Month: May 2021

Mental Health Maintenance in Repeated Lockdowns

Until tightened restrictions took effect over the past weekend, many in Singapore were just regaining their sense of hope and ability to thrive. Since the end of December, we were blessed with near-normal lives that allowed us to dine in at restaurants, gather with family and friends in groups as big as 8, and return to working in offices. With new safety measures in place through at least the next month, concerns about ability to cope are bound to shroud the minds of many. In order to maintain mental health as we enter another lockdown, we can aim to achieve a balance in 3 key dichotomies.

Virtual World and Real World

We cannot deny the internet’s multitude of wonderful functions; it keeps us connected with others, it is a rich sea of information and learning resources; it provides us with vicarious experiences we are otherwise unable to access, and much more. However, excessive or maladaptive device usage can contribute to feelings of isolation, derealization, lower self-esteem, anxiety, and unhealthy misconceptions stemmed from misinformation. Be mindful about how much time you spend on devices, and what need you are trying to fulfill by being on your device. Make time to regularly engage in real world activities like going for a walk outside, preparing an enjoyable meal, or doing some arts and crafts. If you have difficulty feeling connected with real life activities, try to incorporate mindfulness to enhance your level of engagement.

Individual and Social Activities

Loneliness and feeling stifled living in close quarters with others are difficult, yet common experiences in lockdowns. Opportunities to socialize with people of your choice can ward off feelings of loneliness, boredom, and provide a refreshing change of social scenery for those who live with others. While it may not be advisable to meet in person, we can still arrange time to regularly socialize with friends and family virtually. If you get bored of simple video calls, get creative by asking each other to participate in online games, quizzes, simultaneous movie streaming, playlist collaborations, or learn a new skill together through an instructional video. For those who live with others, it is important to draw boundaries to retain your sense of autonomy and individuality. Safeguard your “me time” by letting those you live with know you won’t be available at that time.

Productivity and Rest

People tend to bounce between extremes of productivity and rest during lockdowns. Sometimes, work bleeds into what is meant to be our personal time off, causing disturbance to sleep routines, impairing our ability to engage and enjoy personal activities, and preventing us from feeling sufficiently recharged. All of these can quickly lead to lower work performance and burnout. On the other extreme, some abandon all duties and fall into a state of stagnation. We may feel frozen when overwhelmed by so many limitations around what we do and how we do it. Motivation can also wither away when usual sources of accountability are no longer present. Maintain a healthy work-life balance by setting regular work hours for yourself. Consider having accountability partners for both work and your personal time. This way, you can encourage each other to remain consistent with starting/ending work on time, and have meaningful engagement with time spent either working or resting.

As difficult as this period may be, we must remind and accredit ourselves for persevering through the lockdown last year. Let this fuel a sense of hope that we can withstand another one. Give thanks to yourself for every effort exerted to maintain your physical and mental wellbeing, and have self-compassion on the days when those efforts fall short.

SACAC Counselling wishes for everyone to stay safe through this trying time. If you have difficulty coping, please reach out for professional help.

Written by:
Michelle Chak 
Clinical Psychologist
SACAC Counselling

“It Takes a Village…”

As the adage correctly states, it takes collaboration between various parties to raise healthy, well-adjusted children. This is especially so if a child is going through a challenging time and demonstrating behavioral and emotional distress.  

Research has shown that parental involvement is essential to positive therapy outcomes for most children, regardless of age. Typically, the younger the child the more involved a parent should be. Parental involvement is especially important in the translation of therapeutic skills from the clinic to real-life situations in the child’s life.

In short, it is crucial that parents act as drivers of prescribed therapy at home. Active participation is key. As a parent, how can you actively contribute to your child’s therapeutic journey? Here are some suggestions:

  • Be engaged in your child’s therapy session where possible. Take notes and ask questions when in doubt. It is appreciated when a parent shares concerns about various skills or strategies taught in session and provides honest feedback about their child’s responses to the therapy. This enables the therapist to accurately pinpoint issues and appropriately adapt the therapy sessions to better accommodate the unique needs of the child.
  • Be prepared to do “homework”. One of the most important roles of a parent in therapy is to ensure that their child practices the skills learnt in session and to facilitate generalisation of these skills while in a home environment. This may involve parents taking some time out of their schedules in order to engage the child in some exercises. In addition, the parents should note any questions which may arise and document progress so that it can be readily addressed at the next therapy session.
  • Facilitate necessary communication between your child’s therapist and other stakeholders. Sometimes, it is important to engage other stakeholders in the child’s therapy such as the school and teachers. It is very helpful if parents take the initiative and open up the communication between all stakeholders. This will help everyone better understand the child’s strengths and weaknesses and how to better support in various settings.  
  • Finally, while it is encouraged to be involved, be careful about being over-involved and attempting to dictate the direction of therapy. As a parent, one might experience anxiety or impatience and feel the urge to act on these emotions. Should this occur, it is important to address these concerns with the therapist and work together as a team.  

Remember, while the therapist is the expert of the relevant theoretical knowledge and therapy process, the parent is ultimately the expert of the child! When parents and therapists collaborate, progress and empowerment inevitably results.

Written by:
Jamie Ong
Clinical Psychologist
SACAC Counselling