As the pandemic heads towards its two-year anniversary, many people are finding it increasingly difficult to find professional mental health help. The Boston Globe’s Meredith Goldstein and Dr. Martin Pierre, president of the Massachusetts Psychological Association, joined Jim Braude on Greater Boston to discuss.
Pierre said there is a "tremendous" gap in the need for mental health care and the availability. “This is particularly an issue for historically under-served and marginalized populations who have not sought out mental health services because of access and also due to the stigma," he said.
“We need to change the system," he said, to address access barriers, complex insurance policies and access to telehealth.
For years, Goldstein has written an advice columns for the Boston Globe, and often recommends seeking professional mental health support. But in a recent piece, she writes it’s becoming harder for people to find a therapist.
"Since this piece ran, I’ve received dozens of emails from exhausted mental health professionals who say they wish they had more hours in the day, and that they themselves are experiencing the collective trauma we are all experiencing. It is not easy to do this kind of work."
Goldstein recommends enlisting friends and families to help call insurance companies, seek group therapy if possible, talk to your primary care doctor and ask for help from anyone who is open to listening.
WATCH: Advice On Seeking Mental Health Support
