{"id":109613,"date":"2020-03-30T16:28:43","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T21:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/?p=109613"},"modified":"2020-03-30T19:32:36","modified_gmt":"2020-03-31T00:32:36","slug":"coping-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/for-our-wellness\/coping-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Coping Mentally in Times of Uncertainty"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Dr. Michelle Cutler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The<\/span>re\u2019s no doubt that COVID-19 has caused us great uncertainty.\u00a0<\/span>The situation seems to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>change<\/span>\u00a0da<\/span>il<\/span>y\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>many are experiencing increased feelings o<\/span>f a<\/span>nxiety, fear, and depression.\u00a0<\/span>Clinical Psychology<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>A<\/span>ssociate\u00a0<\/span>P<\/span>rofessor\u00a0<\/span>Dr.\u00a0<\/span>Michelle\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Cutler<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>offers some advice on how to\u00a0<\/span>cope during this time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I<\/span>t is important to stay\u00a0<\/span>informed,<\/span>\u00a0but<\/span>\u00a0the amount of information<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>available<\/span>\u00a0right now<\/span>\u00a0can\u00a0<\/span>feel<\/span>\u00a0overwhelming and\u00a0<\/span>increase<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>feelings of anxiety.\u00a0<\/span>Dr. Cutler\u00a0<\/span>cautions<\/span>\u00a0to be strategic about your intake<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBe aware that in times of uncertainty, people go to extremes, which is not always accurate or helpful,\u201d <\/span>she<\/span> explains.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Decide who you are going to \u2018trust\u2019, <\/span>and stick with that.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>She\u00a0<\/span>recommends<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>WHO<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

C<\/span>hildren<\/span>\u00a0are also experiencing increased levels of anxiety<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Dr. Cutler explains that\u00a0<\/span>d<\/span>uring this time\u00a0<\/span>they are going to look to\u00a0<\/span>caregivers first about how they should be responding<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0S<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>recommend<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0taking<\/span>\u00a0the time to\u00a0<\/span>discuss the situation with<\/span>\u00a0children\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0clear<\/span>\u00a0up any<\/span>\u00a0misinformation.<\/span>\u00a0\u201cFor kids, you can start from the beginning. Talk with them about planning ahead and helping them be involved in the decisions about things that would be helpful to them,\u201d she\u00a0<\/span>says<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Fostering a sense of unity and teamwork can<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>help<\/span>\u00a0lessen\u00a0<\/span>their feelings of anxiety<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

E<\/span>ngaging in family activities and projects\u00a0<\/span>is a way\u00a0<\/span>to help keep everyone\u2019s mind\u00a0<\/span>off<\/span>\u00a0the situation<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>“F<\/span>ind things the family likes to do together that gives them comfort at any time. If it\u2019s prayer, if it\u2019s singing songs, if it\u2019s dancing.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>With spring approaching<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>she\u00a0<\/span>suggests\u00a0<\/span>doing<\/span>\u00a0activities together outside<\/span>, like\u00a0<\/span>together\u00a0<\/span>i<\/span>n a garden<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

If the outdoors\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0not an option, there are other ways to connect.<\/span>\u00a0Dr. Cutler recommends\u00a0<\/span>establishing a consistent time for family activities such as\u00a0<\/span>baking\/cooking<\/span>, art projects,\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>playing\u00a0<\/span>board games,<\/span>\u00a0so that your kids know they will have this time no matter what.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Find wa<\/span>ys <\/span>to connect with other people,\u201d she emphasizes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>It can be helpful for kids to actively do something to help others, to connect them with the larger community going through these challenges: writing letters to people in nursing homes, thank you notes to health care workers and the people who are working so that you can stay home: consider grocery store workers, people who keep the electricity on, waste management teams.\u00a0<\/span>Remember<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0love,\u202fkindness,\u202fand compassion are also contagious<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Technology has also made it possible to<\/span>\u00a0connect in ways we hadn\u2019t before<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u201cThere are chances to connect in so many areas – virtual knitting sessions, art classes, yoga classes, college courses… spend some time searching to see what is available,\u201d Dr. Cutler says. \u201cVideo may feel<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>uncomfortable at first, but it really does help the connection to<\/span>\u00a0be able to \u2018see\u2019 other people<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Eye contact leads to neurobiological changes, and is essential for nervous system regulation.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, <\/span>Dr. Cutler recommends<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>thinking of this time as a break from the othe<\/span>r stressors of life,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

and\u00a0<\/span>taking<\/span>\u00a0advantage of it<\/span>\u00a0by doing things like<\/span>\u00a0tackling projects you\u2019ve been me<\/span>aning to work on\u00a0<\/span>or activities\/hobbies<\/span>\u00a0that you\u00a0<\/span>enjoy<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Be<\/span>\"Mother proactive <\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0the\u202f<\/span>self-care<\/span>,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0she stresses.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cNow <\/span>more than ever, a regular sleep\u202f<\/span>routine<\/span>, and exercise are<\/span>\u202fimportant. Think about other things you need to feel healthy.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Cutler\u00a0<\/span>reminds us\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>it\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0normal and un<\/span>derstandable to feel anxious<\/span>\u00a0or<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>depressed and that t<\/span>here are things we can do to mitigate\u00a0<\/span>such adverse effects<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>She closes with a helpful\u00a0<\/span>reminder<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Remember that you are not alone in dealing with this! There are so many other people in the same situation that understand how you feel; we are truly in it together.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

_____________________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

Learn more about The Chicago School<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you would like to learn more about the academic programs available at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, please fill out the form below to request more information, or you can apply today through our\u00a0application portal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s no doubt that COVID-19 has caused us great uncertainty.\u00a0The situation seems to\u00a0change\u00a0daily\u00a0and\u00a0many are experiencing increased feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression.\u00a0Clinical Psychology\u00a0Associate\u00a0Professor\u00a0Dr.\u00a0Michelle\u00a0Cutler\u00a0offers some advice on how to\u00a0cope during this time.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":109625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[704],"tags":[1144,1143],"coauthors":[1128],"class_list":["post-109613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-our-wellness","tag-coping-strategies","tag-covid-19"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCoping Mentally in Times of Uncertainty - Insight Digital Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There\u2019s no doubt that COVID-19 has caused us great uncertainty.\u00a0Dr.\u00a0Michelle\u00a0Cutler\u00a0offers some advice on how to\u00a0cope during this time of increased anxiety.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/for-our-wellness\/coping-during-covid-19\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Coping Mentally in Times of Uncertainty - 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