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Mental and Emotional Flexibility in the Age of COVID-19

Written by: Rebecca L. Marshall, Ph.D.
Mental and Emotional Flexibility in the Age of COVID-19

If you scroll through social media feeds, you’ll find a lot of advice about how to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic.  You may be told to take the virus and its effect on your physical health very seriously, and you may be told that you just need to distance yourself from others and wash your hands in order to protect those who are at higher risk than you are.  While feeling the logistical and economic impact of changes in school and work patterns, you might be told that you need to do what is “right” for your family and community.

Whew.  It’s been a lot to take in, especially within the short period of time that the virus outbreak went from a problem in China to a state of panic and emergency in the United States and around the globe.  Americans have been called upon to adjust to changes on a daily basis and to cope emotionally with wide-ranging information, some of which has been inconsistent from one news source to another.

Many coping skills appear to be needed in the age of COVID-19.  How should you calm yourself when you’re not sure if you should join the panic or simply wash your hands and get back to work?  While flexibility is required for most people in their day-to-day lives, the COVID-19 pandemic is demonstrating acutely how mental flexibility can be a key component of maintaining emotional health.

Psychotherapy takes many forms, and one common goal among therapeutic strategies is to view one’s problems and emotions from different perspectives in order to cope with or understand them better.  At the Summit Counseling Center, experienced, licensed therapists are here to help.  Many of our therapists have recently undertaken training to become certified in providing tele-mental health services, allowing for an additional option in how you may receive therapy, that is, through secure videoconferencing.  Whether in the office or through tele-mental health services, we have therapists ready to help you navigate the emotional sequelae of the current pandemic.  Please contact the Summit Counseling Center for more information.  678-893-5300