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Health News Posts

Finding Hope in Uncertainty

by Dustin Gruber

Finding Hope in Uncertainty

Weekend Wrap Message - Saturday, June 13, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

Back on: VOICES OF HOPE -Together, We Thrive.

In solidarity with Black Lives Matter, we delayed the original Voices of Hope streaming date.

As we move forward together, we invite you to join us at its rescheduled date and time: Friday, June 19, at 7:00pm, livestreaming on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.  Co-produced and hosted by TV Personality and OUT100 Honoree, Scott Nevins, VOICES OF HOPE features some of the biggest names from Broadway and Hollywood. Find out more here.

U=U = Freedom to love without shame over HIV

We all live with uncertainty, and when we can focus on fact, science and certainty it is very affirming. With a science-based message, Bruce Richman and Prevention Access Campaign have radically improved the way people living with HIV look at themselves, and this transformative campaign has gone global.

U=U, short for Undetectable = Untransmitable, is helping people unlearn decades of fear about people living with HIV, and it’s even helping lessen fear around getting tested. Bruce was interviewed by Steven Henke on DAP LIVE this week, and I urge you to watch it below, or read the excerpts that we’ll be sharing in our News section in the coming weeks.

Applying Prevention Access Campaign values locally

When we hear experts like Bruce Richman say that half of Americans with HIV are not accessing the type of treatment and services they need to thrive and prevent transmitting to others, I immediately think about the people of this valley who need our services.

Our Community Health Director C.J. Tobe wrote about the practical work he and others at DAP are doing to help Coachella Valley residents become undetectable if they have HIV, as well as other methods for preventing and treating HIV in our community. You can read that here.

Safe Chiropractic Services back on at DAP campus with Dr. Jim Cox

Hunkering down is the right thing to do for many, but our clients are developing back and shoulder pain because of the new normal. That’s why we were so happy to have Dr. Cox resume safe chiropractic services onsite at DAP. You can read more about hours and some tips on preserving your back from him by clicking here.

Clarifying how we charge for antibody testing

Our ability to offer rapid antibody testing to the uninsured and underinsured of the Coachella Valley and Riverside County was made possible because of a generous grant.

Our clients with commercial PPO coverage will notice we are billing their insurance company. This should not result in a direct bill to the client. There is no co-pay, and no additional expense to worry about.

Please call the hotline (760) 992-0407 if you’d like to talk to someone about your coverage and the cost of COVID-19 testing at DAP. We will always work to provide you the quickest and most reliable testing option possible. You can read more in our Coronavirus Q&A by clicking here.

More ways to shop at Revivals        

The new tag says it best—home means more now. Our team at Revivals has opened up all three stores for safe in-person shopping, and they’re also bringing the joy of the hunt to residents of our valley with a new online shopping site featuring its best-selling brand new Mode furniture items. Revivals is a significant financial contributor to DAP client services. You can see what the team has created by clicking here.

Safe Chiropractic Services Open Again at …

by Dustin Gruber

Safe Chiropractic Services Open Again at DAP

Clients can once again access safe chiropractic therapy on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Appointments can be requested on MyChart or by calling (760) 323-2118.

Dr. Jim Cox is noticing that his clients have new aches and pains that seem to go along with sheltering in place. Read more, including tips for keeping our backs healthier. 

Now that chiropractic services at DAP have resumed, what are some common problems your clients are noticing, and what can you tell us about the causes?  

Working from home: A LOT of sore and stiff necks and shoulders due to bad ergonomics, and not having a proper desk set up. 

Walking or hiking a lot more than ever before: Low back and hip pain from exercise their bodies aren’t used to. 

Getting to those projects that have been put off: Shoulder pain from lifting all those rocks or boxes.

Anxiety and stress over the whole situation: General aches and stiffness all over, a physical manifestation, which also can be from inactivity (REALLY staying in).

How safe is it to come see you at DAP? 

Very safe.  We’re screening at the door.  Everyone is masked and surfaces are wiped down thoroughly between patients.

Will you be doing things differently in your practice? 

Wiping down surfaces was always our protocol, so the screening and masks are the only thing new.  No modifications to treatment protocol. 

Any tips for folks to preserve their backs when hunkering down means they cannot see their favorite Dr. of Chiropractic? 

Move it or lose it!  Within tolerable levels of course. 

