses are typically both swift and multiple: within an hour or two, there are usually several options made available to the referring psychologist. This applies as well to those seeking extra resources, such as therapy groups and self-help groups and organizations, reading for clients, and resources for self-education. It is common practice for members seeking resources to collate the offered information and repost it in a single email.There are other topics, too. Over the past year, the Forum has seen discussions on price increases in instruments and

n the beginning … there was listserv. Not for a long time (if ever) has the BCPA Forum, in

its various incarnations, been managed by that iconic and original email list management software. Yet the Forum is still known to many Psychologists within BCPA as “the Listserv”. For the few readers who may not know, the BCPA Forum provides a strong link among BCPA’s members. It is at once a source of ideas, resources, answers to questions, and occasionally some humour. When Forum members were asked for input and ideas for this article, the topic that came up most frequently was the opportunity to discuss important ethical issues. These seem to gain the most attention, and even those that seem at first blush to apply to only a specific area of practice, usually have ramifications for most others. Topics have included establishing consent, limits to confidentiality (including limiting disclosure even when the client explicity approves), the distinction between expert and consultant roles in court, how long to keep records, and what to do when potential clients with competing interests seek to retain the same psychologist. Particularly relevant to our increasing use of electronic tools have been discussions of the use of the phone (including across provincial lines), and the use of internet-based telephone (and videophone)

ICam Ellison,

Ph.D., R.Psych.

Cam is a management psychologist at Cam Ellison & Associates.

His expertise in assessments and

evaluations provides clients with effective

tools to navigate through business

and life.


how to deal with the publisher—and organize a response; opportunities for advocacy, which also included the organization of meetings; discussion of articles on psychology in the general press; issues that arise in supervision; payment methods and, more recently, the description of syndromes resulting from the Canucks’ losing Game 6. Enough said about that!The Forum also gives its members an opportunity to express ideas and perspectives, to seek feedback, and to contribute. This is not necessarily an aspect most people would consider, but it is as important as asking questions. In a profession devoted to serving and supporting others, we are drawn to serve our own as well: the Forum provides the perfect venue for giving assistance to a large audience. Our ideas instruct our clients, and they are equally valuable to our fellow psychologists. Having a platform that can reach most of our colleagues, not merely those we meet at the case conference table or the annual ethics course, is invaluable. Even in contentious debate, there is something to be gained by both participants and onlookers alike.At a time when e-mail often contains more eye candy and advertisements than substantive comment, and may harbour unidentified and dangerous malware, the BCPA Forum is in plain text and spam-free. That can sometimes hamper the posting of some articles, as there is no opportunity to attach documents (spam, worms, trojans, and viruses often arrive via email attachments). However, Forum members can post links to give everyone access to the article or other information, or copy and paste it into the body of the e-mail.What of the reasons for not joining the BCPA Forum? People have left for one of two reasons. First of these is the acrimonious nature of the debate in years past. That is why the Forum Committee

(composed of Alison Miller, Geoff Carr, and myself—with the technical side being managed very ably by Zal Saper) was established, and why we developed the Guidelines. Though we do not moderate posts, we do monitor. Seldom—actually, very seldom—have we had to contact anyone (back-channel or offline, of course) about the tone of a comment. We do have the power to block access, but it has very rarely been exercised. The wars of the past seem well behind us by several years, and the tone of discourse is invariably courteous, even in disagreement.Secondly, some people appear to feel that there is too much email on the Forum. That’s really a matter of preference and experience. Some email lists of which I have been a member can produce over a hundred and twenty emails in a day. The Forum averages about forty per week, mostly on weekdays. Those who participate find the benefit of new ideas, perspectives, and the chance to test ideas far outweighs the difficulty of reading (scanning, sometimes) six or seven emails per day.So…for easy access to ideas, information, resources, and even a little dry wit—if you’re not a member, the Forum deserves a second look.

Note: the Forum is a benefit of BCPA membership. If you are interested in joining the Forum, please find out more on how to become a member on page 24.

