I was staring at the sky when I remembered the resilience intervention we created after Super Typhoon Haiyan. Entitled KATATAGAN, its goal is to hone people’s ability to cope by helping them harness their strengths (Kalakasan), manage their physical symptoms (Katawan), manage negative thoughts and feelings (Kalooban), implement positive actions (Kapaki-pakinabang Gawain), solve problems and seek social support (Kalutasan at Kaagapay) and find meaning and hope for the future (Kabuluhan at Kinabukasan). It was made as a face to face intervention and given the quarantine, I wondered can we bring the program online?
I rushed back in and sent an email to a few colleagues who helped create Katatagan and asked them if they might be interested in transforming it into a digital platform. Lo and behold, some of them said they had thought of this too. They brought other people in and the few multiplied. We called for volunteers who may want to teach resilience classes and even more came.
A month after we dreamed it, Katatagan Online http://katatagan.org is LIVE. It is a portal for self-help mental health resources (videos on resilience, audio files on mindfulness, links to those providing psychological services) and a place where people can sign up to attend mindfulness or resilience classes. We are particularly excited about our resilience classes where small groups of people meet to try online and learn how to be stronger together.
Our nation’s battlecry for COVID-19 is BAYANIHAN and that is exactly what happened. We had no funds but we had a lot of heart. You will see their names in the website but I just wanted to honor them and say how amazing they are for donating their time and expertise to make this happen.
WE HEAL AS ONE. Beyond its effects on people’s bodies, the COVID-19 pandemic has also wrecked havoc on people’s mental health. So if you know people who are struggling to cope during this time, help us spread the word. Who knows, the self-help resources or classes may be just what they need to heal their hearts and souls