<p>In this episode of The Lead from DH Radio, listen to Dr Sharon S Rajkumar on the challenges of being a counsellor in unprecedented times like Covid-19 pandemic. Also, listen to what a swab collector and Covid-19-ambulance drivers have to say.<br /></p>.<p>While I was speaking to those at the Bommanahalli command centre, they told me that they take the help of counsellors when the covid-struck people become emotional. Anger flies high and emotions are unbound. It must be challenging for a counsellor. I caught up with Sharon, who counsels the affected people, to take about this. listen in<br /><br />Today we are joined by Sharon S. Rajkumar, PhD. She is the General Manager & Happiness Evangelist at Happiest Minds Technologies Limited<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: What are the challenges a counsellor faces during situations like Covid-19?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon S Rajkumar</strong>: A pandemic such as Covid-19 can affect the physical and mental health, safety and well-being of individuals and communities. Fear of the pandemic. Loneliness because of physical isolation. Stigma associated with the illness. Loss of lives of loved ones. Loss of jobs. Loss of livelihoods. These translate into a range of emotional reactions from stress, depression, substance abuse and so on. These compound the challenges for a counsellor during the pandemic.</p>.<p>It is tough sometimes to see pain all around you, to see people dying around you. I am part of two volunteer groups – A Buddy Citizen Volunteer Group and an Emotional Care Givers Group. I make about a dozen or more calls a day as part of these groups. I work with Happiest Minds Technologies and am part of a counselling group there called Mithra – the Good Samaritan. As a counsellor, I cannot find solutions nor become the solution, but I help my counsellees find the solution, to develop coping mechanisms, coping strategies.</p>.<p>When you empathise with people and when they ask questions such as Why is my loved one going through this? He is a good person. Why is he suffering? We have no answers. But we are just present with them in their pain, helping them deal with their agony. The greater challenge is to support those that already struggling with mental health challenges/conditions like anxiety or depression. Covid-19 is going to be around for a while; the best way to deal with it is to accept it and wait for it to pass, because it will. It is a matter of time. And until it passes, masking, washing hands, physical distancing are of utmost importance.<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: Can you tell us about an incident that was stressful for you?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: I am counselling a person whose entire family tested positive for the virus. His father is in the ICU presently with a low, fluctuating Oxygen Saturation rate. While helping him handle the inevitable, I am also helping him develop his mental muscles. He is absolutely broken and depends on me, his counsellor, to even talk to the doctor, because his pain at letting go is inhibiting his thought process. How does one give hope in situations such as these? That is the dilemma we face every single day. Thankfully, my faith keeps me strong and I am able to wake up anew every morning to a day wherein I can help people.<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: As a counsellor, you have to be available 24/7, how is the response from your family and how do you balance work and this.</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: I have been a counsellor for many years; right from my days as a Professor at Christ University upto now. You said ‘BALANCE’ – it is all about balance. I work full time at home and at work and do find the time to counsel as well. When your heart is in it, you will find the time to do it.<br />There is so much of suffering around – how can I not do anything? How can I keep silent?</p>.<p><strong>Ahmed</strong>: Do people, whom you have counselled, ever callback or have made sure to tell you about their wellbeing?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: Oh yes! Most of them do. And I am grateful for that.<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: What got you into this, what's was your motivation?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: There are times in our personal and professional lives when the pressures and the anxieties of life and of living places enormous stress and takes its toll on us. Finding someone trustworthy to talk to and share our pain with can be as frustrating as the feeling. Most times one is not looking for answers; just a sympathetic, listening ear. Who do we turn to in these unprecedented times? Someone who will listen in safety, acceptance and confidentiality.</p>.<p>I have been helped along life’s way by many people. It is my duty to pay it forward. This is my calling. We are all wounded healers; we have faced challenges in life; people have helped us and we are just helping others. That is my motivation. The Buddy Citizen Volunteer Group and Emotional Care Giver Group are platforms which comprise of a band of men and women who have made a commitment to be available to listen, to help others deal with whatever it is that they are going through. No one needs to go through it alone. We are there for them every step of the way.</p>.<p>Sharon spoke about the anxieties and stress that take a toll on us, I wonder what about those on the ground? I spoke to a swab collector and a group of ambulance drivers. Listen in.</p>.<p><em>(Translation) </em></p>.<p>My job is to collect the swabs and send them to the PHCs. I wear PPE kits and every now and then I sanitise myself.</p>.<p>When I asked about how the people's response has been, he says that not many respond well. Like when he goes to trace contacts, he says that some even bring sticks to chase the team away.</p>.<p>When asked about how his family has taken to his job, he says that they were afraid at first and now their attitude has changed. He goes on to say that people should wear a mask properly and sanitise every now and then.</p>.<p>I went across to a group of Covid-19 ambulance drivers. They tell me that the issue faced by them is that people would have given the incomplete or wrong address and searching for the location is the difficulty. Some tell me that they have been away from their families for over a month and one is away for three months.</p>.<p>When asked if they have faced angry people, they tell me that they request them saying it for your benefit. When I asked them are you afraid of the job, they fearlessly tell me that they maintain distance and sanitise their vehicles after every trip. </p>
