Social Work Me

On Ep 34 guest host- Michele McPherson is back with another episode in a mini series on mental performance and athlete mental health. You may recognize Michele from our first ever episode and again on Ep 14 where she discussed the use of EMDR and Yoga. Michele is a Social Worker, Yoga Instructor and program head of a Mental Performance Program called Perform through Southwest Counselling Services in Sarnia, ON.
Michele sits down with Carolyne Prevost who was born and raised in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada and who has had a lifetime of being an athlete. Sports and physical activity have always played a huge part in Carolyne's life and she has participated in gymnastics, Tae Kwon Do, hockey, soccer, and CrossFit.

Over the years, she has won multiple national championship titles in different sports as well as played on several National teams. Carolyne has experience training at both the individual and team level.
Currently Carolyne is a high-school teacher as well as professional hockey player in the PWHPA (Professional Women’s Hockey Player Association) on team Sonnet, while simultaneously training and competing in CrossFit.
Carolyne is no stranger to maintaining a rigorous schedule and in our conversation, we talk about balancing training with life and how to support healthy mental health along the way.
On the episode we discuss:

• Balancing her career as a teacher as well as professional athlete
• Overcoming challenges after injuries
• Importance of support networks
• Use of breathing techniques to help under pressure when competing
• Food, sleep, movement, and mindset
• Recovery and listening to your body
• Taking mental breaks between sports/seasons
• Positive aspects of social media to promote athlete achievements
• Positive mentor – James Taylor, Tae Kwon Do coach

Links:

CrossFit Stats:

https://games.crossfit.com/athlete/239148

Elite Prospects Hockey Stats:

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/367158/carolyne-prevost

Instagram:

@cprevost27

Social Work Me is back after a long hiatus with the first episode in a series on Mental Health & Performance in Sports.
Originally recorded in November 2021, Ep 31 features Amy Mausser who shares her experiences as an athletic therapist working with elite level junior hockey players. She is the former Sarnia Sting OHL Hockey Athletic Therapist and is a Certified Athletic Therapist, Certified Strength and Conditioning specialist, Registered Massage Therapist and former athlete. Amy is from Kitchener, Ontario and has a Masters in Science- Kinesiology and is now completing her Doctor of Education.
On this episode we discuss:

-athlete’s + mental health resources
-advice for practitioners working with teenage athletes
-mindfulness and meditation with athletes
-working with athletes struggling with injuries and playing time
-how negative/positive energy impacts teams
-impact of mental health on physical health
-working with athletes in their draft year
-teaching kids and athletes how to lose and fail
-the importance of teaching life skills
-mental skills training: goal setting, confidence, mindfulness
-the importance of communication between coaches and athletes
-tips for mental health practitioners working with athletes
To connect with Amy you can email her- [email protected]
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On Episode 30 Matt sits down to chat with Kate Becker who is a certified EMDR therapist, Trainer, Consultant, Yoga instructor and Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist based out of Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Kate has been providing Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy for the past 5 years using Ketamine and Psilocybin in both individual and group settings. She is also an MDMA therapy trainee and splits her time between Connecticut and Jamaica where she assists with the facilitation of psilocybin journeys at Atman Retreats.
On this episode we discuss:

• EMDR therapy: protocols for addiction
• Psychedelic trainings
• Working with Ketamine & Psilocybin
• Ego dissolution
• Set, Setting and Intentions vs. Goals
• The use of touch during psychedelic sessions
• Psilocybin retreats in Jamaica
• Non-directive approaches
• Merging EMDR with Psychedelic Psychotherapy
• Preparation, Integration and EMDR
• Case Example: How EMDR helped a client with a past negative psychedelic experience
• Tips for getting into this space
• Tips for managing, mitigating and preventing burnout and vicarious trauma

To find out more about Kate check out her website HERE
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On Episode 29 Matt is joined by 2nd Year Psychology Student Quinn Bisson to interview King’s University Social Work Professor Dr. Rick Csiernik.

