Introducing the ICTG Community Blog!

Our mission for this Community Blog is to share a variety of resources and stories to support you and your community as you prepare for, respond to, and recover from traumatic events. It is our fervent hope that through this blog you are inspired to consider how you might support your community before a traumatic event happens, encouraged as you respond to an event one day and one step at a time, and sustained through the long, hard days of recovery. Every community is different and every trauma looks and feels unique. So, while this blog will share ideas and examples of how others have survived and grown through trauma, your community and your situation will not necessarily fit into someone else’s recovery mold. ICTG’s team of professionals are ready and willing to talk to you about your specific needs. If you are curious, please reach out at [email protected].

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​​“Great leaders are not defined by the absence of weakness, but rather by the presence of clear strengths.” John Zenger

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The start of a traumatic event is a marked point in time between how life was and what it is now. As leaders, we are tasked with guiding our community through that difficult time of change. The ICTG Community Blog will share best practices and resources to help you as you address trauma and offer support as you provide leadership and care for your community. The following information can be helpful for recognizing the symptoms of trauma and for starting to offer care to your community.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are a number of symptoms that a person who has undergone trauma may experience:

• “Feelings of numbness, disbelief, anxiety, or fear;
• Changes in appetite, energy, and activity levels;
• Difficulty concentrating;
• Difficulty sleeping or nightmares and upsetting thoughts and images;
• Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes;
• Worsening of chronic health problems;
• Anger or short-temper; or,
• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.”

While these are natural physical, emotional, and mental responses to a traumatic event, some people and communities have a difficult time sharing that they are experiencing symptoms. They may feel like no one can understand their pain, embarrassed that they can’t “handle it on their own,” or may be dealing with feelings of survivor’s guilt. Whatever the reason, they are still experiencing symptoms that can negatively impact their quality of life and that can hinder your community’s recovery.

As leaders, we need to be aware of and looking for symptoms of trauma, and understand that members of our community may be suffering, even if we can’t see it ourselves. These tips from the CDC on dealing with trauma are broad enough to cover a variety of situations and can be shared with individuals or your community at large:
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• “Take care of your body. Try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
• Connect with others. Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.
• Take breaks. Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try taking in deep breaths. Try to do activities you usually enjoy.
• Stay informed. When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.
• Avoid too much exposure to news. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.
• Seek help when needed. If distress impacts activities of your daily life for several days or weeks, talk to a clergy member, counselor, or doctor, or contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) helpline at 1-800-985-5990.”

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Leah Kahn has been professionally and academically involved in emergency management for nearly a decade. Currently, Ms. Kahn works as an Emergency Management Specialist for the US Navy. She has worked with cities, counties, and states across the nation and is passionate about supporting communities before, during, and after trauma and disaster.