Tuesday’s terror attack at 14 Riverside Drive in Westlands was yet another trying moment for the country.
Five gunmen aligned to Somali extremist group Al-Shabaab stormed the DusitD2 hotel complex around 3:30 pm.
What followed was a 19-hour fierce gun battle between Kenyan elite forces and the assailants, two of whom were neutralized on Tuesday evening while the other two were eliminated on Wednesday morning.
Fourteen people lost their lives while scores of others were left with injuries and trauma.
The attack kindled an important question; what steps should be taken to help the victims or affected families deal with the trauma?
According to counselling psychologist Gladys Chania, there are three things that should be done to handle the trauma.
1. Establishing a dedicated and private channel of communication
The first step in handling the trauma is establishing a dedicated and private channel to reach out to the affected families.
“Everyone has the right to be informed but the disclosure of any information regarding a disaster or fatality needs to be done in a very fashionable and coordinated manner,” says Chania.
2. One channel to communicate with affected families
Chania notes that the person in charge of the situation on the ground has the sole mandate of communication.
“This is the only person who should break the news to any other interested party. The breaking of information is part of universal health concern and so it calls for compassion. Personal news or news touching on the loss of life or privacy shouldn't be done through the press,” adds the psychologist.
3. Informing and comforting affected person/family
Informing and comforting a person who has been affected by a tragedy plays a big role in reducing distress and trauma.
According to the psychologist, it reduces distress which results from traumatic actions.
“In professional terms, it is referred to as psychological first aid. It reduces the initial distress caused by traumatic actions and acts as a coping mechanism. When someone is given an encouraging word, it means a lot to a broken heart,” offers the psychologist.
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