To offer support to its staff and researchers, Partners, MGH, and several other groups have put together resources that address the challenges we may be facing in our day-to-day lives as we handle this unique situation. Here, we compile those resources & information to make it easier for you to see what each one offers. Check back for updates!
If you have any suggestions or feedback on this page, please contact Allison Stevens.
Overview of Websites Collecting Resources
For information on the majority of resources available to MGH employees, you can use any of the 4 websites below:
Partners Mental Health & Well-being Resources
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- > compilation of COVID-19 related emails & FAQs that have come from Partners
- > links to resources from various Partners institutions
- > McLean – articles & webinars with coping tips for healthcare providers, families, remote workers, college students, etc.
- > BWH – links to general self-care resources & resources specific to BWH employees
- > links to content (EAP, apps, MGH Psychiatry) also provided below
MGH Psychiatry’s Guide for General Mental Health & Coping
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- > provides articles, webinars & resources for evidence-based self-care & coping strategies
- > summarizes the content provided by CDC, WHO, APA, Harvard, MGH, Benson-Henry Mind Body Institute, etc. for coping strategies during infectious disease outbreaks & provides links
- > resources for healthcare workers, families, & specific mental health conditions
Office for Well-being at the Center for Faculty Development
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- > hub for MGH resources related to well-being & stress management
- > links to free exercise classes
- > schedule one-on-one consultations with Dr. Darshan Mehta, the Medical Director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine
- > available for all research staff, not just faculty!
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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- > counselors available to speak with you and members of your household for free (confidential & not part of your medical record)
- > articles/tips on overcoming isolation during social distancing, building resilience as a healthcare worker, & stress management & self-care
- > webinars created by the EAP on a range of topics including meditation, communication, estate planning, compassion fatigue, stress management, etc.
Coping
Whether it’s Partners, the EAP, or the CDC, they all recognize that the current crisis has led us to experience a myriad of normal reactions including fear, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, an inability to turn away from the news, feeling on edge, etc. In addition to the resources listed on this website, they all also provide the same basic guidelines for coping with these reactions & the constant changes we are experiencing:
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- > Create and follow a routine as best you can
- > Stay connected with others
- > Fit in some form of daily exercise (a very effective stress reducer!)
- > Maintain regular sleep patterns to protect your health
- > Eat healthy
- > Limit your intake of news related to the crisis
- > Practice stress management
To sum up: Take the time to take care of yourself. Give yourself a break. Remind yourself that this is temporary. And acknowledge that you and others around you are doing the best you can at any given moment. It is okay that this may look different moment to moment and person to person.
Use the resources on this page to take care of yourself and your family. Any time you feel stress & anxiety is preventing you from being as productive or calm as you would like to be, return here and consider more of the resources.
Some resources to help you follow those basic guidelines for coping & self-care:
Stay Connected
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- > Use Microsoft Teams to chat and hold discussions with fellow Martinos Center members on the various channels the Martinos Center hosts (go here to ask to be added)
- > See the Martinos calendar for a list of upcoming seminars including Brainmap, Science on Tap, etc.
Exercise
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- > BWH Education Institute offers daily exercise classes that includes HIIT, yoga, karate, barre, pilates, and cardio conditioning
- > Sport New England compiled a list of free content and free trials for indoor exercise
Eat Healthy
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- > Using food to reduce anxiety and boost immunity from Harvard Medical School
Stress Management
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- > BWH offers virtual yoga & meditation classes throughout the week
- > See the EAP’s sections on managing stress and mindfulness
- > Participate in a virtual mindfulness research study with the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
One-on-One Support
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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- > call 866-724-4327 to speak to a licensed counselor for any work/life, family, or personal concerns
- > confidential, free, and available for both employees & members of their household;
- > does not become part of your medical record
- > consultations & referrals on matters related to childcare, eldercare, legal concerns, & more
- > call 866-724-4327 to speak to a licensed counselor for any work/life, family, or personal concerns
Virtual visits with behavioral health providers are an option
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- > you can find providers via the AllWays website by choosing “behavioral health” as the category or by calling the EAP at 866-724-4327
- > if you have Partners Select/Partners Plus health insurance, you do not need a referral and cost sharing is waived
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- > free 45-minute support sessions via video with licensed psychotherapists volunteering their time during the COVID-19 health crisis
- > for anyone over 18 years old who lives in Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, or Medford
- > while therapeutic techniques may be used this is not therapy/counseling
- > primary purpose is to respond to acute stress & provide a space for people to be heard and supported in this difficult time
- > free 45-minute support sessions via video with licensed psychotherapists volunteering their time during the COVID-19 health crisis
Interactive Apps
Clinically vetted apps that offer tools to help you manage stress & anxiety on your own (currently free for Partners employees):
Headspace – recordings of guided meditations tailored to help with sleep, anxiety, productivity, anger, sadness, etc.
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- > includes recordings aimed at kids to help them focus, let go of anger, fall asleep, and calm down
- > Platforms: iOS, Android, or Web-based
- > Use your Partners email to sign up
Evermind – uses cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help you build resilience and handle stress
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- > guided day-by-day programs on improving sleep, relaxation, self-esteem, & challenging negative thought patterns
- > each module lists how long it takes with a range from 3-30 minutes
- > Platforms: iOS, Android
- > Use your Partners email to sign up
The Care Online: iCBT program – online self-directed course in cognitive behavioral therapy offered to patients with anxiety or low to moderate levels of depression to help them self-manage symptoms of these conditions
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- > Platforms: any mobile or desktop device
- > Request access by calling the EAP at 866-724-4327. An EAP counselor will do a virtual screening in order to set you up with the program.
Webinars
Ongoing & On Demand
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- > Daily 10 minute stress management sessions provided by the EAP
- > Mental Health Survival Guide from McLean
- > Clinician Self-Care in Times of Crisis from McLean
- > More coming soon…
Upcoming
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- > The Science of Leading and Managing with Resilience in Uncertain Conditions: April 14th, 4-5:30pm (register here)
- > How to strengthen your emotional health skills during times of uncertainty and Coronavirus: April 21st 12-1pm (access it here)
- > Adjusting to Disrupted Academics during COVID-19: April 22nd 12pm (register here)
- > More coming soon…
Preparing for Redeployment
Are you wondering what redeployment will look like? Do you have questions about practical matters like what to wear, how to get there, & what will happen on your first day? Review these resources to prepare:
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- > Watch this Q&A with Matt Larrabee, a Martinos Center research technologist who was redeployed & addresses issues such as attire, commuting, the different kinds of jobs, available PPE, preventing contamination at home, & what his hospital floor looks like
- > Description of the redeployment process for researchers by Harry Orf, Sr. VP of Research, plus a Q&A in this video here (starts at 6:45). Slides can be viewed here (presentation on pages 3-5, Q&A on pages 17-21).
- > Watch this Radiology Town Hall, specifically the Q&A with Darren on the practical issues that may come up with a clinical redeployment
- > See the Radiology Department’s COVID-19 Infection Control section of their website with information on how to remove a face mask to eat, how to wear an N95 mask, and the extended reuse of PPE policy
- > Who should wear an N95 mask & N95 fit-testing guidelines
- > Partners policy on homemade masks
- > Partners policy on avoiding patient interaction for non-clinical staff
- > Information on parking & commuting coming soon! MBTA is running on a reduced schedule.