Happy Summer OPA Members (finally!)
Happy Summer OPA Members (finally!)
Update from the Confidential Peer Support Committee
The Confidential Peer Support Committee is excited to announce that Dr. Ann Sola has joined us! Dr. Sola has jumped right into the role of consulting with the committee and has been a wonderful addition to our group. We continue to welcome the opportunity to assist members in a confidential and respectful manner to reduce distress and promote thriving. You can contact any of us at the numbers listed on the OPA website or through our confidential email at cpsc.opa@hushmail.com.
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Just as we are a part of your competence constellation, adding a peer consultation group can be helpful as another aspect of learning, reduced isolation, and support.
The competence constellation first coined by Johnson et al. (2012) is defined as “a psychologist’s network or consortium of individual colleagues, consultation groups, supervisors, and other relationships that, combined, help to ensure ongoing enhancement and assessment of competence from multiple sources” (p. 566). The competence constellation is an essential part of self-care and can combat isolation, reduce risk of burn-out, and promote ethical competence.
There are a few things to consider in choosing a peer consultation group:
- What size group would I prefer?
- Do I want the group to focus on clinical material only or also clinician functioning, or business related issues such as billing questions?
- Do I want a formal group with a structured case presentation and/or reading assignments or a more informal group?
- With what type of colleagues do I want to meet? A peer consultation group can be focused on a certain clinical specialty area or can include members from diverse theoretical orientations or clinical focus areas. It can be important to vet your group:
- Check that potential members are active licensed clinicians in good standing
- Identify any red flags including public information about censure by a regulatory board
- Communicate regarding level of commitment members have to regular meetings
- Ask your network about trusted colleagues who may be interested in forming a group
5. How often do I want to meet and for how long?
Finding the right group, just like finding the right personal therapist, can take some time and work; however, once you have an established group it can be a wonderful part of your professional life and support for moments of distress and moments of celebration.
Additional Resources
References
Johnson, W. B., Barnett, J. E., Elman, N. S., Forrest, L., & Kaslow, N. J. (2012). The competent community: Toward a vital reformulation of professional ethics. American Psychologist, 67 (7), 557–569.
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