The COVID-19 pandemic brought the acronym “PPE” (for “Personal Protective Equipment”) into everyday language, amid shortages of materials used to limit and prevent infection in hospitals, nursing homes and other venues. Now, with the pandemic reaching new highs and a “new normal” emerging, experts are advising us to safeguard our mental health as we protect our physical well-being.
The latest issue of KidsPeace’s Healing Magazine devotes its Spotlight section to examining how COVID-19 is changing how mental health is viewed and addressed in America. The lead article proposes a set of actions to address the chronic stress experienced as we manage through the pandemic in our lives – a toolbox of what authors Matthew Koval, M.D. and Jodi Whitcomb call “MPE” – “mental health protective equipment:”
- Good Sleep and Nutrition
- Practice Coping Skills
- Limit Media Exposure
- Helping Relationships
- Access to Mental Health Care
Other Spotlight articles discuss the impact of COVID-19 on outpatient care and foster families, the growth of tele-health options for treatment, and how a group dedicated to advocacy for those facing mental health challenges is meeting the needs of more and more people for support at this critical time.
The Fall/Winter 2020 edition also features a plea for parents to practice and teach empathy, an examination of the role of peer counseling in high schools, and suggestions for therapists and other professionals on self-care as they work to help others.
Healing Magazine is published twice a year by KidsPeace, and features information for clinical professionals, parents, teachers and anyone who has an interest in seeing young people grow and thrive in today’s world. The full magazine and each of its articles are available for download or sharing at www.healingmagazine.org. In addition, individuals interested in receiving future issues of Healing Magazine in hard copy form can subscribe for free at the website.
