It's been a good pandemic for me': Working with coaching and psychotherapy clients, with a focus on clients with a diagnosis of pure obsessive compulsive disorder

Many of the coaching clients are high achievers and in most of the prepandemic sessions presented as confident, in control and professional. Their reasons for coaching were often focused on their desire to move to the next level, which called for them to identify their strengths and perceived weaknesses and take action to address the identified gaps in their skills and knowledge through the coaching or through further training. This chapter offers a 'good enough' experience for clients and so, during the pandemic, moved reluctantly to working via online platforms or telephone sessions, depending on the client's preference. During the pandemic it is encouraged to build in the time to take walks before and after online sessions and, when it became possible to do so, to start taking that coffee time again rather than going straight from an online psychotherapy session to online business. The client with a pure obsessive compulsive disorder (POCD) diagnosis also saw benefits to their being-in-the-world from the pandemic. POCD often manifests as intrusive, inappropriate and shameful thoughts on which the person will ruminate. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Don't let corona become our only story

This chapter is about, what impact can the corona crisis have on our mental health? Besides the relational tensions that can arise from living on top of each other, many of us are also stuck in one negative story. The chapter is about the importance making room for stories that are not about corona. It discusses about work that consisting of broadening people's horizon by letting participants discover that they consist of multiple stories. This will have an enormous impact on the mental well-being of a large part of the population, which will have lots of consequences. That is why it is important to actively make room for other stories right now, in the middle of the pandemic. Memories from the past and dreams for the future. This is a responsibility one has to take towards one's own mental health (and resilience), just as we have to do for others. Sharing other stories and making sure people don't get stuck in that one difficult story is just as much part of caring about each other and will help us get through this crisis healthier. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Virtual learning before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study of Pharmacy students

Background It is a challenge for pharmacy courses worldwide to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills to equip students for their future practice. Computer-based simulation offers a way of building a bridge between theory and practice. In recent years, digital simulation has expanded rapidly as a new technique of virtual learning. The digital platform ''Pharmacy Simulator'' proposes computer-based encounters with virtual patients to train clinical and communication skills in a community pharmacy setting. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, while students were digitally resilient and endured the endless challenges of online lectures, many were dealing with Zoom and screen fatigue. Purpose To investigate pharmacy students' acceptance of Pharmacy Simulator before and during a pandemic situation. This focuses on students' self-assessment and confidence in counselling after playing the scenarios on Pharmacy Simulator. Method Two cohorts of Master of Pharmacy students at The University of Western Australia played two scenarios on Pharmacy Simulator in 2019 (anaphylaxis and salbutamol) and 2021 (anaphylaxis and vaccination). A mixed-method analysis was performed with data from (i) qualitative semi-structured interviews carried out in 2019 pertaining to participants' acceptance of Pharmacy Simulator and in 2021 (ii) a questionnaire with 25 items derived from the interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim into electronic format with the data management assistance MAXQDA and analyzed inductively using the Framework Method. Questionnaire responses were analyzed in Microsoft Excel using descriptive statistics. Openended questions were evaluated inductively. Findings Data were collected from 20 interviews and 31 answered questionnaires. In 2019, participants reported that Pharmacy Simulator was a fun, engaging, and straightforward learning tool and, therefore, user-friendly. They reported the feedback at the end of the session to be most valuable. The platform was perceived to fill the gap between the theory from lectures and community pharmacy practice. In 2021, participants ''agreed'' (median: 4, on a 5-point Likert scale) with seven statements about Pharmacy Simulator's usability, such as it being a helpful tool for acquiring new knowledge. Participants' confidence in counselling regarding the scenario topics improved. One participant stated, ''It taught me more through trial and error''. Conclusion Pharmacy students reported similar acceptance levels of Pharmacy Simulator before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of simulation during virtual patient encounters seems to facilitate the transfer from theory to practice, independently of learning conditions that were predominantly screen-based.

