The former Ontario Regional Online Community (ROC), now Central and Eastern Canada Regional Online Community, has experienced many changes in the past year. With the leadership of Lysa Toye, Acting Former Chair, the group underwent an expansion to include Canada’s eastern provinces including Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.
In addition to the expansion, the Board elected two new board members. Claire Vernon has stepped into the role of Chair, and Joan Boyd is taking the position of Community Moderator. Mackenzie Kinmond is continuing in the role of Secretary.
Formed in 2020, our ROC is now in its fifth year. With its membership of 40+ members, the groups’ objective is to represent ISSTD in Central and Eastern Canada and connect members to trauma and dissociation-related resources, research, training, knowledge-sharing and support, forming a network across nearly half the country and across three time zones.
The group continues to hold well-attended monthly online meetings for our members. Our meetings serve as a space for connecting our members to clinical discussions, news, skills, and training opportunities. Most importantly, the meetings provide a supportive space for clinicians to meet and share in the complexity that is treating trauma and dissociation. Clinical discussions encompass a broad range of topics relevant to trauma and dissociative disorders, thereby supporting both experienced and novice therapists in their professional development. An additional tool is the community listserv which members engage with to connect to potential referrals and other resources.
The new executive is first tasked with leading the group as it adjusts to the expansion and the practicalities of spanning 3 time zones as regular meetings and events continue. As this settles, focus will shift to the continuing development of exciting learning and networking opportunities for members that is part of our history as a group.
We are excited to offer an expanded Canadian community within ISSTD and opportunities for connection and knowledge-sharing across the Eastern provinces. This year we are pleased to welcome new members from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador to our ROC. If you are an ISSTD member interested in joining us, please contact Mackenzie Kinmond, Secretary for the Central and Eastern ROC, at therapy@mackenziekinmond.com.