 Global Integration UpdatesCommon Ground for the Common Good Be the people we need--Build the world we need
Special News--May 2020Staying Sane during COVID-19
Mental health resources for ourselves, others, and the world Better Together (music video)
Jack Johnson, 18 April 2020, One World--Together at Home-----------
In this Update we share more resources in the world community's battle to confront the corona virus. Specifically we focus on mental health resources to support ourselves and others during the prolonged challenges and uncertainties that can test our sanity.
Many of the resources deal with anxiety, depression, confinement, loss, grief, relationship strains, coping for children, work insecurities, spiritual struggles, etc. Some are especially oriented for counselors and therapists and others relate stories and examples of the care being offered around the world. We also want to emphasize that for hundreds of millions of people, the issue is not only COVID-19 but frankly ongoing survival--managing daily life in settings inundated with multi-dimensional poverty, protracted violence, human rights violations, and gross inequalities.
Have a look at the items below. You will likely find a number of them which are particularly relevant for your life and work. See also Confronting COVID-19: “Be smart. Be safe. Be kind.” (Global Integration Update, April 2020) for more resources.
We encourage you to list a few of the main things that you do which really help you to stay sane--and resilient--during this pandemic. And based on the material in this Update, consider a few other supportive things you could do for yourself and others.
Warm greetings (from France and USA),
Kelly and Michèle
 
Featured ResourcesStaying Sane during COVID-19
Mental health resources for ourselves, others, and the world
American Psychological Association
--COVID-19 Information and Resources
OCD, grief, older people, students, autism, telehealth, etc. (written and video)
--Six Things Psychologists Are Talking About—COVID-19 (21 April 2020)
1. Psychologists Rush To Help Health-Care Professionals
2. What Psychological Research Says About Where We Went Wrong
3. Funding Available Now To Study the Psychological Impact of COVID-19
4. Quickly Calming Distress and Improving Mental Health. “We talk about the responder and the survivor or the helper and the survivor, and in this case we’re all both….The basic principles of safety, calming, efficacy, connectedness and hope have empirical support…”
5. How COVID-19 May Increase Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
6. New Considerations for Treating and Preventing Substance Use
Core Humanitarian Standard Alliance
COVID-19 and the Core Humanitarian Standard. “Commitment 8. Staff are supported to do their job effectively, and are treated fairly and equitably. Everyone is exposed to the risks of this pandemic and will experience additional stress in response to COVID-19. As an increasing number of people will be required to work at home, organisations must adapt and conduct all their people processes remotely. Paying greater attention to work-life balance, adopting supportive approach towards all employees and trusting your staff members to manage their workloads will be critical to maintain their morale and engagement. HR has to play a key leadership role.”
Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities
Faith and COVID-19 Response. “COVID-19 is a global crisis that needs all communities across the world, together with governments, UN entities, and broad civil society organizations, to join forces in keeping people safe and well. As an international learning exchange, the JLI aims to facilitate evidence building and creation to support faith and COVID-19 response. We will update this page with JLI collaborations and partner initiatives (as possible).” Note: There are many faith-based organizations listed that offer resources for the pandemic.
Some of the 21 suggestions for self care and household care (see below)
Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University USA
A Self-Care Guide for Change-Makers and Peacebuilders during Covid-19. This three page summary briefly describes 21 ways to take care of ourselves and our households. “It is important each of us take care of ourselves, paying attention to the needs of our own bodies, our minds, and our spirits. We should recognize the new reality we face can contribute to increased feelings of sadness, anger, discouragement, or being overwhelmed. A key component to taking care of ourselves during this time is identifying the things we can control rather than focusing on the things we cannot control. While it is critical to physically isolate as much as possible during this pandemic, finding strategies to maintain our health and our connections with others will significantly impact our well-being.”
Mental Health Innovation Network
Mental Health and COVID-19: Stories from the Field. MHIN and the World Health Organization Department of Mental Health and Substance Use are collaborating to highlight the incredible efforts of individuals and organisations providing mental health and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Stories from the field" is a blog series sharing innovation and best practice through personal accounts from health care and health systems workers around the world. Each section…combines stories with key resources for health care systems as a whole as well as for different population groups.”
Psychosocial Centre, International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies
COVID-19 theme on the website. There are many resources and many are in in different languages: coping strategies, remote psychological first aid, stay at home activities for children/families, helping the elderly, etc.
The New Humanitarian
Updates and short articles about how the humanitarian sector—very vulnerable people and populations--is being affected around the world. It is more news/analysis oriented rather than offering mental health resources. For example, see
United for Global Mental Health--Blue Print Group
Newsletter April 2020 (published 30 April). See pages 2-5 for a variety of mental health resources including those recommended by members from around the world.
Member Care Associates Inc. (MCA) is a non-profit, Christian organization working internationally from Geneva and the USA. MCA's involvement in Global Integration focuses on the wellbeing and effectiveness of personnel and their organizations in the mission, humanitarian, and development sectors as well as global mental health, all with a view towards supporting sustainable development for all people and the planet. Our services include consultation, training, research, developing resources, and publications.
Global Integration (GI) is a framework for actively and responsibly engaging in our world--locally to globally. It emphasizes connecting relationally and contributing relevantly on behalf of human wellbeing and the issues facing humanity, in light of our integrity, commitments, and core values (e.g., ethical, humanitarian, human rights, faith-based). GI encourages a variety of people to be at the “global tables” and in the "global trenches"--and everything in-between--in order to help research, shape, and monitor agendas, policies, and action for all people and the planet. It intentionally links building the world we need with being the people we need.
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