The Evolution of Mental Health During the 2020 Pandemics

Sonya Clyburn, Psy.D. Assistant Professor, Counseling Department, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Washington DC Campus

Hayley Bannister, Forensic Psychology: Professional Counselor Licensure Track Student, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Washington, D.C. Campus

Montana De La Cruz, Forensic Psychology: Professional Counselor Licensure Track Student, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Washington, D.C. Campus

During the co-occurring pandemics of the current year it should be no surprise that the question of mental health should arise (Rettie & Daniels, 2020). The unknown of the pandemics as well as the social media and news coverage of these events can have detrimental outcomes in the mental health of individuals. Especially now, it is important for mental health to be taken just as seriously as physical health. Mental health concerns were already on the rise before the pandemics and engaging in advocacy practices could help to call attention to these concerns while destigmatizing mental health issues (Stylianos & Kehyayan, 2012). This presentation will look at the potential evolution of mental health, how practitioners and future practitioners will work with individuals through this evolution, and the possible changes not only to diagnoses but to the development of the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (Fiorillo & Gorwood, 2020).

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