  • Stretch often. 
  • Yes, it’s a “stay at home” order but that doesn’t mean you can’t go for a walk.  The heat now poses a challenge, so get up early and take a nap later. 
  • Maintain a healthy diet as much as possible.  Carb loading with inactivity is the perfect recipe for joint inflammation.

Birth of U=U = People losing fear over H …

by Dustin Gruber

Birth of U=U = People losing fear over HIV testing

This is the first in a series of four Q&A posts capturing founder Bruce Richman’s perspectives on our movement to end HIV stigma with U=U, Prevention Access Campaign, and all of us. Recently he talked with us on DAP LIVE.

Question: How did this all get started? I know for you, it was a very personal experience that brought the science behind this to the forefront. You've talked about it being your calling.

Answer: Absolutely. I learned that because I had an undetectable viral load, I couldn't transmit HIV through sex back in 2012, and that was nine years after my diagnosis. And it changed everything for me because I never thought that I could have sex or conceive children, or just even be intimate with someone without that fear of passing on HIV. And it just, it just rocked my world.

But then I found out that so many people weren't being told about it and they were being told that they were infectious--and they weren't infectious. And it was happening on a massive scale.

So that's kind of how this all started happening is they're talking to other people who also knew U=U is true. And I found some wonderful people in the field who were in leadership positions who would join with me. And in summer of 2016, we created a consensus statement with scientists to confirm that U=U is true. And then we took that statement and went out and got influential people and organizations like Desert AIDS Project to sign on and to join us endorsing that when you're undetectable and you're on treatment, you cannot transmit HIV through sex. U=U.

Find out more about Bruce Richman, U=U, and Prevention Access Campaign at preventionaccess.org

You can watch the 20 minute interview with Steven by clicking here.

Sexual Health Clinic - Palm Springs

1695 N. Sunrise Way Palm Springs, CA 92262

Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 AM (Closed for lunch from noon-1:00 PM)

Call 760-992-0492 to schedule an appointment.

To reach our after-hours answering service, please call (760) 323-2118.

Click to Call Our Sexual Health Clinic

Keeping our finger on the pulse of the H …

by Dustin Gruber

Keeping our finger on the pulse of the HIV epidemic

Talk to your friends, family, and sexual partners about U=U.

By C.J. Tobe, Director of Community Health

Over the last few months many colleagues have expressed concerns that HIV prevention could be turned back 5 years because of the current health crisis. Let’s discuss HIV prevention to keep our fingers on the pulse of this epidemic that we’ve been battling for 35 plus years. While I have the bullhorn, I also want to talk about an unlikely form of HIV prevention and how surprisingly long it’s taking to get noticed.

When I moved to Palm Springs in 2015, I was shocked to find out through conversations on Grindr that many people were still unaware of U=U. To reach the most people I decided to update my personal social media profiles stating, “Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U). If you are unsure what this is, please ask.” Now in 2020, 5 years later, I still have many people asking me “what is U=U”?

While significant progress has been made by HIV advocates across the world, stigma surrounding people living with HIV is still very much alive. It affects even those who are adherent to their HIV medications and who have a suppressed viral load, which means they cannot transmit HIV to another person through sex.

According to Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, NIAID, NIH when interviewed at the 2019 International AIDS Conference,

"The concept of U=U is the foundation of being able to end the epidemic."

If we know that people living with HIV are taking their medications and are virally suppressed will not transmit HIV, then why are we not screaming this from the rooftops? Well, we should. Talk to your friends, family, and sexual partners about U=U.

What is Desert AIDS Project doing to help support those living with HIV to become undetectable?

At Desert AIDS Project we learned through the AIDS crisis that becoming undetectable is more than taking daily medication. It is a combination of factors such as a roof over your head, food in your belly, staying on top of your mental health, and following through on routine oral health exams. DAP’s integrated model of services supports those people living with HIV on their journey to U=U.

Knowledge is Power

U=U may be the foundation to ending the HIV epidemic but what else can we do to combat the multifaceted HIV epidemic?

Access to HIV and STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) testing and treatment. At DAP, we test more than 5,000 individuals for HIV in 1 year, and the HIV test is Free. The frequency of testing varies depending on your risks. You could be tested every 3 months, once a year, or once in your life depending on the risk assessment done by our Community Health Educators. Even during the current crisis, DAP is providing access to HIV testing in the form of supplying free at-home HIV test kits.

