“Returning to Socialization” ~ Erik Jervis, MSW, LSW interviewed by Executive Director Loretta Depka Zerbo

On Thursday, April 15, 2021, our Executive Director Loretta Depka Zerbo was joined by Starting Point practitioner Erik Jervis, MSW, LSW. Eric and Loretta discussed the importance of socialization (for all ages) as society, slowly, gets back to some type of normalcy. Erik explained why it’s important to socialize (especially for kids, teens and young adults in college,) the current anxiety that stems from COVID, and how to address it. Erik works with children, adolescents, and adults who are seeking help with issues such as self-esteem, anxiety, sexuality, recovery from trauma, codependency, relationship issues and feeling stuck in life. He offers his services in individual and family sessions, implementing various therapeutic approaches catered to the client’s needs. He is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for his clients and is interested in working with vulnerable populations. 0:00 Intro 1:38 What is socialization? 2:24 Socializing during pandemic 3:27 Wearing masks – Suburban vs. Urban areas 4:21 Difficulty socializing for ages sixteen to twenty-two 7:15 Negative news reports & the self 9:51 Coming out of restrictions 12:24 Mentally preparing for conversations about CoVid – Boundaries 13:52 Suffering from anxiety, anxiety, & socializing 16:16 Virtual Learning 18:35 Seniors will re-socialize easier 20:02 Younger generations – harder time re-socializing 21:28 Verbal communication – last choice for youth 23:05 Technology addiction – hinders wanting to talk 24:21 How to move forward 26:00 Seniors and middle aged returning to work 27:07 Things lost from lack of in-person interaction 30:19 How to meet people in-person 32:22 Will social development catch up? 34:57 Counseling face to face 36:51 Interaction is key to socialization More info on Erik can be found on his practitioner profile on The Starting Point’s website ( https://startingpoint.org/practitioner/erik-jervis/ ) The Starting Point Website: https://startingpoint.org/ To Donate Please Visit: https://startingpoint.org/todays-donation/ The Founder of The Starting Point Vince DiPasquale’s YouTube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/c/VinceDiPasquale/featured For Live & Virtual Meetings Please Visit The Starting Point Calendar: https://startingpoint.org/calendar/