Getting the Help We Need
During the unusual time we all experienced this spring, Spectrum Healthcare’s mental healthcare services were a beacon for so many people in Yavapai County.
Spectrum has been a leading local whole health provider for more than 65 years, offering integrated healthcare and outpatient counseling for families, couples and individuals at six locations in the Prescott area and in the Verde Valley. While Spectrum’s doors are open for in-person care, providers also are offering telehealth services.
“We know sometimes it’s hard to ask for help,” said April Rhodes, CEO of Spectrum Healthcare. “These are extraordinary times we’re all finding ourselves in. We believe in acknowledging the many complex emotions, including fear and anxiety that this pandemic evokes. There’s some comfort in knowing that we’re in this together, but everyone has their own experience they are going through. Physical and social distancing were foreign concepts to most of us until recently. We are being asked to alter our entire way of life right now, and for many it’s mentally very difficult.”
The way people respond to the pandemic can depend on their background, the things that make them different from others, and the stress level they’re under. People who have chronic diseases or mental health conditions and those on the front lines, like our healthcare workers, may respond more strongly to the stress of the crisis. But no one is immune to feeling emotionally strained. Here are few tips that can help relieve stress during times like these:
- Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to the news.
- Eat healthy meals.
- Take deep breaths and consider meditation.
- Exercise or take walks to get some air.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Connect with others and share what you are feeling.
To encourage openness in sharing, Rhodes also suggests the “High Low Game,” where family members (or friends) share the high and low parts of their day.
“Communication is a key part of mental well-being, even if it’s done virtually,” Rhodes said.
In addition to primary care and behavioral health services, Spectrum Healthcare has The Spectrum Healthcare Mobile Crisis Team, an urgent response team aimed at addressing mental health issues as they arise in the community. The purpose of the team is the give community members immediate support and care to resolve whatever issues they may be facing, and to connect them with outpatient services such as counseling, psychiatry, and primary care when needed.
The crisis team partners with local first responders and hospitals to reduce stigma and incarceration.
“This service is helping to relieve pressure on our healthcare system by doing risk assessments and offering crisis counseling on the spot. Staff members are available 24/7/365. It’s an impressive organization that is helping those in need of urgent mental support throughout our communities,” Rhodes said.
If you or someone you know needs behavioral help assistance, please contact Spectrum Healthcare at one of its six campuses: 8 East Cottonwood Street and 651 W. Mingus Ave in Cottonwood; 3633 Crossings Drive and 990 Willow Creek Road in Prescott; 452 Finnie Flat Road in Camp Verde; 2880 Hopi Drive in Sedona.
For more information, call 928.778.0330 or 928.634.2236 or visit www.spectrumhealthcare-group.com.