Chayala Tyberg of Brooklyn, Racquel Glickman of Woodmere, and Yakira Begun of Toronto of Team Chayala
Chayala Tyberg of Brooklyn, Racquel Glickman of Woodmere,
and Yakira Begun of Toronto of Team Chayala

As an organization dedicated to preserve and enhance the mental-health well-being of individuals and families, OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services is compelled to raise awareness of the potential emotional impact of the relentless daily coverage of recent traumatic events.

Known as “secondary” or “vicarious” trauma, the repeated and graphic exposure to violent assault and rampant hatred can become traumatic, particularly to our children, even if only witnessed secondhand in print or electronic media.

Dr. Norman Blumenthal, the Zachter Family Chair in Trauma and Crisis Counseling at OHEL, and director of the OHEL Miriam Center for Trauma, Bereavement and Crisis Response, conveys: “We at OHEL implore parents, teachers and care providers to discuss these events with children and each other, addressing not only the lessons and concerns, but providing a realistic context of the scope and proximity of any immediate threat to themselves and others.”

Yisroel Dov Goldstein of Brooklyn and JJ Goldstein of Woodmere

While reasonable precaution, vigilance, and concern in these times are warranted, excessive fear and misperception of danger serve only to immobilize and heighten anxiety.

Two recent videos featuring Dr. Blumenthal, and available on the OHEL website, include “Talking to Children after Traumatic Events” and “When Does Trauma or Grief Warrant Professional Help.”

OHEL trauma services are available through OHEL’s crisis-response team staffed by trauma specialists multilingual in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Hebrew, and Yiddish. From individual, group, and family trauma counseling services to community education and outreach, OHEL is able to both comfort and support victims of trauma while better preparing individuals, institutions, and communities in dealing with tragedy.

OHEL can be reached at 800-603-OHEL, access@ohelfamily.org, or www.ohelfamily.org.

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