CURRENTS: Winter 2020 - Riverbend Community Mental Health by RiverbendCMH

CURRENTS WINTER 2020

Getting Back to the True Meaning of the Holidays Parenting Through the Holidays and the Pandemic Something Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Right by: Finnley Allen

A PUBLICATION OF RIVERBEND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH, INC.

CURRENTS IN THIS ISSUE...

01 A Letter From Lisa Madden Be gentle with yourself

04 Something Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Right By: Finnley Allen

08 Treatment: Structure During A Time Of Chaos

02 Getting Back To The True Meaning Of The Holidays Finding little slices of joy, despite the pandemic

06 Parenting Through The Holidays And The Pandemic Creating new traditions that last

09 Seasonal Affective Disorder

C U R R E N T S I S G E N E R O U S LY B R O U G H T T O Y O U B Y : B O R I S L O W I N S U R A N C E A N D D A R T M O U T H - H I T C H C O C K

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A letter from Lisa Madden

BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF Greetings to all, I find myself reflecting on my first six months at Riverbend, as well as, the quickly approaching holiday season. It is impossible to ignore the impact COVID-19 has had on just about every element of our lives. It would be easy to get distracted by the countless challenges the virus has created including the economic, educational and social disruptions. And of course, the last six months has been clouded by the political chaos we have all had to endure. But, I don’t want to go there; I would rather focus on our strengths. We continue to provide exceptional care to our clients both face to face and through telehealth. We have successfully negotiated the new requirements regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), we are ZOOM experts and we have even started to have some fun with creative, but professional, backgrounds. We are flexible and supportive of our colleagues as we all negotiate the multiple hats we wear as professional, parent and educator. We sometimes forget about our core strength, about our ability to adapt, persevere and even thrive in difficult circumstances. I see this strength every day at Riverbend; the professionals here have stood tall and pushed on to fulfill our mission. I thank you all for your commitment. As we now prepare for the holiday season, we will need to draw on all of that strength. This will not be a “normal” year, we will need to make difficult decisions regarding gathering with family, friends and coworkers. I feel the same sadness as I treasure my family’s holiday traditions. We do need to remember, there are brilliant people working tirelessly to find a scientific solution to COVID. They are getting close; we just need to hang in there a little longer. Meanwhile, be gentle with yourself. Find ways to experience

Lisa Madden, CEO, Riverbend Community Mental Health

joy, stay connected with family and friends, even if it is electronically. I am so pleased to be part of this team. I look forward to the year ahead, we are going to do great things together! Wishing you and your families the very best this holiday season. With gratitude,

Lisa Madden CEO - Riverbend Community Mental Health

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GETTING BACK TO THE TRUE MEANING OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON Finding little slices of joy, despite the pandemic

During a typical holiday season, stress can come from navigating family dynamics, maintaining personal health goals, and financial demands. In 2020, we add the looming concerns and questions about the impact of COVID-19. Is it safe to gather with family? How can we remain socially distant during a time that encourages close personal experiences? How can we travel and keep our immediate family safe? What will happen to our holiday traditions?

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While some of these questions aren’t easy to answer, how we approach this emotionally charged holiday season during this unprecedented time is in our control. “The goal of therapy is to empower you to know that you have control over your life. The way that you have control over your life is to have control over your thoughts. Most of our thoughts are just recycled thoughts from the day before and the day before,” said Lynne Anne Palmer, the Director of Counseling Associates at Riverbend. “The holidays take this cycle of thought to a different level because we have these expectations about what it’s supposed to be and that’s all caught up in family memories.” The key to a positive holiday season is maintaining an open mind, Palmer said. “We’re going to have restrictions. That is the reality. So let’s ask ourselves, can I make this circumstance something else? It could even be better because of the way we choose to look at it. I’m constantly amazed that when my clients make that shift their whole world changes.” So how does one get started reshaping those long-standing holiday traditions and expectations? During this season, you may not be traveling to see family and the dinner table may be smaller. But that provides an opportunity to focus on what you do have and to consider the purpose of the holiday - to be grateful.