Online art therapy: Experiences of art therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic

The lack of literature on online art therapy and research participants' remarks about feeling underprepared to transition to teletherapy underscores that more research must be conducted on the subject. Going forward, graduate-level coursework in the field should address virtual art therapy and training on how to conduct art therapy online should be implemented. Other opportunities to learn about virtual therapy may include consulting with other clinicians and completing online training programs for tele counselling. This chapter offers suggestions and raises ethical considerations for a tele art therapy practice. Online approaches to art therapy are novel and it uses the terms virtual, online, and tele art therapy interchangeably. Tele art therapy, a subset of teletherapy, emerged in the late 1990s. The bulk of art therapy literature written before the COVID-19 pandemic focuses on implementing online computer programs that can be used to facilitate art therapy and adapting analogue art therapy practices to suit online platforms. In contrast, tele art therapy literature published during the pandemic includes surveys and descriptions of art therapy programs and services developed in response to stay-at-home orders. To conclude, the chapter offers suggestions and raise ethical considerations for online art therapy practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The self-efficacy of counselors providing telemental health services during the Covid-19 pandemic

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, counselors have had to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of clients and the growing need for mental health services. In addition to a lack of experience providing telemental health (TMH) services, many counselors had received little or no TMH training or continuing education prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Counselor self-efficacy (CSE) may be an important factor in determining how counselors have been impacted by the increase in provision of TMH services, and the areas where they are needing more support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore how the amount TMH training and continuing education received, the amount of time spent providing TMH services, and the amount of time spent providing counseling services predict CSE. Participants (n=84) completed an online survey containing items from the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE). Results of a bivariate regression and one-way ANOVA indicated that TMH training and continuing education did not predict CSE;however, differences between groups revealed an interesting phenomenon which prompted further discussion. Results also showed that both the amount of time spent providing TMH services and the amount of time spent providing counseling services predicted CSE. Counselors and counselor educators can use results from this study to advocate for more resources and support for counseling students and counselors who are providing TMH services. Furthermore, results from this study indicate a need for more research on CSE and TMH to improve counselor education and support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Largest Healthcare System in Taiwan

Objectives: Potential cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADRs) associated with COVID-19 vaccinations are well-known. However, comprehensive evaluation including detailed patient characteristics, vaccine types, signs and symptoms, treatments and outcomes from such cADRs are still lacking in Taiwan. Method(s): A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2019 to October 2022 to analyze spontaneous ADR reporting data from Taiwan's largest multi-institutional healthcare system. Physicians and pharmacists initially ensured the data quality and completeness of the reported ADR records. Subsequently, we applied descriptive statistics to analyze the patient cohort based on demographic characteristics, administered COVID-19 vaccines, clinical manifestations, and patient management. Result(s): We identified 242 cADRs from 759 reported COVID-19 vaccine-related ADRs, 88.3% of which were judged as "possible" using the Naranjo Scale. The mean age of patients with cADRs was 48.1+/-17.5 years, with the majority (44.2%) of cADRs reported in the 40-64yr old age group. cADRs were more common in women (68.2%) and most of the patients had no history of allergy to vaccines (99.6%). Oxford/AstraZeneca (58.6%) accounted for the most reported brand of COVID-19 vaccines. Patients developed cADRs within 1 to 198 days (median = 5.5 days), and mostly after first-dose vaccination (77.8%). The most frequently reported cADR was rash/eruption (18.7%), followed by itchiness/pruritus (11.7%) and urticaria (9.2%), mainly affecting the lower limbs (23.8%) and upper limbs (22.6%). Medications were prescribed for 65.1% of the cADRs, and signs and symptoms were resolved within 1 to 167 days (median = 7 days) after treatment with oral antihistamines (23.0%), topical corticosteroids (14.6%) or oral corticosteroids (14.4%). Conclusion(s): Our findings provide comprehensive details regarding COVID-19 vaccine-related cADRs in Taiwan. Certain groups, especially women and the middle-aged, who reported a relatively higher rate of cADRs, may benefit from pre-vaccination counseling about the risks of cADRs and the use of appropriate medications.Copyright © 2023

A New Registry for Genetic Diagnosis of Inborn Errors of Immunity within the Military Health System

