A Tale of Two Clinicians: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Provision of Therapy

Authors

  • Lindsey Susanne Jaber University of Windsor
  • Jennifer Wendy Cordeiro University of Windsor

Keywords:

COVID-19, therapy, mental health, social work, boundaries

Abstract

The influence of COVID-19 is far-reaching and will likely have long-lasting effects on social work practice in general and specifically on the provision of therapy. In this article, the authors, one a registered social worker and doctoral student and the other a registered psychologist and assistant professor, will discuss the substantial impact of COVID-19  on their private practices, utilizing a narrative framework. The primary focus is the crumbling of boundaries, including the lack of delineation between home and work life, privacy and confidentiality issues for both clients and therapists, and challenges with online therapy delivery. In addition, the authors discuss the alterations to caseload and case management, the forced and sudden transformation of the very nature of therapy, the unique challenges faced by clients from varying demographic backgrounds, and the experience of collective grief, shared trauma, and parallel processing. The article also highlights the unique challenges that two women therapists have faced during this global pandemic while carrying the bulk of household and child-care responsibilities.

Author Biographies

Lindsey Susanne Jaber, University of Windsor

Lindsey S. Jaber, Ph.D., C.Psych. is an assistant professor of educational psychology and school mental health in the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor. She is a registered school, clinical, and counselling psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Her professional and scholarly experience working in schools, community settings, and private practice informs her research. Dr. Jaber has many refereed publications and conference presentations on topics including social and emotional development, child and adolescent development, violence, and aggression.

Jennifer Wendy Cordeiro, University of Windsor

Jennifer W. Cordeiro, M.T.S., R.S.W. is a second-year doctoral student in the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor specializing in cognition. Her research focuses on the maltreatment of children in foster care and how they fare in the Ontario school system. She has been a clinician for 24 years and a registered social worker for 17 years. Ms. Cordeiro has also taught at the college level and developed and delivered numerous workshops and training sessions for mental-health professionals.

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Published

2021-12-12

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2021): Intersectionalities

Section

Voices from the Trenches

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