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Lose the parent, lose the child—continued from page 13They feel that, regardless of their best efforts and all their hopes and dreams of being the perfect parent to their child, they did not succeed, as they could not help their child themselves. Thus, although the clinician may be able to see many things the parents could be doing that might help, first they have to break through all of those feelings of parental ineffectiveness. Parents who feel judged in any way, when they are already primed to interpret the clinician’s comments through this lens, will simply not come back. Working with clinicians as they walk this line of engagement with the parents and the youth or child is very rewarding. And being witness to the powerful work that can be done when the parents and the child/adolescent in the family are embracing the process of therapy is a privilege. It is a reminder of why we do what we do, and if we can hold the parents’ inner fears in our consciousness, while at the same time entering the world of the child, we can do so much more in the support of families, either directly or indirectly. ReferencesBarkley, R. (1997). Defiant Children: a clinician’s manual for assessment and parent training. NY: Guilford Press.Chorpita, B., & Barlow, D. H. (1998). The development of anxiety: The role of control in the early environment, Psychological Bulletin, 124, 3-21. Falender, C.A. & Shafranske, E.P. (2004) Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach. APA.Roff, H. (2008). Reflective Interpersonal Therapy for Children and Parents: Mind that child!: a new way of helping parents and children with extreme conduct disorder. Chichester, West Sussex, England; Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

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2200 West 4th avenue, vancouver Bc tel 604.733.5007 [email protected]

WWW.solarice.com

Introducing the opening of Dr. Amy Rein’s psychotherapy practice at Solarice Wellness Spas on West 4th in Kitsilano. Dr. Rein, R. Psych., also Executive Director of Solarice, has recently opened her psychotherapy practice in Vancouver, after having practiced in Whistler for 6 years. Dr. Rein provides treatment for youth & adults suffering from trauma, depression, anxiety and pain. Dr. Rein uses psychodynamic psychotherapy, EMDR, relaxation techniques, hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. She uses mindfulness and mind-body connection in her work and focuses on fostering resilience and healthful insight & positive coping strategies in her work with clients. She is accepting new clients now.

Wellness PRogRAms at solarice Vancouver

Stress Management with Dr. Carla Fry, R.Psych., Director of Psychology ServicesDr. Fry helps clients to reduce stress as a negative factor to health, productivity and happiness. In a series of 6 - 50 minute 1:1 consultation sessions and 6 self-paced biofeedback sessions, Dr, Fry helps clients pinpoint constructive habits, behaviors and thoughts that reduce stress. The program aims to be transformational for executives, parents, and university students and just about everyone else too.

Smoking Cessation with Dr. Melanie Badali, CounselorDr. Badali runs our smoking cessation program to help clients in the quest for freedom from nicotine addiction. Our unique Breathe Well Program incorporates group and individualized psychoeducation & coaching with Dr. Badali and individual ear acupuncture treatment with our Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners.

solarice is an ever-evolving wellness centre featuring multi-

disciplinary treatment by Psychologists, TCms & Registered

massage Therapists for stress and stress-related illnesses,

and also offers traditional spa pampering services.

solarice Wellness spas, Vancouver & Whistler

Please contact us for more information on what we do and/or to let us know what you do (as we are looking for psychologists to refer to when we receive referrals that are not appropriate for our practice).


Guarding Minds @ WorkA new workplace guide to psychological safety and health

occupational health and safety and employment standards. A psychologically safe workplace is one that minimizes such risks and does not permit harm to employee mental health in careless, negligent, reckless or intentional ways. Current and emerging changes in legal and regulatory requirements place increasing responsibility on employers for the psychological health of employees. These challenges exist for all organizations, be they large or small, unionized or non-unionized, urban or rural. However, larger organizations, particularly in bigger cities, are more likely to have practices, staff and resources to deal with mental health issues. The same cannot be said for smaller employers in more remote areas.A new set of resources—Guarding Minds @ Work (GM@W)—has been developed to assist organizations. GM@W has been developed by a research team at the Consortium for Organizational Mental Healthcare (COMH; www.comh.ca), an independent, not-for-profit, academic research centre located within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. COMH’s mandate is to further the creation and translation of mental health knowledge and practice into real-world settings.

Continues on the next page

nformed employers recognize that a psychologically healthy workplace can improve their

bottom line, but often lack the time or the knowledge to create such an environment. Money, time and effort spent on ineffective initiatives can be a drain on both resources and morale. Workplace prevention and promotion efforts have typically focused on the physical aspects of health. However, evidence suggests a strong need for prevention and promotion efforts focused on identifying and reducing the effects of organizational factors that impact employee psychological health. Psychological disorders are often referred to as “invisible”; however, the impact of psychological disorders is anything but invisible. Psychological disorders are associated with significant impacts on the workplace, including conflict, turnover, accidents and injuries.Workplace risks that can lead to physical illness and injury in employees have been accepted as an employer responsibility. Protection against these risks is built into health and safety laws and policies. However, the same has not been true for psychosocial risk factors. Psychosocial risk factors are those aspects of work that impact an employee’s mental health and safety. The term “psychologically safe workplace” is a relative newcomer to the field of workplace health promotion,

IJoti Samra, Ph.D., R.Psych& Merv Gilbert, Ph.D., R.Psych.

