Priscila Norris is a member:
[Video] Feeling anxious? Doctors say it’s normal given current events
WITN
Thrivemind Counseling and Wellness Owner Priscila Norris says her caseload dipped back in March as people lost their jobs and their healthcare, but since then her cases have doubled and now her entire practice is fully booked. She traces that increase to the global coronavirus, leading to uncertainty in careers and in family life, and also the national socio-political climate with riots creating tension between Black Lives Matter protestors and law enforcement.

Kay Castillo is director of Advocacy Policy and Legislation for NASW-NC:
COVID-19 puts pressure on already fractured prison health system
North Carolina Health News
While prisons have received some money from the state to help with staffing problems, the system as a whole has been plagued by budget stagnation going back more than a decade. DPS and prison advocates have worked to find hiring solutions outside of simply asking the General Assembly for more money, said Kay Castillo, a lobbyist for the North Carolina chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. When there is extra money, politicians are more likely to spend it on other community needs, such as schools, rather than prisons, Castillo said.

Jennifer Thompson is executive director of NASW-NJ:
Workforce in Crisis: Thousands of Social Workers Prevented From Contributing to COVID-19 Response
Digital Journal
“We have waited patiently, giving the benefit of the doubt to the state entities who play a role in licensing social workers—we were in the midst of a crisis, they were doing the best they could do, we want to keep our relationship positive and work collaboratively,” says Jennifer Thompson, MSW, Executive Director of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-NJ). “Four months later a solution has still not been presented. While the BSWE has moved to allow for temporary licenses to address some of the concerns we are still awaiting rule-making necessary to allow for us to move forward…”

Jill Johnson-Young is a member:
How Nick Cordero’s 1-Year-Old & Other Young Children Feel the Loss of a Parent
She Knows
“They need to see that grief includes missing someone after they die and being sad when we can’t see them or talk to them,” Jill A. Johnson-Young, LCSW, told SheKnows. “They also need to understand that it is perfectly normal to talk to them anyway — and that saying their name and talking about them is how we keep them in our world for the rest of our lives.”

Jonathon Novello is a member:
COVID-19 – Steep rise in staff needing mental health support
University World News
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on mental health on campuses in the United States these past four months – massive not only in levels of fear, anxiety and stress, but also in the large numbers of people who have needed emotional support, says Jonathon Novello, a clinical social worker and counsellor at Michigan State University in the United States.

Betsy Kammerud is a member:
Honor Your Grief
Beacon Magazine (Savannah, GA)
Betsy R. Kammerud, a licensed clinical social worker who manages Full Circle Grief and Loss and the Edel employee assistance program for Hospice Savannah, helps her patients identify their feelings and unpack those layers. “Sometimes we have to put one grief aside to be able to focus and do what we have to do in life. If you’re worried about losing your home and not keeping your job and trying to find a job, well maybe that’s where your energy and focus had to be – and that’s OK, giving yourself permission.

La’Tesha Sampson is a member:
A Discussion with La’Tesha Sampson About Safeguarding your Mental Health
Thrive Global
La’Tesha Sampson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has leveraged years of professional experience to cultivate positive change within her community. Her conviction towards helping those in need is what fueled her ongoing academic success, and she is now a prominent author, grant writer, non-profit trainer, and program facilitator. Dr. Sampson is a proud graduate of Syracuse University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree before completing a Master’s in Public Administration from the Metropolitan College of New York, a Master’s in Social work from Kean University, and a PhD in Christian Counselling from Northern Theological Seminary.

Laura Guise is a member:
Pandemic illuminates need for eating disorder resources
WDBJ
Counseling is impacted as well. Laura Guise, a licensed clinical social worker with Thriveworks in Lynchburg, says as sessions moved online, video conferencing created it’s own set of problems. “Somebody who has body dysmorphia and sees themselves in a way that is less than favorable is now doing a clinical session where they now have a video camera showing them back what they look like, which can often cause an incredible amount of increased anxiety,” Guise said.

Christopher Brown is a member:
What is it Like Going Through a Divorce During COVID-19
Reform Austin
What is it like to be going through a divorce in the middle of a pandemic? For many, it’s about waiting. “The pandemic that we are in has spurred a lot of self-examination in my clients, but also really looking at their relationships,” said clinical social worker and psychotherapist Christopher Brown. Marriages are being challenged more than ever due to close proximity and some couples are realizing that they are not a good fit, according to Brown.

Phyllis Carlson is a member:
Phyllis Carlson: On a Mission to Help Others Heal
Boston Patch
Hyde Park resident Phyllis Carlson has been helping people sort through life’s problems for over 50 years. She runs her own psychotherapy practice out of her newly renovated home, a house that has been in her family for over 100 years. “As long as I can sit for an hour and not drool, I can do this work forever,” she jokes. “I’m good at it. I like to be useful to people, not busy. And it keeps me off the streets.”

Laura Danforth is a member:
How Barbers Are Stepping Up for Black Men and Mental Health
HealthLine
Laura Danforth, PhD, licensed clinical social worker and assistant professor of social work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock points out that only 4 percent of mental health professionals are Black. “As a white woman, I know that I can go to a mental health provider who will likely have a similar cultural background as me, and who will likely understand my lived experience. A huge barrier is not only access, but also being able to sit across from your therapist and have them hear you, see you, believe you, and understand your pain,” Danforth told Healthline.

Mike Sullivan is a member:
Man gets 40 years for breaking into woman’s Billings home, raping her
Billings Gazette
Soria is categorized as a high-risk sexual and violent offender, said Mike Sullivan, a licensed clinical social worker who evaluated Soria. He added Wednesday that Soria meets the minimum threshold of a psychopathy assessment, which would categorize Soria as a psychopath.