I wanted to address the events that took place this weekend in Rochester Hills, where a gunman open fired at a local splash pad. While I am relieved that no loss of life has been reported we know that the physical and mental wounds this event has inflicted will take time to heal.
Given the proximity of these events to our campus and the communities in which we live it’s important to acknowledge that members of our MSP community and their families may have been directly impacted by these events. Others within our community are certainly dealing with the trauma vicariously. There is a great deal of support available at MSP and I hope everyone is comfortable enough to lean on this community if needed.
Additionally, the nature of our work means that some of you may be faced with helping clients navigate through this situation in their own ways. While my hope is that your time at MSP so far has prepared you for this, I wanted to share additional resources that you may find helpful.
- Guidelines for Talking to Kids About Attacks
- APA: What happens to the survivors
- How Therapists Can Support Parents and Children Impacted by Mass Shootings
Please do not hesitate to connect with me, or any member of the faculty or staff if there is anything we can do to support you.
Dr. Brian Spitsbergen
President
APA Resources
APA offers tools and guidance to help those who are suffering distress:
- Managing your distress in the aftermath of a shooting
Taking the steps in this guide can help you cope during this very difficult time. - Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting
Parents can struggle with how to talk with children about a shooting. Here are ways to help you have those conversations with children of all ages. - How to talk to children about difficult news
Tips for parents and other caregivers on how to guide the conversation in a proactive and supportive way. - Talking to kids when they need help
How to open the lines of communication and build trust. - Stress of mass shootings causing cascade of collective traumas
The regularity of mass shootings is razing Americans’ mental health—heightening stress and dulling compassion in ways that demand broader concern, engagement, and change. - Empowering communities to prevent mass shootings
Psychology research is informing new strategies to reach people at risk of committing a violent act.
Additional resources can be found on MSP’s blog on Coping with Violence.
