All of us should have received this email in late January –

“This is a reminder that CRPO’s annual registration renewal period will be opening on February 1, 2023. Your renewal will be due by March 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EST.  Please login to the registrant portal (https://crpo.ca.thentiacloud.net/webs/crpo/service/#/login) and complete your renewal.

Please see the Renewal page (https://www.crpo.ca/renewal/) for more information. If you have questions about the Health Professions Database (HPDB) Questions or renewal, please see the Renewal FAQ (https://www.crpo.ca/registration-renewal-faq/).”

We are advising ALL members to plan for this process early, because it is not a simple, or easily-affordable, undertaking for many of us.

A few things to note about your CRPO Renewal:

• You won’t be receiving an invoice, not even within your CRPO portal/website.
• The only way to pay is with a Visa credit card, or MasterCard credit card.
  ○      If you have neither, the only option the CRPO suggests is to buy a temporary Visa or MasterCard gift card.
  ○      These can be purchased from your bank, or from a chain store like WalMart, Shoppers Drug Mart, Best Buy etc.
• When you get to your dashboard, you can correct your personal information on the landing page (a separate activity than your renewal), but don’t scroll down to the list of invoices - it won’t be there.
• Go to the left menu and pick “Renewal.”
• There are no accessibility accommodations for neurodiverse registrants, registrants with visual impairments etc. on the Renewal portal, or in the Ministry of Health database questionnaire.
  ○      If you require accommodations to complete your renewal, please do not hesitate to email the CRPO directly (and promptly, since their response may take time) at [email protected]
• You will be asked to confirm your currency hours (750 or more Direct Client Contact (DCC) hours for any of the Active categories).
  ○      You don’t need to provide documentation, but they may ask for it later, so good to have – even your own Excel or Word spreadsheet or other tracking document using initials or Unique Client Identifiers (such as numbers), not client names, addresses or any other identifying details, in case the CRPO asks for it later

• The Ministry of Health questionnaire, completed as part of your CRPO Renewal process, takes time and reflection as well. 
  ○      It asks you to divide your total number of hours worked (your DCC plus other hours, like teaching, supervision or research) into percentages, to give them a breakdown.
  ○      So you might say – 60% of my hours are direct client contact hours, 30% are administrative, 10% is research – or whatever is most accurate for you. There are no right or wrong answers.

Please plan for the $$$ cost of CRPO Renewal.

List of fees: CRPO Fees – College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario

• Registrants who do not renew their registration by 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2023 will have a late fee of $150.00 + HST applied to their account.
• Registrants who are late and do not renew (including paying the late fee) on or before 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2023, may be suspended.
• Suspended individuals are no longer able to practise the profession and the suspension is reflected on the Public Register.
• The fee for lifting a suspension is $350.00 + HST.

The OSRP may be posting a brief video webinar for members interested in a “share screen” opportunity to be guided through the renewal process, to be shared with all members.

The OSRP Board is thrilled to announce the appointment of Michael Diotte, OSRP Clinical Member in good standing, who has an Accounting degree as well as Bookkeeping and extensive Board/Not-for-Profit experience, to the role of Acting Treasurer. The Board appointed Michael in accordance with the OSRP bylaws and in consultation with our Parliamentarian. His email is [email protected]

Please join us in welcoming Michael to his new role, until the next Special General Meeting or Annual General Meeting of the Members, at which time we hope he will be willing to stand for election with the slate of 2023-24 Board Directors.

Now, we have another vacant position to fill: Executive Committee Secretary to the Board of Directors. We would welcome a member with strong communication skills and an eye for detail.

The OSRP is growing and developing as an organization representing a diverse group of RPs across Ontario. We intend to increase BIPoC and LGBTQ2S+ awareness and engagement at the OSRP. We need your voices. Please consider if having a seat on our Board as Acting Secretary would be a good fit for you.

If you are interested, or even “Board-Curious,” please email with your questions to [email protected] and let’s talk!

RESOURCES & RE-Sources: BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month, recognized and celebrated here since 1995 following the initiative of the Honourable Jean Augustine, Canada’s first Black MP, who represented her Ontario riding for 13 years, is an opportunity for psychotherapists to continue resourcing ourselves for the work we do, and the experiences we have, all year long. We encourage all members to research (and re-re-re-search) the best sources for you.

