I'm exhausted... you, too?

Oh, my. The weight of what’s going on around us is incalculable. More than once, I’ve caught myself mid-task, staring off into the distance.

Not thinking about anything in particular, but just thinking.

Yesterday, my preschooler was trying to get my attention, and I literally didn’t hear him for seconds on end, then my brain clicked back on and responded to him, with an apologetic smile.

As mental health professionals, we’re right in the mix of what’s going on. We know, deep in our hearts, that the aftershocks from what’s unfolding will be far-reaching, likely including an increase in mental health disorders and suicides. We’re right in the middle of it, but somehow also on the edges of it.

You know what I mean. You’re just as worried as I am about that one client… will she take heed and reach out to loved ones for support? Will they relapse? Will he lose his home? And you’re also worried about yourself, too: Will my clients come back after this? Will my mom be ok? What will the world look like after this?

And, surely, I can’t be the only one who has considered hanging up a pretty scarf to serve as a backdrop for these new online therapy sessions. And I’m also not the only one who has worn ‘comfy pants’ and a nice sweater with a pretty necklace on, or slapped on some bright lipstick to make myself look more presentable than I feel.

I’m exhausted. You’re exhausted. But here’s the thing:

We’ve gotta work hard to keep taking care of ourselves, so that we can take care of THEM. We need to put on that proverbial oxygen mask, in spite of the fact that our kids are at home, in spite of our fears about our parents and immunocompromised relatives, in spite of the never-ending bad news, in spite of the shortage of eggs and toilet paper, and in spite of the fact that we’re all going stir-crazy. THEY need us to take care of ourselves so that we can keep showing up for them. They need us to know when we need to take a break to recoup. They need us to set boundaries so that we can recoup.

I’ve been talking to as many friends and colleagues as I can… trying to connect, trying to come up with ideas, trying to nurture myself, trying to keep my head above water. My dear colleague, Dr. Judy Ho, a triple-board certified neuropsychologist, let me record that conversation and turn it into a free CE course, which will be out later this week. She had some great, research-based ideas about how we take care of ourselves, how we support clients in taking care of themselves, and how we still make online therapy intimate and grounding, for client and therapist alike. (Thank you, Judy!). We’re calling it: Supporting Connection and Emotional Health During COVID-19 Directives, and it’ll include one free CE credit hour with the APA, NBCC, ASWB, NAADAC, CCAPP, and CAMFT. (Sign up for our newsletter here to be alerted when the free course comes out: https://courses.clearlyclinical.com/.

I GET you, my friends. Oh, do I get you. I’m there, boots on the ground, beside you. Be well, and, please, take care of yourself. I promise to do the same.