If you read my post in December, you know I am taking some time away from nursing. What started as a 2 month break is now going onto month four. I struggled with my mental health the past 2 years working Covid, but it got exponentially worse during the Delta wave. I decided to step away from nursing to work on my mental health. I was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. I started taking medication. And in January, I made my next step in recovery, I started therapy.

The idea of having to talk about everything I had been through and feeling was honestly overwhelming, but I knew it was a necessary part of healing and moving on. I am so thankful I found the right therapist the first time. Know this doesn’t always happen and if therapy doesn’t feel right at first, it’s okay to try other therapist until it does. My therapist really is amazing and I really feel she is a great match for me. Once I got through the first session, I felt such a relief at the fact I finally had reached out for help, and that this was going to be a space of comfort and healing. I still get anxious before more sessions, but that goes away once we start.

You don’t have to have a mental health diagnosis to go to therapy. You don’t have to be in crisis to go to therapy. I think everyone can benefit from therapy in their lives. And maybe you don’t need weekly therapy like me, maybe monthly therapy would be best for you. There is also many different types of therapy and modalities. It’s one of the amazing things about therapy, you can find what is right for you. Therapy can help you process trauma or grief but it can also do so much more than that. It can help improve communication skills, decision making skills, relationships, and increase your confidence.

I am very aware of my privilege to have health insurance and the money to go to therapy. I am very thankful I am able to get the help I need. encourage everyone to consider therapy after the year we have, but especially healthcare workers. I am honestly so disappointed with how the Health Care System has taken care of healthcare workers during this time of trauma. I feel we should be actively encouraging people to get help and even have therapist on staff just for the hospital staff. There is various options for therapy and paying for therapy. If you need help, contact me, I am happy to help you find resources if and where I can.

If you would like to join a support group for nurses I am facilitating, I would love to have you! This is for any nurse- LPN, RN, NP, or CRNA, in any specialty, that is looking for a place of support and community. Check out my Nurses Supporting Nurses: Support Group blog post to learn more and sign up.

Debriefing the Front Lines

Debriefing the Front Lines is also an amazing non-profit that offers debriefings & psychological first aid to nurses of all specialties. Tara, the nurse who started the non-profit is amazing and I know this wonderful organization does so much for nurses.