Mental health during lockdown - and beyond

Imagine being able to go back in time to 1st January 2020 and being able to tell yourself what the rest of this year is going to look like. Would you believe it? Did you ever think you’d grow to love Friday night Zoom quizzes with friends? Could national remote working ever catch on (unless, of course, you’re a key worker facing unique, demanding challenges)?

How would you break it to yourself the idea of waiting for the next lockdown review to know whether you’d be able to see your friends and family? If your loved one became sick, would you be able to be with them?

There’s a lot of really difficult thoughts that none of us could have anticipated we would have to try and take on. As therapists, NLMT has been thinking about the challenges of adjusting to the new normal for some time now. We were quick off the mark, experimenting with online music making and putting the results on YouTube for all to see.

We’ve been offering remote music therapy since restrictions began - and we still are; if you or someone you know could benefit from music therapy now, here’s how to access sessions.

On our blog we’ve been thinking about change and loss - this post from NLMT therapist Priya considers a range of losses, and offers practical advice as to how to cope in an anxious moment.

But while mental health in lockdown remains a primary concern for us, we also need to begin thinking about moving on - and what happens once restrictions are lifted. Some parents will already be thinking about this as their children prepare to go back to school. Some keyworkers perhaps won’t have stopped thinking about it since lockdown began. As restrictions lift, the onus will be on individuals to manage their own levels of risk, safety - and anxiety.

In terms of easing lockdown, we are anticipating that the transition back into normality - or something resembling normality - is going to be anxiety-provoking for some. The transition from remote to face-to-face therapy will also take some getting used to. NLMT has decided to retain an online-only offering, for those who would like music therapy but for whatever reason cannot or do not want to attend face-to-face sessions. For those transitioning back to face-to-face work, thought and care to this particular situation will be given as sessions progress.

We also anticipate a spike in anxious and stressed symptoms. If this happens to you, please get in touch. Our phone support service is not just for keyworkers - it can be for anyone experiencing acute anxious symptoms who needs to talk to someone now. Here’s how to access that service, should you need it.

North London Music Therapy has consistently shown that we are quick to respond in a time of crisis. At the same time, our specialism in providing long term support to people who really need it demonstrates our staying power and depth of thought as part of our therapy work.

If you feel music therapy is for you, whether online or in person, get in touch for a free consultation session here.