Need help? SLO County nonprofit offers low-cost therapy during coronavirus
During a time of high stress for many, mental health challenges are cropping up in a variety of forms, according to San Luis Obispo County’s Community Counseling Center.
The nonprofit organization offers low-cost services on a sliding scale to community members who often can’t get the mental health help they need due to the expense and availability of services.
The Community Counseling Center serves those who are economically disadvantaged, uninsured and underinsured.
James Statler, the center’s executive director, said clients may be impacted by a number of recent developments that might be affecting mental health, including:
▪ Social isolation associated with the coronavirus pandemic and fears that individuals or loved ones might contract COVID-19;
▪ Race relations and civil unrest amid the deaths of George Floyd and other people of color at the hands of police, underscoring a history of trauma pertaining to the health and safety of African Americans;
▪ Widespread financial stresses with thousands of locals out of work and many businesses struggling; and
▪ A deadly shooting rampage in Paso Robles that involved a suspect with a history of mental illness.
“There are people who are walking wounded and our role is to try to fill in where other services can’t,” Statler said. “That’s where we’re trying to fill in by providing teletherapy and coping skills in this environment.”
“Clients are experiencing increased levels of stress due to symptoms of fear, anxiety, depression, negative cognitions, emotions of anger, sadness, grief, loneliness, worry and social isolation,” psychologist Betty Purify said.
To practice social distancing and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 , the center’s services include secure video conferencing to enable sessions between licensed mental health professionals and clients. It’s a new way of doing business the center had to set up quickly.
“It is up and running and we are able to provide uninterrupted therapy services to our clients via Telehealth,” said Debby Lyon, a Community Counseling Center board member and clinical committee member who spearheaded the teleconferencing setup. “It has been a pleasure for me to be able to do something positive for the community during the pandemic.”
But Purify said the teletherapy sessions have been productive.
“Overall, clients are grateful for the opportunity to connect,” she said. “At the end of the day, I am filled with a sense of gratitude knowing that I have had the opportunity to continue to serve my clients by using teletherapy.
The services are offered to individuals, couples and families of all ages and sociocultural backgrounds who experience mild to moderate mental health conditions.
“We’ve obviously had to take a dramatic shift into telemedicine and teletherapy with COVID-19,” Statler said. “The mental health issues of today are also being driven by COVID-19 and the George Floyd situation. We’ve had a string of volunteers that have stepped up to make our telehealth and electronic system (health information privacy compliant) come to be in short order.”
SLO County counseling center serves people in need
Statler said that mental health concerns are “hitting the socio-economically disadvantaged the hardest, as they search for an affordable psychotherapy and mental health counseling alternative to support them through this time.”
The Community Counseling Center, which celebrated 50 years in San Luis Obispo County in 2018, offers a sliding scale according to each client’s net household monthly income and ability to pay.
Sessions cost as little as $5, $10 or $15, and no one turned away due to an inability to pay, Statler said. The average net household monthly income for the majority of the organization’s clientele is below the federal poverty level.
The center also accepts CenCal and Medi-Cal insurance coverage.
While the nonprofit doesn’t offer emergency walk-in services or treat chronic mental health problems, counselors treat a variety of issues including “anxiety, depression, eating disorders, marital and family issues, parenting, gay/lesbian issues, anger, grief, phobias, stress, and transitional issues that can be helped by short-term counseling.”
The Community Counseling Center saw a drop-off in client visits in March when the pandemic first reached SLO County, running at about 50% of its usual clientele, but since then has increased to about 80% of norm, Statler said.
The nonprofit saw 208 individual clients in March, 337 in April, and 351 in May utilizing its teletherapy platform.
The center has offices in Cambria, Grover Beach, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, and a partial reopening of clinics is expected by the end of July.
How to cope with social isolation
Purify had some suggestions for dealing with social isolation, including:
She recommended that people remember that social distancing does not mean social isolation, and use video services such as Zoom and Facetime to schedule virtual dates with friends or to check in with relatives.
Purify said it’s also important to maintain connections with your support groups and faith community.
In addition, the counselor said you should try your best to maintain consistent sleeping and eating habits, as well as a steady exercise routine with fresh air and outdoor activities.
She suggested practicing self-soothing activities, such as writing journal entries, creating art and writing notes to friends.
To avoid interruptions while relaxing, Purify said you should select a small window of time to turn off your phone, close your laptop, and switch off the television. Some research suggests that constant stimulation can be causes for anxiety.
And she recommended setting healthy boundaries regarding how much news you watch.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 5:05 AM.
%20Cropped.jpg)