Genotypic definition of monogenic inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) continues to accelerate with broader access to next generation sequencing, underscoring this aggregated group of disorders as a major health burden impacting both civilian and military populations. At an estimated prevalence of 1 in 1200 individuals, IEIs affect ~8,000 patients within the Military Health System (MHS). Despite access to targeted gene/exome panels at military treatment facilities, most affected patients never receive a definitive genetic diagnosis that would significantly improve clinical care. To address this gap, we established the first registry of IEI patients within the MHS with the goal of identifying known and novel pathogenic genetic defects to increase diagnosis rates and enhance clinical care. Using the registry, a research protocol was opened in July 2022. Since July we have enrolled 75 IEI patients encompassing a breadth of phenotypes including severe and recurrent infections, bone marrow failure, autoimmunity/autoinflammation, atopic disease, and malignancy. Enrolled patients provide blood and bone marrow samples for whole genome, ultra-deep targeted panel and comprehensive transcriptome sequencing, plus cryopreservation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells for future functional studies. We are also implementing and developing analytical methods for identifying and interrogating non-coding and structural variants. Suspected pathogenic variants are adjudicated by a clinical molecular geneticist using state-of-the-art analysis pipelines. These analyses subsequently inform in vitro experiments to validate causative mutations using cell reporter systems and primary patient cells. Clinical variant validation and return of genetic results are planned with genetic counseling provided. As a proof of principle, this integrated genetic evaluation pipeline revealed a novel, candidate TLR7 nonsense variant in two adolescent brothers who both endured critical COVID-19 pneumonia, requiring mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Our protocol is therefore poised to greatly enrich clinical genetics resources available in the MHS for IEI patients, contributing to better diagnosis rates, informed family counseling, and targeted treatments that collectively improve the health and readiness of the military community. Moreover, our efforts should yield new mechanistic insights on immune pathogenesis for a broad variety of known and novel IEIs.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc.

Doorways to the deathlands: The imaginal seeing of story

This chapter explore the places where therapist and client need to attend the witchy wise woman's lessons, by coming inside, moving beyond words, making good use of time and being ready to work in the currency of a 'magical logos' that is beyond what is known or fully understood. It will look at how story offers a doorway, through which one see into the silenced and paralyzed places one enters when mortality interrupts life, and dis-locate into the unvisited, imaginative realm called 'The Deathlands'. The chapter will be in a story form that starts by giving a context for story and ritual being vital soul-wise portals which guide during any process of death. It introduces the metaphor of a country, The Deathlands made up of four shires, each with an entry point or doorway through which people pass when they lose someone or become terminally ill. It looks at the kind of story that is played out in these days of Coronavirus, happening during the writing of this chapter. A traditional story will follow each description of The Deathland shires, intended to amplify imaginary, created story, with time-tested, magical wisdom of an ancient myth from tradition of different world cultures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Cyber-empathy: Teaching counseling skills in the post-COVID era

COVID-19 has required a transformation of skill sets in counseling - what was previously done in face-to-face environments is now done in telehealth settings. Telehealth communication is evolving. As instructors and supervisors respond to this need, changes in training may impact interns as they learn to express empathy for clients whose nonverbal responses, at the very least, may be less evident in a telecommunication environment. Empathy has evolved from responding and relating to a client to a more involved, multidimensional skill that requires the perception of the various dimensions of the person including biological, psychosocial, genetic, and cultural components. This empathy is more than just a response;it is a commitment to understanding through the integration of these components within expressive communication. How can instructors best demonstrate concepts in a counseling relationship that is bound by distance and telecommunication? This chapter explores the definition, development, and use of empathy and introduces the concept of "cyber-empathy" as exercised in the training of counseling interns, as well as some of the potential obstacles that may be encountered in training and expression of empathy in this post-COVID era. Cyber-empathy expands and defines the work of training and supervising this new cohort of counseling professionals. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

The Psychological Implications of COVID-19: A Mental Health Perspective

This planet has witnessed several pandemics earlier in its history. The last pandemic, Spanish flu which was far more deadly, happened about a century ago and apart from a few centenarians, nobody who is alive today has any experience of living during the time of pandemic. COVID-19 discovered about 9 months back has reached almost every continent and country. With around 29 million known COVID-19 infected people, about a million deaths and with billions are affected due to quarantines, lockdowns, and restrictions on movement of person and goods, and social distancing measures. This has resulted in adversities and hardships in the areas such as financial, employment, school, family, and health. All these directly affect the mental health and well-being of an affected individual as well as their family members. Some of the common mental health conditions observed are anxiety about coronavirus infection, and worries about stigma, well-being, and future of the family members. In addition, the prevailing situation has further worsened people with already existing mental health conditions, such as inability to consult the mental health professionals due to COVID safety measures and fear of contamination in the mental health institutions. To mitigate mental health issues and to improve psychosocial well-being, NIMHANS, with the help of the government and other institutions, adopted several measures, such as creating IEC materials for the general public, counseling people who are quarantined, and starting a national telephone free helpline. This chapter will discuss the efficacy of online counseling, related issues, experiences, lessons learned and offer suggestions for the future. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Taylor and Francis Pte Ltd. 2022.