“We tend to focus on the holiday as a whole. If we experience things in smaller moments there is so much opportunity. Ask yourself: “Am I safe in this moment?” If not that needs to change but if so, that is worth celebrating,” Palmer said. Recognize and appreciate the beauty outside, food, family, friends, health, and even the air you breath, she said. If we find ourselves focusing on the negative or the missing aspects, it can be helpful to redirect that energy toward helping others.

COVID-19 has made interpersonal connections very challenging and this holiday season is no exception. But for all of us, with an open mind, this unique season gives opportunity for new traditions that can be carried into the future.

“We can see this less as an opportunity to buy presents, but to think of it as an opportunity to consider, how we might reach out to others?” Consider volunteering or donating to shelters and keep in mind that there are others in our community that are struggling for their basic needs. Appreciate the sometimes overlooked aspects of our holiday season that will carry on this year, such as the lights, the snow, and connecting with loved ones (even if it is on the phone or via video chat). It’s also important to recognize that not everyone has positive memories of the holidays. “There are people who are going to struggle without a doubt. But there are people at Riverbend who want to support and help them.” “We need to recognize, “I’m not in the past. I am safe in this moment.” Then we need to ask ourselves, “What is one thing I can do that’s going to bring me some pleasure, some joy, a way to feel positive.” Consider going for a walk, writing a card, or talking to a friend on the phone.

joy

Checklist

for when you feel overwhelmed this holiday season:

F Do I feel safe right now? If yes, celebrate it - if no something needs to change F Do I have heat? F Do I have food? F Do I have clean air to breathe? F Is there someone I know that may not have their basic needs met? How can I help them?

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SOMETHING ISN’T RIGHT By Finnley Allen Mirrors have never really been my friend. Their chrome skin and piercing eyes send silent stares my way, magnifying every flaw. In the crowded bathrooms at school I push my way to the sinks never looking up at my reflected image in the fear of what might look back at me. Every day when I arrive home, I charge to the bathroom, letting out a rushed “hi mom” as I hurry up stairs. Closing the door, I hear the comforting click of the lock before turning to The Mirror. My hands rise up to my face trying to feel the imperfections that my reflection screams are there. His shouts grow louder as I struggle to find Something. Anything. I find nothing. Only darkness. The Mirror’s screeching stops. Pausing, But only for a second before a feral chant erupts from within the silver abyss. He calls, beckoning me to lean closer to his metallic lips and find those flaws. Crazed eyes pull me in, driving my mind to go numb. I am hypnotizedMy surrounding world swirls as my face inches closer to His, our noses mere millimeters from each other. I feel as though He has taken control. Taking my hands, pressing them into my cheeks, digging my nails into my own skin. I try to resist, pulling my hands from my faceOnly for them to snap back into place. I give in. My hands resume the all too familiar process of picking and digging at my skin. My face grows red, fingernails are knives grazing and cutting into the warm Sahara sand that is my own flesh.

The urge to peel of my own skin grows stronger and stronger. Tears stream down the reflected face begging me to stop.

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This isn’t the answer it echos. This isn’t the answer… Something isn’t right. This isn’t normal. This uncomfortable feeling that my body isn’t my own. The feeling that my body and mind don’t align. That this body I was born with isn’t correct. That my body isn’tMale Their flat chests and iron muscles remind me of something I don’t have. The flame in my heart tells me that something is wrong. My body isn’t right, but my mind isn’t gone. Something needs to change. My hair, my face, my chest. It’s all false. A facade I put up for family and friends and even myself. Trying to convince them that I’m fine. That I’m happy. My hands halt their picking and scratching. I look in the Mirror, unable to recognize myself. The chrome eyes that once used to be angry and hateful are now changed. Grey irises warm with color as tears of realization roll down our cheeks. “What have I done?” we whisper in unison backing away from each other. He is trapped, he tells me. From birth he has been trapped unable to escape. But not inside the four-cornered reflected room. But rather Inside me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Finnley Allen was born and raised in Concord, NH and recently graduated from Concord High School. He plans on becoming an Art Therapist and working with teens. He is currently enrolled at NHTI and spends his free time creating art all the way from crocheting blankets to creating sculptures out of metal. He hopes that by reading his poem you will learn to pick up on different signals that someone is struggling. Finnley would like to thank his high school teachers for pushing him to continue to create and push through the hard times.

