“We can’t help and heal what we don’t recognize.”
By Helene Photias
Yet one more mass shooting and senseless lives lost. Two weeks ago, 19 children and two adults died — and 17 others were injured — in the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Most of the victims were third and fourth graders, most from the Latinx community, attending the last week of school before summer break —a time that should have been all about having fun and making plans to see each other. For the many other children who were witness to this senseless act; who wonder why their friends died, who wonder if it is safe to go to school again, we need to be there for them.
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation has several staff members who work directly with the school systems throughout our nation focused on prevention solutions. In our Children’s Program the day after the killings, we had three counselors sit in group sessions with children in California. They provided space to listen to the concerns of children. Later that evening, several of our children’s counselors were in scheduled continuing care calls, available to listen not only to topics of addiction, but also, the shootings. We are proud to have such skilled and compassionate individuals providing space for children to talk about real situations, to talk about feelings and to feel safe enough to share their voice.
As we listen to provide comfort, now is also the time to recognize that we all are affected — to realize, once again, that we must do something. Just a couple of weeks after the shootings, we heard testimony before the U.S. House Oversight & Reform Committee. We must continue to listen.
My colleague, Hazelden Betty Ford’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director Andrew Williams, said it best: “We can’t help and heal what we don’t recognize.” Our children are hurting — let’s start with recognizing that.
Helene Photias is the executive director of the Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program.
