Healing the Mind and Renewing the Spirit

To say the human brain is nothing more than just a part of the body that controls biological functions does not do it justice.

The mind is the seat of consciousness, the singular characteristic which St. Augustine believed is what made us in the image and likeness of God. Your mind is a divine gift, which should be appreciated, protected, and most of all, loved. For as miraculous as it may be, it is not invincible.

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption that came with it, people of all ages have dealt with various negative emotions—among them stress, anxiety, loneliness, uncertainty and fear. The situation is even worse for those who have lost loved ones to the pandemic or the millions who have lost their jobs and had their lives upended.

Thankfully, COVID-19 cases are dropping and millions are getting vaccinated, generating a renewed sense of hope and optimism for the future.

However, negative emotions did not start with the pandemic and they will not go away once it is over. Last year was not the beginning of our mental health crisis; it was only the latest chapter. For years, we have been living in a stew of mental health triggers: comparing our lives to the so-called “perfect lives'' we often see on social media; feeling the pressure to be perfect in our careers and relationships; negative news fatigue; social isolation…the list goes on.

“We saw the demand for behavioral healthcare services growing even before COVID-19. I do believe the way we now interact digitally is increasing that demand,” said Brandon Keppner, executive director and administrator of Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital. “Losing those social skills and losing that personal connection has an impact. The more we drift in that direction as a culture, the more damaging the emotional consequences of how people see themselves. You have the social media context and then you have a pandemic that has pulled people away socially. Then you have the fear…and it’s just a perfect storm.”

Times have been tough, but during these times, and at all times, Laureate’s message is simple: It’s OK to not be OK. You are not alone. There is value in seeking care and advice from a professional counselor to help you build emotional resiliency in your own life and seeking care when you need it the most.

“Fill your life with pink M&M’s.”

Hannah George, MA, LMFT, a licensed therapist with Laureate describes the brain in an uncomplicated and colorful way. “If you think of your brain as a bowl of M&M’s, the negativity, stress and anxiety are like filling your bowl with black M&M’s. It’s damaging,” said George. “Doing what you enjoy is putting in a brighter color, so I tell my patients to ‘fill your bowls with pink M&M’s’ since pink is my favorite color.”

Besides being a full-time therapist, George is also a mom to two little girls, so she can relate to what parents have been going through in the past year. She says her family started a new tradition during the pandemic: Friday movie nights followed by a dance party. While of course that may not be your thing, George encourages people to “fill their bowls with pink M&M’s,” in whatever that means to them. “If there’s a movie you like, or a friend you wanted to connect with, or a hobby you enjoyed before COVID-19, make sure you’re still enjoying those,” said George. “Refill your life with things that are really positive for you.”

While it may be necessary take care of yourself first, we must never forget the needs of others, especially at this time. “If you notice your loved ones seem really worried or don’t seem like themselves, just check in and ask how they’re doing,” said George. “Don’t assume or accuse. Just reach out and ask what you can do for them. Sometimes just showing up with flowers, or taking a meal to a friend or a neighbor is enough.”

The weight of negative emotions

While trying to stay positive is important, running away from negative emotions is not possible. Nor, for that matter, is it healthy.

“It’s OK to feel difficult emotions— especially those that have emerged during the past year,” said Rebecca Brumm, MA, LPC, CEDS-S, clinical director at Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital. “Our natural tendency is to run away from them, but that’s just about the worst thing you can do with emotions.”

“It’s not like putting your hand on a hot burner, where you have to quickly pull it away,” said Brumm. “What we have to do with emotional pain is move toward it. If a dog were to bite your hand, your natural tendency is to pull away. But the dog only sinks its teeth in deeper. You have to jam your hand in the dog’s mouth, which is counterintuitive, but the dog gags and releases. Emotions are the same way.”

Brumm tells her patients that when you are experiencing negative emotions, whether it is loneliness, sadness, resentment or stress, do not ignore or bury those emotions; that only allows them to grow and fester. Instead, acknowledge your emotions, experience them and recognize that it comes and goes in waves. “I have so much compassion for running away,” said Brumm, “but we have to train ourselves to face it.”

“Life is uncertain,” said George. “We like to think we have control over it, but people get tripped up when they try to control things. The more you try to force things, the more you miss opportunities to be happy.”

The value of seeking care

While it is important to build emotional resiliency, you do not have to face hard times alone. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help if you need it.

As a part of Saint Francis Health System, Laureate has a broad range of services for patients in need of various levels of care. This includes people who are facing a first-time emotional crisis, such as depression or anxiety, a traumatic event or the death of a loved one. Services are also available for outpatients who simply want someone to talk with about their concerns and obstacles.

