How Can We Help?

With the economic downturn affecting us all, as a counselor I've been thinking about the irony of this being a time when many people have a greater need to talk with someone about their stresses just at the time they are least able to afford it. With the mind-body connection able to create a negative snowballing effect on one's life (lose job/house, become depressed, get lowered immune system/get sick, need money for doctors/medicine, become depressed), it would be great to intervene in the cycle by having someone come alongside and walk through the bad times together, giving practical suggestions along the way. This would seem to be an out-of-the-box moment. How can the mental health community be most helpful to meet the needs of those who need it most?