Joti and Merv are the Co-Chairs of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Collaborative (PHWC). The PHWC is a standing committee of BCPA. The PHWC organizes the biennial Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards. To find out more, please visit www.phwc.ca


Guarding Minds @ Work—continued from the previous pageGM@W was commissioned by The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace and funded by The Great-West Life Assurance Company. The project team includes Drs. Joti Samra, Merv Gilbert, Martin Shain and Dan Bilsker. GM@W was developed based on a review of the relevant literature, consultation with national and international researchers and policy-makers, and a series of focus groups held across the country. Guarding Minds @ Work was designed to provide employers with information and tools to sustain a psychologically healthy work environment. GM@W helps employers to:

Improve their understanding of the

nature and impact of workplace psychosocial risks.Improve their knowledge of

psychological issues as they impact the workplace.Enhance their understanding of the

relationship between workplace risks and the psychological safety and health of employees.Implement and utilize practical

tools to assess and improve the psychological health of their workplace.Implement a framework to facilitate

the selection of appropriate workplace interventions and to evaluate their effectiveness.

This unique guide is now available for any employer to download at: www.guardingmindsatwork.caf

The BCPA Awards—continued from page 12 The Scientist-Practitioner Award is not currently named for anyone. The Awards Committee is presently preparing for discussions with the BCPA board about a naming process.Finally, the Humanitarian Commendation is the award which is traditionally presented last at the Awards Ceremony. The presentation is frequently deeply moving, as the nominee has often been developing and providing services to clients who are extraordinarily vulnerable and drastically under-served. Last year’s client population was a Kenyan orphanage for disabled children. Over the years, the Awards Ceremony has evolved so that awards are now presented to the nominees by the nominator(s). We have found that this makes for an exciting and meaningful Awards Ceremony, as the nominators are the ones who are the most passionate and knowledgeable supporters of the nominee’s work.So, please consider whom you might want to nominate for this year’s BCPA Awards. It is one of the most painless contributions you will ever make to the profession. The Awards Committee, which now includes myself, Dr. Victor Colotla and Dr. John Macdonald, are eagerly awaiting your submissions.

Note: to nominate a fellow psychologist for the BCPA Awards, please complete the form you received with the BC Psychologist, and fax it or mail it to the BC Psychological Association.

f


Family history: a therapeutic look at shame & potatoes

return to his group home. He was carried out, pleading for his mother not to leave him. His mother has addiction issues and his father is not involved. This incident was emotionally distressing for most of us in attendance. The second situation occurred in a correctional treatment group, during which participants were asked to complete a one to two page autobiographical timeline. One group member—a 58 year-old First Nations male—came back with a 14 page, single-spaced, handwritten autobiography in which he described the effects of his residential school experience. He reported shutting down his emotions in order to not get beat up or have his food stolen.Continues on the next page

s psychologists we might regularly encounter distressing family situations. I recently

dealt with two situations—from different ends of the age spectrum—which highlighted the importance of early family relationships. First, a colleague requested assistance with a 10 year-old client who was becoming increasingly agitated, aggressive and destructive during a supervised visit with his mother. A number of interventions were attempted; however, the situation eventually escalated to the point of requiring police involvement. In short, a 10 year-old boy was forcibly removed from his visit with his mother by a police officer, because he didn’t want to be separated from her and

AMartin A. Phillips-Hing, Ph.D., R.Psych

Martin Phillips-Hing is a Registered Psychologist with a private practice in Abbotsford & Langley. He also serves as a clinical consultant to Peace Arch Community Services in White Rock. You can find out more at www.psychologist1.com


