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Edneshia Hamilton, a social worker and counselor at SLPS Peabody Elementary School, got word to head to Gateway Tech on Monday morning.
The school had become a staging area and she stood among shocked and bewildered parents and students after a gunman had killed two people and left six people injured.
She was among the first counselors on the scene, and she said her work and that of other mental health officials is just beginning.
“A lot of students are traumatized, shaken up, scared and afraid,” she said.
Hamilton said some students told her they didn’t want to go back to school, and that she believes some may need resources outside of school for their mental health.
“Right now we need to be a support for both the students and the staff. We need to pour into them as much as we can [and] work as a team,” she said.
During a Wednesday morning press conference at St. Louis Metropolitan Police headquarters, St. Louis Health Director D. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, implored any student or adult, even if they were not involved with Monday’s violence, who needs help “to reach out and talk to someone.”
“Just dial 988. Help will come your way,” said. The number connects you with the Behavioral Health Response’s mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis. Behavioral health is one of the fundamental tenants of health care and public health.
She said it is a challenge for the entire St. Louis community “to even make sense of this.”
“I’m not OK, right now. I’m hugging my babies every night. I’m fearful I will get that call or my husband gets that call.”
Davis’ department established its Behavioral Health Bureau two weeks ago, and its goal is to help improve awareness of and access to mental health resources, and she thanked Mayor Tishaura Jones “with empowering me to take action.”
She and bureau members have already met with health and elected officials and are determining ways to permanently impact behavioral health care in the region.
“Without it we would not be able to lead and act as [we are doing,] she said.”
Clinical psychologist Marva Robinson told St. Louis Public Radio on Tuesday “there is no need to struggle in silence or to deal with this alone,”
“We may not have all the answers, but you can speak with a professional to get guidance, even a family therapist to help the entire family go through this process. Just one phone call can make a dramatic difference,” she said.
Robinson is a member of the St. Louis Association of Black Psychologists, which works to address social problems that affect the Black community.
She said she and her peers have been providing people with coping skills, which include exercise, being mindful of how much sleep you get and an exercise called diaphragmatic breathing.
“That’s when you’re breathing from the belly. … It’s a deeper sense of breathing that kind of helps with aid and relaxation,” she said.
“And then, of course, writing out your feelings. Sometimes when you don’t feel safe to say the words, at least getting it out of your mind and down on paper is a skill that can be helpful.”
Robinson also provided insight on behaviors parents might expect to see from their children in the weeks and months ahead — and warning signs to look out for, such as:
“Impairment in sleep, maybe sleeping later, tossing and turning, or waking up early; any decrease in appetite; maybe some irritability, aggression, wanting to isolate more; maybe not drinking as much water as they used to before; or maybe wanting to be with their friends more than usual,” she said.
Robinson added that it’s important to make space for children to have conversations about thoughts and feelings, and to provide them with factual information about what happened.
“Use age-appropriate language. You want to make sure that the child is clear about what’s being said because confusion can often breed more anxiety,” she said.
“And also understand that it may not be a one-time conversation, that it may come up later on that evening, could come up next month or even next year.”
Robinson stressed that it’s important for parents and community members to be aware of the compounded trauma many students might be experiencing.
“Have they lost a loved one in the pandemic? Have they lost a loved one to gun violence? Have they been a part of a car theft or any sort of a violent crime? … Those multiple incidents can have a significant impact, even if the child appears to be functioning OK [or] doesn’t express a lot of emotions about this particular incident.
“Those are usually some warning signs,” she added, “that maybe professional help is needed to kind of make sure that a child doesn’t believe that this is how life is always supposed to be.”
Resources are available:
St. Louis Behavioral Health Response provides crisis support, telephone counseling and mental health resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 314-469-6644 or dial the dedicated youth services line at 314-819-8802. Or text “BHEARD” to 31658.
Behavioral Health Response’s mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline is available by dialing 988.
St. Louis Public Schools offers a list of behavioral health resources on its website, www.slps.org.
YWCA Metro St. Louis provides a 24-hour help line: (314) 531-7273.
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