As always, when we have
tragic situations like this,
it is important for us to discuss the
impact it has on all of our mental
health because it can be significant
even if we are not directly affected.
Joining us to discuss this this
afternoon is Doctor Brad Schwall,
the President and CEO at the Center for
Integrative Counseling and Psychology.
Doctor, thanks once again for being with us.
We've unfortunately had to touch base
with you after too many tragedies.
I think we're noticing today though,
Doctor Schwall,
that this one feels different
because it has visited our community.
You know, we hear about these
a lot of times on cable news,
perhaps from other parts of the country.
It does feel more acute when it has
happened down the street from you.
It does make it more of a
possibility and a reality in our
minds when it is closer to home.
Our therapists in our our center
has offices all around the Metroplex
and certainly with this event,
those from that area having just
a a sense of of unease with
it being so close to home.
Let's talk about coping with
a violent incident like this.
Again, that seems more amplified
because we're closer to it this time.
Time and I say coping because even
if you're not directly impacted
by the shooting that took place,
you can still very much feel this.
Yes, we always do say watch
your viewing of of media.
I do want to say it's important
to talk to our kids about social
media and images and news.
That they may see, particularly if they
have a propensity towards anxiety.
I think secondly, it is important to talk,
to process all that is happening
and so finding someone,
a friend, the colleague.
That you can process through because our,
our thoughts,
our feelings and then finally
our actions are all involved
and it's impacted and it's
important to process those and
and to process not only the feelings
I guess of what has taken place here,
but as we see over and over again
as this happens across the country,
people have very strong feelings
about what should happen next to try
to prevent it from happening again.
Is it important also to try to get
some of that out because I think
there's a lot of frustration.
For a lot of
folks, most definitely so.
So one action item would be those who live
in the communities impacted the church,
the schools, surrounding the
families with care with concern.
We think about them first and then
as you talk about what's happening
in our society and in government,
all that is surrounds incidents like this.
Talking about it, sharing,
researching, understanding,
certainly so much we can't control.
But the more that we do talk about it,
it helps us to process.
Because thinking through it helps us to
have better understanding and and much
of it it is impossible to understand.
But talking does help us and paying
attention if our behavior changes if.
We are not wanting to go out.
If we are having feelings over time
that there are anxious and that
anxiety is increasing and we have
thoughts about what might happen.
So important to talk to.
Seek professional help for sure.
So be in tune with those things.
What are you thinking about your safety?
What are you thinking about what happened?
What are the feelings you're experiencing?
And then.
Are are your behaviors impacted at all?
That's an interesting point.
I think, especially in light
of what has happened here to
Doctor Schwall because you know,
this is at a premium outlet mall.
This could have been you,
this could have been me,
this could have been any of us
laying on the ground out there
when this was all said and done.
And I think that that does tend to
affect people more when they think
I've been to that place that, you know,
could have very easily been me.
So you got to really pay attention
to is this really changing
your habits in daytoday life?
Absolutely. And and life is so unpredictable,
we all deal with Thomas difficulties, crises.
Certainly this at this level makes
that uncertainty even more unsettling.
But by, as you said,
being aware of how we are processing it,
that can help us to move forward,
to take action where we can to talk,
to process.
But then also live our lives fully.
Last thing before I let you go
real quickly here, Doctor Schwall,
A lot of kids have been, you know,
afraid to go to school today.
We've been hearing this from parents.
How do you talk to the kids?
What do you tell them?
So very important to make sure they
aren't getting misinformation.
Very important to make sure they're
not seeing images and and learning
too much and too much detail.
It is important always to
reassure our children that their
schools work to keep them safe.
We do allow them to have
that sadness and fear.
When we deny feelings,
that doesn't work.
We we validate the feeling,
but at the same time we give them
reassurance that their schools
are caring for them and they are
taking measures to keep them safe.
So as with all of parenting,
it's this balance of validating the
feeling but then also showing confidence,
reassurance,
setting boundaries around our
kids that are protective,
being into and always but
keeping moving forward.
At the Center for Integrative Counseling
and Psychology doctor Brad Schwall,
thanks once again for for being
with us on another difficult day.