We do have a few ideas to share below, and would love to hear yours. Please send your favourite resources to [email protected] and you may see them posted on our website.

To resource, or “re-Source” ourselves, is appropriate for Ontarians. After all, the word “Ontario'' comes from the Iroquois “kanadario,” meaning “sparkling” water. Lakes and rivers make up one-fifth of Ontario’s footprint. Each lake and river is continually re-Sourced and re-Freshed by springs, aquifers, reservoirs, ponds, streams, estuaries, ice, rainfall, and waterfalls of all shapes and sizes, including at Niagara. These sources continually oxygenate and revive our water – an essential source of vitality for all human, animal and plant life. Continuous flow and circulation, and re-circulation, makes our water safe and effective. So must we as RPs, RP(Q)s, Students and Retired Members continually dip our toes, and occasionally take deep dives, into new sources that re-Fresh and re-Vive our learning and our lives.

As documented in our Annual General Report in November, the OSRP Board was moved by the February 2022 Report released by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, cited in CRPO’s February 2022 Communiqué, entitled "Shining a Light on Mental Health in Black Communities." The MHCC Report spotlighted health disparities in Black Communities that speak directly to the gaps in service and resources that OSRP identified and began responding to in 2021.

Statistics from this report include:

• 38% of survey respondents who are Black, and reported poor or fair mental health, stated that they had used mental health services
• 60% said they would be more willing to use mental health services if the mental health professional was Black
• 35.4% were experiencing significant psychological distress, 34.2% of whom never sought mental health services.

Deborah Adams, Registrar and CEO of the CRPO, responded to the MHCC Report by stating, “The message that these statistics carry is clear: we need to work to reduce barriers like systemic inequities resulting from anti-Black racism and lack of representation in the profession to improve access to much-needed mental health care for the Black community in Ontario.”

Please have a look at the lived experience behind these statistics in “All Booked Up: The Frustration of Finding a Black Therapist” by Alicia Lue from The Walrus https://thewalrus.ca/why-are-there-so-few-black-therapists/

The CRPO has clearly mandated all Registrants to continue developing our cultural competencies. For example:

“Registrants are strongly encouraged to develop their learning on Canada’s Indigenous people and the ongoing effects of colonization.”  

–Indigenous Healthcare Law and Policy section of Professional Practice and Jurisprudence for RPs Professional Practice and Jurisprudence for Registered Psychotherapists – College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (crpo.ca)

“A registrant must not discriminate against any person on any prohibited ground. Examples of discrimination may include the following:

• refusing to accept or continue to treat a new client for a prohibited reason, such as race, gender identity, or sexual orientation;
• making a treatment decision for a prohibited reason;
• insulting a client in relation to a prohibited reason;
• refusing to allow a client with a disability to attend an appointment with a support person, assistive device, or service animal; and
• making assumptions, not based on clinical observation or professional knowledge and experience, about a person’s health or abilities because of their age or another prohibited reason.

It is not discrimination to make clinical decisions for reasons other than prohibited grounds. For example, if an RP does not have the competence to treat or continue to treat a person, a registrant should not initiate or continue therapy with a client. Such a decision to refuse or discontinue services must be made in good faith, communicated sensitively, and documented. It is discriminatory to claim one lacks competence as a pretence for refusing to provide service based on protected grounds.

RPs are similarly entitled to rely on professional knowledge, judgement, and experience to comment upon clinically relevant matters that relate, for example, to a person’s age, gender, or cultural background.”

–Human Rights and Accessibility Legislation section of Professional Practice and Jurisprudence for RPs  - our emphasis in bold Professional Practice and Jurisprudence for Registered Psychotherapists – College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (crpo.ca)

The OSRP Board has taken, and continues to take, our role as your elected representatives in this space very seriously. We have found ourselves and our clinical practices richly re-Sourced this past year by many currents of learning, including the following (all of which are intended for all adults):

1. My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies, a NYT Bestseller by Resmaa Menakem, author, Psychotherapist and founder of Somatic Abolitionism, specialising in the effects of trauma on the human body and the relationship between trauma, white body supremacy, and racism.
   
