Putting A Face on Mental Health: Three Community Stories


Names and identifying information changed to safeguard confidentiality.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is both significant and unknown. That’s why Jewish Community Services (JCS) bolstered their already wide range of services, including counseling and therapy. Three brave community members reflect on how they came to tackle their mental health struggles with the help of the JCS team, led by Claire Fultz.

Sara

I’m a 35-year-old mother of two beautiful young children. My story could easily be your story. Balancing the pressures of working full-time and owning my own business – it’s a lot to handle and I was feeling really overwhelmed. To make matters worse, I was also watching my husband sink deeper into his own depression. I didn’t know how to help him. And I was struggling too.

I knew I needed help. We both needed help.

I was so fortunate to connect with a counselor through Jewish Community Services. Therapy helped me realize that me not sharing was not the best way to go about things. Actually, keeping my husband in the dark was probably more harmful than helpful for his depression. And it was definitely adding to my own anxiety. With my therapist’s help, I began to be more honest about my struggles and started to communicate more openly with my husband. Not only did my anxiety decrease when I started to talk more about it, but I also felt more connected to my husband than I have for a long time. Our relationship is better now than it was before. And, my husband is doing better too. We’re so grateful to JCS for caring and for helping us through this hard time.

Josh

I couldn’t believe that my insurance company had denied my request for telehealth services during the pandemic. I was feeling so alone and my anxiety was at an all-time high. I usually meet with my therapist weekly but due to Covid, I was unable to go in person.

Fortunately, Jewish Community Services stepped in and was able to help get me weekly, video calls with my therapist. I really needed that socialization and communication – even more than I thought. Aside from working through the challenges and stressors I was experiencing, my therapist was also able to check in with me regarding my needs for household essentials, food and medicines.

I really appreciate that JCS was there for me when I needed help and kept me from sinking into a deeper depression.

Eleanor

I recently lost my husband after 60 years of marriage. During the height of the pandemic, without being able to have family and friends by my side, I felt so overwhelmed and alone. There was so much to handle and I’m not very good with the computer. A friend recommended meeting with a therapist remotely but I had no idea how to go about that. My husband was computer savvy but it has never been my thing. Someone told me about Jewish Community Services and thought that they could help. My therapist walked me through how to download Zoom and we began to meet online weekly over the next five months. I feel like those Zoom sessions really saved my life. Meeting with my therapist online got me through a difficult time. I no longer feel the need for those sessions, especially since I now am able to stay in touch with family and friends virtually as well as attend some online workshops.

Learn more about what The Associated and its network of agencies are doing to address our community’s mental health.

To learn more about mental health services for your children and family, please call 410-466-9200; but if this is a true emergency, do not wait; call 911 or go the nearest emergency room.


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The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.

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