Clap for Mental Health Practitioners
Every day at 7 pm people throughout the boroughs of Manhattan band together and salute the many healthcare professionals and essential workers who are on the front lines working to help those who are afflicted by this horrifying virus. And though their efforts do not deem any less appreciation, there is one group who is consistently unacknowledged, and their role as providers is minimized. These individuals, mental health practitioners, are those who even on normal days, put their psychological wellbeing in jeopardy in order to help others. In this period of historic proportions of unspeakable trauma, many have been suffering silently, praying that we can return to some semblance of normalcy and put an end to the daily confrontation of the lack of control in which we possess within our own lives.
Mental health practitioners consist of a wide community of individuals who treat those in need of emotional and psychological support as well as guidance during their lowest points. In this time, millions of fears are coming to light, and individuals from all over the globe feel disenfranchised and alone. From the countless individuals losing their jobs and feeling fearful of being unable to survive to those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19, mental health practitioners have continued to walk with these individuals, in spite of their own psychological disturbances and fears, in order to assist them in gaining some sort of psychological relief.
On a daily basis, mental health practitioners are confronted with their own triggers through vicarious trauma from the patients they work with and have to process these complex emotional and psychological triggers efficiently to ensure their ability to treat the masses. What my colleagues and I have been doing on a daily basis is nothing short of heroic and can be likened to firefighters, in the sense that these heroes walk into the inferno of the unconscious and hand in hand to bring them back to some sort of safety and equilibrium.
As a mental health professional, I have been on the front lines working with clients who have struggled in maintaining their sanity due to feeling a lack of control within their lives and fear the prospect of personal combustion. Because of this, I have worked tirelessly, through my own diagnosis of COVID-19 and struggles with anxiety and depression to work with clients struggling with maintaining their sobriety, managing anxiety, and fighting off a potential depressive episode.
One thing which has caused me great concern is not only the present-day impact this trauma has on our mental health but also the role in which it will impact our as well as our children’s future. The constant state of anxiety and insecurity in which we live in is not something we can just sweep under the carpet but is something that will manifest in time and cause for the next great pandemic. Mental health professionals will be on the front lines of this pandemic for many years to come, far after the last COVID-19 patient is diagnosed and treated.
In this time a focus on how we treat one another and speak about our mental health is vital for our future. Rather than spreading hate and judgment and minimizing the emotional toll this experience has played on us all, maybe we should utilize more validating affirming statements to express support and empathy to one another, including: “I am here with you,” “I’m sorry you’re feeling so overwhelmed,” “what can I do to best support you during this hard time.”
Throughout my sessions, I have found it vital to express the importance of limiting the amount watched or read about COVID-19 due to the overall harm it does on one’s mental health. Though having awareness of the major updates is indeed important, the 24-hour news cycle, daily presidential addresses, and social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook provide misinformation which can be damaging to both our physical as well as mental health and ability to cope during this time.
When finding myself anxious and overwhelmed towards this horrifying time, I utilize mindfulness as well as grounding techniques in order to bring myself back to the present and gain a semblance of control. The use of mindfulness is not limited to breathing exercises but to anything which allows you to be mindful and aware of the present. For me, it can be just looking at my daughter, spending time with my wife, speaking with friends, watching television, and cooking. I have learned in playing with my daughter just how comforting it can be to return to primal coping strategies that we utilized as a child, namely- playing, being crafty, and finding the small things to laugh from (no matter how silly). Within our lives, we tend to feel guilty over the lack of productive time in which we spend however that guilt at this point is unproductive to our wellbeing due to the turbulent times in which we are living and the need for some sort of relief.
To my fellow mental health practitioners, thank you for the work you do on a daily basis in treating and supporting those who are struggling during this unprecedented time and tonight, and every night for the years to come, I stand with you proudly.
