The Aspen Institute

Through a therapist’s lens, Dr. Tamar Kaye shared her experiences, both physical and psychological, that resulted from her having contracted COVID-19 in early March 2020. Dr. Richard Daniele and Dr. Kaye candidly addressed the impact the pandemic has had on all of us, not just the patients they treat in their New York City-based private practices. They acknowledged some of the effects the current collective trauma has had on themselves and their practices, and encouraged all individuals suffering or feeling stress overload, especially frontline workers, including therapists, to seek the support and guidance they need. Frontline workers are especially at risk given the trauma they encounter on a daily basis. These feelings are intensified if early trauma unrelated to the pandemic has occurred. A person’s early trauma history and other life experiences shape their development, and hence, their emotional reactions that sometimes lay dormant until later trauma occurs.