Quinn has been working with the homeless population and his interests in mental health and addiction have led him to develop a focus on Social Work. Coupled with the experience of taking a class from Dr. Rick, his focus is now on transitioning into the BSW program. With that in mind, Quinn and Matt decided to do an episode on the different degrees in Social Work and what type of opportunities lie within the field. Dr. Rick shares his insight and his experience in academia, addictions, mental health, workplace wellness and how to stay healthy in the Social Work field.

On this episode we cover:

• The variety of career options in the social work field
• Overview and differences between BSW vs. MSW vs. PhD programs in Social Work
• 3 basic reasons why people become social workers
• Advice for those who want to gain more social work experience before the BSW, MSW application
• What to do after you get your BSW or MSW
• Why the MSW is now seen as the standard education in the field
• Working within the addiction field from a social work lens
• Why he sends his students to AA meetings
• How accessibility impacts social and psychological change
• 4 factors that lead to client success in therapy
• Tips for managing, mitigating and treating burnout and vicarious trauma
• EAP programs- the good, the bad and the ugly
• The importance of an ‘ego file’
• Words of wisdom for anyone interested in becoming a social worker

Rick Csiernik is a Professor at King’s College, University of Western Ontario. He is an author and international speaker and has authored and edited several popular CSPI titles: Wellness and Work (2005); Responding to the Oppression of Addiction (co-edited with William S. Rowe, 2010); Substance Use and Abuse (2011); and Homelessness, Housing, and Mental Health (co-edited with Cheryl Forchuk and Elsabeth Jensen, 2011). More recently he has authored books on Substance Use and Misuse (2021) Teaching Social Work (2020) and A Counsellor’s Guide to Psychoactive Drugs (2014).

The author of more than 75 journal articles, his research interests include employee assistance programming and workplace wellness, addiction, social work and spirituality, and program evaluation. Included on the King’s University College Honour Roll of teaching fourteen consecutive times, he is a past recipient of the McMaster University Instructor Appreciation Award.

To connect with Dr. Rick you can reach him at [email protected] or on LinkedIn and you can see a full list of his books Here.
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On Ep 35 guest host- Michele McPherson is back with another episode in a mini series on mental performance and athlete mental health. You may recognize Michele from our first ever episode and again on Ep 14 where she discussed the use of EMDR and Yoga. Michele is a Social Worker, Yoga Instructor and program head of a Mental Performance Program called Perform through Southwest Counselling Services in Sarnia, ON.
Michele chats with Eric Corda who is a Registered Massage Therapist in Sarnia at the Sarnia Chiropractic and Performance Centre. Michele and Eric do deep dive into the support experiences he has had with athletes locally and around the world. Eric’s expertise goes beyond the physical realm and into supporting the whole individual.
Eric became a Registered Massage Therapist in 1999 after graduating from Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Eric has received further postgraduate training in a variety of courses that he combines to provide a comprehensive treatment for his patients. Some of the techniques Eric may apply include myofascial release, neurofunctional acupuncture, soft tissue release, K-Laser therapy, advanced sports massage and joint mobilization. Eric has worked with athletes from several different sports and at various levels of competition including local clubs, minor and junior hockey organizations, collegiate and university athletics as well as international sports competitions. Some of the outstanding teams and competitions Eric has been a part of include the Sarnia Sting (OHL), 2018 Commonwealth Games, 2018 U20 World Athletics Championships, OHL Gold Cup (Team Alliance), 2005 World Transplant Games, 2001 IAAF World Track and Field Championships. Eric is an active member of the Ontario Massage Therapists Association. Eric is also a Level II member of the Canadian Sport Massage Therapists Association.
On the episode we discuss:

• His passion for working with athletes and teams
• His experience travelling and supporting athletes locally and worldwide at several competitions
• The Transplant Games
• Experience of supporting athlete mental health when impacted by injury
• Discipline and drive
• The monetization of the dream
• Working through mental blocks
• Athlete confidence in knowing their own bodies and articulating kinesthetic connections
• Setting boundaries around support staff and the community you are a part of
• Trusting your gut

Links:

Eric Corda Bio & Contact at Sarnia Chiropractic and Performance Centre:

https://www.sarniasportschiro.com/eric-corda.html