Nature's Physician - An interdisciplinary approach

Gastown Vocational Services has been helping people with mental health issues find employment for over two decades. They're the only employment agency that employs specialized staff with training and experience in both mental health and vocational rehabilitation. The people who come here for help with job-finding present a wide variety of mental health issues. They include people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, personality disorders, and could include people with mental health issues connected to epilepsy. "Well, people are so complex, the people especially that we see are extremely complex. There are so many complicated issues to address in terms of getting somebody back to work and employment; their mental health, their coping strategies, their training, their knowledge, their intelligence, their social skills all have to be addressed. It can be pretty hard for one person. "I think where we specialize in is with folks who've been unemployed for some time and really need the confidence, really need the steps in a process, and take the time to find what I call a sustainable employment versus a survivor job. Their staff include people with mental health expertise, as well as occupational therapists, a computer instructor, vocational case managers, job developers, and peer support workers like Danny Wickert. After taking the training to become a peer support worker, Danny found work with Gastown Vocational Services. But he first came here as a client. "I wasn't as functional and it was hard to imagine even what I would be able to do in terms of employment." So now, Danny supports others whose mental and emotional well-being prevents them from pursuing or maintaining employment opportunities. Danny: "You know a lot of times when people come here and they've had a really difficult road to travel, and they've maybe had a lot of problems with employment. They don't necessarily even believe that there's anything out there for them, that they can't fit into that world. It is a world that's not always compassionate towards those who have challenges." Rozo Huszar: " I was not able to fend for myself and no other places didn't know how to help me." Rozo was highly educated but when she moved from Hungary to Canada, she was unable to find work. This and other life obstacles sent her into a deep depression that left her debilitated and drained of energy. She tried to find work through a regular employment agency but it didn't work for her. Rozo:"Once I'm there, they can show me postings, they can point me to resources, they can help me revamp my resume, but if I'm not there because I can't be because I'm too anxious to go, then they can't help me. For employment service providers without these kinds of specialized in-house resources, the task becomes knowing when the client needs a more clinically-informed approach. Dr. Melady Preece: "Everyone who works here collaborates very much, very closely with each other, and there's a lot of creativity involved, too. Getting an idea of something that might suit someone, it just helps when you have someone to work over things with." Gastown Vocational not only has a psychologist and occupational therapist on staff, they also consult with treating physicians and psychiatrists. However, not all the staff are clinically trained, and not all clients can begin with some form of therapy. In fact, a job developer who will support the client's employment goals is usually brought in at an early stage, as are peer support workers who provide not just practical support but also symbolize recovery. It's an intensive process and establishing a good relationship early on is considered crucial. Rozo: "First of all, they offered me choices how I wanted to be helped, did I want to take an individual approach, which i did see my case manager one-on-one once every two weeks. My energy level was so low that the phone appointment every two weeks was a lot for me. And then, building up from there, my case manager encouraged me to go to classes I didn't want to for a long time. Finally I agreed, so then, there was a little more activity added to my life. Now I work every day, pretty much from the morning til late afternoon." Interviewer: "And it's not too much for you?" Rozo: "It's a lot but I'm able to do it and I enjoy doing it." "Something magical happens when people find a job that they love to do. They come to us and they are their illness. And, when they have a job, that identity as a patient just kind of fades into the background and they become a worker with a few issues like all of us. There's this obvious shift in the way they are seeing themselves that I think really really improves mental health tremendously." "I feel happier than anytime before in my life."