One Year Later

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
– Desmond Tutu –

Nearly a year after our therapy practice went virtual, we are living in a world that we sometimes barely recognize and practicing therapy in a way at least I never could have imagined. And yet here we are…surviving. Right alongside our clients.

In a previous blog entry published on May 4, 2020, I wrote the following:

“Tele-Health was not a platform I ever saw myself utilizing as a mental health clinician. Enter COVID-19. When we are presented with a challenge, we often find ourselves growing in ways we never thought possible. Traumatic growth is very real, especially now, not only for our clients, but for us as clinicians as well. I genuinely miss connecting with my clients in person and hope that eventually we can return to a time when it is safe to do so again. In the meantime, I remind myself that although so much has changed, one thing has not. I am still present for my clients and learning how to cope with uncertainty right alongside them. I am taking the opportunity during this intensely challenging time to learn more about a modality of treatment that I never gave a second thought to before. What I am finding out is that I kind of like it. It has its pros and cons, like most things AND it’s what we can do right now to continue providing quality clinical care to those we serve. I remind myself to honor the emotions that come up, allow them to reside next to me for a little while, thank them, and then let them go. Because we are human…and being human is often challenging…and challenges yield growth.”

COVID-19 has brought with it tremendous loss, not only of family members, friends, co-workers, but also loss of income, routines, and closeness. Learning to navigate unexpected loss has become our new normal. We are constantly pivoting to cope with loss of perceived control and to deal with challenges that we did not see coming.
Making time to take care of yourself is always important. But you knew that already! So how do we take care of ourselves in a world where so many of our usual self-care outlets are unavailable?

One important step is to create a routine that feels manageable and flexible at the same time.
● Maintain a daily routine as much as possible. This may include showering and putting on clean clothes even if you are not planning to leave the house.
● Sit down for meals at designated times.
● Take healthy snack breaks.
● Try to get plenty of sleep. This may include going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
● During the day, get up and move on a regular basis. Make it fun – if applicable, get
your kiddos involved too! Have a dance party.
● Schedule a time to exercise in a way that makes your body feel good.
● Schedule check-ins with friends and family members.

We LOVE learning from others and would like to hear your ideas for self-care. What has worked for you? What has not worked? How did you learn to navigate the unprecedented changes of the last year and how do you plan to continue?

In a time of great uncertainty, be well. And if you are not okay; it is okay to ask for help. The clinicians at Anchored Hope continue to be a resource for telehealth therapy and are available to support you with whatever challenges you may be facing. Please contact us by email at info@anchoredhopetherapy.com or by phone at 443-291-8090 if you are interested in learning more about the therapy services we provide.