If you’re feeling increased stress, fear, and isolation as a result of the ongoing impact of COVID-19, you’re not alone. For health care workers, these stressors may impact patient care and increase the risk of burnout, anxiety, demoralization, and trauma. Even if you were already feeling stressed and
recognize the causes of its increase, you may not recognize the extent of your symptoms or know that there are resources available to help. Health care workers also face persistent stigma surrounding mental health, emotional exhaustion, and time constraints that make it feel harder to seek out help.
During these times, we can and should be there for each other.
Never before have we needed peer support as we need it now – and that can be defined in many ways. It often involves interactions and conversations between people who share similar experiences to promote connection. In recognition of the positive impact of peer support, Penn Medicine recently launched a Penn Peers program.
Beyond its immediate therapeutic value, Penn Peers supports the range of Penn Medicine wellness initiatives. Penn Peers helps identify individuals who need additional mental health resources ranging
from online references and resilience coaches to formal behavioral therapy and psychiatrist-directed pharmacotherapy. Additionally, Penn Peers is well-positioned to augment existing services by offering
an additional level of support for those who find talking to a peer provides additional relief.
The program officially launched in November 2021 with a Penn Peers: Parents of School-Aged Children program, conducted virtually. The 30-minute session allows parents to come together to discuss challenges, resources, and more, and will continue monthly.
In addition to the Penn Peers: Parents of School-Aged Children, Penn Medicine is planning to launch more topics in 2022. Employees can find and register for the Penn Peers program through Penn COBALT.