Knowing your HIV status is empowering. Also, important is knowing your STI status. Why?

People who have a STI are twice as likely in acquiring HIV, so routine STI testing and treatment if needed will reduce the number of new HIV infections in any community. Routine STI testing will help prevent someone from contracting HIV and decrease transmitting STIs to a sexual partner as many STIs people are asymptomatic (No symptoms)

Anytime I engage with someone in-person or via social media apps who may be a potential sex partner, I always follow up the HIV status discussion with an STI status discussion.

I ask, when were you last tested? How many sexual partners have you had since your last test? This is not meant to judge a potential sexual partner’s sexual history or scare one of from your past but to empower yourself in taking control of your sexual health by having a transparent conversation with someone you’re about to become intimate with.

At DAP, we provide STI testing and treatment.  People turn to sex for stress relief, to cope with isolation, to eat, to have shelter, and to survive. If you want an appointment today for HIV and STI testing please call 760-992-0492.

Put PrEP in your step

How can we talk about the pulse of the HIV epidemic without the game-changing medications to prevent HIV called PrEP and PEP? PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, and is a pill (Truvada, or Descovy) that is taken to prevent someone who is HIV-negative from acquiring HIV. Similar to birth control, PrEP is a medication is taken once a day. If taken once a day PrEP has been shown to be 99% effective in preventing HIV infection.  PrEP dramatically changed the landscape of HIV prevention by giving us the first new tool to fight HIV since the beginning of the epidemic.

Similar to U=U, I was surprised to find out how many people today are still unaware of PrEP and its benefits. I updated my personal social media profiles to include “Do you know what PrEP is? If not, please ask me?” Every time I log on to an app there is always someone inquiring about PrEP. People also ask, who is PrEP for? PrEP is for anyone who is HIV negative and at risk for HIV infection

People express various concerns about PrEP including the cost, side effects and stigma.  PrEP was studied extensively before it gained FDA approval in 2012.  It’s been shown to be both safe and effective in preventing HIV. 

While the medication does carry a high price tag, there are many support programs to help offset the cost and most people can access PrEP with very little or no expense.  DAP is a provider of PrEP navigation services to help people look at PrEP for themselves and assist them with education, financial support and finding a medical provider.

Anyone using PrEP would first be tested for HIV and STIs.  This testing is repeated once every 3 months and is a great way to educate people about the value of routine HIV and STI Testing.  The more we normalize PrEP and routine testing the more comfortable people are with including these things as part of sound routine health care.

Between U=U and PrEP, we were starting to turn the tide on new infections, and HIV numbers across the country were going down for the first time in many years. As someone working in and committed to public health, it scares me when I consider that these game-changing HIV interventions might take a back seat during the current health crisis.

The responsibility for ending HIV falls to all of us. We have the tools to help end HIV in our community—but only if we resist the urge to forget just how deadly it has been in our community for decades.

Standing with Black Lives Matter

by Dustin Gruber

Standing with Black Lives Matter

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, June 6, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

As an acknowledgment of the protests that are occurring globally and in our Valley, we postponed our Voices of Hope: Together We Thrive streaming event.

The fight against AIDS has always been a fight against discrimination, prejudice, and bigotry. DAP stands in solidarity with black communities locally, nationally and around the world, including Black Lives Matter.

As a member of DAP, I have no doubt that you're aware of the racial and financial injustices that plague our community and our nation. Like me, you may be asking yourself, “How can I help end racism?” All human beings deserve equal opportunities and to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.

DAP stands for quality and culturally competent care as a human right and as a critical component to building a fair and just society. The COVID-19 pandemic brings the impact of systemic racism front and center, and DAP recommits to addressing barriers that prevent individuals and communities from reaching their full potential.

Weekend Wrap Up – May 30, 2020

by Dustin Gruber

Milestones Of Hope and Celebration

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, May 30, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

COVID-19 Triage Clinic Update

Since it opened on March 16, we’ve now marked our first 1,000 patients receiving care for their symptoms at our COVID-19 Clinic, including testing if needed. As we’ve added antibody testing, interest is skyrocketing—in just one day, we had 400 phone calls requesting appointments for this testing. We are in this for the long haul to offer relief to our area hospitals and prevent needless suffering.

