Social worker from Merrick offers free mental health counseling

Joan Phillips is no stranger to trauma. For the past 25 years, she has worked as a licensed clinical social worker and substance abuse counselor, leading patients through "solution-focused" therapy to help enact positive change in their lives.

When Phillips shut down her office in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, she switched to tele-health to continue helping her patients. But as the outbreak spread, so did uncertainty — her clients and colleagues expressed feelings of fear, stress and anxiety amid the new normal.

"Everyone right now is numb, shocked," she said. "It’s unfathomable."

It was similar to what Phillips had heard in other times of crisis. While maintaining her private practice in Merrick, she shouldered local families through the aftermaths of 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, connecting them with crisis-related counselors and resources.

"Listening to these stories over and over, you hear similar things," she said. "With 9/11 there were a lot of divorces and dabbling, and you heard that with Sandy, and now we're hearing it with Covid."

Phillips became frustrated herself, she said, so she decided to offer her expertise to others, free of charge. "I wanted to try and tap into these people who are not able to talk to family, who don't have anybody or are not feeling heard," she said. "I wanted to give them a little extra care and attention."

After overcoming the coronavirus herself, Phillips said she also wanted to support frontline essential workers by providing emotional support and helpful resources as they continue to push through the long days of the pandemic.

“Delivering moments of peace for the frontline workers is so rewarding,” she said.

More than 20 people have sought Phillips' free mental health counseling, which she conducts over the phone for individuals as well as families. She explained that certain prevailing issues have arose as a result of staying at home, including family discord, marital problems and self-medicating.

"Some people weren't getting out of bed or taking care of themselves," she added.

In session, Phillips aims to create a safe and non-judgmental space for self-expression where clients can uncover and be empowered by their own strengths. To counsel those in quarantine, she emphasizes self-care as a form of therapy.

"The first thing I tell them is self-care is not selfish, and I challenge them to do something outside the box to get motivated," she said. "One example is meditation, which a lot of people are resistant to, but once they do it each day it's amazing how much they can build themselves up."

Phillips also encourages clients to maintain a structured routine and communicate with family and friends on a daily basis. "Identify who your support system is, and set something up where you can connect with them each day," she said.

As the pandemic has taken lives, jobs and normalcy in its pass, Phillips said that many people feel "they're being treated poorly or unfairly,” but she advised that in moments of unrest, it's important to be mindful.

"What we're dealing with is such a conflict, but sometimes you have to go second by second," she said. "It’s a big puzzle, but we have to do it one piece at a time."

Phillips regularly partners with the Bellmore-Merrick Community Coalition to offer professional development programs within the schools. She also provides behavioral health services as an independent contractor within the Northwell Health system. She will offer free counseling through the end of June. Those interested in a session can email joan@joanphillipspsych.com.