Given the year we’ve had, it’s more important than ever to work on our mental, let alone our physical health. I have heard too many stories of anxiety, heart ache, and much worse. The good news is, there are professionals out there ready to help!

Speaking from experience, COVID really tested my anxiety. I am not typically an anxious person, but the uncertainty of COVID and how it was transmitted caused me to be one of the most neurotic people on the planet. At least that’s what I thought. I would sanitize everything and everyone that came into the house. I even sanitized the dogs when strangers pet them on our walks.

I would watch the news religiously and watch in horror as the number of cases and deaths rose every day. My biggest nightmare was to contract COVID and transmit it everywhere I went.

My saving grace was my therapist. For months she put my anxiety into perspective and when the time came to be vaccinated, I felt like I won the lottery. I still wear a mask to protect myself and the public, but it feels good to have protection.

Needless to say, being able to talk through my concerns and anxiety with someone who is not a friend or family member has helped my mental health significantly. I know that seeing a therapist is stigmatized, particularly in certain communities, but I my story helps people seek positive help, if they think they need it. Break the Stigma and celebrate mental health!