Re: home-based offices as safety risk to children
From: Emily Pitt (epittearthlink.net)
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 08:24:31 -0800 (PST)
What part of the country is your community in? It is interesting to me that 
there seem to be regional differences in how people think about therapy. I 
lived in the southeast for many years, and people there did not tend to openly 
discuss the fact that they saw a therapist. When I moved to New England, I 
found that perfect strangers were entirely comfortable starting sentences with 
"Well, my therapist says..." 

As a therapist myself, it is troubling to me that people who need therapy can 
be stigmatized. Most everyone has times in their lives when they can use the 
support of a professional therapist--be it transitions in one's life, ongoing 
mood disorders like depression/anxiety, improving relationships, dealing with 
grief, dealing with trauma past or present, etc. Dealing with these issues and 
getting support around them does not make a person more dangerous to be around 
children. 

In JP Cohousing in Boston MA, where I'll be living this April (!) , we designed 
our office space, as Jeanne mentioned, so that the many therapists who live in 
our community can see clients there, as well as others who have home-based 
businesses. Without these businesses, it is likely that our community would be 
mostly empty during the 9-5 workday hours. Having people living/working there 
will make our community more lived-in, and therefore safer. In cohousing, 
security comes from having people around.

I hope to begin an outpatient therapy practice in our office space. It would be 
irresponsible for me to see people with severe mental health issues in an 
outpatient setting--many of these individuals need the care of a facility that 
has 24-hour emergency coverage. Also, given the constraints of managed care, it 
tends to be the case that people who can self-pay (and in this area, therapy 
fees average 100-125 per hour) will see outpatient therapists outside of a 
mental health facility. Those who wish to use their insurance, or who are 
medicaid patients, or are looking for ongoing therapy for longer-term issues, 
are more likely to use mental health clinics, community health centers, and 
hospitals for their care. This tends to very much change the clientele that 
utilizes outpatient care. 

Emily Pitt
JP Cohousing



-----Original Message-----
From: Shelly DeMeo <shelldemeo [at] comcast.net>
Sent: Nov 15, 2004 1:38 PM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: [C-L]_ home-based offices as safety risk to children

Hello--

Our group is grappling with the decision of whether or not to allow home-based 
businesses.  There are two very distinct points of view on this issue.  One 
side (actually only one or two households) wants the cohousing community to be 
a safe, residential community where one doesn't have to worry about strangers 
walking near our children.  The other viewpoint is one of a thriving village, 
where people flow in and out of the community all day.  This side argues that 
it is actually safer this way, because it provides more eyes watching during 
the day, as opposed to an empty community during work hours.

We have many businesses that want to open including yoga studio, art classes, 
home-schoolers, landscape architects, violinists, etc.  The hot button item 
tends to be the therapy offices  Surprise! We have a lot of therapists in this 
community and a few of them would like the option to provide therapy in their 
home.  The opposing households feel this is a distinct threat to the children 
of the community.

I am sure others have struggled with this issue.  Our group would appreciate 
any advice on how to reach consensus on this issue.  Comments on real life 
cohousing offices, safety, and kids would be helpful.  

Thanks.

Shelly DeMeo
Rocky Hill Cohousing
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