Maryland Addiction Recovery Center and Kolmac Outpatient Recovery Centers have joined forces to offer behavioral health professionals throughout the Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia area (and beyond) an ongoing virtual weekly support group in the midst of the COVID-19 public health pandemic.
Zach Snitzer, Co-Founder and Director of Business Development at Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, MARC Community Relations Specialist Mallorie Schwartzman, and Jennifer Dorsey, Chief Clinical Officer & VP of Operations of Kolmac, came together to discuss ways in which the organizations might support the many professionals and clinicians working in the addiction, substance use disorder, and mental health treatment space as they face the unknown and overwhelming challenges of the current coronavirus crisis. From those meetings, what sprung forth was an opportunity to create a safe and trusted space for professionals to connect, discuss ongoing issues and concerns, support each other, and hopefully figure out solutions.
“We know that this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is impacting everyone, but professionals in the behavioral health space that work in addiction and mental health are facing a unique set of challenges,” MARC’s Zach Snitzer explained. “Not only are we worried about ourselves and our families, but we also are worried about our patients. We are worried about our organizations and our staff. Many private practice clinicians are worried about the switch over to telehealth and worried about the financial implications of their practices. We all want to make sure that we support each other in keeping our organizations, businesses, and practices open because many people are going to be in need of our services moving forward.”
Additionally, there is concern about self-care practices: How can professionals working in behavioral health take care of themselves so that they may, in turn, be there to take care of those that are suffering from addiction, substance use disorder, mental health issues, and mental illness? The purpose of the meeting is to bring professionals together, share concerns and fears, share what is and has been working, offer guidance and suggestions if possible, and continuously offer support to one another.
This weekly professional’s virtual support meeting meets weekly on Thursday evenings from 8:00 pm-9:00 pm and is open to any professional working in behavioral health, regardless of location. The first co-hosted support group took place on Thursday, March 26th. It was opened by a guided meditation from Lisa Manning, CST, followed by a discussion that included over 45 local professionals in the Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia areas. Attendees included clinicians, interventionists, private practice therapists, counselors working in addiction treatment centers and rehabs, business development and clinical outreach professionals, and others. It included individuals in ownership and leadership capacities, as well as employees and staff of facilities.
This behavioral health professional’s virtual support group will be meeting via zoom each Thursday and 8:00 pm and will continue until the group feels it is no longer needed. If you are interested in joining some or all of these upcoming meetings, please reach out to Mallorie Schwartzman, Community Relations Specialist at Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, at mschwartzman@marylandaddictionrecovery.com or by phone at (443) 578-6966.
If you or someone you know needs help for addiction or co-occurring disorder issues, please give us a call. Maryland Addiction Recovery Center offers the most comprehensive dual diagnosis addiction treatment in the Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or your loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a treatment center or provider that better fits your needs. Please give us a call at (410) 773-0500 or email our team at info@marylandaddictionrecovery.com. For more information on all of our drug addiction, alcohol addiction and co-occurring disorder services and recovery resources, please visit our web site at www.marylandaddictionrecovery.com.