COUNSELING for frontliners in Baguio City amid the Covid-19 pandemic is being pressed.
Dr. Faridah Kristi Wetherick, project coordinator of Saint Louis University (SLU) Sunflower Child and Youth Wellness Center, said they are hoping to provide free mental health and psychosocial support through telepsychology and counseling services for Covid-19 health care and frontline workers.
Wetherick said "Project Mirasol" was launched for mental health care when the Covid-19 crisis situation befell. The project targets mitigation of the potential psychological impact of the crisis situation to the frontline workers, and subsequently safeguarding their mental health and wellbeing so they can continue providing the highest quality services possible.
"Like the mirasol or sunflower, the frontline workers signify hope and brightness as they bloom in crisis by showing their resilience, compassion, endurance, and perseverance during a very challenging time," said Wetherick.
The project's team members are consist of volunteer licensed Psychologists and Guidance Counselors from Saint Louis University (SLU) and government agencies, mainly from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Cordillera Administrative Region and the Department of Education Schools Division of Benguet (DepEd Benguet), Wetherick said.
Since Project Mirasol was launched, there have been 44 individuals who sought psychological assistance, majority of whom were females (70 percent), single (61 percent), and whose age ranges from 13 to 55 years old.
Wetherick said out of the 44 clients, 36 percent requested for follow-up sessions and thus, 36 follow-up sessions have been conducted as of March 30.
More than half of the clients (57 percent) preferred Facebook (FB) Messenger as mode of contact, while others were attended through a mixed modality (18 percent) (e.g., email and phone call, FB Messenger and phone call), phone call (11 percent), or via video conference (14 percent).
Half of the clients reported anxiety and depressive symptoms including, but not limited to feelings of sadness, confusion, and isolation, spacing out ("natutulala"), anxieties about being infected with the corona virus, excessive worries about the future, adjustment problems, and having thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Wetherick said 29 percent of the clientele presented preexisting psychiatric diagnosis with or without medication, history of child abuse, and history of or current family problems.
Fourteen percent are facing challenges in their social relationships with the threat of separation due to the extended ECQ compounded on how to deal with a partner or friend showing tendencies for self-harm.
Project Mirasol also reported that 12 percent expressed family-related concerns, mainly related to managing children's behaviors during the ECQ and grief over a family member's death (Covid and non-Covid-related) while 19 percent inquired on face-to-face services upon the lifting of the ECQ.
Wetherick said with the concept of the new normal, there are anticipated adjustments, such as schools going online, work-from-home schemes, limited social gatherings, and partial local and international travels.
"As individuals, families and communities adapt to the 'new normal', the process may exacerbate feelings of uncertainty, social isolation, and panic or anxious behaviors, most especially for vulnerable groups like frontline workers, children and teens, elderly citizens, persons with disabilities, and those with preexisting mental health concerns," the project coordinator said.
The Project Mirasol team has committed to pursue prioritization of health care and frontline workers in terms of access to free telepsychology or counseling services, continue providing free telepsychology or counseling services mainly for those referrals from CAR and nearby regions, continue the multidisciplinary approach by collaborating with allied professionals (e.g., social workers, psychiatrists, nurses, teachers) in order to provide holistic services to clients. Strengthen partnerships in the LGU and barangay levels to increase information-dissemination of available psychological services via telecommunication technologies, assist government and other requesting organizations in establishing their own psychosocial support programs and activities and promote the mental health (MH) series and child protection (CP) posts through online infographics to increase awareness on managing mental health issues and child protection concerns during the Covid-19 crisis situation.
Help lines are open with (074) 446 5664 or 09155415501 or email at slusunflower@slu.edu.ph. and through their Facebook page SU - Sunflower Children's Center.