Support for Recent Traumatic Events
FSAP is here to support and provide services to faculty and staff who are experiencing a myriad of emotions and reactions related to the recent mass shootings and other ongoing societal stressors. Whether you are struggling to process these concerns yourself or explain them to the children in your life, FSAP is here to assist you.
Services
These services are currently provided through telemental health sessions via a HIPAA compliant Zoom platform and phone consultations.
- Confidential comprehensive assessments for personal problems and work-related concerns that can impact one’s day-to-day functioning, emotional and social wellbeing, and overall performance.
- Appointments are available 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday. Early appointments (at 7:00 am) are available upon request. Evening appointments are available at 5:00 pm and later on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Evening appointments on other days are available upon request.
- Short-term Individual Counseling and Coaching to facilitate healthy and effective strategies for responding to and resolving issues that impact your wellbeing and overall functioning.
- Well-being Check-ins for individuals includes customized strategies for managing stress, anger, anxiety, change, frustration and to promote resilience and effective strategies for problem solving.
- Couples’ Counseling, Parental & Family Consultations when the issues of traumatic violence and other societal issues (e.g., racism) disrupt or cause concerns in the family unit.
- Leadership Consultations focused on facilitating referrals of faculty and staff to the FSAP.
- Listening & Support Sessions (for Teams): A virtual group session that is facilitated by FSAP will engage work teams or departments in a dialogue about the impact of ongoing societal stressors and traumatic events, including the recent occurrences of multiple mass shootings. Participants will be invited to share reactions and challenges they are facing, as well as healthy coping strategies they are implementing during this difficult time. FSAP facilitators will offer suggestions and resources for managing the effects of these challenges, such as tips for emotional resilience, staying connected, engaging in team care and self-care.
Business Hours Emergency Coverage
Emory faculty and staff can speak immediately with a licensed mental health professional when urgent issues arise during regular business hours (8:00 am – 5:00 pm).
After-hours On-call Services
An FSAP clinician is available after hours 24/7, on holidays and weekends, to consult with faculty and staff when emergency situations arise. Call the FSAP main number at (404) 727-WELL (9355) and press 2 to be connected to the FSAP Answering Service, who will facilitate the connection to the on-call clinician.
As a reminder, FSAP services are available to Emory faculty, staff, and their benefits-eligible household family members. Services are free, confidential and provided by a multidisciplinary team of licensed mental health professionals.
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Ten Tips for How to Talk with Children About Traumatic Events
1 - Take Care of Yourself First
- Acknowledge and manage your own thoughts and feelings so that you can be available to support your child as needed.
- Utilize healthy outlets to process your own responses.
2 - Take a balanced Approach
- It is okay to share your feelings with your child. Modeling healthy emotional responses is important.
- Keep in mind that they also need a calm and reassuring presence.
3 - Make Time to Talk
- You may need to “check‐in” with your child(ren) more often than usual.
- Choose times when there are no competing priorities so that your full attention can be devoted to these
- conversations. Let them know that it is okay to talk about the troubling situation, and not just the typical stuff (school, friends, homework, vacations, etc.).
4 - Find Out What They Know
- Ask directly, “What have you heard about this?” or “What do you already know?”
- Oftentimes children may have heard information from a friend or other adults in their lives (e.g., teachers, grandparents, etc.).
5 - Acknowledge, Validate, and Accept your Child’s Feelings
- Listen well to what they tell you. Let them know that all feelings are okay.
- Don’t minimize your child’s feelings with well‐intentioned statements like:
- “Don’t worry about it, everything will be fine”.
- “You don’t have to be sad”.
- “You shouldn’t be this angry, calm down”.
6 - Understand What your Child is Asking
- Don’t assume you understand the question.
- Follow up to the question to understand their motivation for asking it by saying "What made you think of that?” or “What ideas do you have about that?”
7 - Be Comfortable with not having all of the answers
- The most important thing is to provide a safe space to share thoughts, feelings, and questions.
- Don’t feel pressure to know everything.
- Saying “I don’t know” or “I will find out and get back to you” is just fine.
8 - Keep Explanations Developmentally Appropriate
- Be truthful and honest by giving facts.
- Consider your child’s age, emotional maturity, and cognitive ability.
- Younger kids need brief statements that ensure stability of their world.
- Older children may need assurance of safety and they need help separating reality from fantasy.
9 - Spend Extra Time to Create Comfort and Connection
- Engage in activities without television, radio, or technology present.
- For younger children, playing quiet games or read to them.
- For older children, play board games, talk, or engage in activities that they enjoy.
10 - Perform Self‐Care Activities
- Limit your exposure to stressful information.
- Connect with your support system.
- Take breaks to refresh your energy and your perspective.
- Engage in physical activity and healthy eating.
- Participate in activities that create a calm, relaxing, and positive mood.
- Reach out for help if you feel overwhelmed and/or if your daily activities are affected.
Resources & Services for Support
Emory Faculty Staff Assistance Program