For many clients, the COVID-19 virus has ignited the flames of anxiety. And for those who already struggle with anxiety it’s pouring fuel on the fire.
Problem is, many of our go-to strategies for reducing anxiety can’t always be practiced in quarantine or isolation.
So how can we help clients manage anxious feelings brought on by the pandemic?
The other day, I spoke with Christine Padesky, PhD, and Ron Siegel, PsyD, and they shared their techniques for finding relief from anxiety during these difficult times.
I hope you’ll give it a look.
Click here for full transcript
Many clients are feeling anxious right now. What are you finding most helpful for clients experiencing COVID-19 related anxiety? What are you finding most challenging about client work during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Please let us know by leaving a comment below.
We are very near of Italy, so very concerned. Most thinks all of you said, I was doing the last weeks: orienting on reality, basic needs, avoiding too much focalisation. working on what is personally touched when I noticed over or under reactions, so I had very deep session by video sessions. I also worked on safety as an inner sense in times of uncertainty. What helps people to connect with a wider reality and coming out of a negative transe.
I agree with the concept of validating feelings of uncertainty while also exploring ways in which our clients (and ourselves) can begin to find a new normal in our way of living. Know the facts, but know that they will shift, and also become intentionally mindful of the current moment. I found myself assisting clients with finding their new base, so to speak, of which to stand and become stable.
Thank you for sharing!
Hello Ruth!
I listened to this talk related to how we can learn how to cope with this new collective health challenge. It was helpful!
My doctorate is both in clinical and contemplative psychology with an emphasis in applied neuroscience!
I think both clinicians are reflecting upon how to work with clients on supporting them to open into a wider awareness inclusive of holding a relaxed internal climate in relating to uncertainty, and bringing more balance into their lives by attending to life beyond the how the pandemic is impacting all of us, how life may be beyond the current reality!
I am on an emergency response team here in Seattle. What I support clients to explore is their own internal wisdom that emerges from their own insecurities or fears related to how they are being impacted by this pandemic!
Lastly, I try to remain neutral with my client from the idea that things are going to return to how life was before this pandemic! Our country has suffered from a pandemic of distraction, greed and unequal distribution of wealth; out of which their has been an increased level of social distancing, isolation and homelessness! The increased opulence just in Seattle alone has diminished simple ways of kindness and care that once were in greater abundance here!
Now, this virus may be offering us an opportunity to relate to each other with a little more thoughtfulness and loving kindness!
In my work over several decades, including national seminars, I attempt to speak to the importance of increasing self agency with the wisdom of listening and caring for self and others in our communities!
Thank you Ruth for doing your part in offering these wonderful moments of deep inquiry and care!
Warmly,
Sal Barba, PHD.
Center for Complementary Medicine
Seattle, Washington
Hello old friend. As always a great comfort to share in your wisdom. So much more to say. . .
I am so grateful for these very supportive posts and am finding ways to share the content with my colleagues, friends, family and clients.
Thank You, Gabrielle UK
Hello and thank you so much for all this useful information. My sessions are all through skype now. I noticed my clients with social phobia and OCD issues are feeling more “normal” now, as they say. On the other hand, clients with generalised anxiety or specific phobias seem to be handling well if their home offers them a sense of safety. Certainly watching the media on Covid-19 sparcely throughout the day and organising a new routine adds on to that.
We need these pointers
Thanks
Thanks for the grounding.
Most helpful: Mindfulness, guided imagery, relaxation exercises, learning to tolerate the discomfort of anxiety and the uncertainty, EMDR
Most challenging: Many clients don’t want to meet on-line or don’t have time around young children (even in the evening because the children aren’t in normal schedules).
So helpful
Thanks for the great advice/strategies. I’m so glad you weighed in!
Dear Ruth, once a friend of mine wrote tome when I was having a problem, the following; try to focus in what is more important right here and right now. This is what I am repeating to my patients, at the same time I am translating exercises into Spanish for all my clients.
I believe that as the uncertainty is indeed very strong, so as long as we stay in this very moment we can at least do what we have to do whatever it might be; in this moment
Thank you for this. It helps to validate what many of us are trying to convey to family and friends ?
Thanks to each of you.
I think that uncertainty and our ability to be with it may actually be the most acute issue. The therapist needs to deal with the uncertainty, and if they are able to mitrror a behaviour of calm and understanding it may be easier to convay the idea that we can not controll everything. Therefore I actually teach a movement that brings the hand up to the face like a mirror, and asking: is there something I can do about it? looking at the things we can controll and so, and dismissing with the hand the things that are out of our controll. Practicing this increases the window of tolerance.
