Regulation!

On April 1, 2015, The Psychotherapy Act, 2007 was fully proclaimed and the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario was created. From now on I am a Registered Psychotherapist. 

Psychotherapy has been unregulated in Ontario until now and because of this, the regulations feel uncomfortable to many of us. As with most regulation, it brings with it a layer of bureaucracy that we simply aren't used to. But this regulation also brings with it oversight and mechanisms for resolving complaints and for overseeing the profession to help prevent any kind of abuse. It is the protect the public that this legislation was created. 

I'm sure for many months, psychotherapists in Ontario will be struggling to figure out the things they need to do; with having new business cards printed; with changing all their advertising materials to reflect the fact that we now have a title and I'm sure many other things. 

For those of us who find any kind of oversight uncomfortable, this will usher in a period of adjustment and of figuring out the best way of practising without any unnecessary interference from this new regulated environment. On the whole, I think, this new era in our professional lives will ultimately be helpful. 

One thing I know of many people is a discomfort with change and how easy it is to over-emphasize the effects these changes will have. We also will learn that the regulations are just a beginning and we will all have input in to affecting how these regulations are employed.