We asked what coaches and therapists are seeing in their clients and themselves as we all struggle through stay-at-home orders. We’ve noted upticks in anxiety, loss, grief, loneliness, relationship challenges, struggles to set boundaries and routines, having to find new ways to connect and more. At the same time, the story is not all doom and gloom, and some surprising positives may be emerging.
In such a tumultuous time with no precedent roadmap and continually evolving guidance, what’s “normal,” what warrants a referral to mental health professionals, and how can we best support our clients? For this event, ICF NYC is bringing in two expert therapists to share what they are seeing in their patients, how they are addressing anxiety and trauma, relationships, and what coaches may consider to collaborate with therapists in support of their clients.
Summary Details
When: May 27, 2020, 7:00 PM - 8:00PM
Speakers: Elizabeth Cohen, PhD and Kerrie Mohr, LCSW
Format: Virtual
CCEUs:1 CC
Who is this event for: All Coaches
The Event
As coaches, being attuned to the role of psychotherapy and when to refer a client to mental health professionals is critical to meeting our industry’s ethical guidelines and professional standards. This is especially important now, as the world finds itself in an unprecedented time of public health crisis and economic uncertainty, and issues may be surfacing in our work in ways not typical, but which warrant other professional support.
Through dialogue and case study exploration, Dr. Elizabeth Cohen and Kerrie Mohr, LCSW will reflect on common themes currently emerging in their practices as their patients navigate health concerns, safety, new living requirements, and massive uncertainty around reopening and what the future portends. In particular, they will focus on issues concerning relationships, trauma and anxiety, grief, and boundary setting.
Learning objectives:
- To better understand how therapists support their patients’ mental health
- To explore how coaches can collaborate with therapists to support their clients’ growth
- Particularly related to Covid-19,
- To identify common mental health themes presenting during Covid-19
- To understand how mental health practitioners are supporting their clients
- To have a clearer understanding of what may be “normal” in a time when everything is different, and everyone is learning new routines, versus what red flags to look for to refer
What types of issues or surprising positives are presenting that we will hear more about?
Different people are responding differently in the time of COVD-19, reflecting each individual’s specific circumstances -- work situation, living environment, family responsibilities, financial strength, and other factors. These conditions shape our day-to-day lives, but are now presenting as new demands and affecting us in new ways that we are all adjusting to as shelter-in-place and New York on Pause directives alter what was our previous normal.
Challenges:
- Some people are struggling greatly, some are cycling through different emotional peaks and valleys by the week, day or hour, and some may find themselves thriving in some unexpected ways.
- Some people report feeling numb, some people are having difficulty settling and finding routines, while other people are feeling trapped.
- Insomnia or bad dreams may be presenting.
- Requirements for social distancing and shelter-in-place may be exacerbating existing dynamics within families and friend groups.
- For singles, shelter-in-place alone is introducing loneliness, longing and connection issues.
- For couples, and families, new routines, new requirements, new ways to spend time together and to connect with others, and new boundaries may be needed.
- For those with anxiety or OCD, increased numbers of triggers may be confronted. And, for everyone, grief and recognizing loss on myriad levels is coming up. That said, not everyone is in the same situation, and struggling to the same extent. “Comparative grief,” when we engage in comparative suffering and not give ourselves opportunity to grieve or feel anxious because someone else is worse off, may be another experience.
Possibilities:
- New ways to connect
- Attenuated stressors
What might be expected as New York begins to re-open?
- Potential new challenges clients may be facing
- Strategies to support adaptation to modified shelter-in-place rules
Meet our speakers
Elizabeth Cohen, PhD
Dr. Elizabeth Cohen and Associates
CEO and Clinical Director
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Dr. Cohen is the CEO and founder of the online divorce course and membership Afterglow: The Light at the Other Side of Divorce. This 14 week course teaches women how to heal, grow and thrive after divorce no matter how difficult the process has been. Dr. Cohen offers a monthly membership program to provide 1:1 coaching, expert support from divorce professionals and an engaged community of like-minded people.
Dr. Cohen is also the CEO and Director of Dr. Elizabeth Cohen and Associates, a group private practice in the heart of New York City serving children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Elizabeth Cohen and Associates specializes in providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a holistic approach. The practice is dedicated to teaching, witnessing and encouraging clients to meet the goals that are collaboratively created.
Dr. Cohen received her PhD in clinical psychology from Boston University. As part of her graduate training, she treated clients at the world-renowned Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders in Boston, MA.
Dr. Cohen was the recipient of the prestigious American Psychological Foundation Research Award for her doctoral research. Following her time at BU, Dr. Cohen completed her pre-doctoral internship at Bellevue Hospital Center and the New York University Child Study Center. After completing her training, she was asked to become the Director of the CBT program at Bellevue’s Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic.
She has been featured on the Tamron Hall Show, the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, Women’s Health, Huff Post, Thrive Global, Daily Beast and Good Housekeeping. Dr. Cohen is a weekly contributor to Psychology Today with her “Divorce Course” column.
Kerrie Mohr, LCWS
A Good Place Therapy
Founder, Owner, Therapist
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Kerrie is the founder and owner of A Good Place Therapy in Manhattan, a compassionate and results oriented group psychotherapy practice. Prior to founding A Good Place, Kerrie, a licensed clinical social worker, spent her career in various nonprofit leadership roles between New York and San Francisco. Her mission has focused on creating empowerment opportunities through targeted individual and community interventions. In her free time, Kerrie enjoys volunteering as the NYC chapter leader for Sidewalk Talk, a nonprofit organization that focuses on healing a disconnected world through the art of listening. Kerrie also enjoys culture-focused travel with her husband Russ, bike rides around her beloved NYC, and checking out the dog park scene with her dog-child, Reina. Kerrie has an MSW from Columbia School of Social Work and a certificate in nonprofit leadership from Columbia Business School. Kerrie is licensed (LCSW) in both California and NY.
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