SASKATOON – Life Coach Brett Skrupski has changed the way he approaches his profession this year.
“It’s gotten harder, not because people are more careful, but people have a harder time,” he said. “When we are in a state of uncertainty, we begin to shrink, we begin to withdraw into ourselves.”
Skrupski says business was slow at the start of the pandemic because life coaching involves “a lot of future planning” and goal orientation, and isolation and lockdowns have forced people to focus on the here and now.
“You can feel the weight and the toll this has taken on people,” he said.
“A lot of people began to bring their visions, or at least my experience, they drew their visions from 60 meters away to about 60 meters in front of them: ‘All I have to do now is find toilet paper.'”
Over the months during the pandemic, people’s mindsets changed, says Skrupski.
“I think right now people are looking for more balance and then we’ll start,” he said. “‘Now what is my five-year plan to move forward and take on the world?’ You know, to really have that success back in my life now. It’s just, ‘Can I get things into a state of normalcy? Can I feel safe? ‘”
Rita Field has worked with the Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service since its inception in 1980, and says she has “never seen a challenge” like the one in 2020.
“I’ve never seen so many aspects of safety management,” she said.
Field says the service receives an average of up to 30,000 calls per year. They’ve been keeping statistics since March and 20 to 30 percent of their calls were related to the pandemic.
“I think when people are isolated and unable to get the help they need it is unfortunate, but they may feel that there aren’t as many options as they actually are. Field said.
“What we saw in 2020 is that the usual forms of support may not be as available or people may feel that they are not as available.”
Field says people “need to be okay to come up and ask for help,” adding that it is one of the service’s “biggest recommendations.” We don’t have to do this alone. “
“It’s been a challenging year and I know I’ve heard people say, ‘Hope for the best in 2021,'” she said, adding that while the pandemic will eventually end, turning the calendar around isn’t necessarily something means will change drastically.
In the meantime, Field says, it’s important to get some relief and “have a sense of control over our lives and a sense of accomplishment with little things.”
“Have some fun,” she said. “To connect in an acceptable way with the people who love us and we love them.”
When the pandemic is over, Skrupski says, as we greet each other: “Will a handshake even exist as we perceived it six, eight, ten months ago?” – his job will probably have changed.
“I think people will look at what they want to achieve in their life and not always want to filter it by how the pandemic has affected things and how it continues to affect things, but I think it will help people leave what they thought, ”he said.
“I think to question what they thought were norms and maybe take them for granted in everyday life, and open up a lot of new areas.”
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