Has your anxiety level been higher than normal lately? Are your children showing signs of anxiety based on the restrictions and changes with school, sports, and social situations? Is the COVID-19 pandemic or the prospect of returning to normal keeping you up at night, affecting your appetite, or simply diminishing your normal equilibrium and peace of mind?
Join NAFI CT clinical intern therapist Danielle Lonergan April 27 for a free Zoom session in which she will discuss anxiety and its causes, as well as coping mechanisms.
The two-hour session will be divided into a one-hour block geared toward children and families, from 6 to 7 p.m., and a second segment tailored for adults, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Lonergan said the program will be interactive, and participants will be able to offer comments and ask questions.
There’s no need for those who would like to attend to register in advance, and there is no limit on the number of participants.
Simply use the link and information below to join the meeting for the segment that’s most suited to your individual or family situation.
To join the Zoom meeting:
Go online to https://zoom.us/j/99378824871?pwd=UWd6MU5vYzY1VE1CbGQrT1FlYWVndz09
Meeting ID: 993 7882 4871
Passcode: 6spAWJ
“I have my own struggles with anxiety,” said Lonergan, who works out of NAFI CT’s office in Willimantic and will soon graduate from Springfield College with Master of Social Work degree. “Anxiety affects everything so it’s an important topic to discuss, and for many of us it has been more of an issue during COVID.”
In the Zoom sessions, Lonergan will cover:
- The different manifestations of anxiety
- How anxiety affects us
- What’s considered normal anxiety and what goes beyond normal levels
- How the pandemic has affected anxiety
- How to manage anxiety
Those topics will be geared toward children and families in the first hour, and presented through an adult perspective in the second hour. Throughout Lonergan will offer examples and anecdotes.
“We all experience a certain level of anxiety,” Lonergan said, citing the example of feeling nervous or jittery when awaiting the results of medical tests. But when anxiety begins to significantly affect eating or sleeping, it has moved out of the “normal” range.
“What’s your anxiety ‘bar?’” Lonergan asks in illustrating ways to gauge the severity of a situation. “Is the anxiety manageable or not?”
While the pandemic has intensified anxiety for some, it hasn’t for others, Lonergan said. The larger backdrop of living in uncertain times, however, has many of us wondering, “Can I handle this anymore?”
Anyone with questions in advance of the Zoom session may email Lonergan at DanielleLonergan@nafi.com and should allow time for her to respond.
About NAFI CT
NAFI CT is a multi-service agency that provides programming, consultation, and individualized support services to youth, families, and adults in a variety of settings across Connecticut. Our core services include foster care, developmental services, residential treatment, and in-home services and consultations. We take a respectful and dignified approach to all care services, with the mission of empowering individuals and strengthening families. To learn more, call NAFI CT at 860.284.1177 or see the website at www.nafict.org.