A mental health professional who says she sees an uptick in clients during times of tragedy, like two back-to-back mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas this weekend and shared some tips on coping.
Psychotherapist Rebecca Ching told NBC 7 everyone internalizes tragedy in their own way.
"One of the best things we can do when we hear about unsettling news, like we have over the last few days, is to talk about it," Ching said.
But that can be easier said than done for some people.
"They think, 'Oh I don’t want to make it worse. I don’t want to be a burden to everybody,'" said Ching. “[But talking about] it helps our own nervous system relax."
She says talking about how tragedy affects you also gives others permission to do the same and, "kind of brings things down a little bit."
For those who aren’t comfortable talking out their emotions, Ching advises writing down feelings or exercise. She also recommends people disconnect from the tragedy.
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"We want to be caring and involved citizens, but hearing these details on repeat will actually decrease our wellbeing and our capacity for helping," said Ching.
She says helping is another method for coping with tragedy. Some options can be offering a monetary contribution or donating blood.
"In a culture that seems like it’s sometimes not getting better, we can create pockets of safety and hope just by checking in with each other," Ching said.
Ching encourages people to check-in with family, friends and coworkers.
