As the country began lockdown in April, Andy also started therapy with Richstone. At the time, he was reported having difficulty adjusting to his home learning environment. Being isolated from his friends made him sad and it didn’t help that he couldn’t run around freely in the school yard like he used to. This resulted in occasional outbursts towards his family.
Starting his therapy sessions wasn’t easy either. Reluctant on adding more Zoom hours to his day, Andy would cover his face with his shirt or even turn off his camera in the middle of his sessions. Despite this closed behavior, the Richstone therapist persistently encouraged Andy to express his feelings, even if he believed they were “bad”. Within a few weeks, Andy was more engaged and actively participating in his sessions!
After seeing much progress, the therapist enlisted the support from Andy’s mother, Cindy, to help reinforce the skills he has acquired through therapy. However, the therapist soon noticed that Cindy was also experiencing a high level of stress from the pandemic. Her unresolved history of depression was now rearing up. The therapists took this opportunity to also provide mental health support for Cindy. She was soon able to receive individual therapy and medications for her condition.
Thanks to the Richstone therapist, Andy has successfully adjusted to his new learning environment. Cindy has also found healthier ways to cope with her stress and is well on her way to overcoming depression.