WES Blog — Social Connections at a Time of Social Distancing

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We like knowing what to do. We like clear guidelines and shared certainty and obvious conclusions. 


COVID 19 isn’t giving us any of that. As you all know, states and countries have been responding to the virus differently, and as statistics change rapidly we are all struggling with how to make the best decisions. None of us have all the answers; we are all doing the best we can with complicated information. And that, friends, is challenging. 


There are lots of places to look for support for your physical health–we encourage you to keep an eye on the CDC and city/county department of health websites. We wanted to write today about caring for your mental health during this time of stress. 


Of course, all the usual stress-management techniques remain vital: mindfulness practice, yoga, reading novels or poetry, playing an instrument, taking walks. We encourage you to add to your toolbox of stress-management techniques, and we want you to know we are always happy to make recommendations based on your preferences and capacities. 


And, we want to make sure WES is supporting you–supporting all of us–as we navigate a time of potential social isolation. Whether you are staying home because you feel more comfortable there for now, or because a doctor has directed you to do so for your safety, we want to make sure that you have whatever will help you to feel connected to our community. Here are some ideas: 

  • If you are quarantined (or simply staying home more), please let us know! You can email Amanda, Laura, or any Pastoral Care Associate. If needed, we can help by getting you supplies, or setting up a check-in buddy to see how you’re doing. 

We will be adding Zoom video/phone call options to any staff-led meetings, and we are SO happy to make them available to any meeting, small group gathering, or Deepening Circle that you lead. Just email Robyn or Amanda to request a link. Zoom can be accessed as a video call from any device (you may be prompted to download the Zoom app–that is safe to do and will lead to easier access), or as a regular conference from any phone. We will include the Zoom info wherever we list the event (the website calendar, our weekly News and Notes email, etc). 

  • We’ll be adding in some extra opportunities to connect via Zoom, as needed! To start: 
  • Watch platform on livestream or as video anytime you can’t be at WES–either on Facebook or on our website. If you’re watching on Facebook, think about using the comments section as your own Community Sharing time together! 
  • Pick up the phone and call someone from WES to say hello! 
  • We are happy to facilitate any other online gatherings that might be helpful. As we learn more about how many people are choosing (or needing) to stay home, we’ll be in touch with opportunities to meet for small groups, play board games together, write to elected officials together, or watch a movie together…all online. 

This can be a time of not just social distancing for our physical health, but also social connections for our mental health. We are so glad to be navigating this challenge together, as a community. 

-Amanda & Laura