For most patients, the COVID-19 crisis has created a “new normal.” They may be stuck at home, unable to work, or feeling isolated from dear friends and family.
This all can leave people feeling helpless.
So what can we do to help patients regain a sense of agency during the pandemic? Bessel van der Kolk, MD has several ideas.
Take a moment now to hear them in the video below.
Just one note before you watch: there’s a section that Bessel specifically asked us to leave in, even though we’d normally remove it. However, this time he wanted you to be able to hear it for yourself.
According to Bessel, there are insights we can draw from trauma therapy that could help patients when they’re feeling helpless or reeling from the unpredictability of life during a pandemic.
Now think of the patients you’ll be seeing this week. Is there a strategy from the video that one of them might find particularly helpful?
We understand that not everyone will agree with Bessel’s politics, and we appreciate that we have a community of practitioners from both sides of the aisle. But for the comments we’d like to focus on what we all have in common: our work with patients.
Please let us know a strategy that one of your patients may find helpful in the comments below.
Appreciating the call to Agency and capacity to do “something”, anything that challenges the status quo of immobility in our current context, I will be noticing where clients are being creative in their structuring the process of their days just a bit more from vessels message.
This is so important, to help educate our clients on how they can “experience the feeling of strength in their bodies.” Developing mobility vs immobility, and making that the familiar state of comfort, for healing to begin.
Great, thank you, sound advice.
Fantastic !!! Simple, clear, doable. Needs no Ph.D to understand and use. Sharing with my Ph.D, LCSW friends and normal family and friends. We can all use this wisdom. Thank you for helping us cope with this difficult abnormal time in history.
What Bessel is saying, and suggesting, is exactly what has supported and allowed me to recover (combined with much long term counceling and extremely valuable art therapy) from a lifetime of living with the consequences of childhood neglect and abuse (combined with my mother’s Munchausen Syndrome) which expressed itself in a dysfunctional core personality based in/on Complex PTSD. I am now eighty three and live a creative, interesting and healthy life. No one says it ‘exactly’ how it is like Bessell!!!!! Recovery is never too late. but, one has to work hard for it. Thank you to all who did their best to help me, when we crossed paths. P/Sx
I love listening to Dr. Van der Kolk! He gives it straight, yes, and as he does so, his point becomes quite clear in regard to the effects of trauma. I take no offense at his comments about what is helping to fuel unpredictability in the midst of COVID 19.I like his ideas for personally creating predictability while being isolated for an unknown period of time. I will be sharing this video.
Very biased and unprofessional. Regardless of politics, adds to feeling of fear and helplessness. Shame Bessell put his (smirking) self-gratification over professionalism and just as sad that it was not deleted.
As you said, “regardless of politics”… This period of unrest in the midst of a new/unknown pathogen which has led to this pandemic, does indeed create feelings of helplessness due to its unpredictability. Dr. Van der Kolk is straightforward, with no pretentiousness regarding what may be “professional,” in the eyes of some people. He clearly demonstrates the down-to-earth communication style that many people can identify with, thus earning the trust of patients. Assisting clients in a manner which places their needs ahead of all the letters after his name is a gift, and providers who can do that are demonstrating true “professionalism.” I admire that.
i think maybe the setting of a timed structure like getting up and having breakfast then maybe doing 30 mins of exercise i am going to try this this week by setting up a daily activities chart for them
I applaud your saying the C word in regards to the leadership in the federal government. As a mental health practitioner with 48 years of experience, I believe it is past time for us as a profession to stop standing by and thinking that matters will improve without an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment intervention. The question is how to make it happen. We will be a sicker society staying in denial.
Thank you for your ideas on how to bring sanity back for ourselves, our clients, and loved ones.
No one is empowered by pretending that madness is sanity. Let’s just call it what it is. Many people are being actively traumatized by the endless gaslighting, abuse and insanity coming directly from the president.
true
J.M. Emetchi – trauma worker.
In my mind it is false to separate Trumpian politics from this COVID-19. Brown and black people, poor people financially, Immigrants, Elderly folk and others disproportionately are impacted and the impact is far worsened by the appallingly slow, ridiculously conditional and stingy response from Government. Trump’s decisions hold some responsibility for Americans sickening and dying. Politics and health care are entwined and we helpers in whatever form we give ourselves need to realize this and quit denying that there is a vicious Class war happening here. To not comprehend this is to be naive and apply a “one size fits all” approach to the huge diversity of situations that happen every day and every night.
Bravo Bessel I stand alongside you.