In the wake of natural disasters, the emotional toll can be as profound as the physical destruction. Survivors find themselves grappling with loss, displacement, and the daunting task of rebuilding not just homes, but lives. For therapists, the responsibility is heavy: to sit with this grief, to listen, to hold space, and to offer guidance as clients navigate what can feel like an insurmountable path forward.

The recent fires in Los Angeles have left countless individuals and families searching for stability amidst the ashes. For therapists who step into these spaces of devastation, the work is both challenging and essential. It is about more than providing coping strategies. It is about presence, about safety, and about creating a haven where healing feels possible—offering an anchor amidst the emotional storm.

The Role of the Therapist in a Crisis

When disaster strikes, survivors often look to therapists not for answers, but for understanding. The task is not to fix what cannot be fixed, but to bear witness to the pain, to validate it, and to provide a steady hand as clients find their footing (Herman, 1997). Survivors don’t need perfect words or solutions; they need someone who will stay anchored as they navigate the storm within.

This work requires a profound capacity for stillness—the ability to ride the waves of emotion without being swept away. Survivors don’t need perfect words or solutions; they need someone who will stay anchored as they navigate the storm within.

Sitting with Clients in the Aftermath

To be effective in the aftermath of a disaster is to bring both humanity and technique into the therapy room. Survivors are not only grieving what they’ve lost—they are processing the raw shock of survival.

Validate Their Pain

Acknowledging the enormity of their experience is grounding. Words like, “You’ve been through so much. What you’re feeling is a normal response to an abnormal event,” (van der Kolk, 2014) can remind clients that their reactions are not only valid but expected.

Validating pain helps clients feel seen and steadies them as they move through waves of emotion—whether those waves are small ripples of sadness or crashing tides of grief.

Be Comfortable with Silence

When words fail, silence can be a harbor. Survivors may not know how to articulate their pain—or may not feel ready to try. A therapist’s quiet, supportive presence becomes the space where clients can pause, breathe, and gather strength to ride the next emotional wave.

Normalize the Chaos

Survivors often feel unmoored by the intensity of their emotions. One moment, anger; the next, detachment. Reassuring them that this unpredictability is a natural part of the process can provide a sense of stability, like teaching them to keep their balance on a choppy sea. This is much like what has been discussed in trauma recovery frameworks such as Polyvagal Theory (Porges, 2011).

Creating Safety in the Room

The therapy room must become a haven, a place where survivors can let their guard down and feel safe amidst the emotional turbulence.

Focus on the Present

Before diving into the depth of their story, take stock of where they are now. Questions like, “How are you feeling today?” bring clients into the present, grounding them as they face the wave of emotions from the past.

Teach Practical Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques are tools that help clients anchor themselves when the storm feels overwhelming:

• Deep Breathing: Slowing the breath can help calm the nervous system (Levine, 1997), like steadying a boat amidst rough waters.

• Sensory Grounding: Techniques such as naming things they see, touch, hear, or smell give clients something to hold onto (Ogden & Minton, 2000), like reaching for a lifeline in stormy seas.

Recognize Their Strength

Moments of resilience often shine through the chaos. Highlighting these reminds survivors that they have already endured and navigated enormous challenges. Reflecting their strength back to them offers a reminder that they have weathered the worst part of the storm.

Grief and Growth: Riding the Wave of Emotion

The wave metaphor carries through the client’s journey of disaster recovery. For many survivors, the path forward is marked by grief and growth—two forces that often feel like competing currents.

Grieving What Was

Grief comes in waves—sometimes small ripples, sometimes crashing surges of emotion. Helping clients acknowledge and ride these waves without resistance is crucial. Encourage them to honor their losses, whether through rituals, letters, or quiet reflection, reminding them that grief is a natural part of navigating the aftermath.

Finding Meaning in the Recovery

As the emotional storm begins to settle, clients often find opportunities for growth amidst the devastation. By reflecting on what has carried them through—strengths, connections, or moments of resilience—they can begin to rebuild a life that reflects the lessons they’ve learned from the waves they’ve faced.

The Practice of Surfing the Wave: Staying Grounded as a Therapist

For therapists, supporting clients through disaster recovery can feel like navigating turbulent seas. Emotions come in swells—sometimes calm, other times overwhelming. To stay present without being consumed by a client’s pain, it helps to “surf the wave”—skillfully riding the highs and lows of emotional intensity while maintaining balance and focus (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).

