December 03, 2012
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, St. John's mobilized
considerable resources to address the physical, emotional and
psychological needs of those impacted by the catastrophic
storm.
The latest example of St. John’s efforts was a workshop entitled
“Child Victims of Hurricane Sandy: Post-Disaster Mental Health,”
which the University hosted on November 19. Nearly 150 caregivers —
including members of the clergy, mental health professionals,
educators and pediatricians — gathered for the afternoon event,
presented in the D'Angelo
Center by
Elissa Brown, Ph.D., Professor of
Psychology and Executive Director of the University’s
Child HELP Partnership.
Photo Gallery
Outlining the typical reactions of child victims after a natural
disaster, Dr. Brown provided the audience with intervention
strategies and resources for those seeking to assist affected
communities. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a major consequence
of an event such as Hurricane Sandy, she noted.
Dr. Brown explained that children often display
age-specific reactions to trauma, such as regressive behavior,
self-blame, anger, withdrawal and feelings of helplessness. At the
same time, adolescents may respond in positive, tangible ways.
“There is this wonderful desire to do something,” said Dr. Brown.
“We also do that to help ourselves. We want to do act in a way that
is beneficial — that will move us along in the recovery
period.”
Opening the program,
Reverend James J. Maher, C.M., Executive Vice President for
Mission and Student Services, likened the workshop’s efforts to the
sign of renewal that God offered Noah after the Great Flood. “You
are like a ‘living rainbow,’ said Fr. Maher. “Just as the rainbow,
in its many colors, promised a new life, the varied work you’re
doing sends a similar message to those who survived Hurricane
Sandy.”
The workshop, he added, embodies St. John’s Vincentian spirit. “St.
Vincent de Paul had a special ability to infuse a vibrant, living
mission into the institutions he founded,” said Fr. Maher. “At the
core of this University is the belief that we must continue to act
as a bridge to the needs of society, particularly the most
vulnerable.”
New York State Senator Tony Avella
(D-Queens, NY) also provided welcoming remarks. He discussed the
“unprecedented” trauma and anxiety he encountered when meeting with
victims of Hurricane Sandy. “Many of the people alive today didn't
suffer through the Great Depression,” he said. “This is their first
experience in which they have been deprived of normal, day-to-day
services such as power, food and gas. Many have no homes to return
to.”
Avella observed that children view their parents as role models,
especially in stressful situations. “If parents become irrational
or can't deal with a traumatic situation, imagine how it translates
to their children,” he said. Avella thanked those who attended for
proactively addressing these needs. "What you're doing is very
important. We have to let victims know that while this is bad,
we'll all get through it together."