I am thrilled to feature Jeremy Fusco as a Thriver in Action on my Thrive Blog! Jeremy and I met a few years ago through Michaela Guzy and I am so grateful we did. He is a former serviceman in the Air Force who has a Masters in Social Work with a Concentration in Mental Health and sub-concentration in Military and Veterans Services. He and I immediately bonded over our open and candid discussions on mental health and PTSD. His company Mind Above provides mental health counseling and innovative solutions in outpatient counseling. He has a big heart, and here he shares how he is supporting the mental health of others during COVID and his words of wisdom during this unprecedented time.
Name: Jeremy Fusco, LCSW
Title/Company: Mind Above
City/State reside: Dallas, TX
Tell me about your business and why you started it/what your mission is.
Mind Above is a private practice where I provide psychotherapy to clients addressing needs ranging from Impostor Syndrome, Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, Trauma and Relationships. I began my private practice as a way to provide more in-depth support to clients with strengths-based counseling geared to increasing self-resilience and empowerment. The mission of Mind Above is to be a real-world, modern approach to coping and adapting to life's changes.
Tell me about your personal experience with mental health. Can be lately during the COVID pandemic or overall throughout your life.
We can go for days on that...! So, my experience with mental health is seen from the view as a patient turned provider. My transition from serving on active duty in the US Air Force to civilian life when medically retired guided me to pursue becoming an advocate and provider to help others. For COVID-19, I am seeing a marked increase in anxiety and stress with clients at various levels. From healthcare workers, unemployed,and small business owners living "on hold" to the personal roles of parent, caregiver, and individual living alone.
Any projects or initiatives you are launching/have launchd to support your mental health and/or the health of others?
I have launched an initiative to provide online therapy for healthcare workers that includes covering co-pays through the remainder of 2020 for those seeking mental health support with Mind Above. I am also launching additional initiatives to ensure quality therapy is accessible to those who need it regardless of income or insurance. Personally, I practice what I preach: Mindfulness, No BS addressing my own needs, and remaining productive - counseling, projects, home repairs, etc.
What have you learned about yourself/community/life in general since the lockdown and COVID pandemic?
What I've learned is what I've known: humanity is a courageous endeavor at any level. We are capable of more than we identify with before experiencing trauma or distress. Each one of us is living through uncanny, humbling times. We are not alone and we need to make an effort to comfort others within our community to cope effectively. Life is a healing journey that we learn to adapt to the challenges we face.
Anything else you want to share?
I was recently asked to write an article discussing mental health and COVID-19. I chose to discuss the realities of what many experience with mental fatigue to include how-to recognize it, identify it, and make changes to overcome it. It's an article that resonates with raw, difficult feelings and encourages real conversation to confront COVID Fatigue. The full article is available on the Mind Above blog here and a PDF copy is below.
Learn more about Jeremy Fusco here and more about Mind Above at mindabove.app
Connect with him on social media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mindabove
Instagram - @mind.above
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/fuscojeremy
Pinterest - @mindabovecounseling
Twitter - @_mind_above