The mass shooting in Monterey Park has many of us reeling.
Dr. George Meza, of Meza Mental Health Services in Lawndale, has worked to provide crisis intervention services for people who are suffering trauma because of a mass shooting.
Meza said we experience both psychological and physiological responses to trauma like mass casualty events.
“That kind of surreal feeling? It’s coming because of cortisol flooding in your body due to the reaction to the trauma,” he said.
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Meza recommends:
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Asian Mental Health Collective Board Chair Jeanie Y. Chang said the news of the deadly shooting is hitting Asian Americans like her during what should be a time of celebration. She says communication among loved ones is very important right now.
“Oh my god, how do we even celebrate Lunar New Year? You know?" Chang said. "I’m talking to friends and checking up on each other and saying, ‘Hey, it’s okay if you still need to go to brunch.’ And I’m saying that as a therapist because part of what helps in navigating something very difficult is being with others,” Chang added.
Dr. Steven Siegel, Chief Mental Health and Wellness Officer for Keck Medicine of USC spoke with LAist in the wake of the school shooting last year in Uvalde, Texas. Siegel said for him, it can sometimes helps him to take a step back and allow himself to rest, knowing that he doesn't have to fix everything in the moment.
Melissa Brymer, Director of Terrorism and Disaster Programs at the UCLA–Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, said it also might be therapeutic for families to have conversations about what they can do to bring about change, whether that be contributing to an organization or reaching out to other families.
At the same time breaks from news and social media are necessary, Siegel also said seeing what gun violence can do to specific families can be a powerful motivator for change.
“Once you’ve seen it you can’t unsee it, it’s not esoteric: it’s this little boy, and it’s this family,” Siegel said. “When you cannot turn away from the horrors of mass shootings, then it is impossible to turn a blind eye.”
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A mass shooting at a dance studio in Monterey Park late in the evening on Saturday, Jan. 21, left 10 people dead at the scene and 10 others wounded. An 11th victim died Monday.
What we know so far:
As we report on that shooting, we are also resurfacing resources and previous reporting that can help people understand the context and get help, if needed.
