Social Services professionals perform heroic feats each day in their communities despite many obstacles and constraints. This pandemic brings more challenges and complications. The introduction of COVID-19 into the global human population has disrupted both personal and professional lives. Although we are learning how to manage the physical aspects of this pandemic through measures such as hand washing and social distance, this virus also comes with remarkable psychosocial ramifications and challenges that we must also learn to navigate. The uncertainty and unpredictability in these time can bring significant emotional turbulence and existential concerns.
This presentation will offer a view of the COVID-19 pandemic through a psychological lens in order to better identify and manage potential psychosocial consequences. Social neuroscience research offers us better understanding of how to adaptive during times of crises and existential threats. A pandemic can trigger and exacerbate traumatic stress and other underlying issues. Utilizing strategies and tools to maintain well-being and build resilience, can provide stress management as well as facilitate post-traumatic growth (PTG). Even though most individuals and teams are experiencing a loss of control and unpredictability, we can take steps toward brain-wise management of ourselves in an effort to adaptively navigate during this chaotic time.
Topics include:
- Understanding COVID-19 from a psychological lens
- Introducing the neuroscience of threat, trauma and burnout
- Variations in human responses—adaptive to maladaptive
- Strategies to strengthen resilience, psychological immunity and encourage post-traumatic growth
- Tools and resources for adaptively navigating this pandemic