Once again, I am grateful for this reminder of good advice from trusted advisors. My international students are carrying several added “issues” during this pandemic, and NICABM is my centering “anchor.”
Thank you
Regards
Cecilia Bendall
This was excellent. Thank you all for this! Very helpful.
XXOO
Hi beautiful community,
I’m encouraging youth to find a tree close by, if they are fortunate enough to have one in their yard, stand under it, feel the trees energy and describe what they Notice in Just this Moment.
Also, helping create routine, rhythm, Predictability for them, via text and video calls.
It was explained to meet that Dosing 5-10 minutes of regulating activity, ie tree, sun on the face out a window is powerful/even better than long periods of time.
Encouraging people to Reduce watching the news/ be aware they likely need to regulate after watching/and when in the day.
Looking forward to reading contributions.
It’s tough for many here in Canada, clinicians and families.
Light to all.
Thank you for this video. three different perspectives. The conversations helped me to have specific questions I can ask clients and, as Ron pointed out, we can use the time more productively for the client. Thanks for reaching out to the psychotherapy community.
Thank you, . . . so you have any specifics for children who are worried about losinng their parents’, specifically if their parent is in health care?
My clients aren’t so worried or anxious about being having to just be home per se. Rather its more being home with their older parents and afraid they will infect them. They think, “They say no one knows if we are carrying the virus and my parents are older.” These clients are afraid of being in the same room with their families and won’t get near family members.
Others are so afraid they will become homeless, wont be able to buy food for their families, or have their utilities turned off… so more immediate issues. They see their mortgage compaines and banks as evil entities just waiting to swoop down and destroy them if they cant pay. Thus these scary times are bringing temporal fears to my clients as well of infecting those they love.
Great thoughts and suggestions. Thank you for the work you do.
Thank you for the information.
Im spending a good bit of time speaking with my patients via phone,facetime and so forth. Thank you for some useful tips and reminders to share with my patients. Interesting note to Christine, specializing in anxiety, and worried about staying on track with their Mind over mood assignments, I’m here to report our facetime sessions with our workbooks in place are coming along nicely. I believe less interruptions in their world right now, the better. Their continuity with these assignments feels safe and time is now on their side to immerse in this learning.
Excellent tips/ reminders.
Reassuring for those of us who are struggling to
meet the needs of our patients (esp. if dependent on ‘virtual’ care as opposed to our
usual fact to face interactions.
Important to maintain the sense of connection and availability if needed.
Taking action can help, we don’t have nearly enough PPE for our medical people, writing or calling our congresspeople to put into place the Defense Production Act can be very helpful, and some people are now making masks at home. Also if we can make sure everyone in our communities has enough, finding safe ways to do so can be helpful. I’m sure there are other actions that would be helpful as well.
Thank you, well said. I think uncertainty is a big thing if you allow it with the what if this, what if that. I think it is best to let the what if go and just be in the present moment knowing that you have eventually overcome many upsets in your life. So many experts have rightly said, there is nothing in the present moment that can hurt you; it is only when you ruminate over the past or wonder about what ifs in the future that hold you in suffering. Neither the past nor the future is here in the now. If you want to remember some past upsetting event, then remember your triumph over it when you finally let go of the suffering of it; and may have even found something to rejoice about the experience because now you are better off for it. Worry and fear do nothing to resolve anything, but only hold us in more fear. So just take a deep breath to calm yourself, center yourself by raising one arm at a time over your head and down the front center of your body (and then the other one), ground yourself by getting out and connecting with the stillness & calm beauty of nature, exercise to release endorphins (our natural high), and laugh; find something funny to bring you back to this moment. (Repeat any and all as much as needed.) Much love and success to all. Xxo
Very grateful. Useful ideas.. Many thanks!
Helping others is a great way to defocus from anxiety about uncertanity also.
It gives meaning to existence,does not matter what happens with the virus and finances.
Fantastic. This was super helpful for me!
Thank you for a very informative video .It puts things into perspective
and I fully agree with rationing the information regarding the infection .I am a trauma therapist and intend where possible to use skype or facetime
but I will certainly use the information on the video to alleviate fear
Thanks again
FinC
That was fantastic! Thank you!!!!!! I have been feeling extremely anxious so that advice has really helped.