Family history—continued from the previous pageHe stated, “I still don’t know how to behave in happy gatherings like Christmas or birthdays when people are laughing” – as he had never experienced celebrations as a child. He said, “I had to teach myself how to pick-up my daughters and kiss them and tell them I love them.”If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~Dealing with maladaptive family systems, current or historical, often reminds me of Carl Rogers’ (1977) famous potato analogy. Rogers describes the potatoes in a box in his family cellar, a minimally conducive potato-growing environment, as striving to reach their potential by growing thin sprouts towards the distant window. However, if compared to potatoes provided with optimal growing conditions—e.g., nutritious soil, ample water, and sun—the end results are dramatically different. Yet, despite never having achieved its full potential, the potato in the cellar manifested its ‘actualizing tendency’. That is, it did the best it could given the environment available.Unfortunately, many people with impoverished early childhood environments, either physically, emotionally, or socially, go through life personalizing the negative experiences and experiencing shame. Perhaps resulting in a pattern of shaming internal dialogues—“I’m a failure”, “Why try, I will never amount to anything”. Shame can be a formidable obstacle to change. I have found that one of the most therapeutic things someone can say to themselves is that they ‘did the best they could given their circumstances’.

Further, most people would have likely struggled under similar circumstances. Finally, it can be helpful to view a current maladaptive coping strategy (e.g., emotional detachment, aggression) as having been, at one point in time, an adaptive response to a negative situation, such as abuse or neglect. Over time, if shame can be reduced, there is likely to be a greater chance of therapeutic change. The 58 year-old above appears to be on a healing journey from his past. He exhibited significant positive changes in his approach to life, leading up to and during the treatment group. Sadly, the 10 year-old appears to be only beginning his journey and hopefully one day will realize that he ‘did the best he could given his circumstances’. ReferencesRogers, C. R. (1977). Carl Rogers on personal power: Inner strength and its revolutionary impact. New York: Delacorte Press.Schwamm Willis, J. (Ed.). (2003). A Lifetime of Peace: Essential Writings by and About Thich Nhat Hanh (p.141). New York: Marlowe & Company.

f


What is a great marriage?

feelings and respond by defending their own positions. However, this does not seem to help the offended party and both spouses end up experiencing a deeper level of tension. As a listener you don’t need to agree or disagree with or even understand the feelings your spouse is expressing. All you need to do is accept and acknowledge, so that your spouse feels heard. During Step One, listen for and acknowledge the emotion in your mate’s words or tone; during Step Two, offer suggestions/advice if appropriate. To summarize “Two-step listening”:

Step One: listen for and acknowledge

the feelings of the other person.Step Two: ask if suggestions or advice

would be welcome.The first step may need to be repeated several times, until the various feelings are recognized and acknowledged. You may also need to go back to Step One and listen for the feelings of your spouse which were generated by your feedback! TimeOUT/TimeINIn your daily talk time you may become angry and express this anger in one of two Continues on the next page

re you married or engaged? Read on to discover the tools of a great marriage.

AttitudeMake your relationship a priority by

making time alone for each other. Be open to changing opinions and

behaviour in order to please your spouse.

T-times (tea time or daily talk time)Make a determined effort to “hang out” with each other daily:

Schedule, in an informal way, a regular

time to talk.Start with the “mood of the moment”

by guessing the mood of your spouse.Talk about the day, not about what

you did today but rather what your day did to you, i.e. the emotions you each experienced.Talk about family issues…after the

preliminary steps mentioned above.“Two-step listening”Listening effectively to each other is a learned skill. Many spouses are uneasy with each other’s expressed negative

ADenis Boyd, M.A., R.Psych

Denis started his private counselling practice in 1982 and specializes in marriage, grief and stress. He recently published a book titled: “Marriage Can be Great…no really.” Through workshops, Denis shares the following material with over 700 engaged couples a year.


What is a great marriage?—continued from the previous pageequally negative ways: ranting and raving, or shutting down and withdrawing. Your style of anger may cause your partner stress. Couples in great marriages know that anger may be an indicator of poor listening. Anticipating that such reactions may occur, some couples have a standing agreement to employ a “TimeOut”:

Step One: call the TimeOut. Either

of you may do this as long as you have pre-arranged that both of you will immediately stop talking. Step Two: cool down and give some

thought to what you personally could have done differently to prevent the argument, not what your spouse could have done.Step Three: call a “TimeIn,” a crucial

part of the process, only when you know that your partner is ready. Each of you then shares what you could have done differently to help prevent the earlier skirmish. Now you can resume the original discussion.

