Motor Vehicle Accident
Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA)
Once you connect with our clinic for MVA Injury Treatment services, we will connect you with a trauma focused therapist, and provide assistance with accessing benefits through your Section B insurance and/or Extended Health Care plans.
We have found that when people who are experiencing psychological and/or emotional symptoms related to post-MVA trauma, access support shortly after an MVA, they are able to return to their previous level of functioning more quickly. Often, clients find it difficult to navigate this process independently, and the feedback we receive is that our support eases the process for them, helping them to address symptoms more quickly and return to driving.
On October 29, 2020, the Alberta Government introduced Bill 41, the Insurance (Enhancing Driver Affordability and Care) Amendment Act, 2020. This act entitles people experiencing MVA-related injuries, access to additional health professionals such as dentists, occupational therapists, and psychologists as providers of adjunct therapy. It is important to note, that these benefits have a $1,000 limit on expenses, payable for such therapy, and that this access expires 90 days following the MVA date.
Therefore, it is our priority to support people who contact our clinic in accessing these benefits quickly. If you require support beyond the first 90 days (also known as the Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols Regulation, DTpR period), then we can further support you by providing documentation of your symptoms, progress, and continued treatment needs to your insurer, with requests for extended support and treatment access. We also coordinate our services with your legal counsel, if needed, and through collaborative communication with your treating medical professionals.
Most Common Mental Health Issues Caused by an MVA
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Acute stress disorder
Persistent anxiety
Major depressive disorder
Adjustment disorder
MVA trauma treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
is an evidence-based approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behavior and how they perceive themselves.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
is an approach that works to help the brain process information, memories, sounds, and feelings in a way that makes them be seen in a new and less distressing way.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
is a psychotherapy or talk therapy approach for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). PE can teach you to gradually approach trauma related memories, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding from your motor vehicle accident.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
is a form of therapy that explores the connection between your past experiences and current mindset.
Refocus You Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA)
In addition to suffering from physical injuries, many victims of automobile accidents find it difficult to regulate their thoughts, feelings, mood, and behaviour following a collision. They may feel hyper vigilant, agitated, anxious, depressed, or numb. Many have problems with sleep, memory, attention, and concentration. They may be forgetful or internally preoccupied, phobic, and fearful.
People closest to them may notice they seem more irritable and sensitive, which can cause problems with coworkers and family members. Children may exhibit additional symptoms including regression (e.g., decrease in previously mastered skills of independence, diminished resiliency and coping strategies, increased temper tantrums and meltdowns, insistence on sleeping with a parent, bed-wetting) and school refusal.
Consequently, motor vehicle accident victims may increasingly withdraw from people and become more isolated and avoid many activities they once enjoyed and did with ease (e.g., driving, socializing, functioning well at school or work). If they were physically injured, acute pain and somatic complaints often make the psychological trauma of the accident even worse.
Accessing Treatment Free of Charge. Victims of MVAs are often not aware that they can receive specific trauma therapy or counselling, free of charge to assist them in returning to their past level of Functioning,
Although people often attend to their physical symptoms immediately, the psychological and emotional impact of their suffering often goes unacknowledged and untreated, especially in very young children who may lack the emotional insight and language to articulate their experiences. We have psychologists who have specialized training in the most effective therapies to treat trauma (e.g., EMDR therapy (https://albertacounselling.ca/emdr.html), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and support rehabilitation and recovery.
Failing to address the psychological symptoms that may result from an MVA can pose significant problems in the future in terms of health, adjustment, and personal well-being. Fortunately, in Alberta anyone who has suffered from physical and/or psychological symptoms caused by an MVA in the last two years may have treatment, and their automobile insurance provider must pay for the treatment by law.
To see one of our psychologists and obtain psychological treatment, all MVA victims have to do is call our office and provide their insurance contact information and their claim number, and we will do the rest. We will complete an assessment/evaluation and treatment plan and obtain the approval to see them based on their active claim. We make it as hassle-free as possible by communicating with insurance and offering direct billing for our clients' automobile insurance provider.