Revivals is safely reopening on June 1

We can now return to one of our favorite pastimes—treasure hunting! We’ve prepared our three Revivals stores to make sure that our customers, employees, and volunteers are set up for a safe and pleasant experience, starting this weekend. 

We are requiring all who enter Revivals to wear masks to show support for everyone’s health. Stores will be sanitized every two hours, and there will be sneeze guards at registers. Hand sanitizer and social distancing reminders will be prominent throughout the stores as well. You can find out more if you watch Dane Koch, our director of retail, talk with Steve Henke below.

DAP LIVE

We’re increasing the ways we reach our neighbors throughout the Coachella Valley, to inform them about all the ways DAP can help them build resiliency and community, and to inspire them to remain engaged in their health. 

We launched DAP LIVE, a weekly three-interview online show streaming on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. 

With Steven Henke as host, we’ll bring you conversations with people who are making a difference in our community. We think you’ll be inspired as they share some of their motivations for getting involved to make life better for others.  

In this episode we heard conversations with TV Personality Scott Nevins, DAP Director of Retail Dane Koch, and DAP Behavioral Health Manager Dr. Jill Gover.

Voices of Hope Countdown

Scott Nevins is going to help us all shake off the doldrums when he hosts “Voices of Hope: Together We Thrive”, a free, one-hour entertainment special that will broadcast across DAP’s social channels on Friday, June 5 at 7pm PT.

 “No more Debbie Downer-this is all about feeling good and celebrating life.”

We’re so thankful that when Scott asked stars like Betty Buckley and Kristen Chenoweth to be featured in the online broadcast, they committed to helping support our COVID-19 Triage Clinic immediately. You can watch Scott Nevins tell Steven Henke more in the DAP LIVE clip above. 

To learn more about the show and restaurant ideas, click here.

Revivals Volunteers Needed 

Our volunteers make up 80 percent of our Revivals workforce, but some will not be able to return during this health crisis. We support and cherish all of our volunteers, including when their safety or comfort requires them to remain home.

We are looking for volunteers to help run Revivals. The minimum time requirement is just four hours per week for the chance to help support the community we all want to create. It’s easy to find out more by clicking here.

DAP In the News

Winston Gieseke for The Desert Sun covered Voices of Hope, plus the exciting news about Revivals opening on June 1. Read more here. 

Larry Buhl for The Body covered DAP offering HIV self-testing, access to PrEP and PEP, and continuous operations throughout this health crisis. Read more here.

Get Access To the Care You Need

One Call is a service that can enroll callers in health insurance or Medi-Cal through Covered California, register them for medical and behavioral healthcare, and schedule their first appointment at DAP — all in approximately 45 minutes. This is a significant reduction in the amount of time this would normally take, thanks to a DAP Healthcare Navigator who will work one-on-one with each caller.

Callers can access One Call service by calling 760-992-0426, Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm PDT.

Click to Connect to An Enrollment Specialist

Sexual Health Clinic - Palm Springs

1695 N. Sunrise Way Palm Springs, CA 92262

Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 AM (Closed for lunch from noon-1:00 PM)

Call 760-992-0492 to schedule an appointment.

To reach our after-hours answering service, please call (760) 323-2118.

Click Here to Call the Sexual Health Clinic

Hearing messages of hope all around us

by Dustin Gruber

Hearing messages of hope all around us

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, May 23, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

Voices of Hope on June 5, 7pm PT

We’re bringing our community together around a message of hope with the help of Broadway and Hollywood stars while we continue supporting our local restaurants. “Voices of Hope: Together We Thrive” is a free, one-hour entertainment special that will broadcast across DAP’s social channels on Friday, June 5 at 7pm PT.

Let Kristin Chenoweth, Betty Buckley and about a dozen other stars entertain you in your home. Complete your experience by ordering take-out or delivery from local eateries before the show, and you’ll know you’re preserving one of this area’s finest gems—its restaurant scene.  

To learn more about the show and restaurant ideas, click here.

DAP Talks – Hearing the message of hope

You can hear this DAP Talks by clicking here.

Anxiety and depression are getting in the way of many people’s health and resiliency, especially with isolation from social distancing and sheltering in place. We started the audio series DAP Talks to give people one more way to receive the message of transformation from healers like Dr. Jill Gover. Her first audio installment is “Taking Care of Your Mental Health During COVID-19” and more are coming.

