For many in Northeast Ohio, the Governor’s changing stay-at-home orders usher in a stressful new reality. With children out of school, elderly parents potentially isolated, and a quick transition to working from home, feelings of stress and anxiety are on the rise. Confronting the risk of serious disease while juggling new responsibilities and isolation can impact all areas of health, particularly mental wellness.
Residents dealing with mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression, face a dilemma when accessing care. When we are counseled to stay inside except for the most critical errands, it can be difficult to justify a trip to a therapist even when it may be most necessary. REACH Behavioral Health, a community mental health network in Northeast Ohio, has the answer: attend your sessions from home.
Leah Walters, mental health therapist and Director of Clinical Outreach for REACH, underscored the need, saying “People are lacking their usual connections, outlets, and coping strategies. We tell clients to build routines and networks of support, and for many of them, suddenly that looks very different.” For clients who are accustomed to a weekly or bi-weekly schedule of therapy, the risk of lost progress is real. The solution? “We needed to bring our services online, to expand telehealth rather than wait for in-person counseling to fully resume.”
In March, REACH announced a fully-online counseling service to complement its existing in-person services. The added benefit, says Walters, is a blended approach. “We can start to see clients right now, whether or not they are able to leave their homes, and we match them with a counselor in their area who can follow them in person, if they prefer, as guidelines are relaxed.” For REACH’s experienced therapists, “They really understand the increased need right now, and we want to be sure that not just our current clients but anyone who’s struggling can access empathic, experienced care.”
REACH and sister organization CJ Hendry Counseling Center offer telehealth services to clients statewide and can transition any telehealth client to in-person sessions at their nine sites in Northeast Ohio. To begin a telehealth relationship, visit reachbh.org/telehealth or call (216) 453-1112. REACH has a number of offices in Northeast Ohio, including an office in Bedford. The phone number at that offic is (440) 232-0214.
ABOUT REACH
REACH Counseling Services is a community mental health center comprised of compassionate, professionals providing hope, healing, wellness and integration of mind and body to children, families, and individuals through a continuum of services. Our vision for the future is to reach children, families, and individuals through a healing community that promotes renewed hope, relational fulfillment, and personal joy. Find REACH online at reachbh.org.
