Hall

Hall

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WILKES-BARRE — Geisinger Danville psychologist Erin Hall, Psy.D., Monday said recovering from COVID-19 can be a lengthy process, and each person’s experience is different.

“Having a safe space to talk about your experience and challenges, among others with similar struggles, is important in helping people heal and recover,” Dr. Hall said. “Recovery from COVID-19 is truly both physical and psychological.”

Dr. Hall, 34, announced that Geisinger is offering a free virtual support group to provide safe space for COVID-19 survivors to discuss their physical and emotional recovery.

Dr. Hall, who grew up in Tioga County, will facilitate the group each Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. She said sessions will cover common experiences in recovery from COVID-19, including issues with sleep, memory or concentration; physical challenges; depression and anxiety; concerns about health, future medical care or COVID re-infection; trauma related to illness or hospitalization; and changes to family roles, relationships and friendships. The group will focus on coping strategies and building resilience.

Dr. Hall practices at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, but the sessions will be done virtually, so geography is not a boundary.

Dr. Hall specializes in clinical health psychology. Her clinical interests include acute and post-traumatic stress disorder, delirium in the ICU, post-ICU syndrome, and anxiety and traumatic stress associated with medical illness and treatment.

Dr. Hall earned her degree in clinical psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Geisinger Medical Center.

Dr. Hall said many of the former patients who will enroll in the virtual support group are former Intensive Care Unity patients, but others were treated at home.

She said several physicians have told her that they feel patients would benefit from a support group.

Dr. Hall said the first session is scheduled fro Wednesday (May 12) from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and it will be an open format. She said patients can join the group after the first session if they can’t make the first program and the program will run as long as needed.

“We will discuss coping strategies,” Dr. Hall said. “We will have open discussions and we will inform participants of what is available to help them.”

Dr. Hall said if a person is having nightmares, for instance, or trouble falling asleep because of anxiety, she will suggest cognitive behavioral focused strategies.

“Most strategies we offer will be based on each individual case/patient,” Dr. Hall said. “If someone has a fear of attending medical appointments, we will discuss how others have handled that.”

Dr. Hall said she is hopeful that the group will show a community sense of shared experience and will impact others who may have the same issues.

Dr. Hall said COVID-19 patients have shown a high level of distress — more than patients with other diagnoses. She also said caregivers have also experienced psychological issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Hall said if the program grows in large numbers, a second group could be offered.

To register for the support group, visit — geisinger.org/events — and search “COVID survivor support group.” Participants can register for each week’s session separately.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.