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Alice’s Story

Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Client (completed BounceBack service)

Alice’s diagnosis of Long Covid included depression, anxiety, brain fog and uncertainty about what the future may bring. Alice participated in CMHA’s Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program providing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

“I’m part of a research project for Long Covid, and as part of their regular screening questions they ask about the state of my mental health. It took me a few visits to actually confess how badly I felt. With the uncertainty of this disease, sometimes I feel like it would be easier if I knew I was going to die because then at least I would know what’s to come. With Long Covid, my mental health comes and goes and it’s completely changed my life.”

“CMHA’s Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program has been a really helpful program for me, teaching me tools and strategies to help deal with my depression and anxiety. Or maybe I always had the skills I just didn’t recognize them. For example, my Coach has reinforced to me that it’s ok to write a script and make a plan for how I would like to approach a situation. It’s ok to deal with things in this way. This has helped me cope with my big emotions and express myself so I can have a more controlled response.”

“I have strategically put all the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy workbooks I received during the program into a binder for ongoing reference. Having paper copies is a helpful tool for brain fog, as I can physically see everything versus having to search through a computer which can be exhausting. My binder of workbooks is a foundational tool for me to deal with anything that might come.”

“I thought it was phenomenal when my Coach would say ‘I hear what you’re saying…’ and then repeat back to me what I’d said. It gave me a feeling of security and of really being heard.”

“Small steps are key. People discount small steps because everyone is trying for the immediate moon launch. But taking and building on small steps creates a stronger foundation to help you get there.”

“Change yourself and don’t worry about what other people think. They’ll either come along or you’ll move past them. The work I did in this program is enabling me to better express myself and build my confidence which is prompting positive changes in my interactions with my loved ones.”

Learn more about our OSP Program
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