By Rev. Mark William Ennis
Blog Number 23
June 8, 2020
Heroes in Hard Times
Part Ten
We are inundated with bad and scary news. During this month I will be doing blogs that celebrate heroes in our congregation. I hope that you gain some inspiration from these and receive a respite from the bad news that the media continues to feed us.
This is the final “Heroes” blog. Now that re-opening is beginning, our blogs will return to cover opinions of local news and theological issues.
Our featured hero is Rev. Dr. Pamela Pater-Ennis of the Hudson River Care and Counselling Center. After decades of working as a psychotherapist at various centers and hospitals, Dr. Pamela opened her own ten years ago on August 1. Her practice, Hudson River Care and Counseling, has grown to include associates as well as a number of students. It is multi-faith and multi-cultural with therapists and students who are Christian, Orthodox Jewish and who come from Argentina, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, China and Korea.
Since the isolation because of Covid-19, the practice has used only Zoom to hold sessions, but has also increased in client volume. The result of this quarantine for many individuals and families has been the increase of stress and anxiety. With this rise in anxiety, people who struggle against negative behaviors, often find themselves falling back in those behaviors.
Because of quarantine and folks working from home, spending more time with spouses or partners, friction between couples has also escalated. The results of these estranged relationships too often are domestic violence, substance abuse and depression. Dr. Pamela and her staff have seen a surge of intakes since the beginning of the quarantine. All of these are treated online.
In most cases these clients have insurance. In some cases, there is no insurance or families cannot afford the co-payment. The center gives many free hours of therapy for the most at risk people suffering mental health issues. In this time of heightened tensions, Dr. Pamela and her staff intercede to help lower the anxiety and to minimize the emotional effects of Covid-19 isolation; often for free.
This is a shout out to Dr. Pamela and her staff at Hudson River Care and Counseling. Thank you for what you and you staff do.
If you need help at this time be sure to contact the center: http://www.hudsonrivercareandcounseling.com/counseling
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To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book:
https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/
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