By Meryl Feld / Editor
“Mental Health Awareness Month should actually be throughout the year, but I’m glad that they highlight it in May,” Molly McGurk, LCSW, LSCSW, the director of mental health services at Jewish Family Services said, “It’s a way to educate the community and focus it into one month. But I really think that due to COVID mental health awareness is going to continue to really be an important need for our society because no one is escaping this — COVID — and it’s impacting all of us on many different levels.”
McGurk likes to say that JFS serves everyone from three to 103. All of their therapists are licensed. They have two bilingual therapists, one male therapist and one children’s therapist. They have therapists who specialize in trauma. They offer Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, too.
“We have robust services and an amazing staff and we want to say yes when you call us. If we aren’t able to help you, we will find that resource for you,” McGurk said. “We serve everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.”
The Mental Health Services program at JFS is taking on new patients. All it takes is a phone call to get the ball rolling on utilizing their services. You can get confidential assistance figuring out which of their programs may be of assistance to you.
Response to COVID-19
JFS is currently only seeing patients on Zoom or via phone in light of the pandemic. In response to COVID-19, they created a bi-weekly counseling client support group facilitated by two licensed therapists on Zoom. They shifted their grief and loss support group that meets twice a month to Zoom, too. Roughly eight people attend these groups.
Right now, JFS is focusing on helping older adults and teens through this worldwide crisis. “Those are two groups that maybe aren’t getting enough attention,” McGurk said. Isolation and a new increased lack of socialization makes both groups particularly vulnerable during this time.
JFS is offering free short-term therapy for older adults. They even have social workers who specialize in working with older adults. If older adults find that they need more counseling, they could shift to the Mental Health Services program and get ongoing counseling.
JFS has created a welfare check program where volunteers call all of their clients just to see how they’re doing and if they need anything. This is something McGurk recommends everyone do for the older adults in their life.
JFS has a teen mental health program called You Be You. In the past this program has involved 17 schools in the metro area. McGurk said, “It’s to reduce mental health stigma within our schools.” The program focuses on high schools.
“On the other arm of You Be You is our [mental health] coalition. We have over 30 partners in the KC Metro that include mental health… we come together and talk about what are the needs out there.” Right now, they are focusing on suicide prevention and reducing the mental health stigma in youth, working with high school and middle school-aged children. The coalition is now meeting on Zoom, which has increased attendance. Sometimes it is difficult for coalition members to drive across town in the middle of a work day — logging into Zoom is an easier option.
Within the last month JFS launched a new free program on their website called Behavior Checker, in partnership with Barb Unell. Unell is one of the co-founders of the Raised with Love and Limits Foundation, which supports preventing toxic stress in children’s lives by helping caregivers manage behavioral issues through evidence-based strategies, according to the Foundation’s website.
This is how Behavior Checker works: First, you select a behavior such as talking back or biting. “It walks a parent through the mindset a parent should have to give insight, perspective and then ultimately teaching how to work with this behavior. It tells you what not to do and what you should do,” McGurk said. This is a tool anyone can use. Given our current stressful situation, it may be even more vital. “It’s unique. There’s really nothing out there like it.”
JFS launched Behavior Checker faster in response to COVID-19. McGurk said, “We realized families are struggling. They’re at home with their kids. There’s more pressure put on them.”
Take care of your mental health
“I’m passionate about helping people and seeing the growth. I think everyone deserves the right to be happy and healthy,” McGurk said. She recommends:
Try to have your day a bit organized where you’re eating your meals at somewhat regular times.
A structured sleep schedule is really important. Don’t oversleep. Avoid staying up too late. This is especially important for children.
Reach out to loved ones.
Read a bedtime story to your grandchildren over the phone.
Get physical exercise. “It’s very important to get outside, to get some vitamin D, some sunshine. It’s important for your physical health and your mental health,” she said.
Utilize free resources on mindfulness that can help keep people in a positive mindset, such as a website called Sounds True or the apps Calm and Breathe.
Listen to music.
Read.
Watch TV or a movie.
Get out of your pajamas (putting on new clothing is implied).
Make sure you’re doing self-care.
Put on lotion or give yourself a massage. People who are isolated and by themselves may become skin hungry — a lack of touch can lead to depression.
Connect however you are able to.
When to seek help?
“If you are struggling to function and if you’re unable to calm yourself or you can’t function normally, then that would be a sign that maybe you do need to reach out and get some professional help,” McGurk said.
The Hallmark signs of depression she says to look out for: Withdrawing from others. Isolating yourself. A lack of finding pleasure in things. Shutting down. Not eating or overeating. Not being able to get negative thoughts out of your mind. Feeling hopeless.
These are signs you may need professional support. And JFS wants to help.
“During this time with COVID, I think everyone is impacted a bit,” McGurk said. “If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, or maybe you’re having odd dreams, or maybe you want to check in and do some grief counseling, just to have someone to talk to during this time, JFS is available.”
Behavior Checker, other great resources and more information about JFS can be found at www.jfskc.org.
JFS wants to ensure individuals and families can safely access the resources and services needed to weather this crisis. For confidential assistance, to get involved or support their work call 913-327-8250. JFS is not a crisis line. In an emergency, call emergency services.