Author: Vicky Truong-Mirhossein
As we sense what seems to be the end of the pandemic and look into the future of what recovery from COVID-19 will look like, uneasiness and weariness may begin to creep in. A century from now, people will read about the past 16 months of our lives and will witness, flabbergasted, at what this virus has demanded of families to endure. Families have been required to home school their children while attempting to be effective at working remotely. They have also been required to meet their financial responsibilities while millions of jobs have been lost. Families have also had to quarantine for months at a time or carry on without family members, who needed to separate themselves due to their jobs at hospitals or doctors’ offices. They may also be grieving loved ones or their health lost to this virus. Children have been asked to excel academically while experiencing high levels of fear, hopelessness, and betrayal of the social injustice that has always existed, but finally grabbed our attention and demanded change.
As we approach summertime, families can finally be outdoors, travel, and enjoy activities they once did. Things seem to be headed towards normalcy. Yet couples may find themselves energetically depleted, disconnected, numb, and experiencing a deep loss of connection with their partner. Couples may be confronted with the impact that the pandemic has had on their marriage as they kept their families afloat and tried their best to keep their families safe and whole during these times. For some ideas on things you can do right now to take care of your mental health, click here.
Couples therapy is one avenue that two people can take to strengthen their partnership and be propelled into action doing what is necessary to recover from this pandemic. My work focuses on helping couples identify the problems that have wedged themselves between relationships. I work to facilitate a sense of understanding of these problems and to help both individuals cultivate a deep connection not only to each other but to themselves as well. My approach with couples is highly individualized as all couples should be recognized for their unique ways of caring and loving for one another based on their upbringings, cultures, and their preferred ways of being as they build their lives together. During sessions, couples can expect to experience a diffusion of conflict, a therapist who deeply respects their lived experiences and recognizes the ways they see the world for its complexities, beauty, and strengths. After all, a partnership that reflects our values and purpose on this earth is truly worth fighting for.