<p>In this episode of The Lead from DH Radio, listen to Dr Sharon S Rajkumar on the challenges of being a counsellor in unprecedented times like Covid-19 pandemic. Also, listen to what a swab collector and Covid-19-ambulance drivers have to say.<br /></p>.<p>While I was speaking to those at the Bommanahalli command centre, they told me that they take the help of counsellors when the covid-struck people become emotional. Anger flies high and emotions are unbound. It must be challenging for a counsellor. I caught up with Sharon, who counsels the affected people, to take about this. listen in<br /><br />Today we are joined by Sharon S. Rajkumar, PhD. She is the General Manager & Happiness Evangelist at Happiest Minds Technologies Limited<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: What are the challenges a counsellor faces during situations like Covid-19?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon S Rajkumar</strong>: A pandemic such as Covid-19 can affect the physical and mental health, safety and well-being of individuals and communities. Fear of the pandemic. Loneliness because of physical isolation. Stigma associated with the illness. Loss of lives of loved ones. Loss of jobs. Loss of livelihoods. These translate into a range of emotional reactions from stress, depression, substance abuse and so on. These compound the challenges for a counsellor during the pandemic.</p>.<p>It is tough sometimes to see pain all around you, to see people dying around you. I am part of two volunteer groups – A Buddy Citizen Volunteer Group and an Emotional Care Givers Group. I make about a dozen or more calls a day as part of these groups. I work with Happiest Minds Technologies and am part of a counselling group there called Mithra – the Good Samaritan. As a counsellor, I cannot find solutions nor become the solution, but I help my counsellees find the solution, to develop coping mechanisms, coping strategies.</p>.<p>When you empathise with people and when they ask questions such as Why is my loved one going through this? He is a good person. Why is he suffering? We have no answers. But we are just present with them in their pain, helping them deal with their agony. The greater challenge is to support those that already struggling with mental health challenges/conditions like anxiety or depression. Covid-19 is going to be around for a while; the best way to deal with it is to accept it and wait for it to pass, because it will. It is a matter of time. And until it passes, masking, washing hands, physical distancing are of utmost importance.<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: Can you tell us about an incident that was stressful for you?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: I am counselling a person whose entire family tested positive for the virus. His father is in the ICU presently with a low, fluctuating Oxygen Saturation rate. While helping him handle the inevitable, I am also helping him develop his mental muscles. He is absolutely broken and depends on me, his counsellor, to even talk to the doctor, because his pain at letting go is inhibiting his thought process. How does one give hope in situations such as these? That is the dilemma we face every single day. Thankfully, my faith keeps me strong and I am able to wake up anew every morning to a day wherein I can help people.<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: As a counsellor, you have to be available 24/7, how is the response from your family and how do you balance work and this.</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: I have been a counsellor for many years; right from my days as a Professor at Christ University upto now. You said ‘BALANCE’ – it is all about balance. I work full time at home and at work and do find the time to counsel as well. When your heart is in it, you will find the time to do it.<br />There is so much of suffering around – how can I not do anything? How can I keep silent?</p>.<p><strong>Ahmed</strong>: Do people, whom you have counselled, ever callback or have made sure to tell you about their wellbeing?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: Oh yes! Most of them do. And I am grateful for that.<br /><br /><strong>Ahmed</strong>: What got you into this, what's was your motivation?</p>.<p><strong>Sharon</strong>: There are times in our personal and professional lives when the pressures and the anxieties of life and of living places enormous stress and takes its toll on us. Finding someone trustworthy to talk to and share our pain with can be as frustrating as the feeling. Most times one is not looking for answers; just a sympathetic, listening ear. Who do we turn to in these unprecedented times? Someone who will listen in safety, acceptance and confidentiality.</p>.<p>I have been helped along life’s way by many people. It is my duty to pay it forward. This is my calling. We are all wounded healers; we have faced challenges in life; people have helped us and we are just helping others. That is my motivation. The Buddy Citizen Volunteer Group and Emotional Care Giver Group are platforms which comprise of a band of men and women who have made a commitment to be available to listen, to help others deal with whatever it is that they are going through. No one needs to go through it alone. We are there for them every step of the way.</p>.<p>Sharon spoke about the anxieties and stress that take a toll on us, I wonder what about those on the ground? I spoke to a swab collector and a group of ambulance drivers. Listen in.</p>.<p><em>(Translation) </em></p>.<p>My job is to collect the swabs and send them to the PHCs. I wear PPE kits and every now and then I sanitise myself.</p>.<p>When I asked about how the people's response has been, he says that not many respond well. Like when he goes to trace contacts, he says that some even bring sticks to chase the team away.</p>.<p>When asked about how his family has taken to his job, he says that they were afraid at first and now their attitude has changed. He goes on to say that people should wear a mask properly and sanitise every now and then.</p>.<p>I went across to a group of Covid-19 ambulance drivers. They tell me that the issue faced by them is that people would have given the incomplete or wrong address and searching for the location is the difficulty. Some tell me that they have been away from their families for over a month and one is away for three months.</p>.<p>When asked if they have faced angry people, they tell me that they request them saying it for your benefit. When I asked them are you afraid of the job, they fearlessly tell me that they maintain distance and sanitise their vehicles after every trip. </p>