Consulting & CollaboratingThink out loud with each other on a regular basis. Go out of your way to keep each other informed about what is happening in your individual and joint lives. This can occur during your “T-Time.” Each of you may discover soon after the honeymoon that you are not as similar to one another as you had thought, and that you see or interpret events in a variety of ways. You may now power-struggle over these differences, in hopes of winning your partner over to the “right way.” These power struggles can be avoided by having a “collaborative attitude” and committing to a joint decision. Successfully married people realize that the differences between them can be assets. They understand that each can see where the other may be blind, and that

the perspective of the spouse is valuable as an “add-on” and not as a reason to compete and struggle. They are open to accepting their differences and choosing to work the middle in order to come up with a solid joint proposal. The wisdom that a couple can generate together is unbeatable.More attitudeContinue to “date” each other after marrying. Go out together, just the two of you, on a regular basis. Figure out what pleases your spouse and remember to do little things on a frequent basis to demonstrate your love and affection. The key here is to make the time, but also to treat your spouse in a way that he or she would like to be treated. The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, is adjusted to “Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.” Great lovers are observant and reach out in a way that touches the heart of the other.ForgivenessForgive one another. Any two people trying to make a life together will irritate or unintentionally hurt each other from time to time. Sort out your differences and talk them through, without fear, until they are resolved. You will bounce back quickly if you have maintained a good attitude, talked regularly, and listened effectively. Work as a team, take time to have fun regularly and, most importantly, be merciful by repeatedly forgiving and starting again. Do not carry grudges but rather let go and move on with the next present moment, trying to act as lovingly as you can.Sense of humorWhen we laugh, we relax and enjoy the release of endorphins. Endorphins have been called the “body morphine” and are usually released by the brain when the body is in pain. Laugh often. It can be invigorating, both personally and for the relationship.f


Letter from the Director—continued from page 6on the platform, simply waiting to be given our ticket to the future. The training, regulation and professionalism of Psychologists are not sufficient beacons to draw provincial decision-makers to us for direction. We have to let them know that we have the map they are looking for. We must tell them that the future of mental healthcare in British Columbia cannot be crafted without the contributions of psychology and Registered Psychologists.Already the Health Professions Act has eroded some of the protections previously exclusive to psychologists. Many privileges have been reduced to a simple “title protection”, while simultaneously the government is demanding higher standards of conduct and accountability of the regulated professions—standards not yet demanded of other practitioners who are not regulated and who are not governed by a College. How and why did this happen? The simple answer would be that the advocacy efforts of other groups have been greater, more consistent and persistent than our own. Their numbers are higher and their public support, generated thanks to consistent public relations efforts, has become greater than ours. Why?The Board has been consistently labouring on behalf of the Association. The Administration has been dedicated to enacting the direction of the Board and to driving forth in all Advocacy, Public Education and Member Service initiatives. We have repetitively asked for input and volunteers. BCPA staff has been consistently working overtime to meet the demands and opportunities presented to us.

Unfortunately, we have very few volunteers. In fact, the volunteers we have are the same ones who answer every time we call. We have an average feedback, when we ask for information, of 20%—hardly representative of our membership, let alone the Profession in BC! What few understand is that the Board and staff cannot be charged with all that needs attention: this is a volunteer-based Association.Therefore, as a new Legislature comes to sit this fall—when we are once again in our membership renewal period and membership drive—I ask that you speak. I ask that you raise your voice by adding it to that of BCPA. I ask that you talk to each other, look to your colleagues and ask them to join in our effort to engage the government and the people of British Columbia. I ask that you renew or start a new membership with BCPA and that, when you do, you sign up and get involved in one of our committees. Look around your workplace and community for opportunities to tell others about your work, about psychology, about BCPA, and about how we serve the people of British Columbia. I am asking you to become the vocal minority—to be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, and to step up when faced with opportunities to influence the future of psychology and mental healthcare in BC. In the sidebar, I have included a list of our volunteer committees with which you can get involved. I believe that we all stand to gain from uniting our efforts and our voices for psychology, psychologists and the mental health of British Columbians. Join us.At your service, Rebecca Smith, Executive Director f

Get involved with these BCPA Committees!

Advocacy CommitteeAwards CommitteeContinuing Education CommitteeDisaster Response NetworkPsychologically Healthy Workplace CollaborativePublic Education Committee

Technology &

Internet Task ForceEvents Task Force

Media Task Force

If you are interested in getting involved, sign up by becoming a member and/or sending an e-mail to [email protected]


Benefits of MembershipJoin BCPA for great discounts on liability insurance, CE courses, and so much more!

Discounts on goods and services

purchased through BCPA RewardsFree yearly subscription to our

quarterly publication, BC PsychologistProfessional development and

networking opportunitiesExclusive discounts on liability

insurance and office insurance plansAccess to group health, dental, and

disability insurance plansAccess to the member-only E-mail

Forum, and network with colleaguesAccess to job and event postings

Access to discounted advertising rates

As a BCPA member, you can also get involved with a variety of committees, dealing with topics as diverse as advocacy, continuing education, disaster response, public education and more!Joining is easy — simply complete the form on the next page (front and back), and either mail it, or fax it to us at 604-730-0502. Once your application is processed, you will receive a membership package with more information about benefits and discounts, and instructions on how to take full advantage of our website resources. Last but not least, if you are not registered with the College but you are a graduate student, academic, or retired psychologist, ask us about affiliation!

re you interested in becoming a BCPA member? Here is a short description of membership

categories and eligibility requirements.A Full Member must be registered in good standing with the College of Psychologists of BC as a Psychologist or Psychological Associate. In addition to all the benefits of Full Membership, as a Referral Member you can list your business address and phone number on our referral database, accessible to the public by phone, e-mail or web. A free web profile is included with this membership. You can either construct your own profile using our online form, or provide a link to your own website.A Retired Member must be registered in good standing with the College of Psychologists of BC as a Retired Psychologist.Finally, an Out-of-province Member must be registered in good standing with the College of Psychologists of BC, but currently resides outside of BC.Why should I join, you may ask? BCPA members enjoy a variety of benefits and privileges, such as:

Exclusive discounts on BCPA

Continuing Education events, as well as those hosted by the Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Washington State Psychological Associations

AGiovanna Di Sauro

Giovanna is the Communications Officer

& Advertising Liaison for the BC Psychological

Association, and your neighbourhood

molecular biology graduate. You can

contact her at [email protected] and you can follow her

@gdisauro

f

Regular Rate BCPA Affiliate Rate Savings (%)

Liability Insurance ** $1,500 $340 $1,160 (77%)

BCPA Continuing Education workshops

$270 $200 $70 (26%)

CONTACT INFORMATION

First Name: Last Name:

Initial/Middle Name: Degree:

BCPA Website Username: Area of practice:

I would like to participate in the BCPA E-mail Forum: Yes/No

Mailing Address—permit release of business address and phone number to the public? Yes/No

Company:

Address:

City: Province: Postal Code:

Bus. Phone: Alt. Phone:

Fax: Email:

Website:

Alternate Address (for Referral Service members to list a separate public referral office)

Company:

Address:

City: Province: Postal Code:

Bus. Phone: Fax:

** Averaged non-member pricing from quotes provided by McFarland Rowlands & Koch B & Y, 2006.

2009/10 Membership Application

Complete (front and back) and mail this form to: BC Psychological Association, 204 - 1909 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6J 1Z3

I AM APPLYING FOR:

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Amount Enclosed:

Payment Methods (Please circle one): Cheque Visa Mastercard

Credit Card Number: Expiry date:

Three-digit security code (on the back of the card):

I have read, understood, and agreed to the applicable declarations above.

Signature: Date:

Dues GST Total

Full MembershipOpen to R. Psychs. & R. Psych. Assocs.

$297.81 $14.89 $312.70

Full Membership with Referral ServiceOpen to R. Psychs. & R. Psych. Assocs.Includes a free web profile. If you already have a website, you may list your website in your referral settings.

$449.24 $22.46 $471.70

Retired Membership $53.00 $2.65 $55.65

Out of Province Membership $53.00 $2.65 $55.65

By initialing the applicable boxes and signing below, I hereby understand and agree to the following terms:

I am a registrant of the College of Psychologists of BC (CPBC) or I am a retired registrant of the College of Psychologists of BC. CPBC Number:

If limitations are put on my practice, or my registration is suspended or cancelled by the College of Psychologists of BC, I agree to notify BCPA within five working days.

(Referral Members) If there are any limitations, terms or conditions to my registration to practice psychology, I agree to modify my practice accordingly, and apply these limitations to all referrals received through BCPA.

(Referral Members) I agree to review annually my referral settings online for accuracy of contact information, geographical areas of service, and areas of practice.**

I agree to review and adhere to the forum guidelines and understand that they can be found at www.psychologists.bc.ca under “profile management” after logging in.

