Update #17
Friday, November 16, 2012
9:00am
Good morning -
Yesterday I mentioned the emotional and spiritual needs during this time. The chart below, "Phases of Disaster" shows the trend of overall well-being before, during, and after a disaster.
The line that looks like a heartbeat is the overall well-being of an individual or a community. I think that we have passed through the heroic phase, are passing through the honeymoon phase, and have begun to enter the period of disillusionment in which frustration, anger, grief, and the enormity of loss is beginning to sink in. The disillusionment phase will go on for a while, but it will end.
Note that the long-term timeline shows a one-to three year period for reconstruction and a new beginning. Parts of the Diocese will be affected for at least a year, and probably longer; our region will be affected for longer than that.
We share this information with you to tell you that the Diocese is committed to our long-term recovery as a Diocese and as part of our region. We also share it with you so that you can be more prepared to help others in your community and understand that recovery is a long term process and not an event.
We also want to provide information that will help you care for your parishioners and neighbors who may be manifesting some of the normal stress reactions to Superstorm Sandy. A workshop "refresher" on Post Disaster Care is being developed. This workshop will be given in multiple sites throughout the Diocese after Thanksgiving. In the meantime, we wanted you to have the following information in case you are starting to see symptoms of stress in your congregations or neighbors.
"Natural or human-made disasters are by definition disturbing and unexpected. Most people react to a perceived threat or environmental challenge with stress. Stress reactions are normal in most cases, but may differ depending upon the severity of the situation. Stress reactions are experienced as physical (body reactions), emotional (feelings), cognitive (thinking and decision making), behavioral (action), and spiritual (belief and values)." (Ali Gheith, in NYDIS Disaster Preparedness Manual for Religious Leaders: (http://www.nydis.org/nydis/downloads/manual/NYDIS_Disaster_SC-MH_Manual_SectionII-Chapter8.pdf ).
A more complete description of Immediate, Intermediate, and Long-term stress phases is provided at the end of this update.
Resources to help you help your congregations and neighbors: Other resources that may help you be ready for signs and symptoms of stress are the NYDIS Tip Sheet on Faith Communities and Disaster Mental Health. (http://www.nydis.org/nydis/downloads/tips/Tips_MentalHealth.pdf)
An excellent resource that will help you understand the presenting needs for spiritual care you may be seeing is "Light Our Way: A Guide for Spiritual Care in Times of Disaster", downloadable from http://www.nvoadstore.com/light-our-way.html
Self care is essential. This is a long term event and we all need to pace ourselves. Please read Episcopal Relief and Development's "Tips and Lessons: Clergy-Self Care" at http://www.er-d.org/userfiles/Post-LESSONS-ClergySelfCare.pdf and National Disaster Interfaiths Network (N-DIN)'s Tip-Sheet on Self-care at
http://www.n-din.org/ndin_resources/tipsheets_v1208/11_NDIN_TS_DisasterMentalHealth.pdf
A note on the holidays: Thanksgiving is next week, followed shortly by holidays in many faith traditions. These holidays may be a particularly difficult time for families who have lost members or their homes; those who have not suffered loss may feel guilty. Please keep an eye out for people in your congregation or neighborhood who may be particularly vulnerable at this time. If their need is beyond what you can do, please make a referral to the appropriate person for follow-up.
Thank you for all that you are doing.
God bless you.
Stephen+
