Psychologists donate services to counsel front-line virus workers
Psychologists in Saskatchewan have signed on to a national call to provide services to health-care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Canadian Psychological Association has asked all registered psychology practitioners to volunteer their time providing pro-bono remote sessions to health care providers feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
So far, nine Saskatchewan psychologists have joined more than 100 others across the country in doing so.
The service is available to all front-line heath service providers in the province. A list of available psychologists and their contact information is available on the CPA’S website.
Requests will be answered within 24 hours; workers will receive one to three sessions initially.
Saskatoon-based psychologist Dr. Regan Hart said even with the workload of seeing her patients remotely from home, providing care to health care workers seemed like the right thing to do.
“The point of offering these services is just to make sure that people have access to them who would need them the most,” she said. “I do see personally and professionally that there’s been quite an impact of the situation for a number of people in Saskatchewan.
“I was just hoping that by putting my information out there, I would be able to help at least a few people that might be in need of services.”
Hart said while she hasn’t heard from any health care staff since adding her name to the list, that’s likely due to case numbers in the province remaining relatively manageable for the time being.
“Health care providers are quite stressed anticipating that there will be an influx of patients and an increase in numbers,” she said. “But thus far I think we’re still kind of waiting to see how this is all going to shape up here in Saskatchewan.”