can fault you for that! You may not know how to find others who provide professional therapy in your region, particularly those who provide treatment for more complex issues.

 

You may have been mentored by a professional who warned you against seeking therapy   because they believed you may have to report this to your credentialling body and it may interfere with your license or job. Or you may feel inadequate or 'like a failure' by acknowledging that you need help. BUT WHY should YOU be 'able to handle' your mental health issues on our your own, even if you are a healthcare professional? You may have a good foundation in mental health care, (you may be a psychiatrist, a social worker, a mental health nurse specialist, a psychologist or registered psychotherapist, or another professional who has a wealth of knowledge and skills to draw on in helping others, but does this mean you should you be able to 'fix' your own issues, your own couples issues, or your own family issues?  People from other professions and walks of life yourself', seek help on a regular  basis. There are no expectations that they should be able to fix their own problems! Just as there are no logical reasons why you should be able to cope without assistance. There is nothing weak or inferior in having to ask for help. Granted, not so very long ago, the stigma surrounding seeking mental health care was rampant, and it was considered  'weak' for anyone, including healthcare professionals to seek therapy, and while these attitudes have not moved completely to 'the past', leaps and bounds have been made in recent years in 'taking mental health out of the closet', and in removing negative stigma and discrimination. Shedding light on this critical subject advances mental health seeking for everyone.

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You may be downplaying the effects of stress, burnout and compassion fatigue.  You may have some concerns about how you are thinking, feeing and behaving, but may be minimizing your symptoms, thinking that everyone gets stressed out and it is wrong to focus on yourself when so many others are worse off than you are. 

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You may dread the thought of sharing personal information about your life to a therapist, wondering if your personal information will be kept confidential. Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario are Regulated Health Professions, governed under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and health profession Acts (i.e., Medicine Act, 1991). This legislative framework establishes health regulatory colleges, which regulate the professions in the public interest,  and are responsible for ensuring that regulated health professionals provide health services in a safe, professional and ethical manner. Privacy is a fundamental right, and to protect that right, therapists are required by law (PIPA) to protect your personal information, and to follow strict rules when collecting, using and disclosing your personal information.