Page 2 April 16, 2020 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Your Neighborhood Therapist
Dear Neighborhood Therapist,
This week I was furloughed from my
job. I feel like I was not good enough. But
I have been doing my job well for 10 years,
and it makes me feel like the company does
not appreciate me. On top of that, my company
is unable to give me any information
about when I will be called back to work,
whether or not I will be full time or part
time, or whether or not I will have a job at
all. I am 59 years old, I live alone, and I
will have trouble finding something nearly
as good. All of this together has left me
feeling anxious and depressed. How do I
move forward?
- Unsure What is Next
Dear Unsure What is Next,
I am very sorry to hear about this. We
could spend months discussing how we got
here. That might actually make you feel
better, but it’s not going to help you think
about what steps to take next.
Try this: grab a pen and paper, and
even a glass of your favorite beverage if
it helps set the stage for reflection. Take the
time to write down the answers to a few
questions.
Think about the times in the past when,
facing uncertainty or difficult situations,
you made a decision or took an action you
remain proud of. Go through these questions
a few times. You may think of new situations,
or go over the same event multiple
times. It does not have to be a life-changing
situation - just a time where you stuck
to your principles. What were the circumstances?
As you look back at this event,
what principles guided you in acting the
way you did? What skills or talents did you
draw upon in taking that action? It wasn’t
easy, so you had to have used some skill.
Perseverance, perhaps? Ability to care for
someone? Strength to stand up for what
you believe in?
Do you still hold those same principles
today? Now imagine that those principles
are the chorus in the Greek drama of your
life: how would the chorus suggest you to
act today? What talents have they witnessed
in your past that they would urge you to call
upon now?
Depression and anxiety may be justified.
Circumstances may overwhelm. No
“solution” exists though we desperately want
one. But our current situation is never the
only story of our life. We also have those
moments when we did the thing we hoped
we would do, or when we were the person
we wanted to be, or when we managed to
think about what we would have done if
we had the opportunity. These stories, these
versions of ourselves, are just as valid as
what is happening now, and they hold
knowledge we can use. This is the highlight
reel of your life - the one that you put
together, not the one created by someone
else. You know why you put each clip in.
You know the backstories. Everything you
need is there.
If you need help, or have the ability to help
others, please reach out and I will coordinate.
If you or someone you know needs to talk
to someone, please reach out and I will take
as many people as I can during this crisis,
regardless of ability to pay.
Please write to tom@tomandrecounseling.
com or text to 310.776.5299 with questions
about handling what is affecting your life,
your family, the community or the world. Tom
Andre is an Associate Marriage & Family
Therapist (AMFT96089) supervised by Chris
Thomas (MFT78020). The information in
this column is for educational purposes only
and nothing herein should be construed as
professional advice or the formation of a
therapeutic relationship. •
Douglass
MORTUARY
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Staying Safe from front page
took place the day before Los Angeles issued
a new health order on Friday that banned all
public and private gatherings of any number of
people outside a single household. The county
also added new requirements that the public
wears face masks inside essential businesses
and that employers supply workers with cloth
face coverings to guard against the spread of the
virus between co-workers or customers. “The
ultimate goals isn’t enforcement,” Whalen said.
“It’s compliance with the recommendations …
we could issue them (citations) in the future
if we believe it’s necessary.”
With local gyms, beaches and the high school
track closed as a precaution, more people are
walking for exercise and to get outside into the
fresh air. Walking partners should be limited
to family members living under the same roof
and roommates. The police chief reminded
walkers to maintain proper social distancing
of six feet or more with others and said it’s
not wrong to stop and talk with them - as long
as it’s from a safe distance. “Going out and
exercising with family and the people you live
with is recommended. Encountering someone
you know and stopping to talk is not a violation,”
Whalen said. “Say hello and wave, but
don’t linger too long,” he added.
What should neighbors do if they see what
looks like an illegal gathering on their block?
