Cinnaminson Therapist Counsels Those Struggling In Quarantine

CINNAMINSON, NJ —A Cinnaminson mental health counselor has seen a range of grief from her clients as they are ordered to stay-at-home during the coronavirus pandemic. She believes the impact will extend beyond the end of the quarantine.

“There is a great deal of grief associated with the quarantine,” said Vanessa Parry Zoog, who runs Serenity Counseling out of her home in Cinnaminson. “People are not able to celebrate with families, children cannot have birthday parties, people cannot have weddings the way they had planned. Vacations are canceled as are proms and graduations. There is no winding down to the end of the school year, no transitioning to the following year. I believe this grief will carry on for a long time even after the quarantine is over as people lament what they have missed.”

And the way of coping with that grief in isolation is far from healthy.

“Because people have had to adapt their lives to staying home, there has been a loss of coping skills and there has been an increase in addictive behaviors,” Zoog said. “People who have been in recovery for years are struggling more because they do not have the socialization and distraction that they are used to. People are looking for escape from the chaos of what we are dealing with and may turn to unhealthy vices such as alcohol or drugs, overeating or becoming obsessive about food, excessive online shopping, online gambling, etc.”

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Zoog opened Serenity Counseling with a partner in Palmyra in 2008, but when the partner moved out of state, she moved her practice to her Cinnaminson home. In 2018, her practice had grown to the point where she needed to hire two more therapists — one full-time and one part-time — to help her with her caseload.

The beginning of the pandemic brought about another change to the business.

“Soon after the schools closed we began doing telehealth sessions to maintain safety for our clients and therapists,” Zoog said. “Some people were resistant to doing virtual sessions and opted to wait until they could resume in-person sessions. Others, due to the increased anxiety caused by the pandemic, have increased the frequency of their appointments and have embraced telehealth.”

She said she’s seen an overall trend with Serenity’s clients and other practitioners she’s spoken to.

“The clients with high anxiety adjusted to the sheltering in place orders much more easily than the general population, perhaps because they are already used to living with a tremendous amount of anxiety,” Zoog said.

Zoog offers advice for anyone who is having a particularly difficult time adjusting to the quarantine.

“It is exceedingly important to develop some kind of routine while sheltering in place,” Zoog said. “Even if it is more lax than normal it is critical to have a good sleep routine, eat healthy nutritious meals, find time to work out, go outside for breaks and watch things other than the news. Try to stay connected to family and friends as much as possible. Zoom and Facetime may not be the same as being in the same room with them, but they are great options.”

For those not accustomed to working from home, she said it is important not to blur the line between work life and home life.

“I’ve suggested to many clients to designate a separate space for work or school so they can 'go' there when it is time and 'leave' when work/school is over,” Zoog said. “Above all, people need to realize that their feelings about everything that is happening, the grief, sadness, anger, fear, is all normal,” Zoog said. “It’s okay not to feel okay. The grief you are feeling is valid and legitimate. Do not beat yourself up for your feelings. We are all struggling and doing the best we can. But if you find yourself depressed or anxious much of the time or have increased reliance on unhealthy coping mechanisms, it is important to talk to a professional.”

Zoog is a Moorestown High School graduate who earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After getting married, she returned to the area and obtained a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania.

Katrina Brophy is a full-time therapist with Serenity. She graduated from Rutgers University cum laude with a bachelors degree in social work. She went on to receive her masters in social work with a clinical concentration at Fordham University and graduated in 2014. She continued her education in 2016 by receiving a post-masters certificate in psychodynamic psychotherapy at Bryn Mawr College.

Alyssa Harris is a hospice social worker with Heartland Hospice and a part-time therapist at Serenity. She received her Bachelor of Social Work from Stockton University in 2013. In 2017, she graduated with her Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas with a program concentration in Hispanic/Latino communities and cultural competency.

To reach Serenity Counseling, call 856-499-2013 or visit serenity-counseling.org.

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