If you think the pandemic is causing adult challenges with respect to social, shopping, job security, etc., you are absolutely correct. But, let’s take a look at our children and what has happened to their lives, from small children who really don’t fully understand the magnitude of the situation as well at teens who need their social time.
Emotions Running High
Regardless of the age of the child, one thing is for certain, there is a definite feeling of overwhelming emotional unrest. Children are more anxious, with extreme feelings of isolation and sadness. Small issues balloon into major outbursts and many mental health professionals believe that children suicide rates are on the rise. This is cause for all parents, all adults, to be especially cognizant of agitated behavior and address it gently…never dismiss it.
Don’t Just Send Your Child to their Room
In the past, when one of our children misbehaves, it was standard practice to punish him or her by sending them to their room for a timeout. While in practice, a cool-down period may be just what is needed, it might be good to adopt some new ways of dealing with outbursts. Our children’s emotional wellness is being challenged, so sending them off to their room to deal with their issues is not such a great idea (more isolation). Instead, try some kindness and understanding. Ask little Johnny if there is something else that is troubling him. We can’t tell our children how to cope but we can let them know we are here to help them. Talk openly, ask questions, and don’t judge the answers. Let them express their feelings honestly.
If you have a child that is struggling with isolation and sadness, we have some amazing therapists that can help you and your child find some ways of finding peach together. Reach out to us for personalized counseling and therapy at one of our six convenient locations or via text, video, or phone. Let us help you and your children start on journey to better mental health!
ACT Family Counseling
6 Locations to Serve You
Apple Valley | Chino | Rancho Cucamonga | Redlands | Ontario | Victorville
This article first appeared at ACT Teletherapy.com
CLICK HERE to learn more about Teletherapy and how you can connect via phone, text, or video.
Whether you are eager or not to return to work, companies are beginning the shift back to at least a partial week in the office. Many employers feel that face to face interaction helps with communication and camaraderie.
The Dreaded Return to Work
You may feel different. You may feel as though you were thriving and far more productive at home. Certainly, you didn’t have the commute time to worry about. You may have preferred the virtual environment.
Looking Forward to Normal
Or maybe you are looking forward to the office. Juggling online meetings, children, meals, etc. made it hard to concentrate. When you are in business mode, it can be hard to shift gears when the children are home and in need of attention.
Anxiety over the Return
Whether or not the return is welcome, aspects of the return to work will not be the same and will raise feeling of anxiety. Roughly 70% of workers are concerned of the return with the majority worried about exposure to COVID and fear of getting sick.
When we experience change, we tend to become resourceful and adapt to the new situation. Many of us were forced to create a virtual office in our home, whether that was a spare room or the dining room table, we made it happen. Now, as we transition to what was the previous normal, it will not be the same. Mask requirements are still in effect, we need to be careful in community areas, wash or sanitize our hands whenever we touch the coffee pot, and perhaps even have our temperatures taken as we enter the office.
Companies that are preparing to transition their employees back into the office need to recognize all the concerns that this raises for their employees. A great way to do this to build a hybrid work model that introduces the in-office requirements slowly and complement this with a rotational work schedule to minimize the number of employees in the office at any one time. This phased approach will help employees work out day care or babysitting concerns as well as allow employees to maintain a properly spaced work environment for safety.
Other actions employers can take is to install sanitizing stations around the office, focusing on entrances and community areas such as the break room and conference room. Employing good cleaning services for the office, policies for visitors, and good communication about these policies is paramount.
Planning to Reopen
OSHA provides some guidance for safe and healthful working conditions – in their Guidance on Returning to Work. As many employees have been working from home for over a year now, it is important that the return be well-orchestrated. Communication is the most important aspect of a safe return and will serve to minimize anxiety for all involved. As everyone’s personal situation is different, some may have much more anxiety than others about the safety of the move back to the office.
If you or a co-worker are experiencing feeling of anxiety over the return to work, reach out to us for personalized counseling. We offer six convenient locations as well as teletherapy via text, video, or phone. Let us help you start your journey back to the office with a positive mental attitude!!!
ACT Family Counseling
6 Locations to Serve You
Apple Valley | Chino | Rancho Cucamonga | Redlands | Ontario | Victorville
This article first appeared at ACT Teletherapy.com
CLICK HERE to learn more about Teletherapy and how you can connect via phone, text, or video.
The pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, from how we shop to how we spend our free time. We do our best to maintain 6 feet from anyone we don’t know, and even those we know really well we still maintain some distance for safety. We elbow bump instead of hug, we use online conferencing for social gatherings, even our children are learning to have their get togethers online.
