The devastating impact of senseless gun violence has once again shaken a community, claiming the lives of three faculty members and injuring a fourth at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Our thoughts are with the students, faculty, and staff of the marriage and family therapy program, as well as the entire UNLV community, as they confront the challenges ahead and start to cope with this devastating tragedy.
Adrian Blow, AAMFT President-Elect, states, “Having experienced a similar ordeal a little over six months ago at Michigan State University, we understand firsthand the arduous journey of recovery following such traumatic events. We recognize the resilience required to navigate through these difficult times, especially considering Las Vegas has unfortunately endured similar incidents in the past.”
To address the pervasive issue of gun violence in the United States, The Violence Prevention Project has committed itself to reducing such tragedies through extensive research. Driven by a desire for tangible change, Dr. Jill Peterson and Dr. James Densley founded the project and created a comprehensive database of mass shooters. Their groundbreaking work was shared at the virtual 2023 Systemic Family Therapy Conference, sponsored by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The pivotal insights from their comprehensive mass shooter database, publicly accessible on their website, are a crucial tool in understanding and addressing the pressing national crisis of gun violence.
“Meaningful action is needed to prevent more senseless mass shootings. Policymakers need to address this urgent national crisis by working together and finding meaningful solutions and putting an end to these devasting tragedies that happen in communities far too frequently”, stated AAMFT CEO Chris Michaels.
For those on the UNLV campus, Student Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) will provide crisis support services in person and via telehealth.
Helpful Resources:
AAMFT:
School Shootings and Family Therapy: Where Do We Go From Here?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Therapy Topic
Tips for Parenting During Times of Crisis
AAMFT Blog: Statement on Gun Violence Crisis
Other Resources:
Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide
What to say to kids when the news is scary
https://firstrespondertoolkit.com/
To share a resource with our community of MFTs, please contact us.