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Psychologists respond to post-9/11 trauma
March 24, 2004 Workshop participant Steve Cooperman of the UFT asks a question, with project coordinator June Feder behind him. In the months after the terrorists attacked and the trade center towers fell, some educators in and around New York City were unsure what they were seeing in students' behavior. It was like having their faces pressed to the glass, but not being able to go inside. Now, with the help of a group of psychologists, they have new insights into looking after those who have been affected by post-traumatic stress syndrome since Sept. 11, 2001. In November 2002, the New York State Psychological Association and the state Office of Mental Health created the Project Liberty School Outreach program to help educators understand what steps they could take to help children. The project resulted in 35 workshops over a year, working with about 1,000 teachers, counselors, administrators, social workers and psychologists to gain skills in identifying suffering children. Funding came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Center for Mental Health Services. Many NYSPA members responded to the terrorist attacks, and witnessed children speaking of increased fears of loss and safety. Some had lost family members in the attacks. School staff were trained to look for signs such as:
June Feder, coordinator of Project Liberty and a psychologist with the Peer Intervention Program of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, said, "Training educators in trauma awareness was a way to enlist front-line professionals in efforts to identify and assist children in trouble." In the training, educators were shown how to use writing, drawing and talking as ways to encourage students to share feelings, with emphasis on effective ways to secure help. NYSPA members have intervened in disasters for more than a decade through the Disaster Response Network, but their focus has been on helping people in the immediate aftermath of crisis. The ongoing need presented by the challenges of Sept. 11 compelled the psychologists to apply for funding for Project Liberty. Through NYSPA's affiliation with New York State United Teachers, Feder said, "We knew that schools needed support during this difficult time and felt that our special relationship with the union could give us a considerable edge on gaining access to them, which has frequently been a challenge for outside organizations and groups." The workshops were presented in New York City and surrounding counties. - Liza Frenette |
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