Mental Health Month

Mental Health Month MAY 2020

May is Mental Health Month and during these difficult times, recognizing and honoring our mental health needs is more important than ever.

The strain caused by the

COVID-19 pandemic on our mental health and emotional resources is very real. Mental

Health America suggests some common reasons why the COVID-19 pandemic has created so much stress on our mental health, including:

Fear of getting sick

Fear of making others sick

Adjusting to a new reality for an uncertain amount of time Concerns about the health of friends and family

Financial stress

Lack of connection and interpersonal interaction

Supply shortages

Throughout the pandemic, NASW-NJ staff have worked tirelessly to ensure resources and supports are available to the social work community to help you navigate this difficult period. We’ve held community discussions with Licensed Clinical Social Workers to help people with meaning-making during the pandemic, parenting children and adolescents during COVID-19, and dealing with grief and loss in our current situation.

During the month of May, NASW-NJ will

continue to offer free webinars to help community members and professionals navigate these difficult times. This will include additional installments in our Community Conversations series, as well as bi-weekly convenings of our social work Shared Interest Groups to provide a space for social workers to network with each other, share resources, and discuss strategies for self-care, practice tips, and business advice during the COVID-19 crisis. Check out our events calendar for more information.

We also launched our online New Jersey Licensed Clinical Social Worker Directory to help connect community members with much needed mental health services. Visitors to our website, www.naswnj.org, can easily access a growing list of nearly 450 LCSWs, fully searchable by name and area of expertise, by clicking on the “Find a Therapist” link.

NASW-NJ members with an active LCSW license in New Jersey may request a voluntary listing in the directory at www. naswnj.org/Professional-Development/ Clinical-Resources.