AAMT 2024 Fall Virtual Workshop #2

How to Self-Rescue in a Challenging Work Environment

Description:

This presentation will touch on the challenges of working in the mental health and healthcare field as a professional. The impact of the work on the individual will be explored, with strategies on how to debrief and manage difficult things including loss, grief, discomfort and imposter syndrome. How do we work on building sustainable work strategies to prevent burn out and isolation? This will be about active and preventative self care which we all need to work on when we work where we do.

Biography:

Andrew Potter-Cogan CCC/RCT, BSc H Psych, M Ed Counselling, is a veteran who has worked with serving military and veterans providing mental health support for over 16 years. With a BScH in Clinical Psychology and an MEd Counselling, he has worked for the UK National Health Service and as Researcher in Clinical Psychology at Edinburgh University. As a Counsellor at the Acadia University Student Resource Centre, he received the 2017 Bob Stead Award for his work on campus with students in areas of sexual assault prevention and trauma. For three summers he has worked as the Cadet Counsellor at HMCS Acadia and was awarded the adult staff member Bravo Zulu Award.  Andrew has a private psychotherapy and counselling practice in Wolfville where he works with military and RCMP veterans and is currently serving members and many individuals who work in health care with his over 20 years of training in trauma and memory, human behaviour, counselling and psychology. Andrew was the Coordinator of Advocacy and Professional Identity at the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association from 2018 to 2024 and in 2024 became Chapter President.