Feel like you are missing connection? Could you use some relief from the uncertainty and dysregulation? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now offering online counseling for new and current patients. We can help provide some calm during this storm. We are here to help and support you.
To say that we are in unprecedented times, is an understatement. COVID-19 is the largest pandemic most of us have seen. The adjustments we’ve made have been difficult. Continuing to do your part to help prevent the spread of virus while protecting yourself and your family is taxing.
THIS NEW NORMAL AFFECTS OUR MENTAL HEALTH
This public health crisis is causing a dramatic decrease in mental wellness. The unknown is the number one cause of stress, which can lead to the cognitive distortion of catastrophic thinking, which further exacerbates anxiety. The fact that you are more anxious is not untypical right now. The unknown of “How long will this last” is enough to raise anxiety. The stressors of our new normal understandable and expected. Additionally, you may feel exhausted or fatigued, anxiety is a great disruptor of restful sleep, overwhelmed, sad, angry, depressed, scared, and grieving loved ones or the loss of our old way of being. This is all normal. We are ALL adjusting and adapting to the new normal. We are ALL experience some level of mental wellness disruption during times like these.
MENTAL HEALTH CARE CONTINUES WITH ONLINE THERAPY
Many businesses are shut down or disrupted during the COVID-19 crisis to promote physical/social distancing. Mental health care, when it is so desperately needed, can continue. Fortunately, dealing with this situation in 2020 let us use technology to our advantage, and on-line therapy– sometimes called online counseling, telehealth, telemental health or distance counseling – is an effective tool that allows Thrive Center for Wellness to continue to be here for our clients.
HOW DOES ONLINE COUNSELING WORK?
Thrive Center for Wellness’ therapists are licensed in the state of Illinois; therefore, we can only see clients who live in the state. Online therapy are video sessions or in some cases sessions by phone. Online therapy services are offered by laptop or desktop – with camera capabilities or on your phone, and your therapist will walk you through process to get started. Thrive utilizes Doxy.me which is simple, easy to use and secure.
We ask that you try to treat online counseling as if you were going to an office visit. Make sure you have a private space – keep kids and pets safe in another room. Turn off any distractions, like music, TV and notifications on your phone. Headphones are a good option if you have them.
WE KNOW YOU MAY STILL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT STARTING ONLINE THERAPY.
DOES ONLINE COUNSELING WORK?
Yes! Many studies have been conducted to test the effectiveness of online therapy, including direct comparisons of telemental health care to conventional mental health care. Online counseling may not work for everyone (specifically those with severe mental illness), it is a scientifically based, effective option that gives patients and therapists more ways to connect and provide effective healthcare.