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Got questions, concerns, referrals? Need support or have an office to rent or seeking an office rental? This  group is for OSRP members only. It links you to each other and to a community rich in resources and expertise. This is where you can ask your peers practice questions, share information about events, post a space for rent, seek referrals and so on.

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Click on the buttons below for detailed instructions on how to subscribe yourself to the listserv and ensure you receive notifications of listserv posts.

Click here to read instructions on how to subscribe to the listserv

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You put so much heart into caring for your patients or clients – and we get how disruptive it can be when documentation doesn’t work the way you need it to. That's why Jane designed templates with dozens of customization options, so you can tailor your templates to your workflow and focus your energy on what matters.

Here’s how Jane’s templates can help you stay on top of your documentation:

• Never start from scratch with access to Jane’s practitioner-built template library.
• Easily customize your templates with intuitive options as your practice grows and evolves.
• Begin each appointment prepared with templates for every step of patient care, including intake form questionnaires, clinical surveys, and treatment plans.

Ready to change your relationship with documentation? Book a demo with our team and explore how Jane can help.

We recommend periodically checking your online profile to ensure that your information is accurate. This includes changes to your name and practice information. Maintaining accurate information allows clients to find you when they are searching for a psychotherapist. 

If changes are needed, you can update this information directly in your OSRP user account by going to your “Profile” page.

Please note, if you are a Clinical or Qualifying member and wish to have your name appear on our online referral service, you must provide permission. Go to the Privacy tab under your member profile and click the “Show profile to others” box.

You can then choose which information to make public and which to keep private. Remember to save your changes.

Instructions on how to add your name to the OSRP online referral service/membership directory can be found below.

Click here to read the instructions

Click here to view the video instructions

Melissa has been practising psychotherapy for 20 years and brings a thoughtful, integrated approach to her work. Her toolkit includes CBT, DBT, EFT, SFT, Trauma Therapy, EMDR, and Integrative Relationship Therapy.

She shared that her own challenging adolescence set her on a personal healing path — and that psychology felt like a natural fit both for how she’s wired and for her deep interest in people’s inner worlds.

Melissa completed her undergraduate studies in psychology and worked in a juvenile sex offender facility in the U.S. before returning to Canada in 2010. She now lives and works in St. Catharines.

A passionate trauma therapist, Melissa continues to weave her lived experience into the support she offers clients. She’s also the proud (and busy!) mom of three daughters, ages 5, 7, and 16.

Outside of work, she loves reading — both fiction and books that deepen her understanding of psychotherapy. At the time we spoke, she was reading Fire on the Horizon by Wilbur Smith and Judgment Detox by Gabby Bernstein.

Melissa is currently accepting new clients and offers both virtual and in-person sessions. You can connect with her here:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/277770

Thank you, Melissa, for your dedication to the art and craft of psychotherapy — and for all you bring to this field with heart and presence.

With love,

Mahshad

Photo by Galen Crout on Unsplash

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada and we have curated a few resources to learn more, get involved and ways to support Indigenous communities here.

Healers and Mental Health Workshops and Trainings

Asha Frost

Asha is an Ojibwe (Crane clan) Indigenous healer, who offers different courses and has two medicine oracle decks that offer beautiful reflections, intuitive guidance and celebrates indigenous wisdom and artistry in each card pull. She also has a book that follows the full moons, with rituals, teachings and practices throughout each full moon.

Her various offerings can be found here

Buy it local here

Indigenous Wisdom in Trauma Recovery

“Grandmother's Voice is offering the ‘Indigenous Wisdom in Trauma Recovery: Land-Based Focusing Oriented Therapy’ certificate program, starting May 2025 in Halton Region, Ontario. This transformative one-year training, led by Elder Dennis Windego, comprises seven modules delivered in three-day block sessions. The curriculum integrates Indigenous teachings with contemporary therapeutic practices, focusing on healing complex trauma through land-based methodologies.”

The Eternal Song

This is a film sharing ancestral wisdom for trauma recovery as well as an online gathering (the live version is over but you can purchase the recordings and they are wonderful) with a range of indigenous elders and wisdom keepers from across the globe.

Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Providers

If you have adequate cultural competence around indigenous communities on turtle island and are an independent practitioner, you might be eligible to be an NIHB provider.

Click here for more information or to apply

April 2025

Anastasia’s path to becoming a psychotherapist started when she was studying life sciences and psychology in her undergraduate degree. With a growing interest in psychology and healthcare, she gravitated towards supporting folks through talk therapy and pursued training in psychotherapy.

Anastasia works with individuals, couples and families, and has extensive experience supporting families impacted by addiction.

We spoke in depth about how, initially, as a psychotherapy trainee, she did not expect to work as much as she has with couples; however, couples work has now become the core of her practice.  Anastasia found her work as a couples therapist to be extremely rewarding and realized that the more directive approach required in this role sparked her interest in and aptitude for work as a clinical supervisor and mentor. She has now expanded her solo private practice to include another therapist. Her practice is called Hera Therapy, referring to Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage, and a nod to her Greek identity as well as primary focus on relationships.

She is currently accepting new clients (individuals, couples and families) both online and in-person on Fridays. Anastasia can be contacted via: https://www.heratherapy.ca/

Her office is in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood.

Thank you, Anastasia, for the wonderful conversation, it was a pleasure getting to know you and learning about your work.

