Telehealth Counseling During the COVID-19 Crisis
Why Am I So Worried?
The spread of COVID-19 has prompted an unprecedented situation where many of us feel as if we are not in control of our own decisions. As protocols such as social distancing and teleworking isolate us from coworkers, family, and friends, we are unable to go about our normal routines. Because of these uncertainties and drastic changes we are now facing, we are most likely finding ourselves worried, stressed, anxious, and fearful about what is coming next.
As people, we have the capability to anticipate situations and plan out ahead of time what we are going to do. In this case, we can anticipate what might happen, such as potentially getting sick due to the virus, and take measures to prepare ourselves. This ability to think ahead is what spurs us to go to the store and buy two weeks of groceries. It is what makes us sure we have enough medicine for ourselves and our family to last us during a possible quarantine. This same ability is also what leads us to think about all the possible things that can go wrong or that might happen to us, causing us to feel anxious and scared. Excessive worrying not only strains our mental health, it can trigger physical symptoms as well, such as inability to sleep, tightness in the chest, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, fatigue, and muscle tension. It is totally normal to feel worried in these unparalleled circumstances, but excessive worrying often does more harm than good. COVID-19 is affecting the way we live our lives in many ways – don’t let it affect our mental wellbeing, too.
I’m Worried Constantly—But How Can I Get Help If I Can’t Leave My House?
Though you may not be able to physically come to our office, there are other ways to meet with a mental health provider. In response to this crisis, Thriveworks is transitioning services to telehealth counseling for the Mecklenburg County community. For you, this means you will be able to meet with a licensed professional via phone or video conferencing from the safety and comfort of your home, with the added benefit of saving time by not having to travel to one of our offices. Even if you aren’t great with technology, you will find it’s simple to establish a video counseling session by just clicking on the meeting link that will be sent to your email ahead of your scheduled session.
Is Online Counseling Effective?
Don’t worry – you will still be getting the same quality of service that Thriveworks is known for in online counseling. Multiple research studies have found that distance counseling is comparable in effectiveness to face-to-face sessions, and it works well for many different groups of people, including children, adults, and adolescents of all backgrounds and cultures.
Telehealth services are covered by most insurances and are compliant with HIPAA regulations. Remember, your mental wellbeing is just as important as your physical wellbeing in staying healthy. Schedule your session online or give us a call today.
Written by Karola Richardson
