Trauma Counseling

It's important not to underestimate the feelings of dislocation, depression and grief that many refugees may experience. Since Katrina Villages will be concentrations of people who are recovering from this trauma there is likely to be a much higher than normal need for psychological support. Unless considerable effort is made to bring together families from former neighborhoods, Villagers are going to be an almost random mix of cultures, races, religions, nationalities and economic circumstances. Such mixing makes comforting each other even more difficult.

Communities that host Katrina Villages need to be aware that there may be an increased need for pastoral and psychological services. We would-be do-gooders can't just set up villages and walk away. We have to stay in touch and be ready to intervene if a group cannot meet its needs for counseling from within.