MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As many struggle to cope with the reality of Monday’s school shooting in Nashville, it has some right here at home, in Memphis, starting the conversation about trauma and healing.
Monday’s school shooting in Nashville is a wound we’ve tried to heal too many times. “Trauma is not a normal thing,” said Pastor Dianne Young, The Healing Center.
Having seen trauma so often, some can become desensitized to it.
“It happens to you, but it doesn’t have to become who you are,” said Young.
That is the message mental health professionals and faith leaders are sending.
Tuesday, The Healing Center in Oakhaven hosted “Triumph Over Trauma,” where they held an open conversation to people learn how to cope with trauma.
“In addressing suicide, which is something else we do, we found out that 90-percent of people that take their lives, talk to a person of faith before they do it. That means that people of faith need to be equipped to help those who don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel,” said Young.
That help is what Arsania Wright did not see until she was an adult.
“During my journey, I did develop mental health at a younger age. I went through some trauma myself,” said Wright. “I remember when I didn’t have nothing. I didn’t have tear water to cry with.”
Now 14 years in recovery from addiction, Wright can look back and see how one trauma led to another.
“If I move different, I’ll see different. If I learn different, I’ll do different,” said Wright. “A lot of people don’t even know they’re hurting. A lot of people don’t even know they’re angry.”
Monty Burks works with Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. He said one of the solutions is peer help.
“Get people from that specific community and get them trained on what trauma is,” said Burks. “Young people can talk to young people. Sometimes we have to be careful and cautious especially when we’re not from a community to bring information to a community.”
That caution and concern is what opens the door to healing.
“When guilt and shame are removed, that creates opportunity not obstacles,” said Burks. “Silence is what keeps us sick. Secrets keep us sick.”