Seeing everything push forward with reopening might be giving you some anxiety. So, we wanted to give you a sharper insight into how you can make the transition a little more comfortable.
We talked with KathyDan Moore, a licensed marriage and family therapist with KDM Counseling Group in St. Petersburg.
"Just like it was a process about quarantining and learning how to shut down and what we needed to do, it's going to be a process about reopening," she said.
Moore specifically suggests taking baby steps when it comes to getting back out into the world. We often try to change our minds, before we change our behavior but Moore suggests instead, changing your behavior really slowly, which will lead to a change in your thoughts, which will lead to a change in your feelings.
"Instead of saying I'm going to go to a giant party this weekend, maybe going to a restaurant where you can eat outdoors, or maybe if you haven't been going to friends' houses, going to friends' houses. Doing things that are small and growing on it," she explained.
Moore adds if you start to notice that these feelings of fear are getting in the way of living your life, or you're refusing to reintegrate, you should consider talking with a mental health specialist.
But what about talking with your kids? Moore says reassurance and letting them know their safety is important are key. When speaking to them she suggests always coming from the perspective of you got their back and you're watching out for them.
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