Maui Wildfires & Post-trauma Recovery

The fires in Lahaina, Maui have been devastating. Thousands of people have lost their homes in addition to important cultural and historical sites. Some residents watched it all happen by staying in the ocean for hours to keep away from the flames, while trying to survive hypothermia and the currents of the ocean. And sadly, the death toll continues to rise.

Living in Colorado and having family in California, I’m no stranger to wildfires and seeing my loved ones and community having to evacuate, not knowing if they’ll return to their home, belongings, and being worried about their loved ones too.

As a member of a helping community of Brainspotting trauma therapists, I often see my colleagues wanting to jump in right away to offer pro bono services to survivors and witnesses of the fires, natural disasters or other communal traumatic events. I’m grateful to be part of such a caring and compassionate group of people. But the question is how soon should you receive mental health help in the midst of a trauma, crisis, or natural disaster?

As I write this article, it’s likely too soon for the residents of Lahaina to receive trauma therapy. Their main priority at this time will be safety, getting their basic needs met, and trying to find their loved ones with no or very limited access to cell phone reception. A well accepted psychology theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, indicates that people need to get their basic needs met, including food, water, clothing, shelter and safety before they can focus on getting their psychological needs or other needs met.

What is trauma?

In the mental health world, a major trauma is when you witness or experience something scary, typically a life-threatening event. This can include a natural disaster like a wildfire, earthquake, tornado, hurricane or tsunami. It can also include surviving a car accident, robbery, assault or shooting. It can even include learning about a loved one who was exposed to a traumatic event.

What can I do if I’m feeling traumatized even if I am not in Maui?

Some basic things you can do when feeling affected by trauma is avoiding consuming too much news or spending too much time on social media, particularly if it’s bothering you. News stations and stories are often repeated in 30 minute segments and it is possible to consume too much. Make sure to get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and eat healthy foods. Avoid alcohol, cannabis and other substances. Stress has a negative impact on your immune system so you’ll want to do some of these basic self-care options to keep your immune system stronger.

Structure, routine, and consistency can be especially important when you are going through or recovering from trauma. It helps your nervous system know what to expect amidst the unexpected.

Take care of yourself. What has helped you feel better in the past during stressful situations? Possibly talking to a friend or family member, going for walks, deep breathing, listening to music, journaling, engaging in a hobby or sport, meditation and/or exercise are a few options.

When should I seek professional help?

There are some signs that indicate you’re mentally affected by trauma. These include not being able to stop thinking about or remembering the trauma, having nightmares about it or experiencing what are called “flashbacks.” Flashbacks feel like you are experiencing the trauma again. Some people can feel more anxious, jumpy or on edge, and super alert of their surroundings. Others may feel more numb or detached. It may be hard to focus at school, home or work and it may cause problems in your relationships.

It may be normal for these symptoms to last for a few days after the traumatic event, but if it lasts much longer than that, you should reach out for mental health help.

What type of trauma treatment should I get?

There are so many different types of therapy options out there that it can feel overwhelming to choose a specific one. I would first recommend working with a therapist you feel comfortable with, one you have a good rapport with. The therapeutic relationship is actually the most important factor in your healing experience.

I would also recommend that you see a therapist who is licensed or who is a candidate working toward licensure. Some states, like Colorado, have historically allowed people without any training to become “registered” or “unlicensed” therapists, so watch out for this. A therapist should disclose to you what their license and background are and you definitely have the right as a client to ask questions about this. If the therapist doesn’t disclose their educational or professional background, this could be a red flag.

Secondly, there are many types of therapy out there, but some are specific to helping people overcome trauma, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing, and Brainspotting. I would choose any of these over other traditional talk therapy modalities because they are better at healing trauma specifically.

My favorite modality as a therapist and as a client is Brainspotting. It helps heal the issue at its roots so you can feel better faster. Brainspotting was created out of EMDR. One of the key differences between the two is that Brainspotting helps you process trauma while looking at certain gaze spots or “brainspots” from the visual field whereas EMDR traditionally uses eye movement (though there are variations of this) while processing trauma.

You could also talk to your primary care provider if you are interested in medications to help symptoms that are bothering you. There are some medications you can take as needed for anxiety or sleep and others you can take daily to help prevent nightmares or anxiety.

And lastly, if you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health emergency, please seek emergent help by calling the national crisis line at 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Next Steps

While the current Maui fires are mostly contained, the effects of this tragedy will be long lasting. If you want to support the people of Lahaina, Maui, there are plenty of charities you can contribute to. Make sure to do your research because scammers take advantage of people wanting to make donations shortly after a natural disaster or tragedy.

Get in touch with me to find out more about Brainspotting and how I can help support you in overcoming trauma.