Storytelling for disability in COVID-19

This chapter describe a Storytelling and Narrative Medicine pilot study which focused on communication in therapeutic settings. The research was carried out by a group of Italian Health Care professionals (HCP) from Calambrone Institute for Rehabilitation (IRC), at the IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, along with a group of parents of patients with disabilities. However, because of the Covid-19 outbreak in Italy, many of the participants found themselves in lockdown in their own homes with their children. To evaluate the efficacy of storytelling as a tool for emotional and communication support, the authors submitted to both the HCP and parents two original online surveys to get information on their current emotional state. The assessed areas were personal stress, the relationship with children and family members, and the relationship with colleagues and professionals. The chapter focuses on emotional and psychological consequences that lack of social and therapeutic interactions might have produced. This short but effective educational intervention gives skills and knowledge to structure one's feelings and thoughts in a narrative form, equipping the participants with the resources to perceive themselves and their life experiences as the elements of the story. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Collective minds: Emotional support and counselling program using information and communications technologies

Aims: The counselling and support program of the Collective Minds Ecosystem [Mentes Colectivas] is a university-based program that aims to provide free and available counselling services in mental and sexual and reproductive health to people over 14 years in Colombia. Method(s): The program uses diverse information and communications technologies such as: traditional phone, SMS, and Internet mediated chat and video calls. Results and Conclusion(s): Since September 2020 to October 2022, 4873 users have been counselled, most of them are female (78.2%, n = 3809/4873), 46% of the users are between 18 to 29 years old. The program has served most of the Colombian territory, reaching 28/32 departments;as expected, the 4 remained are in the Amazon region, which is the area with the lowest internet connectivity. Most of the counselled (84%) had some type of psychological distress (measured with the Kessler-6 scale): 27% were classified as having mild psychological discomfort, 37% moderate and 20% severe. The most frequent topics in mental health include anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. In relation to sexual and reproductive health counselling, they were sexual education, anticonception, and pregnancy. By making use of diverse technologies, the Collective Minds program has managed to reach different parts of Colombia, providing free counselling and support to individuals in need. It has also assisted to mitigate the post-COVID-19 negative effects on mental and sexual and reproductive health by breaking down economic, geographic, and specialized human capital barriers.

Relatedness and relationships in the time of Covid-19

This chapter describes about the experiences of the pandemic and lockdown. The memories of these experiences in the present moment, are a recollection of these experiences. These recollections represent with more or less accuracy how they related to these events and experiences. All is about relatedness. The fundamental principle of relatedness is at the heart of what people try to 'attend to' as existential therapists and supervisors. Recently, there have been some challenges to this emphasis on relatedness, with the suggestion that this has become dogmatic and somehow covers over the experience of difference, individuality and aloneness. The very existence of the virus and its manner of spread arises from the relatedness to others and the relatedness to nature and the world. However, the pandemic, and the imposition of repeated 'lockdowns' and 'social distancing', if anything seems to highlight the existential dilemmas of relation-separation, connection-withdrawal in a highly stark, anxiety-provoking fashion. The pandemic and lockdowns have also affected couple relationships in myriad ways. Other couples have entered therapy due to the direct impact of the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Genotype-phenotype correlations in five patients harboring SERPINA1 mutations and previously showing a severe COVID-19 infection

Background/Objectives: During COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to detect patients potentially at risk of life-threatening complications, due to possible specific genetic mutations. The aim of our work is to show a practical application of genetic testing, allowing a diagnosis of alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency in cases with a severe clinical course during COVID-19 infection. Method(s): During hospitalization for COVID-19, we identified 5 patients (3 female, 2 males from two different families, age range 18-47 years) with a severe course of COVID-19 infection, requiring high pressure ventilation with high volume oxygen supply. Two months after discharge, those patients were reevaluated with respiratory function tests, biochemical tests, genetic counselling and genetic testing. A peripheral blood sampling for SERPINA1 genetic testing has been performed, using Sanger sequencing. Result(s): Two months after discharge, in all 5 patients respiratory function tests were consistent with a dysventilatory obstructive syndrome, in contrast with usual findings related to COVID-19 infection. Blood test still showed increase plasmatic transaminase concentration in 3 out of 5 patients, one having increased serum bilirubin as well. We performed SERPINA1 genetic testing showing homozygosity for SERPINA1 pathogenic mutations (c.193del and c.875C>T, respectively) in all 5 patients. Conclusion(s): These cases showed the importance of genetic testing for patients with unexplained severe COVID-19 infection. Genetic testing allowed the diagnosis of cases affected by alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, associated with dysventilatory obstructive syndrome, that may worsen the short and long term prognosis of COVID-19.

