Counsellors' Corner

Life in Lockdown – Addressing Stress

“ Be kind to yourself” . It’s a mantra used by psychologists, therapists and counsellors worldwide. Whilst it is a commendable encouragement, and can be set within a framework of God’s love for us, how does one accomplish this in such a trying time as lockdown, where we are limited in what we can do?

We acknowledge the huge pressure resting on families and individuals at the moment as parents help with their children's online learning. With additional financial, social, spiritual, emotional and mental stressors, our well-being can be taking more hits than we are prepared for. What we are collectively going through is hard and, with some uncertainty as to when this COVID response will end, will be experienced as lengthy. Therefore, it is important to tend to our well-being as well as that of those we love.

As counsellors at NCS, we want to offer the following for parents and students to consider when taking care of ourselves:

• Set small goals. We need a sense of control to feel healthy so setting small achievable goals helps us to regain a sense of control. This can apply to schoolwork as well as daily work, study or home activities.
• Look for the good in your environment. Training your brain to focus on the positive changes how we interact with the world cognitively. This is good for creativity , focus and general better functioning . Mindfulness, the art of being present in the moment, is a great way to look at what is around you without judgement and fosters calm. Philippians 4:8
• Be on the lookout for warning signs of stress. These can include sleep difficulties, increase in moodiness, over-eating and over-consumption of alcohol. Use known stress management techniques to combat stress – connection with others, establishing a sleep routine, limiting sugary foods and drink, physical exercise and meditation. There are plenty of effective apps for stress release such as Calm, Smiling Mind and Breathe. Reading God’s word is a great comfort and encouragement.
• Reframe lockdown. Lockdown may seem a waste of time but you can draw on how you deal with it at a later stage. You will learn about yourself and what abilities you don't know you have.
• Think about what you can do rather than what you cannot. What you have rather than what you don't. Practice gratitude.
• This may be a rare opportunity to cultivate some family rituals and traditions that will last past lockdown and strengthen ties.
• Don't be afraid to ask for professional support. This is a challenging experience for all.

The counselling Staff at NCS are available to support students and their families. We are set up to have Google Meet Sessions, Google chat , phone calls or emails. We can, under special circumstances, see a student face-to-face at school. 

• Jodie Dearsley  -  Tuesday Week A, Thursday, Friday
• Jane Donald  -  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
• Lisa Stratton – 2 days a week, variable

Of course, there are many resources in the community to draw on if we are finding the going hard. Here is a list of organisations that can be accessed:

• Emergency 000
• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
• MensLine 1300 78 99 78
• Anglicare  - Mental Health Services Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm  1300 111 278
• Anglicare  - Family, Parenting and Youth Support Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm 1300 651 728
• Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling  1800 011 046

Beyond Blue www.beyondblue.org.au

Dr Justin Coulson also has many resources on his website:

https://www.happyfamilies.com.au

NCS Counselling Team

Jodie, Jane, Lisa