Mental Health Check Up: Support and Resources with Michelle Walker

Dealing with Covid-19 Return to Work Anxiety

The projected Provincial re-opening brings a glimmer of hope to getting to a new normal. Having a meal with friends inside a restaurant? An in-person lunch meeting? What a contrast from virtual meetings we have been limited to for almost two years now! While the extroverts of the world are jumping for joy, some people are anxious at the thought of enduring face-face interactions with the pandemic still active, despite the positive momentum of increased vaccination numbers and declining new Covid-19 case numbers.

Part of prioritizing our mental health is preparing ourselves for upcoming changes that are likely to disrupt the every-day activities we have become accustomed to. While many of us have become comfortable working from the safety of our homes- so comfortable that they even welcomed a Covid puppy into their homes- we must also prepare for the return to in person encounters on a daily basis with those outside our immediate family. For some this means going out and getting a new wardrobe, while for others it is a deeper, more intense emotional journey that they must face.

Therapy for COVID -19 related stress and anxiety is right at your fingertips. CAMH has an online Stress Tool that can help you to determine how well you are coping with stress. If you need support, please reach out to your HR department, find online resources provided by reputable sources such as the bouncebackontario.ca program which I introduced last month, or speak to your family doctor about a referral to help you get a handle on your anxiety.  

If it feels right for you, try to safely take advantage of the services available now that we are in stage three of the Provincial re-opening plan and of course, enjoy the great weather while it lasts.  

Until next month, stay well and stay safe.

Michelle Walker (She/Her), HR Manager, McMaster Innovation Park