   My Grandmother's Hands—Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending ... by Resmaa Menakem (Excerpt) - YouTube
   
   An interview with Menakem from “On Being” with Krista Tippett Resmaa Menakem — 'Notice the Rage; Notice the Silence' | The On Being Project
   
   
2. 2022 Giller Prize winner for Fiction, Suzette Mayr’s The Sleeping Car Porter explores a crucial part of Canada’s Black History (also available as an audiobook): The Sleeping Car Porter | Coach House Books (chbooks.com)
   
   An interview/Q&A with Mayr from “The Giller Book Club” with Donna Bailey Nurse, literary critic The Giller Book Club: The Sleeping Car Porter - YouTube
   
   
3. Internal Racism: A Psychoanalytic Approach to Race and Difference by M. Fakhry Davids, author and Psychoanalyst, British Psychoanalytical Society Internal Racism: A Psychoanalytic Approach to Race and Difference by M. Fakhry Davids (karnacbooks.com)
   
   An Interview with Davids from “New Books in Psychoanalysis” with Tracy D. Morgan, Psychoanalyst, LCSW-R, M.Phil  New Books in Psychoanalysis: M. Fakhry Davids, "Internal Racism: A Psychoanalytic Approach to Race and Difference" (Red Globe, 2011) on Apple Podcasts
   
   Short video of Davids describing his interest in the geography of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis: Fakhry Davids - YouTube

Also please consider viewing or re-Viewing this OSRP seminar:

Embodied Liberation: Facilitating Healing, Recovery & Transformation, facilitated by Shalyn Isaacs, MEd, Counselling Psychology Candidate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POEk-He5LJo&list=PLYjVEWwVcJEInS0BJ6Ftn_wwmbzhYytfi&index=2

She discussed how:

• Systemic oppression experiences live in the bodies of those from marginalized groups.
• How do we release limiting beliefs to promote healing?
• How can we embody liberation?
• What will happen when you start feeling like your body is a home?
• Utilizing somatic frameworks, participants will create and embody narratives of empowerment.

Other re-Sources, flowing from far and wide:

25 books about being Black in Canada | CBC Books

25 Best Black Therapy Podcasts (chosen by FeedSpot): https://blog.feedspot.com/black_therapy_podcasts/

Some Black Therapist directories:

• Black Therapists in Ontario via Psychology Today
• Black Therapist Directory in Canada

Wishing all OSRP Members a re-Sourceful, re-Circulating and re-Viving Black History Month!

— The above was collected and written by Rachel Fulford, RP, Co-Vice-Chair and Chair of Advocacy, and approved by the Executive Committee.

• York Hills Centre for Children, Youth and Families

  is offering a rare and unique opportunity to Child and Family Therapists who wish to pursue a career in Play Therapy

  York Hills is a children’s mental health agency serving children and families in York Region. York Hills offers a wide range of mental health services, supports and partnerships providing meaningful and evidence informed/based treatment to children, youth and families.

  Benefits: Full Extended Health & Dental, Life Insurance, EAP, STD, LTD and RRSP plan. Generous paid time off including vacation, sick and personal days.

  Location: The Hybrid Work Plan developed for this role presently requires this position to work in a combination of work from home and work on site with equipment provided by York Hills. The successful candidate will work primarily in our Aurora Office, located 402 Bloomington Rd., Aurora ON, with flexibility to work from home. This position at times requires travel within York Region client visits, training or meetings.

  Position overview:

  We are seeking an exceptional clinician to join our Play Therapy team. As a clinician you are familiar with play therapy and would like your career to include Theraplay® and Play Therapy. While you may not have play therapy training now, this position is different because in exchange for a commitment to work on the play therapy team, we will support you to get the training you need, through CAPT (Canadian Association of Play Therapy) and Theraplay® Canada. We are looking for a person who would embrace this opportunity to learn, and in return would bring their passion, team spirit and clinical expertise to the play therapy team.

