TRAUMA CREATED BY VIOLENCE IS NO DOUBT LIFELONG AND FOR SOME
SURVIVORS IT CAN BE UNBEARABLE.
RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF TWO TEENS WHO TOOK THEIR
LIVES IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTING AS WELL
AS THE FATHER OF A LITTLE GIRL MURDERED IN NEW TOWN.
I SAT DOWN WITH SARAH KENDELL, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE MENTAL
HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN SPRINGFIELD AND A LICENSED
SOCIAL WORKER TO FIND OUT HOW TO HELP PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM PTSD
AND UNIMAGINABLE HEARTBREAK.
>> IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS WIE EXPERIENCED SOME SIGNIFICANT
LOSSES, A NUMBER OF US INTERNALLY WITHIN OUR AGENCY
MEET ON A MONTHLY AND BIMONTHLY BASIS TO SEE AS A TOUCH STONE
HOW WE'RE DOING IN OUR ROLES AND SOMETHING THAT JUST BECAME QUITE
OBVIOUS WAS SUICIDE.
IT'S SOMETHING WE HAD SEEN AS A SECONDARY NEWS STORY HAPPENING
ONCE, TWICE, AND THEN THREE TIMES WITHIN A VERY SHORT
WINDOW, SO WE WANTED TO SEE IF THAT WAS SOMETHING WE COULD
BRING OUT THROUGH THE REST OF OUR AGENCY, TO ASSURE THAT WE
WERE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS, IF THEY WERE FEELING ANY
THOUGHTS AT ALL, FEELING UNSAFE, THAT THEY KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS AN OKAY TOPIC TO DISCUSS.
I THINK FEELINGS AROUND, THOUGHTS OF WANTING TO HARM ONE
SELF OR NOT LIVE ANYMORE ARE SIMPLY THOUGHTS OF WANTING TO
KILL ONE SELF OFTENTIMES ARE NOT THOUGHTS THAT FOLKS OFTEN FEEL
LIKE THEY CAN EASILY TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL ABOUT.
IT CAN BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN AGREE HAS BECOME TABOO IN
OUR COMMUNITIES AND IN OUR SOCIETY.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE FOR THAT.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN, SAY, IF YOU HAD A HEADACHE OR IF YOUR
STOMACH HURT OR YOU HAD AN ACHE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
IT'S EASIER TO ASK FOR HELP FOR THAT SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
SAY TO FOLKS, HEY, IF YOU'RE FEELING THIS WAY, IT'S JUST AS
IMPORTANT.
IT'S MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW WE WANT TO HEAR.
IT'S OKAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CONVERSATION STARTED.
>> AND THERE IS HELP?
>> THERE IS HELP.
THERE IS SO MUCH HELP, AND I THINK, ALL THE HELP IN THE WORLD
ISN'T GOING TO BE HELPFUL UNLESS YOU KNOW IT'S THERE, RIGHT?
SO YEAH, THERE IS HELP.
THERE IS LOCAL HELP.
FROM OUR AGENCY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE
HELP AT, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY AT A PROGRAM IN THE COMMUNITY, AT
SOMEONE'S HOME, WITHIN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE CRISIS
CENTERS.
THERE ARE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOT LINES.
THERE IS RAPE ABUSE NETWORK LINES.
THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT
FOLKS WITH SAFETY.
WITH SOMETHING, WITH SUPPORT.
ABSOLUTELY.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL CASES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT,
THERE WERE TWO TEENAGERS WHO LIVED THROUGH THE PARKLAND
SHOOTING.
WHO TOOK THEIR LIVES, AND THEN A FATHER FROM NEW TOWN.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT JUST THE TRAUMA AND THE DEVASTATION FROM BOTH OF
THOSE STORIES, I MEAN, JUST THE ABSOLUTE PAIN FOR THOSE
COMMUNITIES AND REALLY AS A NATION, LOOKING AT THE LOSS OF
LIFE, AND THEN TO ADD THIS TO IT, IT'S ALMOST LIKE HOW COULD
YOU POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, LIVE THROUGH THAT IN YOUR COMMUNITY
AGAIN?
THAT PAIN?
>> HOW DO YOU HELP PEOPLE DEAL WITH THAT EVEN FROM FAR AWAY
READING THOSE NEWS STORIES?
>> I THINK THAT'S JUST IT.
I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN COLLECTIVELY FEEL AS A
COMMUNITY, AND IT ALMOST ALLOWS US TO, I THINK, IF WE CAN ALLOW
OURSELVES, IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCY, AND
THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT I THINK OFTENTIMES, IT FEELS IN
OUR CULTURE LIKE WE NO LONGER HAVE, RIGHT?
I THINK SOMETIMES WE DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE SAME
NEIGHBORHOOD OR SAME COMMUNITY, THE SENSE THAT WE'VE HAD IN
DECADES PAST, RIGHT?
BUT I THINK, AFTER THERE IS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT LOSS, THAT WE HAVE
RECENTLY EXPERIENCED, THAT'S WHERE I THINK FOLKS ARE
AFFECTED, WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE, AND TO WANT TO
REACH OUT AND TO ASSIST IN SOME WAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW,
OFTENTIMES, I KNOW COLLEAGUES OF MINE HAVE DONE VERY SIMILAR
THINGS.
THEY REACH OUT INTERNALLY TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE DOING WHAT
THEY CAN DO WITHIN THEIR AGENCY, WITHIN THEIR SMALLER
COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW.
