Spiritual Adrenaline

March 1, 2019

More than 300 U.S. school shootings have occurred since the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre devastated the small community of Newton, CT, in 2012. Appointed to guide a recovery and resiliency team tasked with coordinating strategies to deal with the mental, psychological, and social impact of the trauma, psychologist Glaser (former behavioral health director, Catholic Charities) brings compassion and skill to the field of therapeutic recovery and the politics of funding and grant administration in this insightful and pragmatic look at healing individuals and communities after a massive tragedy. Notable lessons include the importance of clarifying roles even among experts, monitoring expectations among agencies as well as the dynamic needs of families and individuals impacted by trauma long after the initial event, while ensuring that civic leaders are part of the dialog of healing. Glaser briefly outlines therapies and programs that can be individualized to meet an array of needs and stages of healing; however, this is by no means an in-depth study of the psychology or treatment of trauma. VERDICT An important addition to recovery/bereavement literature that will be of interest to civic leaders and readers seeking to learn more about trauma-informed therapy, community planning, and emergency management.--Bernadette McGrath, Vancouver P.L., Canada

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 18, 2019
The director of the Newtown Recovery and Resiliency Team, formed 18 months after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, shares lessons learned in a helpful manual intended for fellow therapists and others preparing for the possibility of tragedy in their own communities. Glaser focuses on the importance of having experts trained in trauma care available not only to the most obviously impacted people, such as victims’ families, but to everyone in the community. She further stresses awareness of the needs of different groups, such as (in the case of a school shooting) teachers and students, first responders, and local therapists experiencing vicarious trauma and potential burnout. In her own Newtown experience, the problem that Glaser identifies as most central, especially given her team’s late start after waiting for funding, was of gaining the trust of a community already overwhelmed by media attention and conspiracy theorists, as well as by would-be do-gooders without direction or skills actually applicable to the situation. Mental health professionals who pick up Glaser’s practical guidebook on facing the unthinkable will find strong models for well-considered and appropriate care.