  Working as a Child and Family Therapist in our Play Therapy Program your key responsibilities include:

• Assessment, case coordination, case formulation and treatment planning grounded in the following theoretical constructs: trauma, attachment, ecosystems, neurobiology, child development and anti-oppressive practice.
• Providing MIM assessments, play therapy, sand tray therapy using a family centered approach.
• Delivering single session and brief therapy using a solution focused brief therapy model.
• Facilitating groups, workshops and webinars.
• Participating in quality assurance, evaluation and research activities, as required.

• We are looking for an exceptional individual who has:

• Passion for and a keen interest in Play Therapy treatment approaches including Child focused play therapy, sand tray therapy, Theraplay®, and MIM.
• Familiarity with evidenced based/informed treatment modalities including but not limited to CBT, SFBT, EFST and family therapy.
• Knowledge and understanding of infant, child and adolescent development.
• Knowledge of community-based programs including those for transitional age youth and adult services.
• Demonstrated sound judgement related to the development of collaborative approaches working with children, youth and their families; including high-risk circumstances and safety planning.
• Ability to meet the needs of a diverse client base, through knowledge and application of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, anti-racist and culturally competent practices.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment, exercising professional judgement in conflictual and stressful situations.
• Proven group/workshop facilitation skills, utilizing evidence-based practices.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Advanced written language skills and ability to complete documentation within given timelines.
• Willing to work a flexible schedule that includes up to two evenings per week.
• This position will require the Play Therapist to be comfortable and willing to learn how to deliver tele-play services, as well as in person therapy under the guidance of agency guidelines and York Region Public Health directives. 

Here is what you will need:

• Masters of Social Work, Masters of Counselling Psychology (or equivalent), registration with an appropriate governing body, and at least 1-2 years of experience within a children’s mental health setting.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a relevant discipline (i.e. psychology, counselling, education) with a minimum of 5-7 years’ experience within a children’s mental health setting, registration with an appropriate governing body and you have in-depth knowledge of and experience with theories, principles and practices of social work.
• Diploma holders with equivalent knowledge, full registration with an appropriate governing body and 10 years of experience may also be considered.
• Commitment to obtaining recognized training leading to certification in Play Therapy or Expressive Arts (i.e./CAPT foundations training).
• Access to a private, confidential home office space with high speed internet.
• Access to a reliable vehicle and ability to travel to other community-based settings as needed.
• Must be fluent speaking, writing and reading in English. Fluency in other languages is an asset.

York Hills is strongly committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the populations we serve. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals including applicants from all cultures, racialized communities, abilities, diverse sexual and gender identities and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. We encourage you to reflect upon the diversity you would bring to this role within your application

York Hills is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, accessible and respectful workplace. We believe in a cultivating a selection process and employment environment without discrimination or harassment, that is inclusive and barrier free. 

We ask applicants to make any accommodation requests for the interview or selection process known in advance and we will arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation for the selection process which will enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.

APPLY TODAY!

Please email your cover letter and resume to: [email protected]

Only those candidates invited for an interview will be contacted.

Job posting – open Thursday February 2, 2023

Deadline for applications – Sunday February 12, 2023 @ 6pm EST

Email one-page cover letter with CV (no more than 4 pages) to:
The Executive Committee at [email protected]

JOB DETAILS:

Job type: Part-Time, Contract

LOCATION: Anywhere in Ontario (remote)

JOB TITLE: OSRP Liaison to CRPO

REPORTS TO: The OSRP Board of Directors via the Executive Committee

WHILE UNDER CONTRACT, MUST JOIN & SIT ON: OSRP/CRPO Committee, QA Task Force, and any other Task Forces established by the Board of Directors that fall under OSRP/CRPO

Fee per hour, to be invoiced to OSRP on a monthly basis for immediate payment (must add HST as an additional item if Liaison has an HST #)

• $45/hr x a maximum of 5.5 hrs week = $247.50/week
• The 5.5hrs/week includes meeting attendance hours
• Length of term - February 15, 2023–December 15, 2023 with possibility of renewal for a second term if mutually desired

JOB SUMMARY:

