by Michael J. Herkov, Ph.D.
The COVID-19 virus has, within a matter of weeks, upended our lives and led to drastic changes in our lives including work, school and shopping. Not surprisingly, such change can result in emotional distress. While feelings of fear and anxiety are unpleasant emotions, they serve as important internal motivators for us to take action to deal with some potential danger. However, when excessive, they can dominate our thoughts and affect our lives in a number negative ways (e.g., impaired sleep, constant worry, incapacitation, decreased immune system). As a practicing clinical psychologist for 30 years and a lifelong Orthodox Christian, I have been asked to provide a perspective and some insights on how to emotionally cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.