By Derek Cornet

Psychotherapist concerned about mental health in Wollaston Lake

Nov 15, 2018 | 4:18 PM

A psychotherapist who recently didn’t have her contract renewed in Wollaston Lake is concerned about access to mental health services in the wake of her departure.

“There were a number of clients who were sad and upset about knowing they would have to start with a different therapist,” said Glenda Risling, who was forced to stop working in the community last month. “There’s always a period in time where people need to develop a relationship, trust and begin to do their healing work again. There will be an impact for sure.”

Operating a private mental health practice from her office in Saskatoon, Risling had been contracted to work in the far North for more than eight years before her services weren’t renewed last month. She was first hired by the Athabasca Health Authority, but said the funding was transferred to the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) about three-and-a-half years ago. Before focusing on Wollaston Lake in the last couple of years, she also worked in communities such as Fond-du-Lac, Stony Rapids and Uranium City.

While the funding has been under PAGC, Risling noted her contract wasn’t renewed twice with the first time being about a year ago. At that time, she was told the community wanted to go in a different direction and the contract expired. It wasn’t long after she left, Risling said, that she was asked to come back which she did on an initial three-month contract.

“They didn’t renew the contract, so I had two weeks to finalize with clients in the North in terms of termination, which is not a typical process,” she said. “When you terminate, you start planning clients three months out to let them know that if you are leaving or discontinuing services, so you don’t further traumatize them.”

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When Risling did return, she stated she accepted a series of three-month contracts without being directed to start a termination process with her clients. With being unable to do the process properly for a second time, she’s calling for PAGC to be more transparent with decision making out of professional courtesy. She said there’s ethical ways to prepare clients for changes and that wasn’t done.

According to Annie Josuyunen, the health director for Hatchet Lake and Wollaston Lake, not renewing Risling’s contract was done following the policies and procedures in place. She also said Wollaston Lake has three mental health therapists working in the community already, noting they’re working to find another one to replace Risling. Josuyunen stated it was decided to let Risling go and find another therapist because the intended purpose for the position wasn’t working out due to her work style.

“We had to find a different therapist, so it works for the community,” she said. “We are a strong Dene speaking community and we need someone who is very adaptable for the people.”

Josuyunen mentioned there was only one therapist working in the community a year ago, but two more were hired with federal funding. She also expects a new therapist to arrive in Wollaston Lake soon to replace Risling.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno