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What Is Your job Title?
Mental Health Therapist
What Does a Mental Health Therapist Do?
The group of health care professionals classified as Mental Health Therapists work in a variety of settings in health regions across the province. The focus of our work is around providing mental health services to children, adolescents, adults and their families with the goal of restoring mental health and/or preventing serious mental disorders. We also liaise with and provide mental health services to external agencies that serve the same population group.
Where Do You Work?
I work at Child & Youth Services in Regina at the Autism Centre. Other Mental Health Therapists work in a variety of community settings both rural and urban. We work under Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Who Needs Your Services and Why?
People that require our services are generally children, adolescents or adults that have acute or chronic mental health disorders or individuals that are at risk for these disorders. The family members also require support and assistance to effectively manage and cope with their loved one.
What Is Your Favourite Part of Your Job?
The favorite part of my job is meeting the children and teens that I work with and seeing them develop. In our program we often keep individuals and families for an extended period of time. This allows us to walk the journey with families and celebrate successes and accomplishments along the way!
What Challenges Do You Have in Your Job?
Often times the needs of individuals and families are more that what we can provide. At times, there is not a service to fulfill a need.
What Are the Consequences When There Are Not Enough People with Your Training to Provide Service?
The consequences are that people are left on their own to navigate the health care system and outside community agencies. This can be overwhelming to many individuals and families and this is not optimal.