I would like to join the BCPA Disaster Response Network (DRN) and am available to provide pro-bono disaster response services.


And the numbers said…An overview of BCPA member surveys, and what the results mean for psychology in BC

a brief list of advocacy topics often mentioned by survey respondents:

Better public access to mental

healthcareMedical Services Plan coverage for

Registered PsychologistsBetter coverage from third-party

payers (ICBC, WCB, extended health insurance and so on)Better remuneration

More jobs for Registered Psychologists

Advocacy for the value of the R.Psych.

designationLimited prescription privileges

Advocacy for the profession at the

provincial levelMore public education related

to psychology and Registered Psychologists

Participation in the survey was limited to members of the Association, and 127 responses were tallied. Because these responses were gathered from open-ended questions, they cannot be statistically quantified, although it is very clear from the responses that there are recurrent issues among survey respondents. The same survey also asked what improvements members want to see inContinues on the next page

n the course of the past few months, the BC Psychological Association has run two surveys

to find out more about its members. In this article, I will give you an overview of the results of these surveys, but also point to the fact that some of these results should be carefully considered, because they suggest that change is coming—and that if we do not react fast enough, our ability to affect the fate of psychology in BC could be considerably reduced. I hope you will bear with me while I navigate through numbers, comparisons and pie charts for the next few pages!The first survey was a qualitative one, aimed at answering two major questions: what the learning needs of psychologists in our membership are, and what they are interested in advocating for. Because both the focus of advocacy efforts and CE offerings are determined by BCPA committees, and not through the administrative office (unlike, say, membership renewals and tech support), it is important that these committees work in a direction that corresponds to the interests of the membership. The results of the CE survey will be forwarded to the CE Committee. In this article I will focus on the topics that members thought were targets for our Advocacy and Public Education committees and task forces. Here is

IGiovanna Di Sauro

Giovanna is the Communications Officer & Advertising Liaison for the BC Psychological Association, and your neighbourhood molecular biology graduate. You can contact her at [email protected] and follow her @gdisauro


meetings. We all benefit from active member participation and long-term involvement.The most recent survey offers even more interesting results. Take a look at the graph on CE attendance (Table 1). Although BCPA offers discounts on CE workshops for members, only a few seem to attend CE workshops on a regular basis, with more than half of respondents attending one BCPA workshop a year or less. Although we will be increasing and enriching the variety of topics covered by our CE workshops, all members should be reminded of the fact that speakers are contacted by the CE Committee, at the moment run only by a few Board members. Although the Committee has been informed of survey results, which will be kept in mind when recruiting new speakers, we need your active involvment as part of the Committee to develop our CE offering.Responses to another survey questions also show that our Suggested Current Market Rates are consistent with the fees charged by a majority of respondents, which is why the mode is at $160 for most categories of treatment. In reference to Table 2, it is apparent that the number of respondents for each category varies significantly, and the standard deviations are quite large. The range of responses appeared to be affected by outliers. The mode and the median can be seen to reflect the most useful description of our current market.

Continued on page 30

And the numbers said—continued from the previous pagethe BC Psychologist, and as a result we will be adding a book review section, we are adding more research-based articles, and we are actively looking for writers willing to cover “business of the practice” topics for us.The main point to take home from this first survey is that there are opportunities for growth for both the Advocacy and Public Education committees. The results of this survey are a call to action: because advocacy and public education are committee responsibilities, interested members have to step forward and get involved so that these topics can be

addressed. The Association staff is here to offer logistical support, but is not mandated to steer these Committees in one direction or the other. Therefore, if you are interested in looking into any of the topics listed above (especially if you have participated in the survey), you are invited to contact us at [email protected], and attend to one of the next committee

Table 1

Consultation Consultationwith third parties

Group psychotherapy

Relationship therapy

Attendaat courttribunal

nce or

Sessionservices

al Psychodiagnostic assessments

Mean $154.28 $159.56 $90.97 $152.61 $199.45 $152.85 $179.84Median $160.00 $160.00 $85.00 $150.00 $195.00 $150.00 $160.00Mode $160.00 $160.00 $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $160.00 $160.00N 169 108 28 123 94 74 101SD 31.78 39.36 61.67 18.08 59.83 55.31 166.30SE 2.44 3.79 11.66 1.63 6.17 6.43 16.55

Table 2

Creating Healthy, High-Performing Organizations in Challenging Economic TimesDavid W. Ballard, Psy.D., MBA, Assistant Executive Director for Corporate Relations and Business Strategy, American Psychological Association

