Kelly O’Donnell, PsyD and Michèle Lewis O’Donnell, PsyD
Covid care: Promoting and maintaining mental health, resilience, and wellbeing for all persons and peoples (ranging from informal to formal services, guidance, and policies, local through global) during the multi-faceted challenges of COVID-19 and beyond.
Reflections
April 2024
May 2023–We continue to be very concerned about the major discrediting and harassment of credible health professionals and scientist who share research and evidence to support alternative ways (other than mainstream narratives and approaches) for dealing with epidemics and pandemics including prevention and treatment and how best to negotiate the content and implementation of a possible “pandemic treaty.”
February 2023–We are keeping this section on the MCA website as a record of COVID care reflections and resources.
Janaury 2022 Reflections–As the “pandemic” continues to evolve, so also do our questions, understanding, and concerns about its management and messaging. We acknowledge that there are of course many views about this pandemic including how best to manage it and future pandemics via science, transparency and accountability, public health policy, and international cooperation. Boosting people’s imuniological systems, developing and providing effective health care, respecting human rights and informed choices with due regard for the good of society, and addressing the underlying social-economic-commercial influnces on health are key.
2020-2021 Refections
Pandemics, like many crises, bring out the best and the worst in us–our selfless and our selfish qualities. The reality of the uncertainties and anxieties of life, and indeed survival–existential risk–is heavy upon the world. Positively, the current COVID-19 pandemic certainly provides plenty of opportunities for us all, individually and collectively, to reflect on the types of people we want to be, the types of societies we need to build, and the types of changes we have to make.
…We also note that the many overlapping, problems in our world continue unabated–shadow pandemics–even as this covid pandemic dominates the center stage globally: multi-dimensional poverty, protracted violence, human rights violations, gross inequalities, racism, mental ill health, environmental degradation, etc. This is the ongoing, cascading context–full of challenges and opportunities–in which member care resources need to be provided and developed for workers and their sending groups around the world.
Our recent Updates below are compiled for helping ourselves and others with covid care. Examples of issues/resources: anxiety, trauma, depression, confinement, loneliness, loss, grief, relationship strains, coping for children, work insecurities, spiritual struggles, uncertainty/concerns about what is going on, etc. Have a look!
COVID-19 Resource Compilations
Global Integration Updates–for colleagues across sectors
–February 2021: Covid Care: Reflections and Resources for Wellbeing
–November 2020: Grieving Well-Healing Well: Resources for Growth during Loss
–October 2020: Tough Times. Tougher People: Best Selves–Better World.
–September 2020: Solidarity for Covid-Care: Being Real-Life Heroes
–August 2020: Keep Persevering: Stories and Strategies in the Pandemic
–June 2020: Managing Stress and COVID-Distress: Faith-Inclusive Resources
– May 2020: Staying Sane during COVID-19: Mental Health Resources
–April 2020: Confronting COVID-19: “Be smart. Be safe. Be kind.”
Member Care Updates--for colleagues in the faith-based/Christian sector
From our faith-based perspective, we want to be co-workers with God, engaged in many areas of “humanity care.”
–February 2021: Sojourning with Prayer and Praise (during the pandemic and beyond)–November 2020: Good Grief: Healing After Loss
–September 2020: Uniting for Covid-Care—Real-Life Heroes
–August 2020: Doing Good–Positive Stories in the Pandemic
–July 2020: Staying the Course: Pandemics-Problems…and Beyond
–June 2020: Managing Stress/COVID-Distress (faith resources)
–May 2020: Staying Sane during COVID-19 (MH resources)
–April 2020: Confronting COVID-19: “Don’t be afraid” (resources)
Resource Compilations from Various Sources
—Covid Care: Perspectives and Resources. Member Care Associates
—The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Mental Health: A Briefing (2020). United for Global Mental Health
—WHO COVID-19 Resources and Guidance. World Health Organization
—Helpful Thinking During the Coronavirus Outbreak. National Center for PTSD (USA)
—A Self-Care Guide…during COVID-19. Mary Hoch Center, George Mason University
—COVID-19 Outbreak Readiness and Response. Inter-Agency Standing Committee, United Nations
—Webinar Series: Mental Health and COVID-19. United for Global Mental Health et al.
—Stories from the Field. Mental Health Innovation Network
—Altruistic Stories and the 2020 Pandemic. Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Ball State University
—Hope and Resilience Blog. Psychology Today
—Faith and COVID-19 Response. Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities
—COVID-19 Resources for Psychological Support. International Union of Psychological Science
—COVID-19 and the World of Work. International Labor Organization
—The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental, Neurological, Substance Use Conditions. World Health Organization
–etc.!