Responding to Trauma: Responding to Trauma: Psychological IssuesPsychological Issues

after Disasterafter Disaster

Tai J. Mendenhall, Ph.D., LMFTTai J. Mendenhall, Ph.D., LMFT

University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota

Medical SchoolMedical School

Psychological IssuesPsychological Issuesafter Disastersafter Disasters

A Quest for MeaningA Quest for Meaning Survivor GuiltSurvivor Guilt Ambiguous LossAmbiguous Loss Search for Community and Search for Community and

ConnectionConnection On a Mission to HelpOn a Mission to Help Life ReviewLife Review

A Quest for MeaningA Quest for Meaning

Why did this happen?Why did this happen?

Survivor GuiltSurvivor Guilt

Why did I live, and s/he die?Why did I live, and s/he die? Last interactions were not Last interactions were not

happy oneshappy ones

Life ReviewLife Review

Increased appreciation for Increased appreciation for the relationships and people the relationships and people in our livesin our lives

Things that we used to take Things that we used to take for granted are not taken for for granted are not taken for granted anymoregranted anymore

Ambiguous LossAmbiguous Loss

An incongruence between a An incongruence between a loved-one’s physical and loved-one’s physical and psychological presencepsychological presence

Search for Community Search for Community and Connectionand Connection

Strong desire to connect with Strong desire to connect with others who share similar others who share similar experiencesexperiences

On a Mission to HelpOn a Mission to Help

Strong desires to “do Strong desires to “do something” to help alleviate something” to help alleviate others’ painothers’ pain

““So, what do I say…?”So, what do I say…?”

Listening vs. TalkingListening vs. Talking Trauma Survivors are not crazyTrauma Survivors are not crazy PTSD is not inevitablePTSD is not inevitable The rush to “closure” is not a The rush to “closure” is not a

“cure”“cure”

Trauma-response Teams:Trauma-response Teams:Unique ChallengesUnique Challenges

Scope of PracticeScope of Practice Turf BattlesTurf Battles Interpersonal Boundaries and Interpersonal Boundaries and

Dual RelationshipsDual Relationships Compassion FatigueCompassion Fatigue Cultural CompetenceCultural Competence

Contact InformationContact Information

Tai J. Mendenhall, Ph.D., LMFTTai J. Mendenhall, Ph.D., LMFT University of Minnesota Medical SchoolUniversity of Minnesota Medical School Family Medicine & Community HealthFamily Medicine & Community Health 925 Delaware St. SE; Suite 220925 Delaware St. SE; Suite 220 Minneapolis, MN 55414Minneapolis, MN 55414

Email: Email: mend0009@umn.edu Office: 612-624-3138Office: 612-624-3138