Marylanders woke up to the devastating news about the Key Bridge collapsing into the Patapsco River in Baltimore, MD this morning. This tragic event will have ripples of impact for some time to come.  If you live or work in the Greater Baltimore area, and you’ve been impacted directly or indirectly by today’s news, here are some strategies that you can use to cope and tend to your mental health. 

Marylanders woke up to the devastating news about the Key Bridge collapse this morning.  No doubt, this news has hit home for the people who live and work in the Greater Baltimore area.  Many are empathizing with those who have been directly impacted while also reflecting on just how many times they too have used this bridge. 

When tragedy strikes, we may find that we need supports and resources that we’ve never needed before. If that is you or someone you know, we’re including several local resources that you can use immediately for yourself or others who are grappling with the impact of this event. 

Our dedication to others makes us well-suited for positions within helping professions; whether you’re a fellow therapist, a medical provider, a first responder, a humanitarian aid worker, the ability to meet humans with unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding is key. Compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and burnout can affect the best of caregivers.

Counseling for anxiety, depression and grief sharply increased since the pandemic, and it has been more common for us to acknowledge that we may be in pain, in sorrow, and in grief. Since the outburst of COVID-19, the pandemic has not only created stress, anxiety and uncertainty about the future, but it has also made us feel some type of loss. The healing process takes time and effort for us to heal globally and individually.

Even when we feel lost, overwhelmed or stuck, we continue to experience new things as each day passes. With time there are new experiences, new ways to understand ourselves, new ways to take care of ourselves and new ways to relate to the world around us. There are healthy ways to come to terms with loss, find new meaning and gradually move forward with your life. Here are some key things to keep in mind as you cope with your pain.

Coronavirus presents new losses for us because it represents changes in our lives even if we don’t contract the virus. On a universal scale, there are collective losses in communities due to the closures and restrictions of things like schools, businesses, transportation, childcare, or recreational facilities. On individual levels we’re encountering changes in family life, interpersonal relationships and personal activities in new ways. Things, people, places, and opportunities that were there before coronavirus are now absent or different.

Here are 5 things you can do to feel empowered while you manage unexpected losses associated with coronavirus.

I took a walk today to get some perspective in the fresh air about the developments taking place around the world in reaction to the coronavirus. Along my travels it was clear how I was not alone in my efforts. At every turn people were processing their observations, questions, emotions, hypotheses, advice, and general thoughts with anyone who would listen. One universal thread among all the conversations was loss as a result of unexpected change and feelings of anxiety about uncertain outcomes. 

As mental health providers, this COVID-19 outbreak is an opportunity for us to talk with our clients about grief and loss from a unique perspective. Here are 5 things we can do to strengthen our work with our clients…

Although “tis the season to be jolly,” the arrival of the holiday season can be poignantly sad and difficult for those who have experienced grief or loss. Holidays are a time rich in memories and rituals, and the contrast of the present to the past can be overwhelming. For many, things just aren’t the same anymore, hearts aren’t into planning all that needs to be done, and there is an overall feeling of wanting to fast-forward through this time period.