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PARENTING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND A PANDEMIC Creating new traditions that last On a typical year, the close of the year can be a time of renewal and joy as we gather with our loved ones to celebrate holiday traditions. But for many this year, that won’t be the case. For parents, fulfilling holiday traditions and creating lasting memories for children might feel like a high stakes and high stress feat. So how do we create those warm experiences in this unknown environment?

According to Melissa Colby and Tom Perlet, the Director and Assistant Director of the Children’s Program (respectively), the best approach is to plan how you’re going to talk to your children and open the lines of communication. “I think it’s really helpful to have a family discussion. Talk about what you can’t do but also what you can do to make

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it special and make those connections. It’s not going to be the exact same but maybe some of the things that families do this year can be carried on to future holidays,” Colby said. “With older children, such as teens and pre-teens, you can talk with them more frankly. Remind them that this is a moment in time, this is not how it’s always going to be,” Perlet said. It’s also important to include older children in the decision making process. “Ask them what their needs are. Their friend group becomes so important. So be an advocate to help them find safe ways to make connections,” Colby said. Including them in the solution changes their outlook so it doesn’t feel like another decision that adults are making for them. Children of all ages may be wondering if the traditions they know will still take place. Young children may even be wondering whether Santa is coming this year. “Try to anticipate some of the questions that may be coming and have those answers at the ready so that if they’re asked during a time of high stress we can do our best to answer calmly,” Perlet said. There has been so much focus on keeping kids safe by teaching them the importance of wearing a mask, washing their hands, and keeping social distance. But it’s important to remember that kids get a lot of reassurance from physical comfort and from traditions. “The holidays are a stressful time for many because we tend to think about the people that we’ve lost in our lives. There has been a lot of loss this year, not only the possibility of losing a loved one but there’s been a loss of routine.” Celebrating the traditions that can continue and getting creative in marking the holiday in a new way can be helpful, but having mindfulness is a crucial piece to a positive experience.

“Find the things that you can be grateful for. Even if they’re little things. That can be really helpful for children to see that there is still good in our lives and there is security in our lives. Consider changing some of those rituals that maybe have distracted us in the past from the true meaning of the holidays,” Perlet said. “Sometimes it can be challenging to see the positive in a situation and that’s where we can be helpful to our clients, getting them to step back to refocus,” Colby said. This has been a tough year for all members of the family. It’s ok to ask for help and recognize that we may not have all the answers. “Sometimes people think about treatment as a long term process that has to be initiated by a significant event. For families, it can be an episode of care. Right now, it’s reasonable that you are struggling. It doesn’t mean that you’re going to be in care forever,” Colby said. “Accessing treatment for your family or your child, even in the short term, just means that you are struggling right now, and that’s ok to admit.

Gratitude

Despite everything that is going on, it’s important to find little pieces of joy + gratitude and share those with our children.

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TREATMENT: STRUCTURE DURING A TIME OF CHAOS During the initial stages of the pandemic, healthcare professionals predicted that as the restrictions to our daily lives continued, there would be a surge in the need for substance use disorder services. “People are spending a lot of time at home and the lack of things to do means we can develop bad routines such as drinking,” said Shanna Large-Reusch, Director of Substance Use Disorders at Riverbend. The Doorway program is reporting an increase in people needing hospitalizations and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). The most common substances are opiates and alcohol.

“People tend to think: I don’t want to go through another winter like this, I want to get my life back in order,” LargeReusch said. At Riverbend, there are changes taking place to meet the demand and the needs of new clients who have never sought help for substance use. “We know the need is there. If clients are wanting an Intensive Outpatient Program, we now have the availability to get clients in when they are ready. Same day walk-in admissions are on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am-11am..,” Large-Reusch said.

