Navigating Grief and Loss in the Coronavirus Landscape: Five Things Therapists Can Do
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.
Five things we can do to strengthen our work with our clients
1. Ask clients how they’re attributing meaning to recent events
Understanding the filters and frames clients are using to process current events will be instrumental in assisting them with making healthy adjustments.
Ask clients how they’re getting information about coronavirus and provide them with reliable and accurate resource information.
2. Consider triggers for unresolved impact issues related to grief or loss
Locus of control: assess clients for feelings of helplessness, hopelessness & isolation.
Roles: talk with clients about role confusion and role loss.
Life events: coronavirus precautions are disrupting many valuable activities such as:
Family celebrations (births, weddings, anniversaries, children’s birthday parties, etc)
Education (learning, socialization, field trips, graduations, etc)
Criminal justice (court proceedings, family jail visits, community reentry, etc)
Family events (foster care, family reunification, family court, adoption, funerals, etc)
Employment, Religious, Social and Physical connections
Listen for themes in client narratives related to those themes of coronavirus discussions (i.e. vulnerability, confusion, miscommunication, alienation, fear, anxiety)
3. Check in with clients about protective factors v. risk factors
Adaptive coping skills may be challenged in new ways with limited access to known support systems (i.e. yoga classes, gyms, support groups, religious meetings, daycare respite, etc).
IPV safety plans may no longer be viable given coronavirus community restrictions.
Unhealthy family dynamics may be exacerbated by unemployment, absence of childcare, children being home from school, insufficient supplies, etc.
4. Clarify client values
Unexpected change often creates feelings of vulnerability. Check in with clients about what they believe/feel is most important on any given day – providing a baseline for intervention.
5. Provide anticipatory guidance
Help clients identify new routines and talk about the value of flexibility.
Review telemental health expectations and processes with clients.
Provide psycho-education as appropriate to empower clients.
Review protective factors and practice revisions to adaptive coping skills.
Assist clients with identifying new risk taking behaviors & communicating these to you.
Celebrate successes.
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The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Written By: Melissa Cole, LCSW-C
Melissa is a Board Approved Social Work Supervisor who helps clinicians and clients maximize their personal strengths through thoughtful, reflective, informed and empowered practice. Melissa’s frame of reference comes from a specialization in interpersonal violence; working with survivors, offenders, witnesses and professionals in the helping professions. For over 25 years, Melissa has provided direct services, contributed to professional research, managed clinical programs, delivered field instruction, provided clinical supervision and consulted to promote best practices. Her experience is derived from working in rape crisis, therapeutic foster care, domestic violence, Baltimore City jails, violence prevention/intervention programs, child protective services, schools and hospitals.
Photos: Kristina Tripkovic on Unsplash
Date of Download: 3/26/2020