Call the police and ask for an officer to check it
out, says Whalen. While COVID-19 has forced
El Segundo police to adapt to how they respond
to calls, officers have stopped issued citations
for cars not moved on street-sweeping days
and for exceeding 72-hour parking limits in
residential areas. Expect to find a ticket on the
window for parking illegally in a handicapped
space or blocking someone’s driveway.
Otherwise, it’s business as usual for the police
department. “If you see something suspicious,
call 911. We have the resources to respond to
that,” Whalen said. The policing change made
since the public health emergency was declared
four weeks ago were done to protect officers
and city employees and members of the public
from the spread of coronavirus, according to
the police chief.
The fire department, likewise, is fully staffed
and ready to respond to emergency calls while
protecting the city firefighters and paramedics,
Fire Chief Donovan said. “We’re putting
our firefighters in harm’s way to protect the
community, but we’re doing it in a safe and
smart way,” he assured El Segundo residents
on the virtual town-hall meet. El Segundo Fire
Department is providing emergency responders
with personal protective equipment, the chief
promised. The firefighters are practicing social
distancing, following proper hand washing and
hygiene, and leaving their gear outside the
firehouse. The crew undergo regular checks
of their temperatures for early detection and
self-isolation in the event a firefighter starts
experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, according
to the chief
Los Angeles County Public Health Department
will report the number of COVID-19
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cases in El Segundo, but not identify the
names or addresses of people who’ve tested
positive or are exhibiting symptoms and awaiting
their test results, said Randy Collins, the
city’s emergency management coordinator.
The daily county report, which includes new
cases and total counts for the unincorporated
communities of Del Aire and Wiseburn, omits
any information about COVID-19-related deaths
or whether people who’ve contracted the virus
have recovered, Collins explained.
When in doubt about what’s OK under
the current guidelines, members of the city’s
incident-management team say to follow these
guidelines for everyone’s safety.
• Ball fields and the skate park are closed. If
the gate is locked, don’t climb the fence. Police
will respond if called, at risk to the officers.
• There are no COVID-19 public testing
sites in El Segundo. The nearest test site is
The Galleria Redondo Beach. The county is
responsible for selecting the sites for public
COVID-19 testing, and El Segundo officials
expect more locations to open as test kits
become available.
• The public-works departments are on duty.
Crews were picking up fallen tree limbs after
the recent rains and winds. Providing water and
wastewater services during the public-health
emergency with many people idled at home
is a city priority.
• The city will continue to perform inspections
on essential businesses while the county order
is in effect. Residential projects that fall under
the essential category also will be inspected.
• Non-essential building projects, however,
must wait until the state and county lift their
health orders. Building plans may be left at
City Hall. For the protection of city employees,
all but a skeleton crew in the Planning and
Building Safety Department are reporting to
the office. Most city employees have been
assigned to work from home.
• Call your doctor and get tested if a fever
of 104 or higher develops, or you experience
a heavy cough or a heaviness in the chest. If
a physician doesn’t have test swabs available,
use the drive-through COVID-19 test site in
Redondo Beach.
• If you test positive, it’s your responsibility
to contact everyone you’ve had close physical
contact with 48 hours before feeling COVID-19
symptoms. Close contact is defined as closer
than six feet or 10 minutes or more.
• El Segundo has set up a COVID-19 information
center at the Public Library. Call
310-692-6199 with questions about shopping,
home-delivery and library services available
to residents and seniors during the shutdown.
• As for how long the emergency orders
about home confinement and wearing cloth
face protections will last, City Manager Mitnick
likens the emergency to a marathon. “We don’t
know how long it will last.”
• El Segundo farmers markets don’t qualify
as essential businesses as defined by the county.
The open-air markets can reopen once the
county lifts its social-gatherings ban. •
Herald New Office Hours
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
After hours email:
management@heraldpublications.com
El Segundo Office • 500 Center St. • El Segundo • CA • 90245
Phone: (310) 322-1830 • www.heraldpublications.com
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