COVID-19 Triage Clinic Update

We saw almost 200 clients this week for antibody and diagnostic testing for COVID-19 and treatment for respiratory symptoms.

We are taking what we’ve learned so far on the frontlines fighting COVID-19, and we are sharing it with the County of Riverside as we continue partnering in this health crisis. As the County looks at an antibody program and contract tracing, the hard work from Dr. Foltz and his team will help others avoid suffering. Through this tragedy, we are working to be part of a solution.

The Coachella Valley Weekly featured our COVID-19 Triage Clinic as its cover story. You can read it here.

Gratitude for Drop-Off Donations Resuming at Revivals

It felt great being reminded of how much this community cares after the first week of contact-free donation drop-offs at all three Revivals. We put the safety of our volunteers, clients, and staff first, and changing the way we accept donations was the first step.

We’re changing the way we work so Revivals can outlive COVID-19 and carry on as this community’s favorite place to find treasures new and old. We’re looking at new ways that you will be able to ‘Find Yourself at Revivals’, whether that’s online or through contact-free curbside services like order pickup.

We’re preparing for when the city of Palm Springs and the state of California clear us to re-open. That includes being armed with effective sanitization measures and protocols, and only opening if we have confidence we can ensure the safety of our employees, volunteers, and customers.

Antibody and diagnostic testing availabl …

by Dustin Gruber

Antibody and diagnostic testing available   

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, May 16, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

Dr. Foltz In-Depth on NBC Palm Springs

Dr. Christopher Foltz talked with Gino LaMont  of NBC Palm Springs about his own journey with COVID-19 and the current race to develop treatments to save lives, harkening back to the worst days of the AIDS crisis.

Also remembered from that terrible time was the outdated U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation that still prevents gay men from donating blood.

Dr. Foltz shared his story about being turned down for donating blood to a potentially lifesaving plasma study. Gino said he cannot believe the ban is still in effect, and neither can we.

DAP In the News

Clients Increase at COVID-19 Triage Clinic

The rise in people seeking services from our COVID-19 Triage Clinic isn’t stopping. We saw about 40 clients daily this week, as testing was given to asymptomatic patients and those displaying symptoms. Our staff continues to make sure each patient knows about the behavioral and primary care they can access at DAP, not to mention more.

We’ve moved testing inside the COVID-19 Triage Clinic so that we can protect our patients and staff from the desert heat as temperatures begin to rise.

Donation trucks rolling again, drop-offs resume at all Revivals

We're getting ready to roll again - Schedule your curbside donation pick-up or enjoy contact-free donation drop-off at one of our three stores.

We opened our donation drop-off location in Palm Springs last week and will open donation drop-off sites at our Cathedral City and Palm Desert stores on May 18.

DONATE THIS WEEKEND IN PALM SPRINGS: Donation drop-off hours are Monday thru Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and on Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm -and we'll see you at our donation centers in Palm Desert and Cathedral City starting Monday.

Schedule A Pick-Up

You have a unique opportunity during this pandemic to help fund comprehensive care at Desert AIDS Project.  Just by donating the things you no longer need.  Your gently used housewares, clothing, and furniture will fund comprehensive care at DAP - care that includes primary care, therapy, COVID-19 testing, STI testing, HIV specialty care, and so much more. 

We provide a contact-free drop or pick-up off allowing safe social distancing and our driver and staff continue to wear masks. 

If you are dropping donations off at our stores;

Receipts will be available should you need one for your records.

Voices of Hope – June 5 at 7pm

We’ve always believed in joining people together for entertainment and community, and bringing it online is part of the new normal. On June 5 we’re reminding everyone that Together, We Thrive, with a one-hour star-studded streaming event that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats with top entertainment. Kristin Chenoweth, Betty Buckley are among the show’s stars. Voices of Hope will be hosted by Scott Nevins.

Advocacy at home for the chance to defea …

by Dustin Gruber

Advocacy at home for the chance to defeat a pandemic

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, May 9, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

DAP to FDA: Let Gay Men Donate Blood Now

This week we called upon the FDA to drop its archaic ban on gay blood donation. Recently Dr. Christopher Foltz fully recovered from COVID-19 himself, only to be blocked from participating in a groundbreaking plasma study that could help save his patients.

