Counselor talks about how to cope in the aftermath of traumatic events

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — With reports of at least 10 mass shootings plaguing the country over the Fourth of July weekend, Shreveport now on its third mass shooting so far in 2023.

What was supposed to be a fun night of celebrating with friends and fireworks turned into a tragedy, rocking the Shreveport community. At least four people are confirmed dead, with at least another seven hurt.

Trauma and grief counselor Meg Roland joined KSLA live Wednesday, July 5 to talk about coping in the aftermath of a traumatic event such as this.

The counselor talked about how mass shootings are becoming the norm and how those who witness such events wind up living in a state of panic.

She also addressed what people can do in the aftermath of such a tragedy to cope, and how to care for their own mental state.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

“If you have images from an event that keep coming back, it feels like it’s burned into your mind or a sound that keeps replaying in your mind. those are all symptoms that you’re stuck in this reactive state,” Roland later told KSLA’s Jade Myers.

The counselor said dealing with trauma can look like several things, including emotional outbursts and feeling off balance. “Fear, rage, anger, hostility. All of those emotions are super activated in your amygdala, which then sends a message to your hypothalamus that says we need to protect ourselves and keep ourselves safe.”

Roland said although a crisis like a shooting may be over, when dealing with trauma your body may react as if the crisis is still happening.

“We tend to stay there and get stuck in this almost like a traffic circle. So we’re there and we’re going around and around in this traffic circle and we’re not having any kind of emotional regulation.”

Things like physical, mental and emotional self-care can help you cope with trauma, she said. So can talking with a professional.

“Anything we can do to release ourselves from that cycle,” Roland said. “Sitting with someone who can listen so we can tell our story over and over again is one of the best ways we can make that happen.”

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