The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented anxiety and trauma for front-line health-care workers. APA has provided guidance on conducting a diagnostic “intake” evaluation. This guidance explains how to conduct up to four structured sessions of brief CBT-informed psychotherapy, specifically for anxiety and acute stress, with a front-line health-care professional during the pandemic.
This guidance is not intended for serious mental illness, complex trauma, acute suicide risk, or other conditions/situations that require an extended or in-person treatment approach. In all clinical encounters, we recommend that clinicians flexibly rely on their competencies, expertise and wisdom, best-available research evidence, and most importantly — patient values, culture, and preferences.
The overarching rules for these sessions are to “Be Genuine. Express Empathy.” Frame the visits as a consultation.