The town has proposed a counselling subsidy for financially challenged Innisfailians in response to the “severity” of mental health issues experienced by citizens adversely impacted by the deepening recession.
Town council will consider an administration recommendation on Sept. 12 to provide a $5,000 grant to a local psychologist that will subsidize the cost to Innisfailians needing professional counselling.
“It is to support individuals that require counselling but who may have some financial challenges to pay for that, so it is for a subsidy,” said Karen Bradbury, the town's community and social development coordinator. “We are noticing there is an increase of individuals looking for information and referral services. We are seeing a lot more individuals that are struggling right now in a variety of areas. The counselling can certainly support them in walking through that process.”
If approved by council, the grant will be issued to Innisfail's Summit Psychology, which recently opened up an office at the Kemp House.
However, news of the town's initiative has already filtered into the community and 10 individuals have contacted the local counselling firm to take advantage of the subsidy, said Carla Turnquist, whose Kemp House practice has “taken off very, very quickly” since opening earlier this year.
“(It's) definitely going up in terms of severity. When you have a person who hasn't slept in six nights, or they are in a full-blown manic episode, so much of what is happening to people is caused by the stresses in an individual's life,” said Turnquist, a professional counsellor for more than 20 years, including a recent faculty counsellor position at Olds College. “The stresses in their life has out-tapped their ability to handle what is happening in their life, and that is often when they seek help. Ideally we want to get them in to help as soon as possible.”
Prior to the opening of her office, which she shares with Benjamin Ellingson of Pathways Home Family Counselling, Innisfail did not have its own private counselling service. Citizens needing and seeking professional private help were forced to go to Red Deer, which was unaffordable for many.
“Even that $5 extra to go to Red Deer to see a clinician -- many people just don't have that right now. We see them selling off all kinds of stuff just to get rid of their debt load as much as they can, and their payments,” said Turnquist, adding the toll of the recession has strained many family relationships. “For a lot of people struggling with the recession, from my experience it is not so much they are dealing with anxiety and depression, it's that their relationships are breaking down between husband and wife.
“And of course that stress load has transferred down to the children in the family,” she added. “It's very much of a family thing that is happening with the downfall as opposed to something individually.”
Turnquist said while her office does have a set fee schedule, which can range from $190 an hour for individuals and couples to $250 an hour for home visits, “creative” resource and networking strategies are often made with community groups, including the food bank, churches and medical professionals, to help financially challenged citizens acquire what they need.
“If they have accessed the food bank and have nothing else sometimes it can help when a professional can pick up the phone and calls the food bank, and say ‘Hey, yes they were there just last week but they need food,' or we go to the church,” she said, adding it is her goal with clients to be a “listening” or “neutral” ear. “It's really not what I can offer them, it's more what they need, and that is the balance of being a clinician and having to really meet the needs of your clients by what they need.”
For more information on Summit Psychology visit the website at www.summitpsych.ca
Carla Turnquist
"For a lot of people struggling with the recession, from my experience it is not so much they are dealing with anxiety and depression, it's that their relationships are breaking down between husband and wife.
