Q&A: Trauma in the Aftermath of the Marshall Fire
Author(s)
Jon Stone
Media Relations Manager
The Marshall fire that devastated Boulder County on Dec. 30, 2021, qualifies as the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history, surpassing the East Troublesome fire only a year earlier. In the matter of just a few hours, high winds swept the grass fire through the towns of Superior and Louisville, resulting in the destruction of more than 1,000 homes. Those families now face the daunting process of rebuilding their lives, while hundreds more are returning to homes severely damaged by smoke and water.
The in the ֳ’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology provides psychological support to individuals and communities confronting trauma. is co-director of the program and has extensive experience working in the area of global mental health and humanitarian aid. She answered some questions for the ֳ Newsroom regarding the trauma Colorado communities are facing in the aftermath of the Marshall fire.
What kind of lasting impact do you typically see when a large disaster like the Marshall fire wreaks havoc on an entire community?
While we have learned much from events like 9/11, Katrina and the Paradise fires in California, the first answer is always, it depends.Generally,we assume two-thirdsof those impacted will recover naturally without intervention,whilethe other third would benefit frompsychotherapeuticservices to helpwith recovery. TheCamp firesin California showed us thatdelayedtraumaresponsesweremore common than expected and,months and even years later,post-traumatic stressdisorder(PTSD) was being identifiedand diagnosed even thoughthese same individuals werenotmeeting criteria for diagnosis in theweeks and months after the fire.
A recent book published by psychologist Jack Saul — “Collective Trauma, Collective Healing” —captures thefact that when traumais collective, we need to be mindful of the various impacts it can have.Collective trauma is trauma that happens to large groups of individuals and can be transmittedacross communities andtransgenerationally.War, genocide, slavery, terrorism and natural disasters can cause collective trauma, which can be further defined as historical, ancestral or cultural.Some of the symptoms of collective trauma includegrief,rage, depression, denial, survivor guilt and internalized oppression, as well as physiological changes in the brain and body that can bring on chronic disease.The good news is thatcollective resilienceand post-traumaticgrowthcan also happen, and there are many noteworthy ways thatcommunities protect and support each otherthat help toprevent more severe psychological impacts.
Does it help with mentaland physical recovery when individuals have others in the community who have experienced the same trauma?
Again,my firstresponsehere is, it depends.Whileyes,the shared nature of collective trauma can bedeeplybindingfor someand can lead to a honeymoon effect of sorts (as we saw insome parts of the countryafter 9/11). Wealso know disasters are not equal opportunity events,and this same disasteralso led toincreased trauma and social stressand alienationforcertain segments of the community.Thoseexperiencing economic stress, racism, structural inequitiesand/orgender discriminationprior to the disaster are already feeling stresson their bodies, minds andcoping capacities. The newstressof the natural disaster canimpact functioning across various domainsin more acuteand complexways. Paradoxically, these same individuals have hard-earned lived experience thatserves as proof they can withstand adversity. These areoften the individuals who rise tothe challengethe community is facing,quickly get creative and are innovative about ways to support their friends and neighbors during times of crisis.
When we see large disasters like this, how common is it for people to decide to rebuild their lives elsewhere rather than rebuild where the disaster occurred?
There is a lot that goes into this decision forindividualsimpactedby a natural disaster,andtypicallyit is a complex analysis of the push-pull factors involved.Many people choose to stay after a natural disaster and rebuild. People and communities are resilient. The nation has seen entire communities rebuild and come back even stronger after disasters. In addition to a natural desire to stay at home, other factors make it more likely that people will stay.In contrast, some people feel more comfortable leaving andstarting oversomewhere new. For example, after dealing with damage from a flood, some people opt to move to higher ground. Others findthemselvesforced to relocate due to the extent of the damageto theirhomes,communities and local economy.
How can a disaster like thiseffectthose living in neighboring communities that were spared the destruction?
While it’scomplicated and multidimensional, natural disasters can sometimes serve as a great equalizer and be quite grounding from an existentialperspective. People all over Boulder are driving to appointments, the grocery store and work, andthey are allrealizing just how random the impactof the firewas. The randomness often impacts people in a veryvisceralway.Though fire damage will be far-reaching, it will be felt most by the communities most vulnerable to their destruction: lower-income communities and communities of color.Because of the human-driven reality of climate change, natural disasters will only becomemorefrequent,and this is hittinghomefor manyin the wake of this fire.
How can GSPP's Trauma & Disaster Recovery Clinic support those affected by the Marshall fire and other destructive events?
The Trauma & Disaster Recovery Clinic (TDRC) provides psychological support to individuals and communities who have experienced stress, adversity and/or trauma. We utilize an integrative and strengths-based approach that is culturally informed.We never turn anyone away tied to cost barriers and can offer pro-bono support to survivors of recent disasters. We also offer technical assistance and training to those interested in receiving training or workshops to help groups and organizationsbetter serve their communitiesand beneficiaries.
To learn more about the Trauma & Disaster Recovery Clinic and clinic director Tiamo Katsonga-Phiri, please .