______________ VALLEY STREAM _____________
CoMMuNIty uPDAte Infections as of March 12
7,067
Infections as of March 7 6,876
HERALD
Close quarters for V.S. lIRR riders
Howell kids learn about prosthetics
VSD rifles are undefeated, again
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MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
Vol. 32 No. 12
A healthy state of mind V.S. therapists discuss counseling struggles during pandemic Fludd, 39, a therapist at Kentro Psychotherapy in Valley Stream. “It’s hard to see your clients Long Island is a year into the struggling, but I’ve been able to pandemic, and according to local cope with vicarious trauma mental health experts, many because I’m intentional about people are still struggling to my self-care.” adjust to the life changes it has A few minutes of mediation brought. As a result, and long walks each they said, more peoday help, Fludd said, ple have developed but as is the case mental health with her clients, the issues, or their prestresses of the panexisting mental illdemic live at home nesses have been for her as well. As a exacerbated. parent of two chilWith the additiondren, she said it has al caseload — somebeen difficult to navtimes triple the norigate the fear of mal amount — a bringing the virus handful of mental DoN SINkSIelD home to them, as health counselors in Director of well as everyday Valley Stream say administration, child care while the pressure has working her fullNew Hope Mental taken a toll on them, time therapy job. Health Counseling as the struggles of “It’s sur real, their patients weigh u n re a l a n d j u s t on them in a phecrazy to know that nomenon known as vicarious the pandemic is still going on a traumatization as they strive to year later, because no one expecthelp others. ed it to go on this long, and this “Sometimes I’ll have deep year has been a whirlwind of an worries about my clients and I’ll experience,” Fludd said. “Theratake that home with me, or I feel pists are humans too, so we’re restless or anxious just from navigating our own fears and hearing other people’s traumatic putting [them] aside to help othstories over and over again,” said Rosedale resident Amanda Continued on page 15
By NICole AlCINDoR nalcindor@liherald.com
o
Courtesy Bharati Carmona
BHARAtI CARMoNA, owNeR of the Pily’s Unisex Hair Salon on Central Avenue, said that because of the pandemic, business has increased 80 percent.
A year of struggles, victories
Business owners recall 12 months of pandemic By NICole AlCINDoR nalcindor@liherald.com
A year into the coronavirus pandemic, businesses in Valley Stream have been hit with a variety of challenges. Between government-mandated shutdowns, restrictions on gatherings and closing times, as well as safety measures intended to limit exposure to the contagion, there has been much to adapt to in order to stay open and stay afloat. Many business owners say
they have become accustomed to their altered operations, and with more people becoming vaccinated and warm weather on the horizon, some say they have seen an uptick in business. “All the changes were chaotic at first, but now I’ve become used to it,” said Diana Carrillo, a Valley Stream resident and owner of Chicken Coop Colombian restaurant. “I do miss the warmer weather, because outdoor dining brought in a lot of customers,
but overall I still have a good amount of customers coming to my restaurant to eat inside.” Although business has been steady, Carrillo said, restaurants are still unable to operate at full capacity indoors, and she has had to let some of her employees go. She also closed the bar section of her restaurant to stop p e o p l e f ro m c o n g re g ating. Currently, restaurants Continued on page 10
ur intake of new people coming to counseling has doubled.