Stolen Moments
The hardest part is the inability to visit our sick. Whether it is our parent with dementia or our uncle with COVID. Our family members are struggling with their health with only hospital staff to provide comfort.
Both above cited cases are all too common unfortunately. Our elderly family members with mental health issues like Alzheimer’s or Dementia don’t do well on the phone if their disease is advanced. Language skills are challenging as well as the ability to process and retain what is being said to them. In fact, Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients rely considerably on facial expression and simple acts of touching and comfort to communicate. Obviously, this is a challenge with COVID.
Family members who have contracted COVID and are at risk are likely to be in a hospital, quarantined from the world and surviving on oxygen or a ventilator. Having a mask on your face to breathe makes talking on the phone, the only means of communication when in quarantine, quite difficult.
Keeping it Together
We are all hopeful as we see the vaccines being rolled out as quickly as possible. The rates of new hospitalizations are dropping but it will still be months before all the restrictions of the pandemic are lifted.
If you or someone you love has been affected by the lonely, dark times the COVID virus has inflicted on our lives, help is here. We are available to help you from six convenient locations, or by phone, by text, or by video. We do take most major insurances and many insurance companies are actually waiving co-pays.
Don’t struggle alone. Reach out to us for personalized counseling and therapy. Let us help you start your journey to better mental health!!!
ACT Family Counseling
6 Locations to Serve You
Apple Valley | Chino | Rancho Cucamonga | Redlands | Ontario | Victorville
This article first appeared at ACT Teletherapy.com
CLICK HERE to learn more about Teletherapy and how you can connect via phone, text, or video.
As the pandemic continues, we are seeing the highest levels of anxiety and depression since we first learned about COVID-19 back in February of 2020. We have been sheltered with only essential businesses allowed to remain open. Many people have lost their jobs, and many businesses have been forced to close.
Even now as the vaccine is making its way through the “at risk” population, health care workers, and the education sector, we are still unable to fully open our doors. The vaccine, of sorts, is more of an instruction set to keep you safe, rather than an immunization and protection from spreading.
Loneliness and isolation are the new norm. Loved ones are dying of COVID and our elderly have been isolated from family for too long. Alarming numbers of children and teens are reporting thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Depression and anxiety have skyrocketed. Many areas around the country are not equipped to handle this mental crisis.
More children and adults have mental health concerns that are left untreated. Young people are struggling the most with over half of 11–17-year-olds reporting thoughts of suicide.
We Can Help
We must find a way to bring care and treatment to those who need it. Thanks to technology there is an answer to the unmet need for mental health treatment.
Teletherapy – Affordable & Convenient
Reach out to us, we can help. We offer personalized counseling and therapy via text, video, or phone. Many insurance companies are waving copays. Let us help you start your journey to better mental health!
ACT Family Counseling
6 Locations to Serve You
Apple Valley | Chino | Rancho Cucamonga | Redlands | Ontario | Victorville
This article first appeared at ACT Teletherapy.com
CLICK HERE to learn more about Teletherapy and how you can connect via phone, text, or video.
Mental health issues can have many different signs and symptoms. They are as unique as people are. There are some common underlying themes, but how well we hide it, how we deal with it, if or how we share it with others, varies tremendously from person to person.
Here are a few common attributes:
- Anxiety
- Changes in Mood
- Changes in Perception
- Changes in Behavior
- Fears
- Obsessions
BUT… Let’s NOT give it a LABEL
Who really cares if your mental health problem is called ADHD, Bipolar, Depression, Anger, or some other Psychosis? The important fact is that you are not yourself. Normal daily activities are no longer normal or comfortable. You struggle with simple things or get overly upset for no apparent reason.
You don’t need a fancy label for your mental disorder to tell you things are not right. You need someone to listen, someone trained who can make sense of the noise in your head, someone without judgement who will gently guide you out of the darkness.
With all the craziness in today’s world, maybe it’s just an overwhelming time in your life and you need a helping hand. Maybe you were not well before, and the whole COVID mess has made it worse. Whatever it is, we are glad to be there for you.
We will connect with you however is best for you. Unsure of how it all works? Just reach out to our call center for help getting started. 800-801-8777 or Contact Us and we will be happy to reach out to you!
ACT Family Counseling
6 Locations to Serve You
Apple Valley | Chino | Rancho Cucamonga | Redlands | Ontario | Victorville
This article first appeared at ACT Teletherapy.com
CLICK HERE to learn more about Teletherapy and how you can connect via phone, text, or video.
