Dear Clients,

As the news surrounding COVID-19 (the disease caused by the coronavirus) evolves, the main priorities of The Practice of Melanie Reese, LMFT and Integrative Therapy of Nashville remain the same — to walk alongside our clients in optimizing their wellbeing.

There is a lot of information about there about COVID-19 and/or the coronavirus. We do not take the position of providing medical advice; therefore, to educate yourself, please visit the following links:

• Nashville Department of Public Health
• Center for Disease Control (CDC)
• World Health Organization (WHO)

How Melanie Reese, LMFT and Integrative Therapy of Nashville are Adapting

We will closely monitor conditions and laws and make adjustments accordingly.  We are engaging in new office policies to ensure the health and safely of those in our building to include things such as:

• Offering both in-person and telehealth sessions. It appears all insurance plans are moving to covering tele-health without any barriers, even if not initially a plan benefit.
• Virtual Waiting Rooms (texting your therapist when you arrive and being escorted straight to therapy rooms)
• Hourly cleanings of commonly touched surfaces, disinfecting sofas and wiping down offices between each session.
• Requiring that masks be worn until clients and therapists are in the private therapy office. Clients and therapists may choose to wear masks during sessions to accommodate each person’s own comfort level.

What Melanie Reese, LMFT and Integrative Therapy of Nashville is Asking of Clients

• If you have done any domestic or international travel—inform your clinician

• If anyone in your close circle of friends, family, colleagues, or neighbors have traveled domestically or internationally—inform your clinician

• If, at any point, you become ill or test positive for COVID-19 and you were in the office within two weeks prior – inform your clinician.

How to manage the stress of COVID-19

• Step back from social media and news outlets

• Use the opportunity in session to speak to your clinician about the balance between productive versus unproductive worry

• Speak to your medical provider about ways to manage your personal risk

• Balance the use of hand sanitizer with the use of lotion, disinfecting wipes, and disinfecting spray to minimize pain and dryness in hands

• A really helpful infographic about the realities of coronavirus can be found here:

In closing

There is no right or wrong way to feel about COVID-19.  If you have a low level of concern, you are not under-reacting; and, if you are concerned and taking precautions, you are not overreacting. If at any point between sessions you notice a level of fear or anxiety that is concerning to you or difficult to manage, please reach out through the client portal or by phone.

With Kindness,

Melanie Reese, LMFT