PRESS RELEASE [December 4, 2020] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jeanette Dadson || Work: (778) 554-0174 ||Cell: (604) 868-0942 || Email: info@gentlecurrentstherapy.com
B.C. Clinical Counsellor: To Combat COVID-19, Behavioral Pitfalls Must be Addressed Michael Dadson suggests that awareness and understanding of behavioral pitfalls might help to develop the changes needed to fight the pandemic, and offers advice for overcoming them. Langley, B.C., December 4, 2020 — There are a number of common human biases that challenge sound judgments during times of crisis: a fear of the unknown, personal embarrassment, and the ramifications of an invisible disease. Following the strong initial reactions to such a challenging and difficult time, Dr. Michael Dadson, a Canadian Certified Counsellor registered in Langley, B.C., advises that awareness of judgmental pitfalls might help ensure things stay on the right path. In response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Dadson cautions: “During any crisis, timely, and sometimes life-altering, decisions must be made, requiring an extreme amount of sound judgment under uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic is no different.” Anxiety and the Fear of the Unknown Threats like the novel coronavirus trigger our fear of the unknown. Anxiety is fear of the unknown; it is an impending sense of uncertainty, or a stress response to a perceived threat. As a clinical counsellor and therapeutic foster parent of over 30 years, Dadson has observed and extensively studied the nature of the relationship between brain and body, which are often caught up in sensations and feelings of tension, or a sense of apprehension that keeps the mind locked into a cycle of excessive worry, anticipation and panic. Dadson’s advice: “Threats like COVID-19 are mysterious because they are unknown, but the initial mystery soon fades away. Repeated reminders linked to the situation are important to avoid complacency.” Personal Embarrassment Embarrassment is a painful but important emotional state. Dadson suggests that its purpose is to make people feel badly about their social or personal mistakes as a form of internal (or societal) feedback, so that they learn not to repeat the error. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, people have been encouraged to engage in certain behaviors, like not touching their faces, but people do so reflexively. Some may see lapses as a personal failure, and may dwell on these in unhealthy ways. Dadson’s clinical counselling experience suggests that highlighting a popular public figure’s own shortcomings may help when it comes to coping with personal embarrassment; for example, pointing out one of many celebrities who have tested positive as a way of mitigating the stigma. Dadson states that we should remind our loved ones that momentary lapses are natural, and should be followed by returning to best behaviors.