Tag Archives: workplace safety

Reflections on Quickly – and Ethically – Moving Online

Posted by: Annelise Lyseng, M.Ed, CCC, R. Psych on May 29, 2020 9:04 am

Before March 2020, I had hoped to eventually take a course to learn more about online counselling in case I ventured into it at a future date. Little did I know that I would soon be plunged unceremoniously into telehealth thanks to the impacts of COVID-19. I am happy to report that it has been a fairly smooth transition, with special thanks to colleagues who researched digital counselling platforms and configured doxy.me and VPN access to our online records management for our team. Here are a few of my key takeaways from the transition to online counselling:

  • Ethics first: For our team, this meant carefully revising our informed consent documents, emergency planning protocols, and intake process. We had to consider the additional risks, particularly around security and privacy, connected to telehealth and communicate these effectively to our current and new clients. I completed several extensive online courses that clearly outlined the ethical and legal considerations of telehealth. This training was invaluable, and I felt more secure in my practice after thoroughly reviewing these unique ethics.
  • Find a community: Amidst the dubious benefits of working from home, such as sweatpants and fridge proximity, I struggled with being physically distanced from my vibrant and supportive team of colleagues. We continue to engage in regular virtual meetings, consultations, and ongoing group chats, which I deeply appreciate. One of the online courses also helped me connect with an online community devoted entirely to practicing online therapy – learning from others and sharing resources has helped immensely with improving confidence and decreasing isolation.
  • Save your sight: For me, this meant ensuring that I’m wearing my blue-light blocking prescription glasses, trying to follow the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to stare at something 20 feet away), calibrating the height of my laptop to find the right angle for looking thoughtfully at clients without straining my neck, and adjusting the lighting in my improvised home office to a comfortable level. I also activated the blue light filter on my laptops and other devices.
  • Reflect and appreciate the old, and new, office: As mentioned, I appreciate my colleagues even more now that we have been distanced. I miss other aspects of the old office – using experiential interventions in session such as a picture card sort task, having access to a large shredding unit for session notes, enjoying a comfortable and devoted counselling space without interruptions from a neighbour’s barking dog or an exuberant toddler, and in general delineating a clear boundary between work and home. However, I have also appreciated aspects of my new office, especially the lack of a commute through rush hour traffic, an ability to prep supper while I’m on my lunch break, and an opportunity to push myself and grow professionally. I am saddened at the circumstances that brought telehealth into my practice, but I am grateful for the privilege that I have in my work and the learning that this has brought into my personal and professional life.
Annelise Lyseng is a registered psychologist at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.



*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

“Willful Blindness”: Is Your Workplace at Risk Psychologically?

Posted by: Denise Hall on June 8, 2015 8:30 am

The subject of my upcoming book is the psychological health of professional helpers’ workplaces. The material used for this blog is partly from the manuscript completed in 2013 for my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. My purpose is to bring more awareness to workers and their supervisors in hopes of preventing psychological injuries at work.

energy-73336_640Recent initiatives by progressive thinking agencies, government, and health and safety organizations establishing guidelines for psychologically healthy workplaces are the topic of conferences and workshops. Discussion is beginning to happen in workplaces and with health care providers. One of the main reasons for this initiative is the recognition that psychologically unhealthy workplaces cost money in terms of absenteeism, high turnover, lost productivity, health care, and insurance costs.

This initiative is largely in its infancy similarly with physically unsafe workplaces years ago. In British Columbia WorkSafe BC and the provincial government developed Bill14 in this regard. This piece of legislation also encompasses bullying and harassment in the workplace. The legislation came about because of the potential for losses to employers if employees filed suits in court over mental stress. In essence, this came about because it was going to cost $$, not necessarily because it is the best thing for workplaces.

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

What is a Psychologically Healthy Workplace?

Posted by: Denise Hall on May 28, 2015 8:00 am

“A psychologically safe and healthy workplace is one that actively works to prevent harm to employees’ psychological health and promotes mental well-being. A healthy workplace is not simply attained by individuals practicing a healthy lifestyle and self-care, but also by managers and co-workers supporting one another and fostering the creation of a positive and inclusive work environment.”
~Nick Smith, Project Coordinator, Health Promotion, Workplace Health; published on: 10/2/2014

Current discussion about workplace health is centering around promoting psychologically healthy workplaces. This national movement is really at the beginning of implementing strategies to improve workplaces much like the movement for physically safe workplaces was years ago. The out-of-control costs of worker’s compensation claims, long term disability insurance and absenteeism are the catalyst for focusing on this issue.The conversation is shifting, and rightly so, to organizational solutions. Bill 14 enacted in 2011 on mental stress has changed how WorksafeBC is approaching the issue and one that requires employers to demonstrate that they are implementing prevention strategies in this area.connection-647217_640

My 2013 Graduate project and upcoming book In Harm’s Way: Professional Helper’s at Risk focuses on the physical and psychological health of professional helpers from an organizational perspective. The project included a comprehensive literature review of research that examined the occupational health and safety of counsellors and therapists and other health care professionals. It is apparent from the research that there is abundant information focusing on the individual responsibility for health and safety and much less from an organizational focus.

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA