Page 18 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 23, 2020 avy enioo iornior avvyavy n r by Jim Miller How to Find an Online Therapist Dear Savvy Senior, What is the best way to fi nd online therapy services for my anxiety and depression? I just turned 63 and have become increasingly hopeless since the COVID pandemic hit and cost me my job. I need to get some professional help, but I’m also high risk for illness and very concerned about leaving the house. Need Help Dear Need, I’m sorry to hear about your job loss and the diffi culties you’re going through right now, but you’re not alone. Because of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic downturn, fear, anxiety and depression is being reported by 45 percent of Americans, according a Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll. To help you through this diffi cult time there are a variety of therapists, psychologists, and other mental health providers you can turn to. And because of the pandemic, most of them are now off ering counsel to their clients online through teletherapy services. This will allow you to interact virtually with a therapist from the comfort of your home using only a smartphone, tablet or computer. How to Find a Therapist A good fi rst step to locating a therapist is to ask your primary care provider or family and friends for a referral. You can also look on your insurer’s website for a list of therapists covered under your plan. But be aware that some insurers have limited, or even no coverage for mental health and many mental healthcare providers don’t participate in insurance plans. (Medicare does cover mental health services.) Other resources to help you fi nd a good therapist include online fi nder tools at the American Psychological Association (locator.apa.org) and the American Psychiatric Association (fi nder.psychiatry.org). If you want some help, there are also online platforms that can help match you with a licensed mental health provider. For example, Talkspace (talkspace.com) and BetterHelp (betterhelp. com), are virtual services you can access through your phone or computer, that contracts with thousands of licensed and credentialed therapists. The process starts with a few questions to assess your goals, your condition, and your preferences, and then matches you with some top therapists in your state. If you don’t have insurance coverage or can’t aff ord therapy, you can call or text 211 (or go to 211.org) anytime for a referral to a provider who off ers support at no cost or on a sliding scale, based on your budget. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 and ask for a referral to a local resource or provider or ask to be transferred to their “warm line” for nonemergency calls, where you can talk anonymously to a trained professional at no cost. Another possible option is Federally Qualifi ed Health Centers, which are community-based health centers, some of which may off er teletherapy services at no-cost. To search for centers in your area visit FindAHealthCenter.hrsa.gov. There’s also this website called Open Path Collective (openpathcollective.org), where therapists off er low-cost online sessions for between $30 and $60. Interview Your Therapist Before you start sessions with a therapist, it’s important to make sure he or she meets your needs. If you’re not comfortable with the person, you’re unlikely to benefi t from the therapy. So, schedule a call or a video chat to get a feel for each other, and to ask about the therapist’s training, years in practice, specialties, therapy techniques and fee. Ideally the therapist you choose will be a good personality fi t for you and will be within your budget and/or covered by your insurance. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Albert P. DiVenuti Of Malden, age 101, passed away on October 17, 2020. Beloved husband for 74 years to the late Stella (Celata) DiVenuti. Loving father of Diane M. Higgins and her loving husband John of Malden and Albert "Albie" P. DiVenuti Jr. of Nahant. He was predeceased by his brother Lawrence E. DiVenuti. Elise (Ruggiero) Donovan A lifelong resident of Malden, passed away in her home on Thursday, October 15, with her loving family by her side. Elise was born in Malden in 1963, the daughter of Joseph and Louise Ruggiero. She was raised and educated in Malden, and graduated from Malden High School with the Class of 1981. In 1986, Elise married her sweetheart, Timothy Donovan, and the two settled down in Malden to raise their family. Elise took employment with the City of Malden, where she has been employed for over 25 years. She began in the Treasurer’s Offi ce, and had later moved to the Controller’s Offi ce. She was very family oriented, and loved spending time with her family, and her puppies were part of her family, and she especially enjoyed the holiday family gatherings. She also liked getting away and taking vacations with her husband. OBITUARIES She is survived by her husband Timothy, her mother Louise (Boudreau) Ruggiero of Malden, her children, of Nicholas T. Donovan and girlfriend Aim Suchitta of Wakefi eld, Brianna L. Dortona and husband Nicholas of Malden, and Ryan J. Donovan and his wife Renée of Saugus, her brother Paul Ruggiero of Wilmington his wife Katherine, her sister Joanne Ruggiero of Malden, and her sister in-law Denise Ruggiero. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Elise was preceded in death by her father, Joseph Ruggiero, her brother, James Ruggiero, and her sister, Diane Ruggiero. In lieu of fl owers, kindly consider donations to: American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St, Framingham, MA 01701. Delphine Elizabeth Haldane Of Mal de n passed away October 17, 2020 at the age of 88. Her passing leaves three daughters, Kathleen Goulette of Malden, Elizabeth Gray of Malden and Diane Gray of Malden. She also leaves three grandchildren, Adam Terrell, Amber Terrell and Amanda Fargo, as well as fi ve great-grandchildren, 4 nieces and 1 nephew. She was predeceased by son Stephen William Gray, brother Howard Allen and loving husband Robert Haldane. She was the daughter of the late Elmer Forest Allen and Bessie Dyer Allen. She graduated Brookline High with honors and received a full scholarship at Boston College of Art. She left college to raise a family with Rev. William Gray. She was a longtime resident of Malden and was a soloist in the choir at First Congregational Church and later First Baptist Church. She also performed solos for other church's musical events. She worked several years at Pioneer Financial Bank in Malden and was also a Girl Scout Leader in Malden. After retirement she and her husband Bob spent winters in Zephyr Hills, Florida and summers in her house in Malden. They later lived at the Davenport Memorial. She was truly a remarkable woman and had a multitude of accomplishments and talents. In her 20's she and her husband Bill built a summer cottage in Cape Cod from frame, with built in furniture and beautifully landscaped grounds. At age 68 she attended a Biomedical Studies program at Whitehead institute in Cambridge, was valedictorian of her class, and went on to work for the Institute. In addition to her wonderful singing voice, she was an excellent seamstress and made most of her own clothes and clothes for her children, from bathing suits to bridesmaid dresses and winter coats. She upholstered, made quilts, did professional Calligraphy for church books, baking, cake decorating, carpentry, painting, tiling, leather-tooling, gardening, candle-making, made braided rugs, fishermen-knit sweaters, and a multitude of other crafts and projects too numerous to list. She seemed to excel at everything she put her hand to. She had an abundance of energy and enjoyed riding her bicycle into her early 80s. She was a very loving mother and grandmother, and will be proudly and fondly remembered by her fam~ Home of the Week ~ SAUGUS...PERFECTLY located 7 room New England style Colonial offers 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, updated granite kitchen, living room, dining room with slider to deck, AMAZING 23’ first floor family room with gas fireplace, great open floor plan, hardwood flooring on first floor, convenient 1st floor laundry, updated full bath with oversized shower stall, great master bedroom with walk-in closet and office area, great walk-up attic for future expansion, detached one car garage, updated roof (2015), gas heat (2012), freshly painted exterior (2018), security system, level lot with irrigation system, incredible wrap-around farmers porch, much sought-after Iron Works neighborhood, located just outside of Saugus Center. Curb appeal inside and outside! 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