As the COVID-19 pandemic escalates, the team at CBI Health in Georgetown, Ontario is safely providing effective treatment to clients in the comfort of their homes using telehealth services. This story highlights how the team was able to provide psychological treatment to *Mark, who suffers from longstanding PTSD, anxiety and depression.
Having been off work for years, Mark was struggling with guilt, panic attacks and nightmares. He had received psychology treatment for several years, with no improvement, so the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) made a referral to a CBI Health Occupational Therapist (OT) for an assessment and treatment.
Due to the pandemic, an in-person assessment was not possible. However, the OT completed a remote assessment with Mark over the phone, and he was relieved. He said it was the first time he felt heard, understood, and that someone genuinely cared for him. He was hopeful that he could recover and move forward, and enrolled in 8 weeks of treatment using video services.
Mark’s team at CBI Health provided him with education to understand his conditions, and skills to practice for managing his symptoms, triggers, and emotions. He was given breathing, visualization and mindfulness techniques for coping. He is also working on short-term goals that are meaningful to him such as exercising, before starting a plan for his PTSD.
Mark has been engaged in remote treatment for 2 weeks now, and is making steady progress in his journey.
*Client’s name has been changed