Thanks for this, Ruth, Christine and Ron. Good to hear some calm, sane, common-sense talking from all three of you – as an antidote to the hyped-up media reporting, or the over-sweet ‘goodie-goodie’ comments that we are getting too much of here in the UK, in my experience!
Hi, Thank you, is really important to feel connected with many professional communities, for me as a psychotherapist. I live in Italy, with my clients I’taking this period as an opportunity to introduce many of there at the mindfulness, And they find really helpful to have something practical to refer. I’m also working with emdr to install resources and feelings of security
Francesca from Cagliari
My experience with clients using somatic focus has yielded positive outcome. Talking about strategies to reduce anxiety doesn’t work because they are too anxious and activated. Once we do breathing, or tapping or other somatic focused strategies, they finally relax enough and their logical wise mind is back online. Only then are they open to explore other coping strategies.
This was very helpful to me and thank you each for being there for
other therapists and our respective clients. Stay safe and well too!
A mindful walk outside sounds lovely! Thank you Drs. P & S & NICABM – much appreciation for your work and service in these extremely uncertain conditions!
Good common sense, helpful summary
Will share with psychotherapist colleagues
Thank you
Agree with the above. Take each day one day at a time. You can counter uncertainty with certainty. Control where you go and what you do, follow guidelines and recommendations of official bodies such as the WHO and CDC, and you will be certain you will be safe. The less stress you are the more robust your immune system will be, and it is our immunity that is most important here.
Thank you for addressing this. Much needed in this uncertain time.
The most challenging aspect my clients experience of Covid-19 is loss of access to their established social support network. A number of new clients have found it to transfer from face-to-face therapy to on-line therapy. One described how being in the same room was key to relationship building with me as therapist. Would welcome advice on how to manage this.
The most positive aspect of my work currently is having peer support and on-line/telephone contact with peers in my area.
Some of the things I am sharing with my clients include:
We are all in this together – it is a global experience and I believe
we are all going to learn many valuable lessons from this in the end.
Worry achieves nothing and only increases panic and anxiety.
This virus will end, things will come back in the long run so
surrender to “what is” and accept that we have always lived with
uncertainty and will continue to do so, therefore we have to find as many things that we can control. Using cognitive and behavioral skills to deal with catastrophic thinking and panic, planning events which don’t involve being with lots of people, developing a sensible and healthy routine each day, engaging in helping behaviour where we can, connecting with people in so many ways such as on the internet, joining a positive uplifting group like yoga, exercise, meditation or humour can all help to keep us grounded and hopeful that we can get through this.
Dear Ruth,
thanks a lot for your work and espacially for your last post.
The things which I found helpful in the last two weeks for my patients were:
– good and objective information and clarification including the normal reaction and function of anxiety and the explanation of all the statistical data about COVID-19
– helping them focussing on the positiv moments
– containing
Best regards and stay healthy
Heike Müllers
physician, psychotherapy
I find it helpful to be creative and to go back to techniques like knitting, sewing, cleaning, painting: Reorganize paperwork or create books with family pictures, make things by myself.
To have in mind that the situation we have helps with the climate change,
as we reduce consumption, flights, driving, spoiling all kind of things.
Look in a different ways on our personal belongings and on what we have and what is good despite the COVID -19 pandemic.
Not sure what Ruth means when she says, “It’s going to come back… “
Are you talking about financial stability, because I’m not sure how you can predict that that is indeed true, when so many things are in such a precarious balance right now.
So many variables are unpredictable and will remain that way for sometime. Long range effects will take time to come into focus.
Thank you, this was good advice, especially the acknowledgement this is something we will all go through together. I wasn’t so sure about the ending though – I don’t think there are any guarantees that things will go “back to normal”, and that’s part of what causes anxiety. Many people are facing intense financial uncertainty and hardship.
Thanks so much, really helpful advice particularly for me finding balance between offering information and engaging in the ‘COVID 19 ‘gossip’
Many thanks for these calm wise words they completely echo my thinking. Interestingly my clients don’t seem to be overly focussing on these current events yet but I wonder if this will change as time goes on and so I’m taking the lead and during part of each session suggesting scheduling each day and keeping up regular routine including as much outdoors time as possible. Thinking about the pleasure and mastery reward systems at this time really helps to provide daily structure.
Thank you for this post. There are some excellent snippets here to help us all keep a steadier approach to the uncertainty.
Very usefull advice. Accepting uncertainty is very important ellement for our clients allong with avoiding catastrophology.