The Viral Episode

Curt and Katie talk about the Corona Virus scare. We look at how to take care of ourselves, our clients, and our businesses during the current outbreak. We also look at the mental health impacts and the legal and ethical responsibilities we have to our clients.         

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.

In this episode we talk about:

• The current concerns about the Corona Virus
• The impacts of the virus on therapists
• How to identify our responsibilities as therapists
• Info from the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control on COVID-19
• The reactions that we are seeing in society as mental healthcare professionals
• Looking at practical steps to increase safety in your office
• How to think about your cancellation policy
• Incorporating telehealth into your practice
• The complexity of insurance companies covering telehealth session
• Xenophobia toward individuals of Asian descent, and the mental health impact on these clients
• The impact on the individuals (or their caregivers) who have compromised immune systems of needing to remain home or in isolation
• The legal and ethical considerations
• When we can tell our clients that they must stay home and when it could be discrimination
• The problems with self-quarantines
• The importance of therapists refraining from contributing to the anxiety and sharing accurate information from reputable sources