Trauma In Schools And Communities

This book discusses the impact of traumatic events on students and communities, and provides recommendations for interventions.

Trauma in Schools and Communities uses the power of first-hand, autobiographical narratives to illustrate the advantages and pitfalls of specific interventions implemented in the wake of tragedies. This book addresses short- and long-term impacts of traumatic events and the challenges both survivors and responders face, using case studies from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing; the Gulf War; the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; student suicides; the killing of a teacher; and the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, Virginia Tech, and Chardon, Ohio, among others. Each story features reactions and lessons that are unique and support specific, multidisciplinary, structured interventions that should be a part of every crisis team's protocol and every community's recovery effort. An appendix features a summary of the lessons learned, a what if? scenario, time-specific trauma recovery interventions, a fan-out meeting agenda, a traumatic event crisis intervention plan, and answers to questions commonly asked by students about suicide. Review: Trauma in Schools and Communities is an exciting book that truly embraces the strategy of approaching community traumas from an interdisciplinary perspective. Bringing so many voices to this collaborative project exemplifies the spirit of best practices in disaster planning for schools and communities. I highly recommend it as a resource for anyone who is responsible for developing and implementing disaster-response plans. Perhaps the most important lessons that we learn from reading this book is that we do not have all the answers to effective disaster intervention ... and that our most important teachers are the courageous survivors and responders who have emerged from the maelstrom of a disaster to share with us the lessons they learned in their trial by fire. Lennis G. Echterling, PhD, professor and the doctoral coordinator of counseling programs, department of graduate psychology, James Madison University The compelling stories and lessons in this book draw the reader's attention to the clear and undeniable fact that trauma-based strategies will be the most effective way to help students, staff, and community recover and move through devastating critical incidents. Learning from the lessons presented in this book will most certainly allow schools to more quickly get back to the business of teaching their students the academics necessary to succeed in life, as well as strategies to help them cope with the ever changing and often chaotic life circumstances they will undoubtedly face. Nancy Buyle, MA, LPC, NBCC, LSW, school safety/student assistance consultant, Macomb Intermediate Schools, Michigan Dr. Steele nails it. The impact that untreated trauma has on students in our schools and our communities has grown, and indeed impacts education and their productivity as citizens. It is extremely important that educators and community resources are trauma informed before entering into any type of trauma work with our students. Properly treated, we see an increase in resiliency; improperly handled, the problem can be magnified. This is an excellent resource for all. Margaret DeLillo-Storey, PsyD, PCC, TLC-S, certified trauma consultant/supervisor and clinical counselor for Perry Local Schools, Massillon, Ohio