As the more-than-two-year pandemic has heightened anxiety and depression, particularly among those in quarantine and isolation, 25 therapists are providing counseling at 10 health care stations across Longgang District, Shenzhen Evening News reported.
The psychologists are all from the Longgang Social Psychology Association that joined medics for Royal Century Hotel Health Care Station located in Buji Subdistrict two years ago. They are working to relieve people’s stress and ensure their mental well-being.
Li Yan and Wang Xuejiao are among the devoted therapists. Since March 19, Li has been serving the residents, who are put under health monitoring at home in Kui’an Yajun. She is responsible for key groups, such as close contacts of COVID-19 cases and inbound travelers, in six buildings.
She never turns off her mobile phone or mutes WeChat in case of emergency. “The mental counseling services at health care stations are different from traditional ones. I always tell newcomers during orientation, ‘We are just customer service operators knowing how to comfort people.’” Li said. The therapist team at Kui’an Yajun now has eight members.
For people at isolation sites, their emotions are subject to sudden changes in the living environment, Wang sad. Heavy door knocking, delayed towel delivery and any other annoyances further intensify the tension between isolated people and the site’s staffers.
“Our work focus has shifted from providing counseling to relieving people’s stress by helping them solve problems,” said Wang. “We are playing the role of a lubricant to smoothen communication.”
In one case, a patient with depression reached out to them for help, as her dog could not relieve its bowels at the quarantine hotel. “She was so upset, saying she could not accept it if the dog dies,” Wang said.
To solve the pet’s problem, Wang turned to a vet for suggestions. With the vet’s guidance, a piece of turf and branches were placed on the balcony to simulate an outdoor environment, where the pet finally answered nature’s call. The patient’s mood brightened up consequently.
Besides dealing with an emergency, Wang is organizing team members to provide classified services for people in isolation. They pay extra attention to psychologically vulnerable people on a daily basis and remind emotionally stable people to report any mood swings to the staff.