Another Covid lockdown? Here's how to prepare your mental health, with psychologist George Bonanno

With concerns over the Omicron Covid 19 variant rising, clinical psychologist George Bonanno joins Sophie Mcbain to discuss how to mentally prepare for the prospect of another lockdown.

George Bonanno, a professor of clinical psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, has spent four decades studying how people respond to loss and trauma. His latest book, The End of Trauma, draws on his work with 9/11 survivors and people who have suffered life-changing injuries to chart what defines resilience. What might his findings teach us about how to prepare for the next phase of the pandemic?

If you’re feeling exhausted by the prospect of the new variant, that doesn’t mean you’re not being resilient. “The pandemic has presented myriad challenges along the way,” Bonanno said. “It’s been two years of different kinds of challenges. And each time, we have to figure out: what’s happening? What do I need to do to get through this? And that’s why it’s kind of exhausting – but that’s what gets us through.”

Together George Bonanno and Sophie Mcbain discuss the strategies for dealing with the stress of a pandemic lockdown including topics of resilience and flexibility.

Read the full article by Sophie Mcbain here: