Specialized COVID-19 mental health and stress relief resources

Faculty and staff who are feeling depressed or stressed during this unprecedented pandemic can get help from several resources on the COVID-19 website.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), normally associated with students, also has help for faculty and staff on its mental health website, including:

• Everyone with a Clemson.edu email address has access to CAPS’ online program called Therapy Assistance Online (TAO).
• There are tips for managing stress during the COVID-19 pandemic on the CAPS mental health website, along with a Harvard Business Review article about relating the discomfort people are feeling now to grief.
• Employees also can access the TAO mindfulness exercises to help people struggling with worry and anxiety and the four-session Koru Mindfulness course to be taught online by Jennifer Goree from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, and April 8, 15 and 22. There is a one-time fee of $3.99 for first-time users.

The Office of Human Resources directs faculty and staff to the Employee Assistance Program for help dealing with the unusual daily pressures presented by the health crisis.

If the stress and worry seem too much to bear, CAPS suggests these resources:

• Greenville CRISISline– 864-271-8888: CRISISline is a 24-hour, 7-day a week confidential hotline offering a nonjudgmental sounding board for people to talk about life’s struggles. Trained phone workers are available to offer a listening ear and to provide community resources and crisis intervention.
• Crisis Textline– Text “tigers” to 741-741: The Crisis Textline is open to anyone in need of support. Receive  access to a trained, anonymous, free crisis counselor.
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline– 1-800-273-TALK (8255): No matter what problems you are dealing with, COVID-19 related or otherwise, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255 to connect with a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area anytime, 24-hours, seven-days a week.