DUBLIN, Ga. — We all know how fast our lives changed once the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Especially for the school systems, teachers, students, and parents have had to adjust to distance learning and staying on track at home.
Dublin City Schools Director for Mental Health Counseling Tonia Spaulding says that can put a lot of strain on your mental health. She's offering resources to help.
"When the water is simmering, call me," Spaulding said.
The analogy is what she tells her clients who are facing mental health challenges during COVID-19.
"Those who have anxiety -- the anxiety is up even more. There's more depression. The obsessive and compulsive behaviors are really surfacing and trauma. This is a really traumatic event," Spaulding said.
Many teachers and students are going through those feelings from the stresses of distance learning.
"They can't give the kid the warm hug that they feel, that they do recognize they're frustrated with the digital or frustrated with the work, and a lot of the teachers are feeling helpless in trying to move through this digital world," Spaulding said.
The district started their "Be Well with Mrs. Tonia" series on their YouTube channel as a mental health resource.
"We'll be talking a lot about regulating your emotions, interpersonal relationships, distress tolerance, how to handle distress, how to deal with crisis," Spaulding said.
She says the videos will also help mentally prepare teachers, students, and parents to adjust back to life once COVID-19 ends.
"Dublin city is acting now, instead of waiting until COVID is over, because it's going to be a hard road to make the transition," Spaulding said.
Spaulding says each video shows a different skill for people use to control their behaviors.
They upload a new episode to their YouTube page every Friday.
She recommends the Georgia Department of Education's Emotional Support Care, The Georgia Crisis Access Line, and the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse's CARES Warm Line for additional support.
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