Choices Resource Guide

Though she found much success through competitions, during class hours Thomas was preparing for a career that would help others succeed in their own lives through counseling. “I told one of my professors I wanted to combine my therapy skills with my Christian beliefs.They advised against it.” But today Shantel is grateful she pursued her desires because the effects of a global pandemic would place a greater demand on people in her position. As the founder and CEO of A Sound Mind counseling service,Thomas sees clients dealing with all types of traumas, including workplace incidents and military deployments. “I tried to make this a one-stop shop for therapy,” she said. Now several months into the coronavirus pandemic,Thomas and her therapists have running waitlists to address a number of mental health concerns. “Where we had openings all throughout the earlier parts of this year, we’re booked out a month and a half in advance now.” A Sound Mind

“There’s just so much stress. Many people are taking on the roles of mother and father, school teacher and secretary.There’s also the stress from the pandemic itself.There’s grief and loss and people not being able to have traditional funerals to really process through that grief.That can then cause depression and anxiety to linger.”Thomas says the rate of domestic violence has also rapidly increased, along with cases of drug and alcohol misuse. “There have been a lot of people nervous about how to feed their kids and not having jobs. Some of them turned to marijuana or alcohol to try and cope with everything.” Thomas says the pandemic has also furthered economic disparities in the community, compounding with the already high rates of gun violence in inner-city areas. “For some people, the stress of not being able to provide for their families or themselves just weighs on them. And if that compiles into enough anxiety, now they may be dealing with thoughts of robbing another family to feed their own.” She says pre-existing mental health disorders can cause those situations to spiral.

With the escalation of these issues, there are ways to help combat these effects and manage stress.Thomas suggests that people who live alone schedule regular video calls with their families. Increasing physical fitness, starting home projects, and meditating are also options to offset feelings of isolation and stimulate positive mental energy. “These are all great ways, but I think the most direct way would be to talk to a therapist or counselor. We need to get past the stigma and lie that seeing a therapist means you’re less than human. Talking to someone you don’t know who is nonjudgmental can do wonders.” As much of her time is consumed in her professional career,Thomas still reserves time to invest in her mental health by staying physically active. While she’s retired from her years of running in track competitions, she’s miles into the race of bringing mental health counseling and training to people in her community. Her latest project has been opening a retreat house in Florida for women recovering from damaging relationships, allowing them to rebuild their mental health.

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