The year experienced a dramatic change in the delivery of mental health services. In person sessions were replaced by online modes of providing trauma intervention to clients and their families with the same quality of care. The trust and support of our partners made it more effective and efficient for us to proceed with our treatment plan despite the restrictions due to the global pandemic.

When the quarantine measures eased up in August 2020, Restore was granted the opportunity to visit and conduct in-person therapy sessions at the following shelters: Center for Women and Children, Albert Schweitzer Familienwerk Foundation, SOS Children’s Village, and My Bonita Homes. Nothing compares to seeing the smiles of our clients as they welcomed the Restore staff into their shelters. Clients who were accepted to the program post-COVID had the opportunity to meet their clinicians in person during the shelter visits. Telehealth was effective with most of our clients. However, face-to-face sessions provide more comprehensive assessment, such observing nonverbal cues like body language. Restore clinicians were excited to provide in person therapy sessions because the clients felt more at ease engaging with someone in front of them instead of through a screen.