Tulane School of Social Work provides self-care resources during COVID-19 crisis

From creating art and watching movies to taking online yoga classes and meditating, mental health professionals at Tulane University stress the importance of self-care during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tulane School of Social Work (TSSW) has created a web site with an array of self-care information along with mental health support hotlines for those who are having an especially difficult time coping with the crisis.

“Take five minutes, ten minutes, whatever you can do, to meditate, get moving, connect with someone or indulge in a bit of entertainment,” said Patrick Bordnick, dean of the Tulane School of Social Work. “Each person determines what self-care works best for them, and we hope to provide a variety of resources to make that easier.”

“Take five minutes, ten minutes, whatever you can do, to meditate, get moving, connect with someone or indulge in a bit of entertainment."

Patrick Bordnick, dean of the Tulane School of Social Work

The TSSW self-care website offers resources for multiple audiences, including first responders, health professionals, caregivers, remote workers and learners, families, parents, and teachers. Visitors to the website can also provide their own recommendations to be added.

One of the website’s key resources is a series of mindfulness and meditation videos that are accessible and offer an immediate self-care option. The School of Social Work partnered with mindfulness and meditation expert Stephanie Osborne to create the five short videos.

“These videos were designed so you could practice when you need self-care the most, which is often in between clients/patients, on a short break, after a video call or pre- or post-work day,” said Bordnick. “We are grateful to have such a kind partner in Stephanie who worked immediately to produce this series of meditation videos.”

Meditation is the practice of cultivating present moment awareness. “I guide these experiences to help people experience all that this moment has to offer using: inner calm, stillness, presence, mental clarity, the reduction of anxiety, stress and depression, better sleep and the ability to respond in stressful situations as opposed to reacting," Osborne said.

The site also features virtual workouts and fitness tips from Tulane’s Campus Recreation, ideas for virtually visiting more than 2,000 museums and famous landmarks and a guide for streaming thousands of films for free with a library card. There are also three crisis hotlines – a Disaster Distress Hotline, a Keep Calm Through COVID Hotline and a National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

Information and links will expand on an ongoing basis to help individuals manage their well-being during the pandemic. Visit selfcaretips.tulane.edu for more information and to make a recommendation. Individuals can also subscribe for weekly email updates.