Sincerely,

Alice

If you'd like to be featured, or know of someone who should be featured (with their consent), please fill out the form by clicking on the link below — we’d love to hear from you!

With love,

Mahshad

OSRP members, apply to be a Member Spotlight!

If chosen, your spotlight will also be shared on OSRP's social media platforms.

Get ready for an unforgettable day of thrills and excitement! Perkopolis is thrilled to invite you to Perkopolis Day at Wonderland, an exclusive members-only event.

Date: May 3rd, 2025

Exclusive Perkopolis Access – Special pricing, shorter lines, and a day filled with fun!

This is your chance to experience the park like never before, with exclusive perks and access available only to Perkopolis members. Gather your friends and family for a day of non-stop rides, delicious treats, and endless excitement.

Click here to download the Perkopolis Day at Wonderland flyer with all you need to know about registering for your Perkopolis account and purchasing your tickets!

Your exclusive WestJet savings of up to 15% have returned!

WestJet is back on Perkopolis, bringing you exclusive perks on flights worldwide!

Click here to download the flyer.

Your perks are waiting

Explore our top offers! Click here to download the flyer with Perkopolis’ top brands.

Perkopolis is excited to announce our partnership with Shell!

With your Perkopolis account, you can save on fuel, car washes and in-store purchases at participating Shell locations. Sign in or register for your Perkopolis account to access this exclusive perk.

Click here to download the flyer.

If you have any questions you can contact Perkopolis customer service through live chat, phone, or email.

Talking about raising fees can be tricky, especially when you don’t know how to start the conversation. But with thoughtful communication, you can show your value as a practitioner while maintaining relationships with your patients or clients.

Here are some tips to help you communicate fee changes confidently:

• Start early: give yourself a two-month window to finalize rates, get comfortable with the decision, and inform your patients.
• Use multiple channels: reduce surprises by notifying patients through emails, booking reminders, physical signage, and phone calls — making sure your messaging is consistent.
• Be confident and clear: you don’t need to over-apologize! Your patients trust you and will appreciate a straightforward explanation.
• Offer flexibility: Be open to one-on-one conversations for special circumstances.

It might feel uncomfortable, but communicating your fee change thoughtfully will help your patients feel informed and respected.

At Jane, we want to be a part of the process of raising your fees — with features built to support. Take a look at our pricing plans at jane.app/pricing.

OSRP members receive a 1-month grace period on your new account when you sign up with Jane. Check our member benefits page to find the discount code.

Stress affects everyone differently. Stress can be good, but chronic stress can take its toll on our mental and physical health. Since stress is a normal part of human existence, it is important to recognize when stress is affecting you. If we as psychotherapists do not recognize this, we may respond in ways that are damaging to our patients and/or to ourselves. Therapists need to be aware of their own needs and limitations.

Acknowledging stress can lead you to get the support you need help you prioritize your mental health. Psychotherapy can help us deal with all types of stress.

In Canada, April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month, a time to focus on mental well being and reduce stress. It is a perfect time to highlight the symptoms that stress can present, both physically and mentally, and its triggers.

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April, since 1992. This year’s theme is #LeadWithLove

How to get involved:

• Take the initiative: Consider taking steps to reduce your own stress or help others do the same. 
• Seek support: If you are feeling overwhelmed, don't hesitate to reach out for professional help. Use OSRP’s Find a Therapist feature on our website.
• Utilize resources: Explore resources like psychotherapy, mental health assessments, stress management courses, and community support services. 
• Engage in activities: Participate in activities that promote well-being. Join the 30 Day Challenge hosted by the Stress Management Society, which can give you the tools to turn “useful knowledge and techniques into positive behavioural change.”

Click here to access some resources.

Each month, we showcase a member-suggested podcast episode as part of OSRP’s effort to bring you micro-reviews of insightful content in the field of psychotherapy. All materials are available free of charge as part of our member engagement initiative.

We invite you to submit podcast episodes that you found inspiring or educational. If your suggestion is accepted, you’ll also be compensated for your time. Enjoy, and happy listening!

(These podcast recommendations are for inspiration and learning. They don’t replace supervision, instruction, or CRPO regulations, and OSRP doesn’t officially endorse the content. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and use your professional judgment in applying what you learn.)

“Emotionally Immature” Parents

Reviewer’s Name: Alice Blackwell, Clinical Member, OSRP

Title of Podcast Series: The Daily

Title of Episode: “The Interview”: Dr. Lindsay Gibson on What We Owe Our “Emotionally Immature” Parents

Date released: March 22, 2025

Link to Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000700370452

Who Will I Hear?

Interviewer: David Marchese, Guest: Dr. Lindsay Gibson

What’s It About?

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson, a clinical psychologist and author of the bestselling book, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents. They explore Dr. Gibson's notion of emotional immaturity, and the impacts it can have on the children of emotionally immature parents. Thankfully, Dr. Gibson posits that it’s possible to recover from such a reality, even if that means, in some cases, breaking off the relationship entirely.

How Can It Help?

I think this episode gives clinicians a solid entry point into Dr. Gibson's work.

Why Does This Reviewer Love It?

I appreciated the interviewer's candour, and how he brought in his personal experience of a challenging relationship with his father.

If you would like to review your favourite therapy-related podcast episode, please use the link below.

Click here to submit your podcast review.