Why Healing the Healers Has to Happen Before Crisis Strikes

We were casually collected in the car on our way to juggle through the day's errands when I first saw the Breaking News alert from local news stations. Living in the Hudson Valley of New York, we're pretty much in the heart of the Tri-State area. Newtown, Connecticut is local news here and I refused to accept the truth and reality of what I was learning about the unfolding events. Denial was the stage of grief that I immediately held on to until later facing the gravity of the situation when my husband reached out to me for confirmation of the elementary school's tragic fate. Grieving and healing through the aftermath of traumatic crisis within communities affected by disaster is facilitated through the skilled expertise of our religious leaders and the place of peace they help to establish in times of need. Human-Caused Disaster Response includes the support victims, families of victims, and neighbors embrace from members of the clergy responding to the call for help. Let's explore critical reasons why healing the healers has to happen before crisis strikes.

Thank you to the promotional team from and FrontGate media for the courtesy of providing access to promotional content for editorial content purposes.

Why Healing the Healers Has to Happen Before Crisis Strikes

Healing the Healers is a collaborative media resource created to support clergy, laity, social workers, first responders, and other spiritual care providers offering community trauma support in the wake of tragic events. The five-part docu-series is a project from Odyssey Impact! in partnership with the Institute for Collective Trauma and Growth. Opening up the conversation concerning the need for self-awareness, self-care, and supportive interfaith relationships, Healing the Healer features an accompanying discussion guide including shared reflections from scholars, clergy and other experts. Challenged with the effects of retraumatization, religious leaders speak candidly about the need to give themselves permission to release their feeling following traumatic events in a safe space.

"Healing the Healers is a living project; Odyssey Impact™ will continue this journey by adding additional videos and reflections that will continue to engage necessary voices and faith perspectives from across the country. We welcome you to join our widening conversation, and we hope that this first video series will inspire you to begin your own conversations about preparedness and self-care in the face of trauma."

Episode 1 | Newtown Faith Leaders Unite in Tragedy 

Featuring- Rev. Mel Kawakami and Newtown clergy Rabbi Shaul Praver

Episode 2 | Looking Ahead and Moving Forward

Featuring- Rev. Kathie Adams-Shepherd, formerly of Newtown Episcopal Church, and current Dean at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown St. Louis

Episode 3 | Pastoring in a Community That Faces Continual Trauma 

Featuring- Pastor Henry Brown, Mothers Against Violence of Hartford, CT and Pastor Samuel Saylor, Sr., Senior Pastor of Gardner Memorial AME Zion Church

Episode 4 | Heartbreak and Hope 20 Years After Tragedy

Featuring- Monsignor Basil O’Sullivan, Church of the Holy Family, Dunblane, Scotland

Episode 5 | Faith Leaders as First & Second Responders

Featuring- Cantor Michael Shochet, a Senior Clergy at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, VA, and leader of the Police Chaplain unit for Metro D.C. Police

Please Share This Message from Healing the Healers
| | For Immediate Support | |

If you, as a leader of your congregation, are experiencing a personal emergency or mental health crisis, call 911, the disaster distress helpline (800-985-5990), or the national suicide prevention lifeline (800-273-8255) for immediate assistance. If you are experiencing vocational distress, contact representatives at ictg.org, by emailing office@ictg.org, or by calling 805-364-4496, to receive personal care or coaching.

Visit and share Healing the Healers project resources today.

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