“We’re seeing a lot of need for detoxification beds and we don’t have enough in the state. We’re seeing 3 to 4 week wait periods for that,” Large-Reusch said.

“Same-day admissions will be on a first come first serve basis, with limited spots available each day. Clients will complete their assessment and orientation on the same day and begin treatment within the next few days.”

We have a lot of clients who are attending groups and wanting help but they’re continuing to use. They tend to go a few days without use but then they relapse.” she said.

While many aspects of our lives feel unsettled and insecurities stretch across the spectrum of needs, treatment can provide direction and hope.

In addition to dealing with substance use and depression or another mental health issue, many clients are also dealing with some of the complications that come with the pandemic, like financial, employment, and housing concerns.

“I think many of us are looking for a timeline right now. We want to know when this pandemic will end. We want to know when we can feel secure with school, work, and social activities. While we may not have those answers yet, treatment has structure in a world that right now feels like it has no structure. There are meeting times, there are milestones, as well as steps and a process to be followed,” Large-Reusch said.

Furthermore, the holidays can often times bring emotional baggage because of memories that are triggered by close family encounters, however, many clients have been dealing with those issues since quarantine measures were put into place. “It’s an ongoing discussion right now,” Large-Reusch said. “We are spending a lot of time with our clients saying ‘you need to take care of yourself during these challenging times’.” While the collision of mental health and physical health crises is among us, there is hope that just as they do most years, more people will seek help during the winter months.

“We are here for you and we will be here as long as you need us to be here.”

GET HELP TODAY Call CHOICES:

1-844-5-CHOOSE OR visit: RiverbendCMHC.org

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

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Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern, with symptoms most often starting in the late fall and early winter and going away in the spring and summer. It’s a challenging time of year for many, and for those who have seasonal affective disorder, the stress of the holidays, limited daylight, and the restrictions on social gatherings can make this year particularly difficult. For some people, Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatments include antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy, light therapy, and dietary supplements. The lack of sunlight can impact a person’s level of vitamin D and many living in the Northeast are vitamin D deficient. “It can really affect your mood,” said Lynne Anne Palmer. “But the thoughts that we think can help change the way that we feel. We may not love being outside in the winter, but we could spend time appreciating the beauty of the snow. That can get us to step away from the repetition of feeling bad about things.” Light therapy, which involves exposure to a bright artificial light box can have beneficial effects on SAD symptoms. Before using a treatment or supplement, talk with your health care provider.

ABOUT RIVERBEND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH Founded in 1963, Riverbend Community Mental Health is a private, nonprofit organization providing specialized behavioral health services in central New Hampshire. Core programs include: • Addiction Treatment and Recovery • Counseling & Mental Health Services for Children and Adults

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EX OFFICIO

John Barthelmes, Chair

Lisa K. Madden, MSW Chief Executive Officer Riverbend Community Mental Health

Jim Doremus, Vice Chair Annmarie Timmins, Secretary Frank Boucher Leslie Combs

SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Lucy Hodder, JD

Lisa K. Madden,MSW Chief Executive Officer

Nicholas Larochelle, MD

• Psychiatric Emergency Services

Aaron McIntire

• Residential Programs for Adults

Rabbi Robin Nafshi

• Wellness Education

Bradley Osgood

Currents is a publication of Riverbend Community Mental Health, PO Box 2032, Concord NH, 03302-2032. All Rights reserved. Mailed free of charge to friends and supporters, Currents is also available at riverbendcmhc.org.

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Robert P. Steigmeyer Chief Executive Officer Capital Region Health Care

Glenn Shepherd James Snodgrass, MEd Carol Sobelson, LICSW

Jennifer Griffey Chief Financial Officer Chris Mumford, LICSW Chief operating Officer Jaime Corwin VP of Human Resources Sarah Gagnon, LICSW VP of Clinical Operations

Leslie Walker

Karen Jantzen, CFRE VP of Community Affairs

Cinde Warmington

Sheryl Putney VP of Quality Assurance

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