At the end of December 2019, the government in Wuhan, China, confirmed the detection of a new disease and treatment of a handful of cases. On January 11th, China reported its first death from the novel respiratory illness — dubbed COVID-19, short for coronavirus disease 2019 — and as of this writing there have been 180,000 confirmed cases of the disease and over 7,000 deaths.
We’re seeing disruptions to travel; sporting events, concerts, and conventions canceled; an unstable stock market; schools and workplaces closed or conducting business virtually; the shuttering of bars and restaurants; and the implementation of curfews, quarantines. It’s a reminder that we live in a complex and interconnected world and that we each have a duty — to both the more vulnerable to ourselves — to take this outbreak seriously and engage necessary health precautions to limit its spread.
Because the virus is new, and we don’t know what the future holds, this ambiguity can drive panicked, irrational responses and poor decision making — for now, the most important thing we can do is stay calm and follow the directives of public health professionals.
But, despite the fact that for most us the risk remains relatively low, it’s normal in these times of collective uncertainty to experience stress, anxiety, and fear.
Free Resources from Talkspace
Free therapy for impacted health care workers
Because of the devastating mental health toll exacted by the spread of this virus, Talkspace provided over 2,000 free months of therapy for impacted doctors, nurses, and social workers. To access the much-needed benefit during this emergency, health care workers registered after downloading the app from the Google Play or Apple’s App Store or via the Talkspace website and provided their NPI and state of residence for verification. Once certified for eligibility, these health care workers were provided discounted access to Talkspace’s Unlimited Messaging Plus plan.
Licensed Therapists Online
Need convenient mental health support? Talkspace will match you with a licensed therapist within days.
Start therapyTalkspace’s Mental Health Resources for COVID-19 Related Concerns
100% therapy donation match
Talkspace provided a 100% donation match of free therapy until April 4th offered by its network of thousands of providers, who will donate their time and expertise to offer additional supplemental psychotherapy for medical and health care workers. Talkspace is also calling on generous corporations and organizations — like those who have already contributed — to continue donating additional therapy months.
Talkspace Therapy for Coronavirus Concerns
Services for Consumers
Therapy program for COVID-19 stress and anxiety
In light of the recent pandemic, clients were seeking support from their therapists as they manage their associated anxiety symptoms. Talkspace created a 16-day therapist-led program designed to provide support specifically for clients looking for help during the outbreak. The therapeutic regimen included topics and worksheets to help Talkspace users:
- Reduce the physical sensations of stress and anxiety
- Learn new skills for managing stress at home for them and their loved ones
- Problem solve new and unexpected issues that arise due to COVID-19
- Improve their overall happiness and quality of life
During this emergency, when panic and uncertainty seem to increase each day and with each newscycle, Talkspace is providing coronavirus anxiety program free to all users — to calm nerves and improve mental health outcomes — all a part of our mission to broaden access to care and provide safe and effective therapy, anytime, anywhere.
Therapy from at home from your smart speaker
Talkspace therapy is now also available for all to use on Amazon Alexa. You can learn about psychotherapy and use our assortment of self-help exercises. Plus, if you’re a member, you can connect with your licensed therapist via Alexa from the safety and security of your home.
Tele-psychiatry for at-home access
In addition to therapy, Talkspace offers telehealth psychiatry services. If you need prescriptions and cannot make it to your doctor or psychiatrist’s office, please consider Talkspace as a resource.
Services for Employers
For employers who are interested in providing more services during this time, we now offer discounted access vouchers, at any quantity. Vouchers can be secured immediately and will provide employees the opportunity to engage with a therapist for 3 months. Interested companies can reach out to [email protected] to learn more.
While in many ways our routines are being disrupted and the world feels tumultuous, remember that your feelings — whatever they may be — are valid and that it’s normal to feel unsettled in uncertain periods such as these. Unreasonable or excessive worry, however, will only cause undue strain and could actually tax your immune response. If you need to speak to a licensed therapist who can help calm your fears and assist you in making rational, healthy decisions for you and your family, try Talkspace.
Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.
Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.
Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.
