COVID-19 Resources - Beginning of Pandemic

This list of resources was compiled, courtesy of http://www.breathingspaceholyoke.com

& was pulled July 13, 2020, unless otherwise noted. Some of the free/introductory offers may no longer be valid. YMMV.

COVID-19 RESOURCES: Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mental health Resource: World Health Organization- grounding exercises and visual guide to coping: Website: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/9789240003927

Resource: Headspace- meditation https://www.headspace.com/covid-19

Resource: PTSD Coach Online: Website: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/apps/ptsdcoachonline/default.htm for anyone who needs help with upsetting feelings. Trauma survivors, their families, or anyone coping with stress can benefit.

Resource: Sanvello (app) Website: https://www.sanvello.com/coronavirus-anxiety-support/ • Free access to premium content during COVID-19 for this self-management app focused on stress, anxiety and depression, which includes daily mood tracking, guided journey of relevant cognitive-behavioral strategies, coping tools for specific concerns and virtual peer support community if desired

Resource: Mindshift CBT (app) Website: https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/ • Free interactive cognitive-behavioral tools to manage anxiety, develop more effective ways of thinking and take positive action

Resource: The Wellness Society. Coronavirus anxiety workbook. • Retrieved from https://thewellnesssociety.org/.../Coronavirus-Anxiety...

Healthy Habits

Resource: Operation Health@Home Website: http://www.homebase.org/operationhealthathome/ Source: MGH Home Base Program • Library of video-based coaching tips (updated daily) for enhancing fitness, nutrition, mindfulness and mental health while coping with COVID-19 stress. Tips include easy home recipes; mindful eating; guided fitness workouts; coping techniques; and mindfulness meditations. Developed for the military community and their families, but applicable for anyone

Resource: Whole Health Action Management Guide Website: https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/integrated-health-coe/ Source: SAMHSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions • A guided workbook with practical strategies for building and maintaining 10 whole health and resiliency factors (e.g., health eating, sleep, physical activity, service, optimism, purpose) in the face of stress. Originally developed for individuals with mental health or substance use concerns, but applicable for anyone

Mindfulness and wellbeing

Resource: Coronavirus Sanity Guide (website includes videos and app) Website: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide From: Ten Percent Happier • Resources on this webpage include: guided meditations, podcasts, blog posts and talks focused on managing coronavirus-related stress and anxiety. These resources will be updated over time • Dr. Luana Marques of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders program is interviewed with other experts for a one-hour podcast, sharing practical tips for “How to Manage Coronavirus Anxiety” • Guided meditations include: centering/grounding for coronavirus responders; relaxation; self-compassion; and finding ease • Talks include: handwashing mindfully; caring for others during time of coronavirus; coping with anxiety; releasing fear; etc. • Free access to Ten Percent Happier app is now available for healthcare workers

Resource: Mindfulness for Wellness Website: https://moodnetwork.org/covid19/welcome From: MGH Department of Psychiatry • Free 8-session online program developed by Dr. Louisa Sylvia and team from the MGH MoodNetwork, introducing mindfulness skills to help with coping with COVID-19 stress. Each session takes about 15-20 minutes, focuses on a specific skill, and can be completed on your own time

Resource: Greater Good Science Center (website) Website: https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/ • Practical resources for happiness, compassion, and the meaningful life.

Resource: Headspace (app) Website: https://www.headspace.com/health-covid-19 • Free access to Headspace Plus is now available for United States health care and public health professionals through 2020

Resource: Insight Timer (website and app) Website: https://insighttimer.com/ • Free library of over 30,000 recorded meditations for sleep, anxiety, stress, mindfulness, self-compassion, calming music, for kids, etc.

Resource: Calm (website with recordings) Website: https://www.calm.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath • Curated free recordings include: soothing meditations for mindfulness and self-compassion; sleep meditations; calm music; relaxing soundscapes; mindful movement exercises; mindfulness for kids; daily mindfulness activity calendars; journaling resources; ideas for social connection

Resource: Stop, Breathe & Think (app) Website: https://my.life/ • Free app to help notice feelings and reactions, practice mindful breathing, and broaden perspectives via guided meditations

Positive Emotions

Resource: Positive Psychology Exercises (app) Website: https://scholar.harvard.edu/bettina.hoeppner/sis From: Mass General Center for Addiction Medicine • Dr. Bettina Hoeppner’s team at the Mass General Center for Addiction Medicine has developed a freely available app that engages users in daily positive psychology exercises focused on noticing and fully engaging with positive experiences even amid life challenges. While this app was originally developed to support smoking cessation (for scientific validation, see this paper https://www.sciencedirect.com/.../abs/pii/S0740547218303349), the happiness exercises can be used as a stand-alone module (simply tap “Happiness” on the homepage of the app) and can be used by all • Positive psychology exercises focus on noticing kindness (e.g., teachers putting together homeschool tools); doing kind things (e.g., leaving toilet paper in the shelf for the next person to buy); savoring (e.g., taking 5 minutes to sit in the sunshine); reliving positive experiences (e.g., looking at photos and recalling joyful events); and noticing good things that are also happening (e.g., whole communities engaging in social distancing for the greater good)

Fun activities Coronavirus capsule (available in English and Spanish) Website: https://letsembark.ca/time-capsule

Yoga and Movement Resource: Wakeout (app) Website: https://wakeout.co/ • Free app with hundreds of quick and easy 30-second physical exercises that can be completed in the home, while sitting, or outdoors

Resource: How to Stay Active While You’re at Home (website) Website: https://www.sportengland.org/jointhemovement From: Sport England • Guide to free resources for staying active at home, including: o Home workout videos  https://www.nhs.uk/.../for.../move-more/home-workout-videos/ o Illustrated guides to gym-free workouts  https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/gym-free-workouts/ o Dance-along videos with kids  https://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/activities/disney-workouts/

Resource: Down Dog Yoga & Exercise Apps (app) Website: https://www.downdogapp.com/ From: Down Dog • Free access to all exercise apps (Down Dog, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Barre and 7 Minute) until April 1 (and extended to July 1 for all students and teachers signing up with an .edu address)

Resource: Online Yoga Resources (website) Website: https://breathingspaceholyoke.com/online/ From: Breathing Space Yoga & Mindfulness Studio • Free online yoga resources, with videos as well as audio guided meditations to assist with stress and sleep — looking for help.

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From Ryan Malaluan at Fingerprint for Success:

Website: https://www.fingerprintforsuccess.com/blog/how-to-calm-anxiety/

From: Fingerprint for Success

Resource: Retire Guide (website)

Website: retireguide.com/guides/covid-19-retirement/

Website: retireguide.com/medicare/costs/fraud/

From: RetireGuide.com

• "We have recently published a guide that covers the recent COVID-19 outbreak and what currently retired, or soon-to-be retired professionals should know."