• Act as OSRP Membership’s consistent representative to the CRPO
• Carefully review all CRPO documents including draft policies, Communiques and other email announcements, minutes of Council meetings, and all CRPO Standards of Practice
• Provide policy analysis and informed recommendations to OSRP Board and OSRP/CRPO Committee
• Prepare agendas for meetings (approx every two months) with CRPO Executives e.g. Deborah Adams, CEO
• Identify areas of concern/approval or points to follow up on in CRPO meetings e.g. Deborah Adams
• dentify trends or issues (positive or negative) to present to Deborah Adams at each meeting, as applicable
• Coordinate meetings with CRPO and with OSRP/CRPO Committee, taking a leadership role in the latter
• Act as first point of contact for queries from OSRP members by receiving, managing, anonymizing and documenting all messages including emails from members sent to [email protected] (formerly Ethics email address)
• Bring members’ concerns (preserving anonymity unless otherwise requested by the member) to the attention of the OSRP/CRPO Cttee, the Board and then if so deemed by the Board, the CRPO. This is to be done only if members concerns are valid, e.g. not already addressed on the CRPO website
• Provide recommendations for continuous improvement initiatives for the OSRP and its Board as it relates to regulatory affairs.
• Assist with CRPO and OSRP/CRPO Cttee document/process/report development, tracking, distribution, and management
• Draft a one-page monthly OSRP/CRPO Cttee report to present to the OSRP Board at its monthly meetings (every third Friday of the month from 11am-1:30pm)
• Ensure that all OSRP activities managed by or with Liaison align with quality standards, not-for-profit best practices, and regulatory standards and guidelines.
• Specifically, manage the OSRP/CRPO QA CBA (Quality Assessment Case-Based Assessment open book exam) Task Force, to which 30+ members have offered to volunteer and/or testify, and any similar OSRP/CRPO Task Forces to be created by the OSRP Board in consultation with the Liaison

COMPETENCIES:

• Strong knowledge of and familiarity with CRPO regulations and the regulatory environment for RPs in Ontario
• Strong working knowledge of the Health Act, PHIPA and other relevant legislation, policies and procedures including Robert’s Rules of Order
• Understanding of where the governance principles, the sources of law and regulation relating to the CRPO and the OSRP come from; what they require; and some of the positive and negative impacts they have on RPs, RP(Q)s, Student Members and Retired Members of the OSRP
• Substantive prior experience with a Board in the private, public, and/or voluntary/non-profit sector, acquired through Board or committee service or reporting to/or working with a Board
• Understanding of the Ontario mental health landscape, informed by the current socio-political-economic climate as well as some knowledge of the history of health regulation in Ontario
• Familiarity with and respect for more than one modality of psychotherapy

QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least three years of working as an RP(Q) and/or RP in Ontario, including any time spent working with clients as a Student under Supervision
• Currently in good standing with CRPO in any one of the following categories: RP, RP (Qualifying), RP (Inactive) and RP (Temporary)
• Preferable to have, at minimum, two years of Membership in good standing with OSRP
• Other than working as a psychotherapist, a minimum of one year of work/volunteer experience in a relevant field (e.g. policy, communications, insurance, adjudication, finance, law, corporate administration) and/or a minimum of a one-year College Advanced Diploma/Degree in a relevant field of study
• Ability to research and synthesize large quantities of specialized information (e.g. CRPO policy proposals) and strong reading and communication skills (detail-oriented)
• Ability to work independently, and the ability to work effectively in a part-time job while balancing one’s own Clinical work/studies as an psychotherapist or retired psychotherapist
• The ability to create reports and make presentationS remotely
• The OSRP welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including, but not limited to, visible minorities (racialized), persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and/or persons of any gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
• The OSRP is committed to a positive, supportive and inclusive environment.

ATTRIBUTES (adapted from CRPO’s Council Attributes description)

• Committed:  Devotes the required time and energy to the role and is ambitious to achieve best possible outcomes for RPs. Prepared to give time, skills and knowledge to developing themselves and others in order to create highly effective interventions into CRPO policies and procedures on behalf of the profession.
• Curious:  Possesses an enquiring mind and an analytical approach, understanding the value of meaningful questioning.
• Challenging: Provides appropriate challenges to the status quo, not taking information or data at face value and always driving for deeper understanding of RPs’ needs and more mutually-respectful relationship with CRPO.
• Collaborative:  Prepared to listen to and work in partnership with others and understanding the importance of building strong working relationships with CRPO representatives and with OSRP Board, its staff, and its stakeholders, particularly the 11,100+ membership.
• Critical: Understands the value of critical collegiality which enables both challenge and support, and self-reflective, pursuing learning and development opportunities to improve their own and whole OSRP effectiveness.

NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Successful candidates must -

• Not be employed on a contract or permanent basis (past or present) with the CRPO, or be a current CRPO Council Member
• Not be a current or past Board Member of the OSRP
• Not be related by blood, adoption, close relationship or marriage, or be a client of, or a therapist or supervisor of (past or present) any member of the OSRP Board of Directors or staff, or the CRPO executives/staff
• Declare any Conflicts of Interest in their cover letter that would prevent them from being objective in exclusively serving the interests of the OSRP and its members
• Continue to declare any new Conflicts of Interest as they arise: e.g. Member “A” brings a complaint to the CRPO about Person “B” with whom the Liaison has a personal connection, such as a former client, or a family member, with Member “A” seeking support and advocacy from the Liaison-–the matter would have to be transferred to the Board of Directors for any further action
• Understand that any materials they generate or purchase (paid for by OSRP) for the OSRP or CRPO while working paid hours for the OSRP is the intellectual property of the OSRP and shall be transferred to the OSRP Administrator in full both during their contact term and, in full, upon its completion
• NOTE—the above excludes any material the Liaison generates for the CRPO in their role as an individual registrant in the CRPO, such as QA essays, CBA answers, CRPO  survey answers, etc.
• NOTE — Membership in another provincial or national RP organization e.g. CCPA, OAMHP, CATA etc is not a conflict that would exclude a candidate, but it must be declared, and confidential OSRP materials, policies, strategies and approaches must not be shared with any other Board,  RP, or person without the prior written consent of the OSRP Executive Committee 

WORKING CONDITIONS

Remote only – in person meetings not required, but can be accommodated if all parties so desire and consent (with OSRP having no obligation to pay for any travel costs without prior written approval). Must be accessible by emails and telephone, inclusive of mobile phone (in moments of great urgencies). All sensitive data stored about OSRP must be password protected. OSRP is not responsible for providing equipment (computer, laptop, fax machines, etc.), electronics (mobile phones, cameras, headphones, etc.) or office supplies (chairs, desk, cabinets, etc.). 

Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities will be made available upon request.

The OSRP is actively developing anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, anti-bullying and accessibility policies, but until that time, is aware of its responsibilities under the Ontario Employment Standards Act https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0 and the Human Rights Code https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/ontario-human-rights-code#:~:text=Ontario's%20Human%20Rights%20Code%2C%20the,in%20a%20protected%20social%20area, under which it is illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of:

• Age
• Ancestry, colour, race
• Citizenship
• Ethnic origin
• Place of origin
• Creed
• Disability
• Family status
• Marital status (including single status)
• Gender identity, gender expression
• Record of offenses
• Sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding)
• Sexual orientation.

Click here to download a PDF of the position details.

Dear OSRP Members,

The OSRP Board would like to sincerely wish you and your loved ones all the very best for 2023.  We look forward to continuing to serve you in the coming year.

It seems like a lifetime ago, but we held a very successful AGM on November 18, 2022.

As promised, we are including the below, for every OSRP member who attended and those who were not able to.

NB: Please refrain from sharing this material outside of the OSRP Membership.

Please click below for more Board updates:

• A link to the video of the AGM: 
• Draft minutes of the AGM (which will be voted on at next year’s AGM), including all motions passed and vote tallies.
• A copy of the AGM Zoom chat, from which no member has asked to have their name removed
• A link to updated bios and photos of all current OSRP Directors 
• A list of Executive Committee members who were unanimously elected at the December 9, 2022 first meeting of the 2022-23 Board of Directors, with Dianne Wright unanimously elected as Interim Treasurer (for a 3-month term) on Friday January 6, 2023.
• Following our second Board meeting on Friday January 20, we will be announcing Committee Chairs, with open calls to join committees where there is a need for more volunteers.

Thank you for your support as we establish our new Board, Executive Committee and other new Committees, and prepare to address the mandate you generously gave us at the November AGM.

