The Impact of Hurricane Helene: We Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends
The impact of Hurricane Helene on Western North Carolina is hard to comprehend. The images are heartbreaking. There is loss of life, homes, businesses, and entire communities. Hundreds of people are still missing, and many are still stranded. The recovery will take years. It all feels overwhelming.
As lawyers, we are trained to help people navigate difficult and sometimes overwhelming situations. By necessity, we maintain a certain level of detachment from our clients’ suffering. This allows us to be effective advocates. But lawyers also often detach from their own suffering. When we hurt, we tend to keep it to ourselves. We don’t want to appear weak. This can take a toll on our mental and emotional health, especially during times like this.
Lawyers in our mountain communities must somehow process the grief of their own loss. And lawyers across the state must find ways to be of assistance to those lawyers and their communities without getting consumed by the grief. We all must find ways to protect our mental health during this time.
This starts with making space for yourself to process whatever you are feeling. This will vary depending on how you have been affected by this tragedy. Don’t be afraid to allow yourself to feel whatever it is that arises. For many of us (me included), this can be difficult. We have been trained in the school of the “stiff upper lip.”
It is also essential during this time that we stay connected with family, friends, and colleagues. Sharing your feelings with a friend, family member, or trusted colleague can be helpful. And, if you are looking for a way to help someone else in their suffering, one of the best things you can do is simply to make space for them to share what they are going through. You don’t have to try to fix it. You just need to listen.
If you are finding it difficult to cope and function at work or in your personal life, you may need professional counseling. You can reach out to the North Carolina Lawyers Assistance Program for help. There is no shame in seeking assistance.
The physical recovery effort from Helene will be enormous and long and will require all hands on deck. But the mental and emotional recovery will also be challenging. We must prioritize self-care but also find ways to be present for one another. If we do this, we can come out on the other side of this tragedy stronger and more resilient than we already were.
For more Huricane Helene Disaster Response and Resources, visit our website page dedicated to Hurricane Helene response and relief.
