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Call or TEXT us at:
541-868-2004
PortlandEugeneCorvallis and Bend Appointments
Most of our sessions continue to be telehealth-only.
Talk to your provider for more information.
Schedule an Online Appointment

Continue Focusing on Social Justice


Educational Resources for All
 
Social justice movements, like Black Lives Matter, have gained a lot of momentum in the past few months. It's on all of us to do our part in continuing to educate ourselves about these issues and unlearn harmful behaviors. Here are some links to helpful articles about how you can continue to contribute to social justice efforts every day:
If you know of someone who has been negatively impacted by recent events, please encourage them to reach out to us at BLM@eugenetherapy.com or BLM@oregoncounseling.com so we can connect about the availability of sessions with our clinicians where cost is not a barrier.

 

Thank you for standing up for mental health, for social justice,
for equitable health and for a brighter, more secure future. 

In this issue:

Reflecting on the Past Six Months
in a Pandemic




The past six months have been unlike anything that most people have ever experienced. As COVID-19 escalated into a global pandemic in March of this year, people around the world have had to adjust to a life of masks, quarantining, social distancing and a lot of uncertainty. It's now been six months since these big changes began and people are still experiencing unexpected challenges with work, school and the arrangements of daily life. 

Although there are still a lot of unknowns with the current pandemic, it can be useful to take some time to reflect on everything that has recently happened in your own life to gain some mental clarity. According to Harvard Business Review, "reflection gives the brain an opportunity to pause amidst the chaos, untangle and sort through observations and experiences, consider multiple interpretations, and create meaning." Reflecting on what you have gone through and learned allows you to make informed decisions about your future mindset and actions.

Here are five tips for practicing self-reflection in 2020:


Check in With Yourself Daily

Do you need more sleep? Are you staying active and getting exercise? Should you take more time away from your screen? Begin making a daily habit of asking yourself these reflective questions, because the answers to them can often directly relate to your wellbeing.


Keep a Journal

Writing is a great way to contemplate past experiences or observations and reflect upon them. By documenting your thoughts, you’ll be able to look back on them to see what was or wasn’t working for you at the time, and how you can make positive changes for yourself moving forward.
 

Here are some reflective journaling prompts you can use:

Practice Gratitude Daily

Instead of reflecting on what you don’t currently have or what you have lost in the midst of the pandemic, try shifting your focus to think about all of the things that you are thankful for. Practicing gratitude has a lot of benefits. Focusing on the good in your life will ultimately allow you to to have a more positive mindset despite the uncertain times. 
 

Here are some ways you can practice gratitude:

Talk It Out With Loved Ones

Recalling your recent experiences or sharing your recent feelings with loved ones is another great act of reflection. Having an open conversation with someone you love and trust can be beneficial because they may have a fresh perspective or their own advice to share about how they have been coping during the pandemic. 
 

Go Easy On Yourself

It’s okay to be feeling all different types of emotions as you are reflecting on the past six months. Sadness, anger and fear are all valid feelings to have when things change drastically and become out of our control. Guilty feelings are completely normal, but have comfort in knowing that they are not permanent. They will eventually pass. 

Practicing reflection is important for providing clarity from the recent events of this year. Reflecting is a form of personal growth, because you can use it as a tool to set your intentions for the future.


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Set Your Child Up for
Successful Remote Learning


Back to school is going to be looking a lot different for students this fall. Many Oregon K-12 classrooms will be online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents have already experienced some of the unique challenges that come with remote learning when schools transitioned online this past March. The adjustment has not been easy for parents, teachers or children. According to a Gallup Panel poll, by the end of the last school year, 3 out of 10 parents reported that their child’s emotional and mental health was suffering, with their social and emotional needs not being met with online learning. 

For parents who know they are going to be sending their kids back to school virtually again this month, here are some tips for helping your child adjust to the remote learning environment. 


Create a Routine

Implementing a routine will give structure and predictability to this sometimes stressful and uncertain time. Plan ahead to ensure that your child has designated times that they are doing school, but also has time away from the screen, for short breaks, well-rounded meals, physical exercise, and socialization with family or friends (in a safe, social distant manner).
 

Set Realistic Expectations

It’s likely that your child might sometimes struggle with staying focused on school through a computer screen. It can be especially unrealistic to expect your child to stay constantly engaged when you have multiple roles to balance, like work and other obligations. Knowing that remote education may not always be a smooth process and that it will operate on a learning curve should bring some relief to both you and your child.
 

Make it a Positive Environment

Focusing solely on the difficulty of this situation for yourself and for your child can make the remote learning environment seem even more daunting. It is important to cultivate an environment that is still positive so that your child can feel encouraged to learn and positively reinforced when progress is made.
 

Maintain Social Bonds

One major difficulty with remote learning is the lack of socialization that is integral to a child's development. Developing social bonds is vital for a child’s wellbeing. Try to still create opportunities for them to see friends, whether that is through a virtual playdate, a social distanced picnic or another creative, safe approach.

Focus on how you can promote your child’s emotional and mental wellbeing when you send them back to school online this fall. Also try to remember the importance of maintaining your own mental health during this time as well. If you need additional support, we're here to help.
 

Here are some more tips for helping children during COVID-19:

 

Maintaining Friendships During COVID-19

 

It’s easy to experience feelings of isolation and loneliness during this time, when social gatherings have been severely limited. You are probably spending a lot of your time with either your immediate family or your partner and less quality time with a larger circle of friends. As much as it is important to preserve your relationships with the people you live with and see every day, maintaining friendships during COVID-19 can be equally as important for your mental health. Friendships are a key component to living a happy life. They provide a support network and can help to relieve stress. While maintaining a social circle is certainly challenging during this time, there are still ways to have valuable friendships, despite a lack of physical distance. 

Here are some tips for maintaining friendships during the pandemic:
 

Quality Over Quantity


It’s first important to note that you don’t need to have hundreds of friends to feel like you have a support system. Having just one or two quality friendships can be a lot more meaningful and beneficial. Devoting time and energy into strengthening your closest friendships will ultimately be the most fulfilling.
 

Think of Friendships as a Form of Networking

 
Be thoughtful about how you go about maintaining friendships. Invest time into them deliberately with the knowledge that they will benefit you and them mutually. It will take multiple attempts of reaching out and persistence, but if it is rewarding for you both then it will be worth it. 
 

Push Past Small Talk for a Deeper Connection

 
If you haven’t connected with a friend in a while, it can be easy for your conversations to only skim the surface of recent life updates and experiences. Open up about the big things happening in your lives so that you can fully be there for one another. This takes vulnerability and it’s not always easy to do, but it will make your friendships stronger. 
 

Connect Over Shared Experiences

 
You may not be in the same place as your friends, but you both have likely had to learn how to cope with this new normal in the past few months. Connecting with friends over similar experiences you might be having can be comforting and also bring you closer.


Know That It's Going to Require Extra Effort


Maintaining friendships in a time where the options for making plans in person are limited isn’t simple. Even really close friendships are not always easy to maintain when there are less opportunities to be together. Friendships are going to take a little bit more effort to preserve and it’s okay to acknowledge that.

In the midst of uncertain and isolating times, mental health is especially important. Focusing on maintaining close friendships will help to have someone to talk to, provide support and ultimately make us feel less alone. 
 

Here are more tips about making and maintaining friendships:

How to Make Great Friends Out of the Acquaintances You Already Have

6 Ways to Make Friends

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