The American Counseling Association is saddened by the tragedy in South Florida and holds the Stoneman Douglas High School Community in its thoughts.
Unspeakable tragedies are part of the fabric of contemporary life. ACA members—and all professional counselors—are fully prepared to assist anyone in need of support following an episode of trauma.
Counselors know that each individual reacts to trauma in their own unique way. Some may need support immediately after an event; some may need the support at a future point in time. We urge everyone in communities affected by trauma to keep an eye on those around them to make sure that those in need of help find their way to a professional counselor.
To help all professional counselors in the important work of trauma counseling, the American Counseling Association offers an array of free resources.
For resources related to trauma counseling, see the ACA fact sheet titled 1:1 Crisis Counseling (Fact Sheet 10).
Additional ACA fact sheets and resources that may be helpful include:
• Post-Trauma/Disaster Stress (Fact Sheet 1)
• Personal and Pre-Disposing Factors (Fact Sheet 8)
• Vicarious Trauma (Fact Sheet 9)
• Helping Survivors with Stress-Management Skills (Fact Sheet 13)
• Intrusive Memories (Fact Sheet 15)
• Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting
In addition, the American Counseling Association provides links to a variety of trauma and disaster mental resources online here.