One of the many things the pandemic has highlighted is the importance of mental health. So many of us have felt its effects one way or another, and now, some restaurants are taking it upon themselves to offer help to their employees.

“When it came to this, where there’s a complete societal breakdown, it was scary,” said Lee Wilson, a wine director for Bonanno Concepts in Denver. “We didn’t know if we were going to come back tomorrow.”

When the pandemic began, Banonno Concepts closed its 10 restaurants in Denver as it laid off close to 400 employees. It used that time to rethink how it wanted to operate as it leaned on people like Wilson for input.

“We just have been trying to do the right thing,” said Jacqueline Bonnano, creative director for Bonanno Concepts. “We asked our management staff what would make you stay? What would make this a happy job for you? Overwhelmingly, it had nothing to do with money; it was more about working fewer hours and having a quality of life.”

In October, the group hired a therapist full-time to work with its staff, a move the group believes is a first in the service industry. Nationwide, there is an effort to prioritize mental health in the hospitality industry. There are groups like Chefs with Issues, Ben’s Friends, and Healthy Hospo, which offer a place for those who feel the stress of the day-to-day to seek support from others in the industry. But few, if any, have taken it to the lengths Bonanno Concepts has. Their therapist is there day and night, and in times when few things can do what professional help can do.

“We had a death in our dining room about a month ago and there was a group of doctors dining in one of the restaurants and one of those doctors came to do life-saving measures on the diner at the other restaurant, so as you can imagine, everyone was impacted,” said Bonanno. “[Our therapist] was here that night. She was here the next day. She talked to our staff. She coached us through conversations that we could have with diners, and now we have someone to coach us through these nuances and to help us be better. And then, we take those to our personal lives at home to be better.”

The therapist does not see other patients, only ones hired by Bonanno Concepts.

“It’s invaluable,” said Wilson. “She’s always available, which is something you can’t get in the private psychiatry world. She’s got the time and it’s incredible.”

Sometimes we may struggle to find our way out of dark places but knowing there is a support system available can be enough to help us get started.

“Them seeing all of us day in and day out, and for them to take action without any sort of provocation, but out of genuine care and concern; it was relieving,” said Wilson.

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Therapists and mental health care providers are seeing more first-time patients than ever before because of the pandemic.

Mental health crisis hotline workers are helping those in their darkest moments. It’s no easy job, but it’s one Nicole H. knew she wanted.

“I found a big passion with providing care to people who didn't know where to turn,” said Nicole, who started her job as a crisis line operator just as the pandemic swept the country.

“That was…really scary,” she said, of beginning her job in such an uncertain time. “They were calling for answers, and how am I going to tell you where to find toilet paper when I don't know where to find toilet paper? So, you know, we don't necessarily have those answers, but we can be there to provide that emotional support."

Nicole works at the Solari Crisis and Human Services center in Phoenix. She and her team get 25,000 calls every month.

During the pandemic, more first-time callers have asked for help than ever before.

“Anxiety and depression have increased pretty dramatically, and we have found out that most of our callers are unfortunately on the more acute side of things, needing more immediate kinds of supports," she said.

This is happening across the country. Before the pandemic, a survey done by the Kaiser Family Foundation found 1 in 10 adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Now, nearly two years into this crisis, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults report symptoms of anxiety and depression.

A new report released by the Government Accountability Office found six key groups of people are at a higher risk for mental health trauma because of the pandemic.

The list includes minority groups, like Native Americans and African Americans who were hit harder by the virus, young children and young adults who have had school and social time disrupted, and health care workers.

In addition, the report found those facing financial stressors, those with pre-existing mental health conditions also faced a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression in the face of the pandemic.

Nicole has seen these statistics through her calls. One call from a young girl who was struggling with school sticks with Nicole to this day. The call came from an 8-year-old girl living on a Native American reservation.

“She had a plan and means an intent to complete suicide. She was 8. She'd never called us before. I would be surprised if she ever dialed any phone number all by herself before, but she had a broken mirror. And her plan was to cut her wrists and die that way," Nicole recalled.

But in time, Nicole made a breakthrough.

“We were able to build that trust to get mom on the line, which was our saving grace. That was definitely one of the youngest, more acute callers," she explained.

Every call like that one makes her push even harder to get those she connects with resources and safety plans to help long past they hang up the call.

And on each call, this first responder consistently reminds her callers of one thing: “Although these feelings are big and heavy and feel completely out of control, this isn't this isn't what forever is going to look like.”

She just hopes this time of uncertainty will encourage those struggling to reach for a lifeline waiting on the line.

“Hope is there, and help is real. And that's really important,” said Nicole.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, click HERE for resources.

If you'd like to call the hotline, it is staffed 24/7 365 days per year. The phone number is: 1-800-273-CARE (2273).

If you are in Arizona, you can call either Central Arizona at 1-800-631-1314 or Northern Arizona at 1-877-756-4090.

There's no air conditioning inside of the classroom where Kate Martin and Tafadzwa Musekiwa are teaching. The building wasn't meant to be in use during the middle of July. But these two guidance counselors are committed to helping kids who have struggled re-adjusting, as the country emerges from COVID-19.

Martin and Musekiwa are both counselors at Londonderry High School in New Hampshire. Even though classes here were let out weeks ago, these two guidance counselors are teaching about 18 students every morning. It's not summer school but more like summer camp.

This school district and others across the country are running summer programs to help kids who've struggled to emerge from the pandemic.

"I think a lot of our kids feel a loss of control and they don’t know what’s happening, what’s going on around them," Martin said sitting inside one of the school's classrooms.

Making friends is one of the biggest things they're working on here. Parents and teachers nationwide are realizing that kids are dealing with a lot of anxiety, especially when it comes to relationships because of how much social time was lost during the pandemic.

"A lot of our kids were saying, ‘I don’t know how to make friends anymore,’" Martin added.

Sometimes, finding solutions is as simple as having students write down ideas to help with self-care.

"We’re talking about friendships, boundaries. Sometimes we are talking about meditation, self-care, even yoga. Looking for skills they might not have had for the last 14 months," Musekiwa added.

Schools districts across the country are running similar programs and for good reason. According to the Keiser Family Foundation, parents with children ages 5 to 12 reported seeing that their kids had elevated symptoms of depression related to the pandemic.

Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore is a clinical psychologist. Even though many kids ended up back in classrooms by the end of the school year, she's seen lingering mental health issues.

"The strain, the strangeness, the uncertainty, and isolation have taken a toll on kids and families," Dr. Kennedy-Moore added.

Much like what the summer program at Londonderry High School is trying to accomplish, there is one thing she says parents should focus on this summer.

"If you want to know the number one thing about helping your kid go back to school, help them make friends."