This session will explore APA’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Model as a comprehensive framework for creating work environments where both employees and organizations can thrive. Through didactic components, interactive discussion and examples from award-winning organizations, participants will explore the major challenges faced by both employees and organizations, learn about the link between employee well-being and organizational performance and discuss ways that employers and the psychologists who work with them can apply the model in the workplace. Participants will:

understand the link between healthy workplace practices, employee health and well-being, and organizational performance•review the five types of workplace practices that foster a healthy workplace and examples of each•discuss the key factors that can increase the likelihood of positive outcomes and strategies for addressing barriers to successful implementation•create an individualized action plan for participating in efforts to optimize employee and organizational outcomes•

October 16, 2009 — 8:30 AM to noon @ the Arbutus Club, Vancouver BC (breakfast available at 8 AM)Registration opens on September 8 and closes on October 13, 2009 || Early Bird Registration closes on September 15Group Pricing: 10% discount for groups of three or more non-members when registering by phone only (not valid with other offers or member discounts)

For more information, including pricing, please visit www.psychologists.bc.ca/upcoming.html

David W. Ballard, Psy.D., MBA, will present this year’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards on

October 15, 2009 — 5 PM to 8 PM @ SFU Harbour Centre (Downtown Campus), Vancouver BCRegistration opens on September 8, 2009, and closes on October 13, 2009 || Early Bird Registration closes on September 15.

For more information, including pricing, please visit www.psychologists.bc.ca/upcoming.html in September


Numbers said—continued from page 28Last but not least, it is important to look at some of the demographic data (see pie charts on this page). This survey had a much higher participation rate than usual (about 35% of the whole membership), and thus it was also able to give us a good picture of how the BCPA membership is going to change over time, showing that a variety of changes will have to take place if we want BCPA to fully represent the interests of psychology and psychologists in British Columbia. The age breakdown revealed by this survey clearly reflects the information published in the March edition of the CPBC Chronicle, and suggest that the results of this survey might be representative of psychologists in BC.

These data predict that a very large proportion (around 40%) not only of members, but of BC psychologists, could retire within the next ten years. This reflects the need to attract younger generations to the profession and into our membership.This demographic shift will result in a change in marketing tactics, and it obliges us to invest in web, social media, and recruitment in the short term to guarantee the survival of the Association. This will especially require your active involvement to participate in the creation and running of new and current Association programs. f

REgiSTER OnlinE AT WWW.PSyCHOlOgiSTS.BC.CA/UPCOMing.HTMl STARTing SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

Presented by Alexander l. Chapman, Ph.D., R.Psych. — October 30, 2009 from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Following this workshop, participants will be able to:Describe the biosocial theory underlying DBT•Describe and use in practice some of the core DBT Mindfulness Skills.•Describe and use in practice some of the core DBT Emotion Regulation Skills•

What Participants Can Expect:Didactic presentation on DBT, Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation Skills.•Video or audiotape demonstrations•Active participation•Discussion of some challenges in teaching skills to patients with borderline personality disorder•

DiAlECTiCAl BEHAViOUR THERAPy: MinDFUlnESS AnD EMOTiOn REgUlATiOn SkillS

Join us on November 27, 2009 at the Arbutus Club for lunch…and the Annual General Meeting of the BC Psychological AssociationThe AGM will be held from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and it will be held in conjunction with the EFT workshop (9:30 AM to 6:30 PM) and the BCPA Awards Reception (6:30 PM to 7:30 PM). For more information, please visit our website at www.psychologists.bc.ca/upcoming.html

Upcoming BCPA Continuing Education workshopsOctober 16, 2009 — Dr. David Ballard on Creating Psychologically Healthy workplaces

October 30, 2009 — Dr. Alexander L. Chapman on Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

November 27, 2009 — Dr. Veronica Kallos-Lilly on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

March 19, 2010 — Dr. David A. Martindale on child custody assessments

April 16, 2010 — Dr. Keith Dobson on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

May 7, 2010 —Dr. Ron Ruff on neuropsychology and working with brain-injured clients

October 22, 2010 — Dr. Elaine S. Le Vine on psychopharmacology

April 1, 2011 — Dr .Scott Stuart on Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

Events subject to change. Check our website one month before the event for more information and to register.Please be advised that only BCPA members can attend the AGM, and that pre-registration is required.

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