Williamsburg therapist hosts weekly virtual support group amid coronavirus pandemic

People around the world and especially in New York City are experiencing anxiety and panic as the coronavirus continues to spread.
One therapist in the city is giving her time and expertise to help ease people's minds.
Williamsburg resident and therapist Rachel Wight is doing what she can to help people during this difficult time.
“If there is one thing that I learned through my years of doing therapy and coaching it is that we need each other, and we need to process and we need to have permission to feel our feelings,” says Wright.

That's why twice a week, she hosts a virtual pop-up support group.
“For people to come in and connect, and for me to teach some coping skills for people to process what they are going through so other people can hear and witness other people’s feelings and experiences,” says Wright.
More than 200 people from all over the world have been joining in from the comfort of their own homes, and Wright says the feedback couldn't be more positive.
“I started crying the other day because I got so many messages about how it was a light in their day, and they use some of the tools that we talked about and it worked, and they were able to sleep through the night. That's amazing and that's worth anything I have and I would give so much more to help people do that,” says Wright.

The group is free to anyone who signs up.
“I want to give in any way I can, and one of my gifts is to be able to do this and it wouldn't feel right to me to charge access to something that I think everyone has a right to have,” says Wright.

However, Wright is accepting donations on Venmo.That money she says is being sent to artists, bartenders and others out of work who are currently struggling to pay their bills.

“I want to be able to get back in this feels like a double way to give back,” says Wright.

Wright's next session is on Thursday, and she says as long as the coronavirus continues to spread, her free support will continue to spread too.