An online psychological lecture was held in a church in Guangdong to help believers with mental problems under the pandemic.
On November 23rd, the Zion Church in Guangzhou opened a lecture entitled "What Can We Do in the Face of Adversity? Psychological Adjustment and Repair Under Pandemic”. The speaker, Chen Yulin, is a graduate student in psychology major at the University of Hong Kong and a certified psychological counselor and corporate coach.
Chen reflected on the trauma caused by the pandemic in recent three years, its impact, and the adjusting and repairing method.
First of all, Chen pointed out that we are all experiencing "adversity" in four aspects: vulnerability, anxiety, nonlinearity (no causal relationship between things), and incomprehension (too much information to analyze).
In the face of these "adversities", Chen elaborated on three aspects to deal with them: personal resources, social resources, and spiritual resources.
Personal resources refer to our adjusting ability, social resources refer to our friends, family, and colleagues who can provide help, and spiritual resources refer to spiritual practices, like reading scriptures and praying every day can encourage and comfort us when we are depressed and desperate.
Then Chen shared that the pandemic will pass sooner or later, but the trauma experienced during this period, if not repaired in time, will have a long-lasting effect on us, and we need to take precautions.
She mentioned people will experience four changes in the pandemic: anxiety, antagonism, decadence, and loneliness.
I. Anxiety: fear of uncertainty
Chen said that there is no need to worry about anxiety that is within a certain degree and told the audience to accept it. Later, she shared two tips to deal with anxiety.
1. Distinguish things we can control from things we can't.
For things we can control, try our best to do; for things we can't control, learn to let them go since it is useless to worry. If you focus on things you cannot control, you will be seriously anxious; while on things you can control, your anxiety will be reduced. "If you are still angry about the uncontrollable events, you can try, and put it down if you cannot make it and tell yourself that you have done your best." Chen thinks it's helpful to do so.
2. Cultivate the ability to live in the present.
What we are anxious about often does not happen at all. We should focus on what we can do. Chen listed that we could go to nature and feel the breeze, write and draw, or develop a skill, which can help us relieve anxiety and live in the present.
She also shared that taking a deep breath to relax can help us get our attention back to the present.
II. Confrontation: dissatisfaction and anger with the current situation
After three years of the pandemic, we feel irritable, dissatisfied, and angry with people around us, which is normal. But we should distinguish dissatisfaction from anger. You can be dissatisfied with the unfair things, but anger could make you lose your mind, and fail to solve the problem satisfactorily, which could hurt you in the end.
Solution: Chen took a pregnant woman as an example. She often takes the initiative to communicate her situation with community workers and ask for help. In this way, she could be on the same side not the opposite with those who could help and solve her problem.
III. Decadence: lowering or giving up goals
Under the pandemic, people can easily give up their goals when they are hindered everywhere. Many people have nothing to do at home but playing mobile phone, stay up and get up late. It's easy for them to fall into a decadent mood, with no sense of meaning and existence. This could lead to depression if left unchecked.
IV. Loneliness: self-protection caused by fear
During the pandemic, we reduce connection with others and confine ourselves at home, which is a mechanism for self-protection. But we should know that one day we still need to go outside. After the quarantine is lifted, you should be brave enough to contact others and don't be afraid of it. Chen shared that many people she had coached recognized the importance of people around them because of the pandemic." Social communication is an important resource for us to cope with adversity." Chen stressed again.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
中国东南沿海的广东省的一个教堂举行线上心理讲座。
广州基督教锡安堂11月23日开设一场《面对逆境，我们能怎么办？疫情困境下的心理调适与修复》的讲座。邀请的讲员是香港大学心理学研究生，拥有国家心理咨询师，国际认证企业教练的陈玉琳姊妹。
陈姊妹围绕近三年疫情给人心灵带来的创伤，以及创伤给人生活带来的影响，如何调适与修复展开分享。
首先陈姊妹指出，无论疫情与否，我们都在经历“逆境”列出以下四点：脆弱，焦虑，非线性（事情之间看不到因果关系），不可理解（信息过量难以分析）
而面对这些“逆境”我们是可以找到应对之法的。陈姊妹通过“个人资源”“社会资源”“灵性资源”三个方面来阐述。
首先个人资源，是指我们自身的一个调整能力。社会资源，是指我们的朋友家人同事等，可以给我们提供一些帮助。灵性资源：个人的灵修习惯。每天的读经祷告，可以帮助我们在沮丧绝望时，内心得到鼓舞安慰，这是信仰可以带给我们的力量。
接着陈姊妹分享到，疫情总会过去，但在这个期间经历的创伤，如果不能及时修复，会在疫情消退后一直影响我们。这个是需要我们去预防注意的。
她提到，在这个过程中人心里往往会产生四个方面的变化：焦虑、对抗性、颓废、孤独感。
两个应对焦虑的小方法是区分关注圈与控制圈和培养我们活在当下的能力。
我们应该区分什么事情是可以控制的，什么事是不在控制范围内的。然后在可控范围内的尽力去做，而不可控的学会放下。如政策调整，家人在高风险区，这些事情是担心也没有用的。