Wishing all members good fortune and felicity,

The OSRP Board of Directors

HST Exemption UPDATE: Please Share Before January 13

Thank you, amazing OSRP members, for your overwhelming support. The House of Commons Petition now has almost 13,500 signatures, and rising!

If you haven’t had a chance to sign and share: please do so here!

You can also write to your MP to ask them to support the removal of this unjust tax.  Please visit www.taxfreetherapy.ca for a pre-written letter, and a tool to email it to your rep.

All the info you need is at www.taxfreetherapy.ca.

None of this momentum would be possible without engaged members like you. Thank you so much!

PS: You can use the JPG attached & included here, or go here: Resources | TaxFreeTherapy to download our social media shareables, to share with your followers, tagging #taxfreetherapy please!

PPS: Please find celebrity video endorsements here: Media | TaxFreeTherapy alongside statements by MP Lindsay Mathyssen, Party Leader Jagmeet Singh and MP Carol Hughes which you can share as well as the CTV.ca article Psychotherapy should be tax-free in Canada, new campaign says | CTV News endorsing our campaign!

For questions or comments, or to share a response from your MP, please contact [email protected]

The OSRP office staff is getting ready to wind down for the winter season, and hopes to have time to rest and spend time with loved ones.

The OSRP’s office will be closed from 5 p.m. ET on Friday, December 23, 2022, until 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, which means we won’t be returning phone calls and emails until January 3 or 4, 2023.

We wish you all the best for a healthy and prosperous new year!

OSRP’s 30th AGM was a resounding success!

A new complement of inspired and talented Members were voted onto the slate and became Board Directors on November 18, 2022.

This year’s AGM ended with a crescendo of cheers, applause and a commitment to elect the largest group of volunteer Board Members that the OSRP has ever seen or dreamed of! This is a clear sign of a thriving Association, and it is thanks to your votes, your membership, your volunteer work and your ongoing commitment to the OSRP that we are here.

Your feedback (in the chat and verbally) was unanimously positive and supportive, and you not only voted in the 2022-2023 slate, but provided a clear mandate (“yes” vote rates of 95% or higher, zero “no” votes on any resolution) to the new Board as represented by the leadership of the AGM. Quorum was achieved and maintained until the end of the three-hour meeting, which concluded with cheers, claps and expressions of gratitude and trust that the OSRP is in good hands.

A few examples of Member contributions from the AGM via Zoom “chat” – all of which were read aloud, because YOUR voices are important – include:

When at first we were a few members short of quorum, a number of you made valuable suggestions, and pitched in to help:

~ “...could folks reach out by email or phone to see if we can get a few more attendees?”

~ “...let's shoot to get 15-20 more, via proxy or attendance”

Many positive comments followed the Land Acknowledgement video prepared by Kimberly Cato, following a description of the Board’s work in this area over the past year:

~ “Beautiful  ❤️”

~ “Beautiful land acknowledgement, Kimberly. Thank you.”

~ “Thank you. So beautiful, thoughtful.”

~ “We just reached quorum”

~ “well done everybody!”

Below is the link to the Land Acknowledgement video, as requested by members who attended the AGM.

Click here to view Acknowledging the Land Within video

Honouring fellow psychotherapists who passed away since the last AGM is our way of acknowledging their contribution to this work. We lost three people this past year, one of whom was a former Board member. We sincerely thank the member who shared the name of one of these three at the AGM, who we did not yet know had passed away, so we could commemorate together.

Rest in Peace to the dearly departed:

Joan Lacroix, Clinical Member, Retired. OSRP Member Nov 1994–Oct 2022

Richard Lowery, Clinical Member, former Board Member-at-Large. OSRP Member March 2017–Nov 2022

Mikela Ronning-Philip, Clinical Member, Retired. OSRP Member Sept 1996–June 2022

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Members expressed felicitations and gratitude to Sonya Gotziaman and Rozanne Grimard as each received the “Honours of the Society Award”:

~ “Congratulations to Sonya and Rozanne!”

~ “Thank you for such a heartfelt acceptance speech. Congratulations!”

Re: the www.taxfreetherapy.ca campaign:

~ “I’m so grateful for all the hard work done to table this issue with the government - Thank you to all on the Task Force!”

