Dear Reader,
We hope that you are keeping well during these uncertain times that we are facing nationally and globally, due to COVID-19. Our thoughts are with you all. We particularly want to specially thank our teachers, NHS staff, social workers and other key workers. Thank you for your dedicated service. To everyone else, we hope your mental health is keeping well. However, we know, understand and acknowledge that for many of you, this is an extremely difficult time. We are here for you! Please do get in touch. Stay safe and take great care. Bennu
The global pandemic of COVID-19 has taken us all by surprise. We must make sure that we are adhering to GOV advice, which you can find here. Please do stay at home and keep a 2 metre distance, when it is essential that you must go out. We realise that self isolation and quarantine can have negative effects on mental health. In todays blog post, it is only right we share our advice on how to keep your mental health as best as it can be, during these current circumstances we are facing collectively.
Going for a brief walk or run
Under the current GOV guidelines to date, those who are healthy enough (and please do evaluate if you see yourself fit enough) can go outside once a day for a brief walk, run or bike ride. Exercise is important for a healthy mind and body, in addition to this, the outdoors can be extremely therapeutic, having positive mental health benefits.
Tip: (Adhering to government guidelines)…You can also bring those who live with you along. This is a great time for family bonding and also to get your child or children moving too.
Reading and Audio Books
With many having extra time on their hands than ever, this is a great time to get back into reading or continue there on. Audible are offering their children books completely free, so you can download some books that you can listen to with your child. You could then evaluate it together spending quality time and exercising your child’s imagination. Reading is also a great way of escapism and can calm the mind from anxiety.
Link to Free Children’s Audio books
Tip: Why not start a bookclub over Zoom, Skype or other video call platforms. If you have friends and other family members with children, you can all listen to the same audio book and gather on Zoom to share your thoughts and favourite moments. This is a great way to still socialise with your loved ones, another essential way, to keeping your mental health in a good place during these challenging times.
Journalling
If you find yourself becoming anxious, depressed or down, journaling is a therapeutic way to get your thoughts out of your head. We recommend keeping a journal anyway, now more than ever. Simply write down anything and everything that comes to mind. When your thoughts are all down, you may find the stress on your mind ease off. If not, go through what you have written down and try to identify exactly what is causing you to feel the way you do. Next, try to write down positive things next to what you have written.
Disclaimer: For anxiety and depression please do turn your immediate attention to the useful links listed below. We have our trusted therapists, who at this time due to the currant circumstances, will be more than happy to have a conversation with you remotely. However, if you or your loved ones situation is urgent, please do not wait to take further action.
Gratitude Journal
Alongside our previous advice on journalling, we also highly recommend keeping a gratitude journal. This is where you simply write down what you are grateful for on a daily basis. When there is much chaos going on around you, acknowledging what you are appreciative for can have a great impact on your well- being and mental health. It trains our minds to focus on the good, and creates a positive atmosphere. We recommend to get your children involved too.
Phone call, Video Call, Text and Social Media
Although we are social distancing as a nation, it does not mean we can not still communicate through the likes of FaceTime, WhatsApp and general phone calls. One of the amazing things we have during these times is the internet. Meaning that social media, blogs and video calls can still connect us to the outside world and stay in communication with our loved ones. Do stay in touch with those around you and call a friend if you are feeling lonely. Although we must keep our distance physically; emotionally, we can still connect and reach out to one another.
Virtual Therapy
Whilst we are not able to meet in person, we can still do so via other platforms. Using this time in either ‘self-isolation’ or ‘locked down’, to work through your emotions and mental state, will be hugely beneficial not only now, but also when restrictions on our daily movement is lifted. We would highly recommend, if need be or wanted, to talk to one of our trusted therapists (who will meet with you online remotely). Our therapist have discounted their rates in the hope to meet the needs of anyone who needs support at this time.
You can get in touch with us here and we will respond to you within 2 working days or less.
This Too Shall Pass
We understand how surreal our current national and global circumstance may feel due to Coronavirus COVID-19. Our hope is to manage this challenging and difficult time… This too shall pass. Let us all make sure we are doing our part to protect our NHS and save lives. These circumstances will not last forever and we will see a light at the end of the tunnel. Please do refer to our previous blog posts listed below, where we have previously shared activities you can do with your children to keep them entertained, self-care and lots more useful content for both adults, teens and children.
As always we are here for you. You can get in touch with us here if you have any queries or questions. We offer Arts, Dance, Drama and Music therapy, and we are currently providing a remote service.
We hope this blog post has been useful, please do let us know in the comments below, and share this post with a friend.
Take great care of yourself
Bennu
Other Useful Blog Posts
Taking Care Of Your Child’s Mental Health
Creative Activities to Keep Your Child Entertained
Useful links on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
NHS Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
UK Government Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) – https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Useful Links For Mental Health
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/
Emergency Mental Health Help
You call UK emergency services by dialling 999
*Not all images are our own, all credit to the original designers
