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Sent by David
Boudreaux, Nicholls State University to Steve Gilbert
4/16/2007
Steve:
The following represents our small attempt at Nicholls to
help students and others cope with this. It is so different
from Katrina, an powerful act of nature; this was violence
and murder enacted on our fellow human beings. I am still at
a loss, but I do share this...
David
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Dear Faculty and Staff:
Attached you will find a flyer for printing and dispersing
in classrooms, posting on bulletin boards and having handy
in offices. If you need copies, we will have copies
available in University Health Services at your request.
Below you will find useful instruction on how to handle the
aftermath of a crisis with students in the classroom.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact
us via email or The University Counseling Center at ext 4080
(985.448.4080). We are on standby for students needing
crisis intervention or just a place to process yesterday's
happenings.
Following A Crisis
Unfortunately, tragic events occur on college campuses.
These events often leave many students, faculty, staff, and
members of the college or university community severely
traumatized. When this happens, providing some time in a
class setting for emotional debriefing can significantly aid
and accelerate the healing process. The following guide to
emotional debriefing in class was adapted from a similar
guide written for the faculty at Texas A&M University
following the Bonfire tragedy in November 1999. This guide
was kindly shared by Professor Stan Carpenter from the
Educational Administration Department at Texas A&M.
Provide time during class to discuss the incident and the
studentsı feelings about it. The students should be
encouraged to express feelings in a supportive atmosphere as
soon as possible. The professor might say,
³ Iım still (sad, shaken, upset) by the tragedy that
happened at Virginia Tech on Monday. Iım glad we are here
and safe. How are each of you (feeling, doing, coping) with
this?"
Give the students 30 seconds to a minute to say something.
They may need a little time to get the courage to speak. If
students do not speak, remind them of your office hours,
your e-mail address, and/or your willingness to meet
one-on-one. Emphasize that talking about the trauma is a
good and healing thing to do. If you share some of your
feelings, it will encourage them to talk. The minor loss of
instructional time will be insignificant because if they are
having serious emotional reactions their learning will be
compromised.
It is also important to let them know that when events like
this occur; our Counseling Center makes special arrangements
to provide support to students who are affected by the
situation. If they would like help or support, they should
contact that Center as soon as possible.
Remember that everyoneıs story is valid. Not everyone has to
speak.
Emotional debriefing is not about establishing facts of the
incident. It is about expression of feelings. Whatever
students say can be answered with:
³It must be terrible to think about that.² Or ³It must hurt
a lot to remember it that way.²
If you are able to identify students who are most upset, a
referral to the Counseling Center would be helpful. When
speaking to students, try to do so in a calm relaxed way and
donıt worry if you cry in front of them. Thatıs okay. When
the students finish talking, you can offer them a moment of
silence. Suggest that they close their eyes and breathe
slowly and deeply three or four times. If you are worried
about a particular student, approach her/him privately. If
you are concerned about your own reactions to the situation,
consider seeking help. Give us a call and we can chat with
you about whether you should think about seeking help.
Some students who have had close involvement with the crisis
may have very vivid perceptions regarding the sights,
sounds, smells, and tastes of the event. Itıs not uncommon
for them to feel something is wrong with them because the
memories of these sensory perceptions are so strong. You can
reassure them that such feelings are not uncommon after a
tragedy. You might
ask:
³Others have reported similar perceptions and thoughts after
such a tragedy.² Or, ³It must have been so upsetting to
(see, hear, feel, smell, taste) that.²
Some students feel very guilty. They may have been close
enough to the situation or victims that they believe there
is something they should have done to prevent the tragedy or
harm to some of the victims. They may believe that they
should have been there to help some of the victims. To
address this, you might say:
³After a tragedy, people often second guess themselves, and
they are not sure they did everything they could. Thatıs a
natural feeling of wanting to help others. It does not
reflect what was really possible.²
A future orientation is helpful. You might ask:
³What are you worried about right now?²
When they speak about future concerns, you might be able to
alleviate some of their worries with facts or other ideas
and thoughts. Giving students a chance to share their
worries reduces anxiety. You can say,
³Itıs really too early to know all the facts about what is
going to happen. But you help yourself to deal with this
tragedy. Many people find that talking with others, spending
time with family, connecting with ministers, rabbis, or
priests can hasten the healing process.²
After class, if students come to your office to speak in
private, remember they are looking for someone who will
validate their grief, not talk them out of it. Sitting
quietly with them and letting them talk may be all that is
needed. Share your own feelings about the tragedy. You might
even tell them about other losses youıve experienced if
youıre comfortable with that.
If you do talk about past losses, it is helpful to end by
saying that for you there was a gradual improvement in
hopefulness and mood as time passed.
You can simply say that you hope they have the same
experience of healing.
These suggestions were adapted from: Poland, S., &
McCormick, J. S. (1999), Coping with a crisis: A resources
for schools, parents, and communities.Longmont, CO: Sopris
West.
Angie Pitre, MA
Phone: 985-493-2608
C136 Besty Cheramie Ayo Hall (Health Services) NSU Wellness
Education Coordinator NSU S.E.A.L.S Coordinator
To affect the quality of the day, that is the finest of
arts--Henry David Thoreau
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