Centers of Psychiatric Excellence (COPE) Develops New Therapy for Mental Health Issues Related to COVID-19
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The Centers of Psychiatric Excellence (COPE) is pleased to announce that it has developed a new therapy for mental health issues related to or exacerbated by COVID-19. The therapy is a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Resiliency Training and Crisis Counseling.
“Concerns around COVID-19 and its impact on our health and economy may lead to mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, and unhealthy behaviors such as excessive substance use, aggression, or unhealthy eating habits,” said Prakash Masand M.D., a Duke-NUS psychiatrist and founder of COPE. “COPE’s unique approach allows individuals to learn values that inform and guide healthy behavioral decisions and improve their resilience during these challenging times.”
COPE psychiatrists are now training therapists around the country in this new specially- designed treatment which is administered in six weekly individual therapy sessions of 40 to 50 minutes via a telehealth platform. This comes after the release of one of the largest studies in the world which found that more than half of all respondents rated the psychological impact from COVID-19 as moderate-to-severe, and approximately one-third reported moderate-to-severe anxiety.
“Our world is changing dramatically everyday and life as we know it has been severely interrupted,” Dr. Masand said. “We know the psychological toll this is going to take on many people, and that’s why we are being proactive in making this therapy available to as many clinicians and patients as possible.”About COPE
COPE (Centers of Psychiatric Excellence) is a management services organization that offers administrative and advisory support to independently operated psychiatric treatment clinics. COPE is proud to partner with highly specialized clinics around the country that service the most difficult to treat cases of depression, anxiety (specifically PTSD), and chronic pain.
COPE was founded by three internationally renowned psychiatrists at Duke University Medical Center: Prakash Masand, M.D.; Ashwin Patkar, M.D.; and Steven Szabo, M.D. In their more than 60 years of clinical and academic experience, they saw a clear, unmet need to provide support and services to facilities that offer evidence-based, innovative treatment. You can visit https://www.copepsychiatry.com/