Coping After Traumatic Event: Trauma Resources to Heal and to Support Others Following the Mass Shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July Parade
North Shore Trauma Response to Highland Park July 4th Parade Shooting
On the morning of July 4th, I sat at my computer working away on a blog post about trauma: the differences between “Big T” trauma and “Little T” trauma; single-incident trauma and complex trauma; and what constitutes Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
My writing was interrupted by news from a family member about lockdown orders at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade, in suburban Highland Park, Illinois, a community along the North Shore of Chicago that is served by Shore Therapy Center for Wellness. As the information continued to pour in about a mass shooting that occurred only moments after the start of the parade, my writing about trauma was forgotten and my focus shifted to the real-time events unfolding throughout the day as statistics were updated and people reached out for connection, comfort, and support.
Although the North Shore of Chicago continues to reel in shock, and the consequences of the day’s events are barely beginning to be understood, many are already wondering how to talk to their children, or how to cope with their own trauma in the aftermath of the country’s latest mass shooting.
Resources for Coping with Trauma and Talking About Trauma with Children
In an effort to provide direction, here is list of resources that may guide discussions and healing:
Resources for Coping After Traumatic Event:
American Counseling Association-Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting
American Psychological Association-Coping with Mass Shootings
SAMHSA-Tips for Survivors: Coping with Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event
Resources for Supporting Children After Traumatic Event:
Youth.gov-Resources for Helping Youth Cope with a Mass Shooting
SAMHSA-Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event: A Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers
Fred Rogers Institute-Talking with Children About Difficult Things in the News
Social Story for Young Children or Neurodivergent Individuals
Post Trauma Resources for Acute Trauma Support or Action:
SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline-provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Available in English and Spanish.
Highland Park residents can text 224Help to 844-832-5323 to receive immediate assistance from a licensed mental health professional. This service is available 24/7 and is completely confidential.
For those most directly impacted by the Highland Park parade shooting, drop-in counseling services are being provided for students, staff, and members of the Highland Park school communities from 11:00am-7:00pm daily through Friday, July 15.
Compass Health Center is offering clinician-led virtual education groups for young adults, adults, and parents to discuss coping skills and how to talk to children about the event on Wednesday, July 6th and Thursday, July 7th. Look here for information and to register.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Illinois will be offering online support groups on Friday, July 8th from 5-6:30pm on the topic of Coping with Community Violence for those living with a mental health condition and grappling with the recent shooting in Highland Park. A second support group will be held on Friday, July 8th from 7-8:30pm on the topic of Coping with Community Violence for those NOT living with a mental health condition and grappling with the recent shooting in Highland Park. Click the links to register.
The Chicago Botanic Garden will be offering free parking and free admission from 3:00pm-8:00pm every day through Sunday, July 10 to provide an opportunity to find respite in the beauty of nature.
This document (authors unknown) is a list of the multitude of mental health resources that have been, and continue to be provided for those affected by the parade shooting. It appears to be updated regularly as new resources are announced, but may not be entirely comprehensive.
Post Trauma Resources for Mental Health Providers:
Psychological First Aid Mobile App
The Center for Anxiety & OCD is hosting a free Psychological First Aid training webinar for clinicians. Tuesday, July 12 from 9:00am-5:00pm. Spaces limited. Send email to register.
Fundraising Efforts to Benefit Highland Park Trauma Victims
Please note that these resources are being provided as information only. These fundraisers have not been verified and you are encouraged to do your own vetting prior to making donations.
Families Helping Families Chicagoland Fund for all Victims
Highland Park Community Foundation Fund for All Victims of the Highland Park July 4th Shooting
Victims of the Highland Park July 4th Shooting through GoFundMe
Victims First Highland Park, IL Parade Shooting Victims Fund
Lifetime expenses for Aiden McCarthy
Medical bills for the Kolpack & Joyce Family
Medical expenses for the Roberts Family
Medical expenses for Adan Aguilar
Medical expenses for Alan Castillo
Medical expenses for Lilli Carrasco (TW: graphic images)
Medical expenses for Jamie Mazariegos
Medical expenses for Silvia Vergara
Supporting the Family of Jacki Sundheim
Funeral expenses for Nicolas Toledo
Funeral expenses for Eduardo Uvaldo
Reduce Information Overload and Increase Connection to Lessen Trauma
When traumatic events occur, it can be hard to avoid being flooded by the intensity of the situation. It is helpful, and protective, to give one’s nervous system a break from the barrage of sensory input and information that often accompanies these events so that the nervous system has moments to settle down and briefly recover.
Try to take time away from the news periodically and reconnect to your environment. It may be beneficial to take a walk in nature, talk with a friend, or ground yourself emotionally with several slow, deep breaths. It is important to focus on self-care; making sure that you are getting the food and rest that you need to support yourself. If you struggle to connect to moments of calm, you are encouraged to access some of the supports listed above or to reach out for help from a mental health professional.
Look for the Helpers-Trauma Therapy Highland Park & Community Support
As Fred Rogers was quoted as saying, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
In the hours following the horrific shooting, stories were circulating about the many helpers who came to the aid of the victims and the panicked parade-goers. Business owners in the downtown Highland Park area near the parade route opened their doors and provided supplies and comfort to people and pets who were fleeing from danger and sheltering in place in the minutes and hours following the shooting. Strangers on the street helped parents gather children, push strollers, and run for safety; or watched over children while their parents rushed to locate other family members. Adults helped transport lost children back to their homes, or sheltered displaced kids in their own homes until the children could be reunited with their parents. First responders from Highland Park and many surrounding suburbs came to the immediate aid of the community and worked throughout the day to apprehend the shooter. Community members reached out through social media to reconnect young children and lost pets with families.
As Highland Park and other North Shore communities anticipate the needs for the future, donations have been collected for food and supplies for first responders and for healthcare workers at local hospitals, as well as money to support the shooting victims and their families (listed above).
Blood donations are needed. Northshore University HealthSystem hospital's phone system has reportedly been overwhelmed by calls. Please email DonateBlood@northshore.org to make an appointment to donate. Additionally, Vitalant, with locations in Glenview and Arlington Heights, will reportedly take blood donations and distribute to whichever hospital has the most critical need. Call 877 258-4825 to schedule an appointment.
Mental health providers throughout Chicago and the North Shore are coordinating efforts to provide needed post-trauma crisis support and will be on-hand to assist however we can and wherever we are needed in the days ahead.
Caring for Chicago North Shore and Highland Park in the Wake of Trauma
I hope that the resources and information above help to provide comfort and support in the wake of the July 4th shooting in Highland Park. If you are struggling, please reach out through community resources or the helplines listed, or contact a Highland Park therapist or North Shore therapist and ask for the help that you need to process your thoughts, feelings, or experiences related to the Highland Park parade shooting.
If you need additional assistance, contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation and I am happy to help however I can. I specialize in trauma and PTSD, as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help process traumatic events to reduce the likelihood or magnitude of PTSD or trauma symptoms. Additionally, as a PSYPACT provider, I am licensed to provide online therapy to individuals located in over 40 states across the United States in the event that former Highland Park residents are feeling isolated or disconnected from family, friends, or their hometown as they process this traumatic event. If I am not able to provide you with the help that you need, I will do my best to connect you to other resources in the community. We are all in this together.