Dive Into the Wave

There are moments in therapy when you need to immerse yourself fully in the emotional experience, allowing yourself to feel its resonance with the client. This might involve tuning into your own body and emotions, recognizing tension in your chest, or a sense of heaviness that mirrors what the client is experiencing.

• “What am I feeling right now, and how might it reflect my client’s experience?”

By diving into the wave, you connect with the depth of their emotions, offering empathy and understanding as they ride through their own storm.

Catch the Crest

When emotions feel too heavy, it’s essential to return to the surface. Catching the crest of the wave allows you to maintain perspective and help guide the client toward calmer waters. This might involve shifting to a more rational frame of mind or refocusing on practical strategies to ground both yourself and the client.

• “What does this moment require? How can I best support my client right now?”

Staying Balanced on the Board

Surfing the wave requires balance, flexibility, and presence. As the therapist, your ability to ride the wave alongside your client—whether it’s a gentle swell or a crashing tide—shows them that it’s possible to navigate even the most turbulent emotions without being swept away.

The Therapist’s Well-Being: Anchoring Yourself

Supporting survivors of disasters is emotionally demanding. For therapists, maintaining balance and staying anchored is essential to avoid being swept up in the emotional currents.

Ask Reflective Questions

After sessions, take a moment to reflect:

• How did this session affect me emotionally?

• Am I carrying tension from this work into my personal life?

Build in Small Rituals

Whether it’s stepping outside for fresh air or journaling at the end of the day, these practices act as anchors to ground yourself after the emotional work of the day.

Rely on Community

Therapists, too, need their havens. Whether it’s peer consultation, supervision, or trusted colleagues, lean on your community to process the waves of your own emotions.

Finding the Calm Between Waves

Therapists are like surf instructors, guiding clients through the emotional tides of grief, hope, and recovery. Surfing the wave doesn’t mean controlling the ocean; it means learning how to stay balanced and steady amidst the swells. As a therapist, your ability to ride the wave alongside your clients offers them a lifeline—a reminder that even in the face of chaos, healing and calm are possible.

For those looking to deepen their trauma-informed practice, there are resources, tools, and a supportive community ready to help. Together, we can navigate the storms and find the haven within.

How Storm Haven Can Support

At Storm Haven Counseling & Wellness, we are committed to being a refuge in times of crisis. In the wake of the devastating Los Angeles fires, we are offering free individual therapy sessions for those directly impacted by the fires. These sessions are available on a limited basis and are designed to provide a safe space where individuals can process their experiences and emotions.

What We Offer

• Free Individual Therapy Sessions (Limited Availability): A limited number of pro bono individual therapy sessions are available to those affected by the fires. These sessions are subject to therapist availability and scheduling.

• Trauma-Informed Support: Our therapists specialize in evidence-based approaches, such as EMDR, grounding techniques, and somatic experiencing, to help individuals navigate trauma and emotional distress.

• A Safe Space for Healing: Our focus is on creating a supportive environment where clients can explore their feelings and work toward finding balance after the chaos of a natural disaster.

Important Information

While we are honored to offer this support to our community, availability is limited, and we may not be able to accommodate every request. If we are unable to schedule a session, we will do our best to help you find additional resources or referrals to other providers.

Rising Stronger Together

At Storm Haven, we believe in resilience and the power of connection. If you or someone you know has been directly impacted by the fires, we invite you to reach out. Together, we can navigate the storm and begin the journey toward healing.

Visit www.stormhavenwellness.com to inquire about individual therapy session availability. Limited sessions available. We’re here to help.

Written by Jen Hyatt, a licensed psychotherapist at Storm Haven Counseling & Wellness in Temecula, California.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this blog post is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or psychological advice. Therapists offering free or pro bono sessions should ensure that their services align with their professional capacity, ethical guidelines, and legal obligations. Availability of services at Storm Haven Counseling & Wellness is limited and subject to therapist scheduling and capacity. If you are in crisis or require immediate assistance, please contact a local crisis hotline or emergency services in your area.

Citations

1. Herman, J. L. (1997). Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Basic Books.

2. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Delta.

3. Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books.

4. Ogden, P., & Minton, K. (2000). Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment. W. W. Norton & Company.

5. Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

6. Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.

7. American Psychological Association (2022). “Disaster Response: Best Practices for Mental Health Providers.”

8. Saakvitne, K. W., & Pearlman, L. A. (1996). Transforming the Pain: A Workbook on Vicarious Traumatization for Helping Professionals Who Work with Trauma Survivors. Norton.