Mental health and a positive attitude are always important, especially during extreme circumstances such as those we are now experiencing due to coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. And with people being told to stay home as much as possible, telemental health services are more important now than ever before.
“Through telemental health therapy, patients utilize their mobile phone or internet access to receive online counseling from any location through a secure video conferencing platform,” said private clinician Monica Farrar, LMHC, CASAC, CRC, who has been offering telemental health services from her Williamsville office since 2018. “It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief and worry during this coronavirus outbreak, which makes telemental health services an important tool in the fight to remain mentally healthy.”
“Taking care of your mental health during this time will help you think clearly and react appropriately to your own needs and the needs of your loved ones. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health.”
To help individuals get through this difficult period, Farrar recommends the following:
• Allow yourself a 15-minute “worry period,” and then go and do something else.
• Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to news stories, including social media.
• Eat healthy, exercise regularly, get adequate rest, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
• Connect with friends and family via the telephone or through virtual means such as FaceTime.
Farrar adds that it is Important to connect with a mental health professional — remotely or in person — if you are experiencing difficulties coping with this stressful situation.
For more information, please contact Farrar at (716) 250-9831 or visit www.monicafarrarlmhc.com.
