Deliberate Freelancer #48: How to Cope with Coronavirus Anxiety, with Therapist Mira Dineen
Today's guest is Mira Dineen, a registered social worker and organizational consultant in Toronto, Canada. In her clinical counseling practice, Mira specializes in working with women with anxiety, worry and perfectionism. As a consultant, she designs and delivers wellness programming in post-secondary institutions, startups and nonprofits.
While Mira is only allowed to offer clinical therapy to people living in Ontario, she is available to everyone else as a consultant—she offers wellness coaching and organizational consulting services. Her links are below under Resources
I interrupted my previously announced March podcast hiatus because I wanted to bring you this episode during the coronavirus pandemic. I know I needed some reassurance and coping strategies to manage my anxiety, and Mira offers both of those in this episode.
I know I'm not the only one dealing with the rollercoaster of anxiety—one day paralyzed by fear or on the verge of tears, and the next day feeling fine and ready to spend all day diving into work.
Mira offers gentle, comforting words. But she also offers very practical advice and strategies for all of us, but specifically for freelance business owners.
Please know that anxiety is completely normal right now. Have some self-compassion—you can't be expected to work your normal productive 9–5 schedule right now. Let's stop beating ourselves up and let's do the best we can.
Mira offers strategies on how to figure out what your own individual anxiety triggers are and then how to minimize those triggers. She also talks about how to boost our capacity to work more effectively.
Mira referred to these current times as a "collective uncertainty." We don't know what is going to happen day to day, but I hope this episode helps reassure you and provides some strategies to keep your anxiety at bay and help you figure how to keep doing your freelance work.
Resources
Freedom app (to cut back on social media)
Good News Network (curated positive stories)
Good News Gurus podcast
How to Use Netflix Party to Binge-watch with Your Friends
I Homeschool My Kids and Also Work From Home — Here's How I Do It
6 Tips for Getting Work Done with Kids at Home
DC Hero Chef Jose Andres closes DC restaurants and turns some into community kitchens during coronavirus
U2's Bono creates new song during coronavirus, Let Your Love Be Known
Penguins at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium explore the closed aquarium