Our Vice President Luciana Berger has called for聽a long-term action plan for mental health support to address the implications of the coronavirus crisis.
Luciana backed our campaign urging the government to ensure the nation鈥檚 mental health needs are met in the aftermath of the pandemic.
She said the long-term mental health challenges include bereavement and loss, anxiety and loneliness, and relationships as well as the impact on key workers, BAME communities and the psychological effects of recession.
Support
鈥淔or many people who face anxieties, depression, trauma or grief that dominate their lives, a vital source of support may be a counsellor or psychotherapist,鈥� Luciana said.
鈥淎s vice president of the 香港六合彩精准资料 (香港六合彩精准资料), I鈥檝e witnessed how therapists are at the frontline of providing support for those in need.
鈥淏ut at the same time, over the past few months, many providers, independent practitioners and charities have seen funding cuts to their service and the number of funded sessions reduce.
鈥淭he 香港六合彩精准资料 expects demand for counsellors and psychotherapists to increase over the next few weeks and months, as people recognise they need some support.
Collaboration
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I鈥檓聽backing the Association鈥檚 calls聽for the government to put in place a long-term plan to ensure the nation鈥檚 mental health needs are met, and to work in collaboration with professional organisations and service providers.鈥�
Luciana added: 鈥淐ounsellors and psychotherapists are the people who are listening to those in need right now, helping them to explore and understand how they are feeling about this unprecedented situation and their own unique personal circumstances. They are helping people come to terms with what they have been through and supporting them to thrive as they move on to their own 鈥榥ew normal鈥�.
鈥淐ounselling and psychotherapy must be accessible to those most affected by the disease, including BAME communities, families in deprived areas and frontline workers, and the millions who do not receive mental health support through their employer.
Healing
鈥淲e need a campaign to explain how to ask for help, what kinds of support are available, and to ensure people are matched to qualified therapists. And ministers need to remedy the fact that many therapists are self-employed and fall through the cracks of the government鈥檚 existing support schemes.
鈥淭he nation is hurting, and the process of healing must start now.鈥�
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