To Our Clients:

We are all trying to navigate these fast-moving times. Right now, there is a lot of uncertainty in the air and we are all adjusting our lives to ensure everyone’s safety and health. PRC would like to provide you with resources that you can use at home to cope with feelings of worry, stress, anxiety, depression, or anything else that comes up as we all are making sense of our world and moving through it day by day.
 
Here are some ideas of finding stability and hope in everyday activities that would be in addition to the general healthcare suggestions of staying home when you are sick, keeping your hands away from your face, washing your hands frequently and coughing/sneezing into your sleeve:

• Have a daily ritual. Choose an activity that you will do every day. Maybe it’s stretching in the morning, drinking water every hour, setting an alarm to remind yourself to wash your hands or disinfect high touch surfaces, praying, or reading a book. Any activity or activities that you can commit to every day, ideally at the same time, can I give you a reprieve from uncertainty. Instead of your mind worrying, having a routine will allow it to go into “I am safe” mode.
• Plan out your day. Knowing what will happen today can give us a sense of certainty. Check out Healthy Mind Platter from Dr. Dan Siegel! https://www.drdansiegel.com/resources/healthy_mind_platter/ for some ideas of activities that you can do every day.
• Create a plan for “worst case scenario.” When our mind starts showing us worst case scenarios, feelings of anxiety, worry, and hopelessness can come up. Instead of fighting them, go along with them. Set aside some time to “plan for the worst” – take out a piece of paper and a pen and start writing down how you will deal with the “worst case scenario”. When our brains worry and we give them an outlet to come up with a “how will we cope” plan, we can start to feel calmer and safer. However, to make this more manageable, limit your “worst case scenario” planning time. Maybe set aside 15 minutes to do this and then do something relaxing.
• Have a safety object. Children have safety objects (teddy bears, blankets), why not adults? Choose an object that brings you feelings of safety and comfort – a rock, a scarf, a drawing, a book, a necklace – anything that you can carry with you or have around you to remind yourself that, in this moment, you are ok.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is important in helping our bodies cope with stress and to strengthen our immune systems. Make sure that you are allowing your body to rest: set a bed time and a wake time that you can keep every day, stop watching tv or reading the news at least an hour before bed, have a bedtime ritual that can help you relax like reading or taking a bath, practice mindfulness before bed to help your body relax. Click here to view more information about sleep hygiene.
• Put your mind to work. When we are stressed during times of uncertainty, we can feel irritable. Irritability usually signals our body wanting to “do something!” Learning a new skill – like learning a new word from another language, a new dance move, a new piece of trivia every day – will give our body a sense of accomplishment.
• Limit use of social media and news consumption. During this time, we all want to stay current with what is happening in the world, in our country, state, or hometown. However, right now there is a lot information, news, and opinions that are shared on the internet and social media. Limit the amount of time that you will spend on social media or reading/watching the news. Maybe an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. Also, limit the social media and news outlets that you are using. So, if there is a trusted source of information that you have, use that source and that source only. If you have people on social media whose posts unnecessarily increase your worry, unfollow them for this time period. If there are people who post balanced and fact-based posts, follow them for this time period.
• Spend time outside. Going for a walk or sitting outside even for 5 minutes, be it in your back yard, front steps, a park (if allowed), or balcony can give you a sense of being connected with the world.
• Connect with others over the phone, FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, or electronic messaging systems. Keeping social connection to stay in touch and share jokes or ideas about how to spend time if you are quarantined, or receive support during difficult times is important.
• Use Palouse COVID-19 Mutual Aid resource, if you need additional support. Our wonderful Palouse Community put together a request form for anyone who needs support with getting groceries, medicine, other supplies, and who feels socially isolated and wants to connect with others via phone calls. Their “Request Support” form is available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZL0QDN7MMaHgqiDuhqyELI3x1UqQ9PWfrmo5FomBsbc3hfA/viewform

 
Tools and Resources:
Resources on Managing Stress, Responding Effectively to the Corona Crisis, and Sleep Hygiene Tips are below:
COVID-19 Managing Stress
FACE COVID - How to Respond Effectively to the Corona Crisis
Sleep Hygiene ​
SelfCare - Everything Is Awful and I'm Not Okay: questions to ask before giving up​
Here are some other resources that you can find online or through a phone app.
 
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
 ACT principles can provide tools and support during this uncertain time. ACT Companion: The Happiness Trap App has been made available free or charge through end of June. You can download the app from Apple App store or Google Play. Enter code TOGETHER to receive the the 100% off discount.
 
Mindfulness
Practicing daily mindfulness can help us feel more grounded and calmer. Here are some links for different kinds of mindfulness:
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program from Dave Potter: https://palousemindfulness.com/.
Dr. Dan Siegel’s Wheel of Awareness meditations that some find helpful: https://www.drdansiegel.com/resources/wheel_of_awareness/
 
Yoga:
Here are a few YouTube channels that provide a variety of yoga resources. Check them out!
https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene
https://www.youtube.com/user/bodypositiveyoga
https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialFaithHunter/featured
https://www.youtube.com/user/rryogaroom/featured
 
Here are some printouts with yoga poses that you can use if you do not have access to YouTube:
Desk Yoga
Yoga Poses for Children

If you are unable to leave your house but want access to the outdoors, here are links to live nature cameras and slow tv – a way to watch everyday life happening in real time (train ride, sitting down by the river) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHACKCNDMW8 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvc5mRATQ7c 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNiN7gOcNI4 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2jZT2IZAVw 
More slow tv resources:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHRGA07fn3RpmPvUD-qgE-A
 
Be well and take care of yourself!