~ “Nikki has taken this [Connect] committee and transformed it into a massive member benefit, keeping people informed and connected and supported, which is what makes an association a home. Way to go, Nikki!!

RE: The 11 BIPOC Bursaries provided last year:

~ “I agree Kimberly…I’m so very proud of our organization...taking action, not just words. Excellent.”

~ “Kimberly, thank you so much for all your hard work in EDI which is paramount. Your weaving of EDI into everything we do is necessary!”

Re: Sarah Posh and the CRPO Committee:

~ “Thank you for representing us so well. Much appreciated.”

Re: 2022-23 Slate of Board Members:

~ “This is so exciting! We dreamed of a day when the board would have many members…”

~ “Congratulations to all of you! Thank you and may you have a wonderful experience!!”

~ “This AGM is so exciting to me. I am recalling our first AGM 30 years ago. What wonderful work you are all doing and have done to bring our organization to this place. Congratulations!”

~ “Many thanks to everyone who worked and prepared things for this meeting, beyond all the work that you do throughout the year :)”

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The Nomination Committee is honoured to welcome and orient all new Directors during this Interim period before our first Board Meeting on December 9.

Before the end of the calendar year, you and all members in good standing will receive:

• A link to the video of the AGM
• Draft minutes of the AGM (which will be voted on at next year’s AGM), including all motions passed and vote tallies.
• A copy of the AGM Zoom chat PLEASE NOTE - IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE YOUR NAME FROM YOUR CHAT COMMENT, PLEASE EMAIL EVONNE at [email protected]. IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU IN THE NEXT WEEK, WE WILL TAKE THAT AS CONSENT TO PUBLISH YOUR ZOOM NAME ABOVE YOUR COMMENT.
• A link to updated bios and photos of all current OSRP Directors
• A list of Executive Committee members and committee Chairs, with open calls to join committees where there is a need for more volunteers

We thank you for your time, your energy and your trust in us to serve the OSRP faithfully over the coming year. It is thanks to you that we are in this wonderful position to do meaningful work on behalf of our honourable profession.

May you have a victorious day,

Kimberly Cato (Co-Chair, Nomination Committee)

Rachel Fulford (Co-Chair, Nomination Committee)

The month of December is filled with various festivals, religious events, national days and a multitude of celebrations that bring people together for food, fun, and frollicking. This may include Festivus, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Independence Days for Kenya, Qatar, Bahrain, Libya, Mongolia, Finland, Tanzania, Portugal, and many more.

Though these are just a few significant dates people may celebrate or take time off to take care of themselves, friends or family, there are many different traditions associated with each holiday or significant day. Learning about the significance, stories and histories of various holidays can help broaden our perspective beyond the holidays we celebrate year after year.

According to AbacusData, a survey was done in 2019 asking Canadians if they celebrate Christmas and if they celebrate Christmas as a secular or religious holiday. 87% of respondents said they celebrate Christmas (51% secular holiday and 35% religious holiday), while 13% responded “no”. While this may or may not be representative of our OSRP population, it supports our awareness of those who may not celebrate Christmas or any of the many holidays during the month of December.

As active, retired and student Psychotherapists, we know that there are many for whom this time of year is uncomfortable, lonely, isolating or riddled with thoughts of traumatic experiences, grief and loss. We are well aware of the tumultuous emotional rollercoaster of this season for many. As we continue through this month of December, we may wish to use inclusive language in how we greet each other and not make assumptions about how people are getting through this time. In addition, we might consider providing our clients and loved ones with a crisis line number/website and other culturally-sensitive community resources to help get through this time safely.

We might practise asking open-ended questions of each other first, so we are not making assumptions. For example, “What are you doing over these next few weeks?” This question does not assume someone will be on holidays because they may choose to or have to work; it doesn’t assume they will be with family members; and it doesn’t assume they celebrate a specific holiday.

Another open-ended question might be, “How do you spend your time in these winter months?” This example invites discussion without imposing a specific belief, expectation, mood or pattern of behaviour. Once we’ve learned more about the person we’re talking to, we can then decide how to wish them well.

May all OSRP Members find peace that surpasses all understanding as you engage with these last weeks of 2022 and prepare for victorious showers of Health, Wealth, and Wisdom in 2023!!!