“If things feel like they’re piling up or hard to manage, or you have low motivation, are struggling to concentrate, are down and depressed, can’t control your worrying or can’t sleep, those are big markers that you may need to seek some support,” said George.

“Don’t run faster than you are able. You have to check in with yourself,” said Keppner. “We all have stress, but how does it affect everything? Does your depression, anxiety or stress affect your daily life or your eating or sleeping? That’s a sign it’s time to have a conversation.”

Keppner equates Laureate’s outpatient services to Christ’s “teach a man to fish” edict in Matthew 4:19. “Laureate is about teaching patients key coping skills. It’s patients learning what behaviors or thoughts are triggering issues. If you can help people with that chain of events, you can help them change their path,” said Keppner. “Therapy helps people slow down, look at themselves and how they’re reacting so they can find better solutions.”

Laureate’s purpose to uplift and empower patients is even reflected on its campus.

“Laureate’s campus is beautiful—a bit like a college campus,” said Keppner. “There’s something about nature that brings a sense of peace that sits in harmony with your soul.”

The Laureate campus in Tulsa, OK.

However, in-person sessions at Laureate may not be an option for many patients during COVID-19. For patients unable to come to Laureate, Laureate can come to them through telehealth.

“Video visits have been great for me as a therapist, because most of our clients are far away,” said George. “It has opened up opportunities to help people that might not have been there beforehand.”

“In the past year, our demand has gone straight up, and we’ve been creative and thoughtful for using our resources,” said Brumm. “Being able to condense our new appointment wait times has been critical.”

“Christ is asking us to be His hands.”

While technology is important to expanding patient access to mental healthcare, the most important part for Laureate will always be the team doing the work. This goes beyond the staff ’s esteemed credentials or evidence-based therapeutic practices; it comes down to shared purpose.

“Everyone who works here, who is drawn here, is drawn to excellence,” said George. “With that spirit, we help and take care of each other, which really helps me provide excellent care for my patients.”

“Another word that is synonymous with Christ is ‘love’, ” said Keppner. “We see people at their most vulnerable moments. Our staff is inspired to care for others by the example of Christ. People can feel that. They know they’re being cared for.

The team at Laureate is here to provide support in good times and bad, both for each other and especially for the people they have devoted their lives to serving.

Christ doesn’t always reveal Himself in loud ways, but in quiet moments, and is asking us to use Him as inspiration,” said Keppner. “He is asking us to be His hands.”

Never hesitate to reach out and help others, but never be afraid to ask for help either. If you ever need it, the team at Laureate is there.

Practical advice

While we’re all in this pandemic together, not everyone is facing the same experience. Wherever you are in life, the team at Laureate has practical advice:

Parents of children or teens:

“It’s a unique experience dealing with a stressor such as this pandemic at the same time you’re helping someone else handle the same stressor,” said Rebecca Brumm. Whether it’s receiving outpatient therapy with a trained professional or reaching out to a fellow parent, Brumm said talking to someone can make a major difference. “The ability to just have someone stop and listen to your struggles, to know they care about you…it reminds you that you’re not alone and somebody is going to walk with you on that journey.”

Adults (single or living alone):

“People are social animals by nature. It’s one thing to be quarantined and isolated when you have several people in your home. If

you’re a single adult seek out connections with friends and family as safely as you can, as well as be open to experiencing emotions like loneliness. “Bad emotions only get worse if we try to avoid them entirely. If we face them, it builds, cracks and then recedes.” George recommends doing things that make your life feel normal and enriched. “Do things you enjoy and be more intentional about connecting with people.”

Teens and young adults:

“Building peer relationships normally happens for teenagers in school, and the pandemic has stunted that,” said Brumm, who says she’s learned as a parent to look at the hidden value in things she normally dismissed, like video games. “In the midst of previous school closings and lockdowns it has allowed my son to connect with friends that way. So look at activities through that lens.” George echoes that teens need to be with people in order to build an identity separate from their parents. “Think of ways your teen can safely be with friends. They can go on a walk, hang out, volunteer, get

Older adults:

“I think the pandemic has hit hardest for seniors,” said George, who mentions how her grandmother “has made a conscious decision to choose joy. She’s not letting negative things keep her from what she loves.” Even as COVID vaccinations become more available, it is important to remember that many older adults have suffered from social isolation for quite some time. Both George and Brumm recommend children and grandchildren reach out to the seniors in their lives. “Reach out to an older adult, even if it’s just dropping a card,” said George. “Little small acts, as much as you can do things for them, and help them out, mean a lot.”

If you would like more information about Laureate’s programs and services, please call 918-481-4000 or visit saintfrancis.com/laureate.

In case of a mental health emergency and if you are worried you might harm yourself or others, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.