The pandemic has left a bad taste in just about everyone’s mouths. It’s hard to ignore the negative effects that COVID has left. Not only have millions died, but many have lost their jobs and don’t know where their next meal will come from. In a time like this, it’s understandable for your mental health to take a nosedive. Hundreds of people are suffering from extreme loneliness, uncertainty, and grief. This has led to a rise in the number of diagnosable mental illnesses in the general population. If left untreated, these issues could lead to complexes that are extremely difficult to resolve.
Counselors and therapists have played a unique role at this time. Not only have they educated millions, but they have also conducted therapy sessions online to help their clients cope. With that said, let’s look at a few ways how counselors helped get people through the pandemic.
- The Rise Of Teletherapy And Distant Counseling
As many of us have found ourselves locked at home as a means to maintain social distance, therapists found a unique way to stay in touch with their clients. Online therapy is now the norm. Several therapists are conducting online sessions with clients who desperately need a professional to see their cases. The pandemic has shifted a number of things online. Counseling isn’t just the only thing that has moved online. Professionals are even pursuing their higher education degrees online as well. Don’t be surprised if the counselor you’re talking to graduated with an online masters in counseling. Online therapy has specially helped clients with Major Depressive Disorder. Therapists report that several of their clients were on the verge of taking their own life before teletherapy came along.
- Dealing With Grief
As we know, millions of people have died around the world at the hands of the pandemic. For the loved ones they left behind, coping with loss isn’t always straightforward.
Grief is one of the most complicated emotions, one which is extremely personal and non-linear. Counseling a person who has recently lost someone is a tricky road to traverse. Not only do you have to be sensitive to their needs, but you also have to tend to some pretty nihilistic ideas that may spring up. Counselors have helped people deal with bereavement and overcome their emotions during the pandemic. Without professional help, many people would still be going through complicated grief in some form or another.
- Coping With Stress
The pandemic has left us more stressed out than usual. A lot of us have lost our jobs and don’t know where the next paycheck is coming from. People don’t know how they are going to pay the house bills and put food on the table. This can lead to some pretty serious stress if a professional doesn’t tend to the situation soon. Stress is known to cause many physical symptoms and can harm your life in general, hence the reason why so many therapists encourage de-stressing exercises that reduce physical sensations. Other than that, deep breathing exercises can also go a long way in reducing or helping people cope with stressful situations.
- Making The Most Of The Lockdown
While some counselors tended to mood-related cases, others have been trying to bring out the best versions of their clients. Counselors have been contributing greatly to assertiveness and leadership training. Many clients are seeking counseling advice to become the best versions of themselves and return to post-pandemic lives as changed people. After therapists instill better assertiveness, leadership, and socially desirable traits, hundreds of clients report feeling a positive change in their lives and looking forward to post-pandemic life.
- Cathartic Relief
Some people didn’t even need therapy per se; a lot of them just needed someone to talk to. With cabin fever and extreme loneliness, sometimes people needed to talk to others.
Counseling has a unique ability to bring cathartic relief to the client. Not only did these clients find someone to talk to, but also the chance to unload emotions that they once had bottled up. Voicing your thoughts to another person can put you in a better mood and clear the fog in your mind. People finally got the chance to voice their thoughts to professionals and deal with some of the emotions which they were facing.
Conclusion
Counselors have played a remarkable part in getting the word through this pandemic. All these factors have indeed helped clients brave through the pandemic and come out as the best versions of themselves. Counselors around the world certainly deserve a round of applause. We often forget that the pandemic might have had an effect on their lives as well. Yet, they still put on a smile and tend to the client’s emotional needs. Being a counselor is a truly altruistic career choice, one which played a profound role during the pandemic.
