Photo: Arisha Nazir representing the Online Therapy Unit at the Igniting the Conversation Social Work Conference in Regina / Photo By: Danielle Dufour
By: Danielle Dufour
MBC News Freelance Correspondent
First Nations University of Canada
“A little help goes a long way” is the tag line for the Online Therapy Unit, which Arisha Nazir, a social worker out of Saskatoon, was representing as she attended the First Nations University of Canada Social Work conference this past Friday in Regina.
“The Online Therapy Unit provides free online therapy for residents in Saskatchewan, 18 years and older,” said Nazir.
This service has been around since 2010.
They provide cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) to improve coping with several conditions, such as depression, anxiety, chronic health problems, and alcohol use.
“It is all online, for free, and most of our courses are therapist assisted,” said Nazir.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that helps people cope with various problems by changing their thinking and behaviour.
“There’s different courses you work through,” said Nazir. “Folks who are experiencing anxiety or depression, especially during the colder months, we provide therapy for that too.”
There are many different resources available on their website where you can sign up for a specific course that you would be interested in.
“We have a well-being course and a course for chronic conditions,” said Nazir. “Courses for new and expecting parents, an alcohol change course, plus others that are Canada-wide.”
The process for getting started with one of the programs is to go to the website and do an intake screening questionnaire, followed by a call from the Online Therapy Unit.
“I think this is an amazing resource that’s free for everyone in Saskatchewan, and I would highly encourage everyone to check it out,” said Nazir.
One of the attendees, Lacey Kaysaywaysemat, an Indigenous social work student in her second year of studies, really enjoyed the self-care breakout session offered at the conference.
“Self-care, especially for frontline staff, is important to take care of yourself,” said Kaysaywaysemat. “Also, to recognize traumas, you have to heal yourself before you try to heal and help others.”
Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos, the founder of the Online Therapy Unit, is a professor of psychology at the University of Regina who specializes in cognitive behavioural therapies.
“The intent for this type of therapy is to get people a different option for getting care,” said Dr. Hadjistavropoulos. “It is a different door and increases access in rural and remote areas for people with limited time or limited financial resources.”
People may feel more comfortable doing things online, independently and in their own space privately, explained Dr. Hadjistavropoulos.
“The research shows people can feel supported in this way, feel heard, and be encouraged to make changes,” said Dr. Hadjistavropoulos.
The Online Therapy Unit team spends a lot of time developing course materials.
“This could be a first step to care or as a supplement to other care,” said Dr. Hadjistavropoulos.
There have been discussions between the Online Therapy Unit and the Virtual Health Hub to see how each system works and how they complement one another.
“We may look at ways to collaborate with each other in the future, through potential referrals back and forth,” said Dr. Hadjistavropoulos.
For more information, visit www.onlinetherapyuser.ca or phone (306)-337-3331.