The school counselor's role in a post-COVID-19 era

In March 2020, COVID-19 caused many schools worldwide to unexpectedly end their academic year early. Some schools attempted to transition in what seemed almost overnight from traditional face-to-face delivery to remote online delivery. Remote delivery did not always mean an online delivery, but in most cases, online technology was heavily depended upon. This paper specifically looked at the role and tasks of the school counselor when students were not able to be physically located within the school building. The paper attempts to answer the question of how school counselors can effectively develop and deliver their comprehensive programs to all students during emergency closures. Initial challenges and issues highlighted by the school closure will be explored, as well as issues to consider for school counselors as schools prepare to reopen. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Cross-Platform Framework Flutter Using the Example of a Cancer Counselling App

The advance of digitalization is constantly bringing new solutions to various areas of life in our society. The COVID-19 pandemic, among other things, brought increased attention to the application and support of treatments through digital solutions in the healthcare sector due to contact restrictions. However, the development of digital solutions comes at a high cost in terms of time and expenses. Mobile app development requires the development of two separate apps for the two respective market-leading mobile operating systems iOS and Android. Cross-platform frameworks make it possible to develop apps for both operating systems on a single code base, thus saving the development and maintenance of two separate codes. Flutter is currently the most popular cross-platform framework for the development of mobile apps. This paper has evaluated Flutter based on an existing criteria catalogue. As a usage context for the evaluation, a prototype for Cancer Counselling App of the University Medical Center Freiburg was implemented. According to the gained own prototyping experience with Flutter and a thorough literature analysis in this area, the criteria catalogue was filled out and the result was compared with other mobile App development paradigms. Copyright © 2023 by SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

The teaching strategic effectiveness of problem-based learning assisted (PBL) with objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) on therapeutic nutrition course.

This purpose of this study is to help students developing problem-solving skills by using Problem-based Learning (PBL) as a teaching model, combining with the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as a training tool to evaluate students' clinical competencies. Sixty-five college junior students from a therapeutic nutrition course were participated. The topics of PBL included diabetes, kidney disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. For each disease, pre- and post-test quiz and after class exam were assessed to evaluate the students' learning effectiveness. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, OSCE was performed online. The focus group interview and learning effectiveness questionnaire were conducted by the end of this course for all participants. Moreover, 37 students who attended the dietitian internship filled in the learning effectiveness questionnaire again after the internship. The results indicated that after the PBL, the post quiz score for each disease was increased, and through the online OSCE training, students' abilities to master nutrition education and counseling had been upgraded. Students indicated that both PBL and OSCE training could contributed to the learning effectiveness. The better academic performance students were, the more willing they are to work in nutrition-related fields in the future. For those who finished the dietitian internship agreed that they could understand the work content better in general regional and regional hospitals than in teaching ones. In conclusion, PBL teaching model combined with OSCE training could effectively improve students' learning motivation, learning effectiveness and practical application in a therapeutic nutrition course.Copyright © 2022 Nutrition Society in Taipei. All rights reserved.

Empowering through solution-focused conversations: Context of COVID-19 crisis

What makes SFBT remarkably fast and effective is its shift from the traditional medical model approach, which emphasises recognising and treating the deeper root cause, which in turn is time consuming. Instead of digging in past traumas and finding patterns, the therapist helps the client build the image of a preferred future. Moreover, this small change in perspective often encourages the client to recognise his hidden resources blurred by the magnitude of the problem. digging into problems creates more problems, and substituting them with a solution-focused conversation will help both the client and the therapist land at desired outcomes fast. Although the emphasis is on the future rather than the past, it is not strictly restricted to future talk. The conversations regarding the past are focused on the previous successes or, in other words, the exceptions in the conflict the client is going through. SFBT often adopts questions as interventions. They apply questions and questioning in different ways following a cognitive change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Functional movement disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic

Functional movement disorders (FMDs) are a heterogenous group of movement abnormalities that greatly affect the quality of life of patients. They usually manifest as a result of underlying psychological or psychiatric illnesses without any known structural or neurochemical diseases. Various neurological disorders such as encephalitis, stroke, demyelination, seizures, and neuropathy have been reported by otherwise healthy individuals during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here, we describe the case of a 27-year-old woman who presented to our outpatient department with episodes of deviation of angle of mouth with variability and distractibility. Following thorough clinical evaluation and appropriate investigation, the underlying etiology was identified as FMD secondary to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic to contain the transmission of the virus. The lockdown, isolation, financial strain, and other pandemic-related issues are stressors that may contribute to psychogenic disorders in people.Copyright © 2021 Annals of Movement Disorders Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.