Since this crisis began, national supplies of blood are dangerously low and we need everyone to be able to donate. DAP views this ban as a human rights violation. No one should be denied from contributing to the wellbeing of their community in a time of crisis, including gay men.

Those suffering from COVID-19 whose lives could be saved from convalescent plasma transfusion therapy and others needing regular blood transfusions deserve to have supplies ready. Lifting this ban will save lives.

Read more about Dr. Foltz’s journey with COVID-19 and the plasma study here.

Asymptomatic COVID-19 Testing

We announced even greater access to health by opening up asymptomatic testing to our community for COVID-19, and the response has been incredible. In just one day, our Patient Registration team scheduled 140 appointments, and more than half of them are newly enrolled patients at DAP now, able to access primary and behavioral healthcare plus much more.

Our order for 2,500 additional asymptomatic COVID-19 testing kits might be delayed due to supply chain issues. We have plenty of tests to accommodate appointments we’ve already set through May 15 for asymptomatic testing.  We are keeping in close contact with our supplier and will keep the community updated.

One Call services brought clients into care

Callers accessed One Call services by calling 760-992-0426, and they cut the amount of time it took to get enrolled in insurance or Medi-Cal through Covered California and into care at DAP by about two-thirds.

“When accessing services becomes difficult, people are more likely to give up on participating in their own health,” said C.J. Tobe, director of Community Health. “We’re not going to lose people in this community because we failed to keep them connected.” 

We also made sure that our Spanish speaking residents of the valley got this important information by working with Univision. 

Outreaching about therapy in a pandemic

Dr. Jill Gover wrote a Valley Voice column for The Desert Sun yesterday about how much your mental health matters during this health crisis, and she offered hope for building ways of coping.  You can read the column in its entirety by clicking here.

Because of you ... Desert AIDS Project's homebound and immunosuppressed patients will continue receiving care packages of nutritious meals and toiletries, DAP's frontline clinicians remain safe with proper PPE, and neighbors will be tested and treated for symptoms of COVID-19.

Together, we raised $40,000 matched by Mark Hamilton & Juan Francisco for a total of $60,000. You ordered breakfast, lunch, and dinner from local restaurants. You rallied with others all across the Valley, and the world, to ensure we all rally back stronger from the challenges of the pandemic.
WE ARE GRATEFUL.

Good mental health also vital in coronav …

by Dustin Gruber

Good mental health also vital in coronavirus pandemic. A therapist can help.

COVID-19 has triggered fear and grief for many as we grapple with multiple losses. The fear of getting sick, losing one’s job, paying the bills, not being able to protect or care for elderly parents, etc., is compounded by the loss of routine, familiarity, consistency, and confidence. Uncertainty and the disruption of daily norms only increases grief and anxiety. 

Now, more than usual, most of us could benefit from the expertise provided in therapy. People need support during this very challenging time, and mental health professionals are offering the tools necessary to help people cope.

The good news is that it's easier to access therapy now, because psychologists are using Virtual Visits and teleconferences to hold therapy sessions with their clients. Waiting lists are actually dwindling, and clients are getting help.

During this unprecedented time, therapy can help us distinguish the rational from the irrational. We may not even be consciously aware of own negative thoughts and how they make our situations worse. Therapists can help us identify the erroneous negative self-talk and faulty thinking that causes so much unnecessary emotional distress. 

We are able to increase awareness of this negative self-talk that causes stress, and develop a new, more accurate and positive perspective. Therapy provides a chance for people to think deeply about their emotional well-being, and prioritize their mental health. Collaboratively with the support of a therapist, we are able to face our fears and develop action plans that will move us through the paralysis of fear to empowerment. 

More than anything, psychotherapy is a reflective process that helps us better understand our experience so we can shape positive outcomes. Right now, we all need the opportunity to reflect on how COVID-19 has impacted us. It is a global, collective trauma the world has never seen in this century. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the enormity of what we’re facing, and to slide into self-destructive behaviors. 

In therapy we learn how to engage positive coping skills instead of relying on destructive, negative strategies, such as overeating, or substance use. Therapists can assist us develop solutions to reduce stress. In the safety of a therapeutic alliance, we access internal and external resources and as a result, avoid negative consequences. 

Would you like to talk to a therapist in person or virtually? Desert AIDS Project offers essential therapy from wherever you are. Our therapists are here to care for you. Call (760) 992-0450 to find out more.