Samaritan offers hope in mist of COVID-19 crisis
When the pandemic hit and Gov. Tom Wolf issued the shelter-in-place directive, our interdenominational nonprofit suddenly found itself in a unique circumstance.
Samaritan Counseling, Guidance, Consulting provides a vital service — mental health counseling — which we knew at once would substantially increase in demand.
However, counseling clients face to face was no longer an option.
“As soon as sheltering-in-place was ordered, clients phoned to cancel their appointments. Then, the phones stopped ringing,” said Beth Healey, a member of the administrative team.
“But our therapists rose to the challenge. They made the preparations necessary to continue to provide critically needed services. Within a week, they were remotely offering HIPAA-compliant counseling via video and phone.
“Led by executive director, the Rev. Dr. Graham Standish, the staff worked collaboratively to develop and implement a communications plan. We reached out to our clients, the media, foundations, and partners.
“Foremost, we needed to let our clients know that we were still here for them. As mental health professionals, we knew the pandemic would have a profound impact on people's emotional well-being, especially those who were already struggling.
“We made folks aware that insurance companies had agreed to cover video and phone therapy. We helped clients make the transition to video as smoothly as possible. We also offered tips for coping through newsletter articles addressing the challenges of parenting, family life, stress management, and self-care,” Healey said.
Samaritan therapists are hired for their high level and diversity of skills, which includes being state- licensed. But that's not all. They must demonstrate a deeply felt passion for helping people to heal, find hope and change.
They must be capable of listening without judgment, and integrating a spiritual/faith component into counseling, if the client desires, within the context of the client's religious beliefs.
Our phones started ringing again. By midsummer, the number of counseling sessions we provided had risen by 34 percent compared with the same time last year.
To date, Samaritan therapists are helping people cope with the isolation, anxiety and depression fueled by this relentless virus. We consider ourselves blessed to have the privilege of doing so. Learn more at samaritancounseling.net.
This advertorial was submitted by Samaritan Counseling, Guidance, Consulting.