焦虑时要将注意力放在我们可以做的事情上。陈姊妹列举，可以去亲近大自然感受微风，可以写字画画，或发展一项技能。她还分享了做深呼吸放松下来，帮助我们让注意力再一次回到当下。
对抗是指对现状的不满和愤怒，但我们要学会区分不满与愤怒。我们可以对事情结果不公产生不满，但愤怒之下就会让人失去理智，产生怒火，往往想要解决的事情也不能如意，最后伤人伤己。解决方法可参考一位疫情中的孕妇，她常常主动去与社区工作人员沟通自己的情况，寻求帮助。我们可以把帮助解决你问题的人拉到你的战线上，而不是对立面。这样会有利于推进事情的解决。
颓废指的是降低或放弃了自己的目标。疫情之下，四处受阻碍，人很容易放弃的自己目标。居家无事可做，每天刷手机，晚上不睡，早上不起。人很容易陷入到颓废的情绪里，没有意义感和存在感。如果任由其发展，就会陷入抑郁中。
孤独感是因为恐惧而产生的自我保护。疫情之中我们为了保护减少与别人接触，把自己限制在家里。但要学会区分什么时候我们还是需要与人交流互动。解除隔离后，要勇敢与人接触，不要惧怕产生交往。陈姊妹分享在她辅导过的案例中，很多人都有这样的感触，疫情让大家感受到身边人的重要性。“社会交往是我们因对逆境的重要资源。”陈姊妹再次强调。
https://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/65619
广东教堂举行线上疫情下心理讲座
An online psychological lecture was held in a church in Guangdong to help believers with mental problems under the pandemic.
On November 23rd, the Zion Church in Guangzhou opened a lecture entitled "What Can We Do in the Face of Adversity? Psychological Adjustment and Repair Under Pandemic”. The speaker, Chen Yulin, is a graduate student in psychology major at the University of Hong Kong and a certified psychological counselor and corporate coach.
Chen reflected on the trauma caused by the pandemic in recent three years, its impact, and the adjusting and repairing method.
First of all, Chen pointed out that we are all experiencing "adversity" in four aspects: vulnerability, anxiety, nonlinearity (no causal relationship between things), and incomprehension (too much information to analyze).
In the face of these "adversities", Chen elaborated on three aspects to deal with them: personal resources, social resources, and spiritual resources.
Personal resources refer to our adjusting ability, social resources refer to our friends, family, and colleagues who can provide help, and spiritual resources refer to spiritual practices, like reading scriptures and praying every day can encourage and comfort us when we are depressed and desperate.
Then Chen shared that the pandemic will pass sooner or later, but the trauma experienced during this period, if not repaired in time, will have a long-lasting effect on us, and we need to take precautions.
She mentioned people will experience four changes in the pandemic: anxiety, antagonism, decadence, and loneliness.
I. Anxiety: fear of uncertainty
Chen said that there is no need to worry about anxiety that is within a certain degree and told the audience to accept it. Later, she shared two tips to deal with anxiety.
1. Distinguish things we can control from things we can't.
For things we can control, try our best to do; for things we can't control, learn to let them go since it is useless to worry. If you focus on things you cannot control, you will be seriously anxious; while on things you can control, your anxiety will be reduced. "If you are still angry about the uncontrollable events, you can try, and put it down if you cannot make it and tell yourself that you have done your best." Chen thinks it's helpful to do so.
2. Cultivate the ability to live in the present.
What we are anxious about often does not happen at all. We should focus on what we can do. Chen listed that we could go to nature and feel the breeze, write and draw, or develop a skill, which can help us relieve anxiety and live in the present.
She also shared that taking a deep breath to relax can help us get our attention back to the present.
II. Confrontation: dissatisfaction and anger with the current situation
After three years of the pandemic, we feel irritable, dissatisfied, and angry with people around us, which is normal. But we should distinguish dissatisfaction from anger. You can be dissatisfied with the unfair things, but anger could make you lose your mind, and fail to solve the problem satisfactorily, which could hurt you in the end.
Solution: Chen took a pregnant woman as an example. She often takes the initiative to communicate her situation with community workers and ask for help. In this way, she could be on the same side not the opposite with those who could help and solve her problem.
III. Decadence: lowering or giving up goals
Under the pandemic, people can easily give up their goals when they are hindered everywhere. Many people have nothing to do at home but playing mobile phone, stay up and get up late. It's easy for them to fall into a decadent mood, with no sense of meaning and existence. This could lead to depression if left unchecked.
IV. Loneliness: self-protection caused by fear
During the pandemic, we reduce connection with others and confine ourselves at home, which is a mechanism for self-protection. But we should know that one day we still need to go outside. After the quarantine is lifted, you should be brave enough to contact others and don't be afraid of it. Chen shared that many people she had coached recognized the importance of people around them because of the pandemic." Social communication is an important resource for us to cope with adversity." Chen stressed again.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
Guangzhou Zion Church Delivers Online Lecture on Psychological Health Under Pandemic
