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Free Mental, Emotional Treatment Offered for Medical Workers and First Responders During Pandemic

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As the COVID-19 crisis continues, some Americans are facing mental health struggles. Among the most at risk are frontline medical workers and first responders.
           
Now, an organization that helps veterans is expanding its focus to help medical personnel deal with the stress of a pandemic. 

When CBN News first interviewed clinical psychologist, Dr. Timothy Barclay, we talked about his passion to keep veterans from harming themselves.

"What can I do to really treat the population that I'm truly passionate about? But without giving these services away and going bankrupt in the process?" Barclay reflected.

"It was like a light bulb that went off: 'Well the only way to really do that effectively is through a non-profit organization and to raise funds and to do what we do here in private practice, but to offer that to veterans,'" he continued.

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That led to the Collateral Damage Project which helps vets battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and depression.

And that's not all. Now, because of the coronavirus pandemic, CDP also is offering free treatment for frontline medical workers and first responders.

"The treatment that we're offering for the first responders and medical workers – it doesn't use all of the research-based techniques and non-invasive brain stimulation and imaging that we do for the veterans with traumatic brain injury and things like that," Barclay explained. 

"Because mainly with first responders, we're going to be dealing with some stress, anxiety, acute stress, insomnia in the majority of cases," he continued. 

Barclay felt his organization needed to meet a great need.

"Work overload added to the stress and anxiety of just being overworked, but then also the additional concerns of for their own health and their own safety, and not only for themselves but what they're bringing home to their families," he told CBN News.

Collateral Damage Project is offering in-person therapy for central Virginia residents and teletherapy for first responders and healthcare workers living outside the area. Barclay says each individual gets up to three free sessions.

"So we just wanted to offer some relief to those frontline workers and give them a place to vent, learn some self-care strategies because they just give and give and give, and sometimes at the neglect of their own personal well-being, which can open the floodgates to depression, anxiety, and insomnia," he shared. 

"We just want to give them an avenue to help offset that," Barclay continued. 

It's an avenue to find peace in stressful times. 

If you're interested in free treatment from Collateral Damage Project or know someone who might be, log onto https://www.collateraldamageproject.org/. You can also find information there on how to donate to the organization.

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About The Author

Mark
Martin

Mark Martin currently serves as a reporter and anchor at CBN News, reporting on all kinds of issues, from military matters to alternative fuels. Mark has reported internationally in the Middle East. He traveled to Bahrain and covered stories on the aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mark also anchors CBN News Midday on the CBN Newschannel and fills in on the anchor desk for CBN News' Newswatch and The 700 Club. Prior to CBN News, Mark worked at KFSM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Fort Smith, Arkansas. There he served as a weekend morning producer, before being promoted to general