THEY REACH OUT TO THEIR FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHAT I DID.
KIND OF REACHING OUT TO THOSE CLOSEST TO US AND OUR
COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN SEEING HOW WE CAN REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
THEN AFFECTED TO SAY, YOU'RE NOT ALONE.
>> IT USED TO BE THAT YOU DIDN'T TALK ABOUT SUICIDE BECAUSE
YOU'RE REALLY AFRAID THAT PERHAPS YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE
SOMEBODY THE IDEA TO DO THAT AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL
FEEL THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW,
JUST EVEN A THOUGHT THAT THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, BUT THAT'S NOT AS
A CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, THAT'S NOT THE ADVICE YOU GIVE PEOPLE?
>> RIGHT.
THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S ALMOST THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD SAY
TO FOLKS AND I SAY TO FOLKS IN TRAINING, THE FEAR THAT WE HAVE
IN ASKING THE QUESTION IS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER INTRODUCE AN
IDEA TO AN INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THEMSELVES.
I THINK WE HAVE THE FEAR FOR ASKING THE QUESTION, FOR WHAT
THE RESPONSE MAY BE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS SAFE TO ASK A QUESTION BECAUSE THE
PERSON THAT YOU'RE ASKING IT TO JUST KNOWS THAT YOU CARE, AND
YOU'RE ASKING FROM A PLACE OF CONCERN, SO THERE IS ALWAYS
SAFETY IN THAT.
KNOWING THAT THERE IS A SECONDARY PERSON THAT YOU CAN
REACH OUT TO, AND I KNOW OFTENTIMES I'VE BEEN ASKED A LOT
IN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO, WHO DO I CALL?
WHERE DO I START?
IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY I'M A CLINICIAN, I HAVE BEEN FOR A
LONG TIME.
THERE ARE A LOT OF SERVICES OUT THERE BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO
A PERSON WHO DOESN'T WORK?
BUT YOU CAN EVEN START WITH YOUR TRUSTED PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR.
STARTING WITH SOMEONE YOU TRUST.
IT COULD BE A FAITH LEADER.
IT COULD BE A PRIEST OR A PASTOR.
JUST SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN A TRUSTED PERSON IN YOUR WORLD IS
ALWAYS A SAFE PERSON TO START WITH.
REACHING OUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A CHILD OR ADOLESCENT
REACHING OUT TO A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START.
WE END UP BEING A SMALL NETWORK SO IT'S EASY TO CONNECT FROM ONE
PERSON TO THE NEXT.
OFTENTIMES, IT ENDS UP BEING THE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.
THE PEDIATRICIAN IS A GOOD PERSON TO START WITH.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE RECENT CASES THEY LIVED THROUGH
SOMETHING WE CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE, SO THEY HAVE HAD PTSD AND JUST
SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST SO OVERWHELMING BUT THERE ARE MANY
PEOPLE, AND WE TALK ABOUT FIRST RESPONDERS, THINK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, NURSES AND DOCTORS IN THE E.R. WHO LIVE WITH THIS EVERY
DAY AND WHO ARE SAVING PEOPLE'S LIVES AND SEEING JUST HORRENDOUS
THINGS AND THEN HAVE TO GO HOME AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILY.
HOW DO YOU REACH OUT TO THOUGH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS
WELL, THAT IT'S OKAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE SEEN?
>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT.
YES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE HAVE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO,
MORE SO IDENTIFY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, INDIVIDUALS
THAT WORK IN FIELDS WHERE THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED RECENT TRAUMATIC EVENTS AND ARE
PROVIDING LIFE SAVING, YOU KNOW, CARE, ARE INVOLVED AND
SURROUNDED BY WHAT WE CALL SECONDARY TRAUMA.
THEY ARE EXPERIENCING WHAT'S KNOWN AS VICARIOUS
TRAUMAIZATION.
COMPASSION FATIGUE IS SOMETHING VERY REAL.
THAT INDIVIDUALS, PROFESSIONALLY, CAN EXPERIENCE.
IT'S TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT AND WE TALK ABOUT THIS KIND OF WITH
EACH OTHER IN THE WORLD, PROFESSIONALLY, HAVING A WORK
LIFE BALANCE.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, GOOD QUALITY
PERSONAL BALANCE AND GOOD SELF-CARE WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN
YOUR WORK SPACE, BUT TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY, DAY
AFTER DAY, FOLKS THAT ARE PROVIDING THAT FIRST RESPONDER
CARE OR EMERGENCY MEDICINE, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW
THAT, YOU KNOW, SAME SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS AND FEELINGS THAT
INDIVIDUALS MAY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, AFTER, YOU KNOW, THEY
SURVIVED A NATURAL DISASTER, MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THEY
EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE SURROUNDED BY
WHETHER WE'RE CARETAKERS OR JUST A COMMUNITY MEMBER, TO WATCH
OURSELVES, TO MONITOR OURSELVES, TO CHECK IN WITH OURSELVES.
>> SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WE JUST HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS
OPENLY, IN OUR FAMILIES, LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL
HEALTH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY.
THE REALITY IS, OUR HEALTH IS OUR HEALTH.
WE'RE ONE FULL PERSON, AND THAT'S OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH, OUR
SPIRITUAL HEALTH, OUR MENTAL HEALTH, THAT ALL COMPRISES WHO
WE ARE AND IT'S ALL IMPORTANT.