One year ago today, Haines’ lives changed forever, with what meteorologists estimated to be a once in a 200 to 500 year weather event, resulting in the deadly Beach Road landslide and destroyed roads, homes, and livelihoods. KHNS’ Corinne Smith hosted a special edition of Lynn Canal Voice on Thursday on KHNS to discuss Haines one year after the disaster. Here’s a snapshot of that conversation about resilience and its toll on our mental health in the aftermath. 

 

The first anniversary of a disaster can bring about feelings of restlessness and fear, and can inspire days or even weeks of anxiety, flashbacks or depression. It’s important to normalize and attend to the feelings that may arise, says George Kirchner, a Fairbanks-based therapist and disaster mental health specialist with the Red Cross. 

“The weeks before we become aware of it, we become noticeable and we begin to have different behavior reactions. We begin to perhaps be more quiet or more active either way. These things are normal,” Kirchner said. “We’re beginning to remember and be aware that our body. Our body is our emotion. Constantly we’re feeling something. And so we may begin to feel a little upset, a little angry, a little irritable, maybe when our stomach will act up a little bit, subtle things, it’ll begin to happen.”

Kirchner says it’s important to understand it’s common to have strong reactions after a disaster, for days or perhaps years after. Difficult experiences and feelings, like a rock in your shoe, must be attended to and processed. 

“So thoughts, memories, and what have you come up and then it might even stir up memories of traumas long ago, okay? That’s okay. The idea is to accept them, just let them come,” Kirchner said. “If we resist it, it becomes like a pebble in our shoe. It’s something that wants to be noticed. And that pebble in the shoe will feel like a giant rock until we dump it out and figures out the size of a green sand. But until we get rid of it, let it out, get it out of our shoe, it’s gonna be difficult to walk comfortably.”

Mental health researchers with the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration recommend several ways of navigating anniversary reactions: talk about it, stick to routines, and use coping mechanisms that have worked in the past. And don’t be afraid of seeking professional help.  

Matt Jones, pastor with the Port Chilkoot Bible Church and a member of the Haines Long Term Recovery Group’s mental and spiritual health committee, has been counseling Haines residents this last year. He said about 80 percent are able to navigate through hardships by talking and addressing the experience, and about 20 percent need additional support. 

“Some people took more resources to help,” Jones said. “And they had never asked for resources and assistance before. It took them a period of time to learn that that’s okay. Maybe they’ve been the one giving all this time. It’s okay to receive. And actually when you go through that, whether it’s a health crisis, or a weather crisis or a financial crisis, actually, when we come through that a year later, it teaches us so much about empathy, and being good to others and maybe viewing others’ perspectives in a little bit broader way.”

Pastor Jones also said that he saw Haines residents cope or improve well-being by getting involved in acts of service. 

“One man who was displaced from his home, and is still not back to his home, was shoveling snow. The first night at the American Legion when survivors were being brought in, he was outside shoveling snow. Part of that was just his shock. He needed something to be involving his mind as he was trying to process the reality of what happened,” Jones said. “But that was a demonstration that some people as they’re processing grief and recovering. Serving others is a way to help us focus not just on our own issues and challenges which are very real, but it also helps us realize that others around us have those circumstances also.” 

Mental health experts say disaster anniversaries can also be an important time to recognize and honor losses from the event, stop and assess accomplishments, as well as recognize those who are involved in the recovery process. It can also be a time for activities and events that promote resilience and healing.

In Haines, there will be a memorial gathering at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 4 at the boat harbor parking lot, followed by a memorial walk to Picture Point.

“We’ll focus a little bit more on the opportunity to look at where we’re going from here, what’s been accomplished, and have a dedication of some neat things – a community table, and some benches that are going to commemorate David and Jenae, made by the high school shop class,” said Pastor Jones, who will be one of several speakers. “So it’s gonna be a time of both reflection and memory, but also optimistic and positive.”

 

Listen to the full program Lynn Canal Voice: Haines one year disaster anniversary and mental health here.