News Tip: Back-to-Back Natural Disasters Cause Kids Anxiety, Expert Says
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With 24-hour coverage of Hurricane Harvey and astonishing satellite video of Hurricane Irma spinning toward the Florida coast, child trauma expert Robin Gurwitch, Ph.D., guides parents and other caretakers on calming children’s anxieties about anticipated storms and counseling children who already have been directly affected.
Quotes: “Children look toward the important adults in their lives for support and guidance as they seek to understand and cope with challenging life events such as disasters” says Robin Gurwitch, who has been involved in events from terrorism (e.g., Oklahoma City, 9/11, and Sandy Hook) to disasters (e.g., Katrina, Joplin and Oklahoma tornadoes).
“How we talk with our children and what actions we take can help their recovery and healing, building their resilience for current disasters and into the future.”
Bio: Robin Gurwitch is a Duke clinical psychologist and member of the National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters, the American Psychological Association’s Disaster Response Network, and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. She is a nationally recognized expert in supporting children after trauma and disasters.