New CBT clinic opens in Riverbend

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This article was published 25/09/2017 (2934 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 

 

Jason Ediger saw a need in northwest Winnipeg, and made moves to fulfil it.

Ediger, a Cognitive Behavior Therapy Institute of Manitoba registered psychologist, spent some time advocating to open an office in the area after noticing most psychologists were based further south. For the last 10 years, Jason Ediger has been the only psychologist at SOGH.

“It was a real problem,” Ediger, who left SOGH at the end of April and has been managing CBT’s office in Riverbend since, said. “We need psychologists up here. Not only in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority system because there aren’t enough of them either, but a place where people can go for help where they don’t have to navigate downtown.”

“The goal was to find a place that was very central. That wouldn’t just serve the Main Street corridor, but also Garden City, the outskirts of the city, Selkirk, Lockport, Oakbank, those kinds of places.”

CBTI was founded by two psychologists, John Walker and Vivienne Rowan, who were looking for a place where they good train good psychologists in cognitive behavior therapy and inexpensive treatment for people who couldn’t afford registered psychologists.

Today, CBTI has 13 registered psychologists, and seven associates who all have a master’s degree and some are pursuing their PhD in clinical psychology. CBTI provides intensive supervision by registered psychologists, and the rate for their services costs $135 compared to $180 to see a registered psychologist. The clinic in Riverbend has been open since April 22 and Ediger was working hard to bring great associates. Today he foresees the work of four associates at the northwest location.

“With this kind of experience I get to see a variety of people, and it keeps me on my toes,” Katherine Kenyon, an associate working with Ediger, said.

According to CBTI, cognitive behavior therapy is a goal-oriented therapy based on the idea that our thoughts have a significant influence on our emotions and behaviour, and our behaviour can affect our thoughts and feelings.

The treatment starts with an assessment of the patient’s problem. This can be depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, grief, trauma, among others. The counsellor takes into account the current situation and parts of a person’s past that are relevant. The goal is to help the patient find ways to cope with their struggles independently in the future.

“I might want (to meet with the patient) once a week to build some momentum and get a relationship, but once you know the problem, most of the stuff is homework,’” Ediger said, adding CBT helps patients become independent of therapy. “So I might see you six times, but that may be over two and a half or three months.”

“We get to meet people in really hard, scary, difficult places and walk alongside them as they find a way through to a hopefully better place.”

“We try to build skills in our clients so that they can do this on their own. So they gain confidence in using the skills,” Kenyon added.

CBTI is moving its office, located at 326 Broadway, to 101-1180 Pembina Hwy. effective Oct. 1. In Riverbend the clinic is located at 8-2536 Main St. For more information, contact Ediger at 204-982-3810 ext. 101 or go to cbtmanitoba.com