SPECIAL: "But My Therapist Said"—COVID-Informed Therapists Chat

Jun 28, 2025

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Ever heard anyone say they can't care about COVID anymore because it's bad for their mental health? Or their therapist said people still masking have "COVID anxiety"?

Well, here are three mental health professionals who have a thing or two to say about that! Meet Pierre, Briana, and Ji-Youn, who share their perspectives on what the Western therapy world is often missing when it comes to COVID and collective care.

Like we often say on the show, all systems of oppression are connected.

NOTE: We recorded this conversation in early November 2024. This chat special is a bit of a departure from the regular narrative style episodes you’re used to on Public Health is Dead but you are in for some gems. It reaffirms choosing to care about each other by resisting COVID, ableism, and white supremacy. "We keep us safe" has to mean something!

(00:00) Introduction
(02:50) Meet Briana, Pierre, and Ji-Youn
(06:00) Is "COVID anxiety" a real thing?
(10:49) What does years of public health abandonment do to us collectively?
(14:00) Collective care and what we owe each other
(23:33) Relationship breakdowns
(39:31) How to have COVID conversations/set your own boundaries
(53:10) Messages to other therapists
(59:58) SPEAK ON IT, PIERRE!! (if you listen to nothing else, listen to this!)

Find Pierre at Queering Psychology, Briana at her website, and Ji-Youn at their website.

CREDITS
Public Health is Dead is created, hosted, written and produced by Daniella Barreto
Outro music for this episode by Alexandria Maillot

N.B. It’s a bad idea for you to take medical advice from podcasts. Good thing this show does not offer medical advice! The point of Public Health is Dead is to share experiences and information that might help public health as a field and increase our collective knowledge. As always, if you have particular personal medical concerns of your own you should talk to your own medical providers.

This is an independent, listener-supported show. If you like what you hear, and you'd like to support production costs for more of Public Health is Dead, visit publichealthisdead.com!