Tuesday, United Way of Lancaster County held its monthly webinar series “Voices United” on “Creating a Trauma-Resilient Community.”
Joel Janisewski, vice president of impact for United Way of Lancaster County, served as the moderator. Panelist included: Dr. Karen Rice, chair and professor of the school of social work at Millersville University; Jessica Purdy, director of human relations for Lancaster County Chooses Love; Amer Al Fayadh, founder and CEO of Communication Essentials; Kelly Haines; Lancaster City Police social worker, Rebecca Saner, Lancaster County Food Hub’s client care manager; Dr. Alex Rohrer, community school director for Burrowes Elementary and adjunct instructor for Wilmington University.
Rohrer presented on what trauma is, how he addresses trauma with students and the overall picture of community trauma and resilience. He discussed the concept of Big T and Little T moments in a person’s life and how the definition of those moments can change throughout life. Rohrer used the example of a child’s goldfish passing away. “For that child, if that’s the worst thing that’s happened to them so far, then that’s what we’re going to accept as their big T right now.”
Rohrer discussed how trauma changes a person’s point of view on the world. He used an image that can be perceived as a duck or a rabbit depending on what he says prior to showing the image.
Rohrer said, “about 55 percent to 85 percent of people who have experienced trauma are showing resilience signs.” These people have fewer trauma symptoms and are less distressed compared to others who have experienced trauma
Janisewski prompted the panelists with questions from himself and those watching. The questions asked the panelists how they handle trauma in their respective professions and what they are doing to help foster a trauma resilient community and workplace. “I think the reason that it’s important to the queer community is because so many of us have experienced or are experiencing traumas,” said Purdy.
“The importance of creating these trauma resilient communities or workplaces is to help individuals cope and manage with those emotions and those thoughts and those behaviors that are a result of the trauma that they experienced,” said Rice.
Haines touched on the ways her department of Lancaster City Police is working towards crisis de-escalation and approaching the public with compassion. She mentioned a 40-hour course from its Crisis Intervention Team which shows officers how to identify and respond to mental health crises.
Rice highlighted the importance of leadership being educated in the science of trauma. “So that allows us to build trust in these interpersonal relationships that the respect, the collaboration, the compassion, the genuineness that we exhibit and we demonstrate for another human being allows others than to have hope and trust in others and really believe that there are compassionate people out there.”
(Editors Note: This article was written by One United Lancaster editorial intern Ava Gates: Ava Gates is a current Elizabethtown College student studying Professional Writing and Journalism. She has a passion for writing, storytelling, and all things related to the arts. As an editorial intern for United Way of Lancaster County, Ava is excited to get more involved with the community and learn about local nonprofits’ work.)
