Featuring Dr. Alyson VanAhn from Associated Clinic of Psychology

Since the COVID era began, we've been witnessing and talking about the traumatic effects of the virus and how to cope as best we can. These things are real and can range from mental distress to physical exhaustion— and can include significant grief and worry.

Lately, we may be reminded of the most challenging times as we see struggles over containing new variants, managing new outbreaks in facilities and communities, conflict around vaccines and the like.

As we’ve shared before in this series, these are ingredients for burnout and feeling overwhelmed. We’ve also noted that growth can occur through traumatic experiences. Just surviving through this pandemic means we have learned a great deal. Today we focus on how that learning actually builds confidence.

We may all need a bit of a confidence boost at this point; we are out of practice feeling in control of our lives and our basic routines.

Reflecting on what we’ve made it through is an important way to restore confidence and feelings of effectiveness.

Here’s a few ideas on how:

• Where have you seen your team shine lately? What have you gotten better at through these very difficult 18+ months? Share it.
• “Normalize” change and uncertainty for yourself and your teams. This can set good expectations and actually bring some consistency to the inconsistent nature of COVID-related changes and upheavals.
• Convey “we can handle this” even if you aren’t feeling fully confident about how. Remind yourself and your teams what you already survived the first time COVID-related stress ever existed, so you’re more skilled now than you think: you face new challenges with more tools and experience now.

For more information about stress relief during COVID-19, go to www.leadingagemncoaching.com.

You can arrange virtual staff support groups through LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation's COVID-19 Staff Coping & Support Line project at no charge. Contact Terri Foley at tfoley@leadingagemn.org or 651-815-8137.