"I was across the street from the W.T.C. on that
day. This time we (EAP at Merrill Lynch) were a first responder, but
already being in such close proximity, we were victims as well. As an EAP professional this is usually not the case. I was confused between
being a helper and survivor. I was torn in so many directions- running
for my life, then running back to look for people to help. It has given
me a perspective I do not wish upon anybody."
In the following months, CISM was provided
daily. Until exhaustion.
..."I went through a profound feeling of helplessness
all during and after the event. Being able provide CISM afterwards was
automatic. It gave me some element of control, but also the creeping
awareness of how little control we have. When the groups started to slow
down and there was little emergency work to do, I crashed."
Prior to 9/11, Robert received his first formal
CISM training after responding the Oklahoma City bombing. He
attended the training seminar by Jeffrey Mitchell Ph.D., President of
the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
"Like so many clinicians in our field, CISM training
starts in the fire, then you learn about the burns. When I went to
Oklahoma City I already had the experience of providing CISM
services for numerous local critical incident events, including the
first attack of the World Trade Center in N.Y. in 1993. When
I went to Oklahoma City, I went with a colleague and it was her first CISM experience."
After a much needed rest and recovery, the
Critical
Incident Response-Kit was put together. The kit, has been praised
within the EAP field and outside as a much needed resource.
Corporations, emergency personnel, Chaplains, universities, military and
the government, all have
become part of the growing network critical incident response-kit users.
"The idea of a response-kit had pre 9/11 origins. It
just made sense for the kind of work EAP's do. Looking back though,
the energy to work on the response-kit, which focuses on
preparation, was a cathartic reaction to manage the profound sense of
helplessness I was dealing with at the time."
"...putting a training online was the next logical
step to the Response-kit. There was the risk that professionals who had
not had the appropriate training might reach for something like the kit
in lieu of training. That clearly was not the message we intended."
For more
information about these services please contact us at 732-988-5141.