Shalem’s psychotherapy clinic has continued to offer our full range of clinical services over the past months while responding to the increase in demand.

While most of the sessions have been virtual, we were able to offer some in-person sessions prior to the restrictions that came with the latest wave of the pandemic. We expect to provide a hybrid of virtual and in-office services for some time to come.

The increase in demand for services matches what other agencies are also reporting, and seems to reflected the increased need for mental health services during the pandemic. Shalem is seeking to respond to the demand while attending to staff wellness.

Staff Updates

I am pleased to be settling in as Clinical Director. As I complete my first 6 months with the agency, I feel that I am still getting to know the agency and am increasingly appreciating Shalem as a place that offers service that exemplifies grace.

We are happy to welcome back Natasha, who returned this past fall following a maternity leave. Glen has completed his placement at Shalem and we are pleased have him join the staff team. We said goodbye to Rhondi, who also completed a placement with Shalem and has moved on to other ventures.

We were delighted to welcome a new cohort of students for placements at the clinic this past fall. Cathi, Christina and Fran will be with us until April 2022. Our agency is benefitting from their presence as they apply their training and previous experiences to the field of psychotherapy. In addition, we welcome Emma, who is well known to Shalem’s RE-create program, and who is doing an externship providing psychotherapy at the counselling clinic.

Training Update

Last year, Shalem also had the opportunity to host a course in Clinical Supervision. Co-led by Susan Winter Fledderus and Brenda Bolliger, the 30-hour course provided a much-needed opportunity for training new supervisors that meet the Canadian Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT) and College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) standards.

I am grateful to Shalem’s clinical team for their ongoing hard work, dedication and commitment to providing excellent clinical care.

Jennifer Myrie is the Clinical Director at Shalem Mental Health Network