COVID-19 Mental Health Consultation Service for adults struggling with psychological and emotional distress.

In order to offer our expertise in helping individuals cope with psychological distress and emotional difficulties related to COVID-19, the staff of the Anxiety and Depression Clinic (Director: William C. Sanderson, PhD - a NY State Licensed Psychologist) is offering a consultation series consisting of two 60-minute online sessions with an ADC staff member.

The focus of the first session will be on identifying what factors appear to be causing the most problem(s) for you right now and providing guidance on how to best manage the accompanying difficult feelings and thoughts using evidence-based strategies from the field of clinical psychology.

The focus of the second session which will be held approximately one week later will be on discussing how you were able to apply the tools from the first session and providing additional strategies if necessary.

To make this affordable to all who need it, each session will cost only $10.

If you are interested (you must be at least 18 years of age) please complete the enrollment form at the following link: COVID-19 Mental Health Consultation Service

The Child and Parent Psychological Services (CAPPS) Clinic at Hofstra University is pleased to offer support groups for children and adolescents struggling with having a parent working as a COVID-19 frontline worker in New York.

The groups will offer children and teens a safe space to process emotions associated with having a parent working on the frontlines during the pandemic, while simultaneously providing accessible and practical coping skills. Group leaders will draw upon CBT and DBT principles, and will review skills such as coping with uncertainty, identifying and accepting emotions, identifying and restructuring unhelpful thoughts, developing daily routines (that incorporate supporting other family members if this is expected of teens), maintaining social support, and integrating general self-care and mindfulness into routines.

The CAPPS Clinic is hoping to host one group for children under the age of 12 and another group for teens ages 13-18. Groups will be led by clinical psychology students who are supervised by licensed psychologist Dr. Phyllis Ohr. The group will plan to meet for 5 sessions, and will take place Mondays at 5:15pm for 1 hour. Please note that this schedule is flexible, given the needs of participants. All group sessions will meet via the secure HIPPA-compliant web-based platform Zoom. As a low-fee clinic, we will offer this group at a rate of $5 per session, though given the financial hardship many families are facing we are willing to work with families to create reduced fees.

Please contact Lauren Webb at webblem13@gmail.com or 516-229-1966 to enroll your child or make a referral.

Psychological First Aid for Hospital Frontline Staff and Emergency Medical Services Workers

Frontline medical staff and EMS workers find themselves working beyond anything they have ever anticipated or experienced. The intensity of their work is so demanding and at times heartbreaking. Additionally this work is potentially life threatening to themselves and the health of their own families. These dedicated workers may need psychological support beyond the deserved public acknowledgement of their heroic efforts. We are forming online support groups which will be oriented to short term solutions. Some of the most problematic areas of daily functioning will be addressed: how to relax, how to find good social support, how to identify and solve problems and how to challenge negative thinking and emotions. We provide skills derived from evidence based techniques to improve an individual’s ability to focus while under stress. The groups are being supervised by Drs. Mitchell L. Schare, the clinic director & Dr. Erin Reilly both of whom are NYS licensed psychologists. The groups will last as long as they are needed during this covid crisis and additional times may be offered. There is no charge for participation Interested participants will be asked for basic contact information and to fill out some screening instruments. Please contact Brittany Bonasera via e-mail at bbonasera1@pride.hofstra.edu

Monday - 10:30am-12:00 - Hospital Frontline Staff

Wednesday - 6:30-8:00pm - Hospital Frontline Staff

Thursday - 1:00-2:30pm - EMS/EMT

Friday - 4:00-5:30pm - Hospital Frontline Staff

Saturday - 10:30am-12:00 - EMS/EMT