This last year has brought on a multitude of thoughts and feelings as we all having been trying to learn how to navigate through this time of change and uncertainty. As time has moved on, and we have missed out on various celebrations (i.e. birthdays, weddings, graduations) or events (i.e. travelling, spending holidays with loved ones), we may have noticed certain emotions surfacing in response to these losses. We may not recognize it straightaway, but often these feelings are similar to those experienced during grief. We often tend to associate the stages of grief with the loss of a loved one, however that would be unfair to ourselves and others, as not all losses are about actual death. It’s reasonable and honest to recognize that grief is grief and there may be many reasons that we grieve.

The year 2020 has taught us many things, one of which is that we all face disruptors which can lead to our life being in a state of transition. Some of these transitions can be positive and anticipated, and therefore felt to be within our control such as starting a new job, being in a long-term relationship, starting a family, etc. While other transitions can be experienced more negatively and feel out of our control such as experiencing the loss of a loved one, going through a divorce/break-up, losing a job, going through a global pandemic, etc. Although we mostly understand on a rational level that change is inevitable, the transition period associated with the change can often be too emotionally difficult to experience. However, if we begin to shift our mindset about change and transition, we can experience less emotional turmoil.

As telehealth continues to be seen by public health officials as the preferred method for delivery of services for mental health at this current time, individuals seeking out therapy (sometimes for the first time) may find themselves having to adjust their perceptions of what therapy may look like.

If you are considering engaging in telehealth for therapy, here are a few considerations to keep in mind in order for your experience to be more positive and successful:

Seeking out therapy can be fraught with hesitation and reluctance in the best of times as it can often feel intimidating to face one’s own anxieties, depressive thoughts or past traumatic experiences. As our world has significantly changed in the last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many of our previous struggles may now be magnified and/or or new concerns and struggles may have surfaced which may be negatively impacting our daily functioning as well as our interpersonal relationships and interactions with others.