Community Awareness: Mass Shootings

Article By: Kyler Shumway, Psy.D.

The following is a message written to the Deep Eddy Psychotherapy community by our President and Chief Clinical Officer regarding the recent mass shootings in America. Some of the details and formatting have been altered for the purposes of easy online reading. Deep Eddy Psychotherapy believes in taking a stance when it comes to advocacy and working towards a greater change for tomorrow, and this message is evidence of one of the ways we make our beliefs known.

Yet again, multiple mass shootings have occurred recently, including in El Paso.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/02/16/us/el-paso-texas-mall-shooting-thursday/index.html

We grieve the loss of life and hope for swift recovery and peace for all affected by what happened here, as well as the recent slaughter at Michigan State. Members of our Deep Eddy community and those we serve will be impacted, whether directly or by the reminders of the other horrific mass murders we have witnessed over the years.

I imagine many of us feel desensitized.

We are only 47 days into 2023. In that span of time, there have been 71 mass shootings in the United States. 47 days, 71 mass shootings. We used to talk about these acts of violence as “lighting strike” events which were hard to predict and harder to prevent. But the storm is getting worse. In fact, some students have turned to social media to share that they have now survived two mass shooting events, a phenomenon we likely would have previously considered unfathomable. Many are wondering what to do in the face of so much suffering.

We can continue to advocate for better gun control and other measures to improve safety. We can elect better leaders and support causes working to make a difference. But most importantly, our Deep Eddy community can help address these issues at the source. Our larger community also can continue to advocate for changes and to connect with others.

People feel helpless and hopeless. Kids and teens feel it, too, with record-breaking depression and suicidality rates. In the words of one of my kiddo clients, it feels like “the world is on fire and no one is trying to put it out.” I know many of us feel that way sometimes, too.

Maya Angelou once said,

“We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.”

We will not be defeated by the seemingly endless onslaught of senseless bloodshed and pervasive societal despair. We will not give up on our clients and their families. We will stand together as a community, trying to make a difference. Each session, every ounce of compassion and kindness and care, makes the world a bit better. I hope all of us can end our week with strength and a sense of solidarity.

As always, and especially now, Deep Eddy Psychotherapy stands ready to assist clients, colleagues, and the community. Please contact us if you need further assistance for yourself, loved ones, or community members.